What is the benefit of launching with the CLI?

Launching the Desktop client with the CLI gives you a lot of flexibility. The CLI allows you to launch the Desktop client normally without any changes, but you can also change its behavior by utilizing specific parameters. It can facilitate and automate many tasks such as server auto-login, disabling auto-updates, creating multiple instances of the client, restricting options, and more.

Before we can launch the Desktop client with the CLI, we need to find out what version our Server application is running on. In order for everything to function properly, the Desktop client file that will be launched from the CLI needs to have the same version number as the Server application.

How to launch via CLI

For Windows:

1. Open Command Prompt and enter:
    

   "C:\Program Files\Network Optix\Nx Witness\MediaServer\build_info.txt"

2. Take note of the version number which appears on the first line (e.g., 4.0.0.29785).
3. [Replace the red text with your version number]
   In Command Prompt enter:

   dir C:\* /S /B | findstr "\\4.0.0.29785$" | clip

4. [Replace the red text with your clipboard contents]
   The resulting directory has been automatically copied to your clipboard. Navigate to it by entering:

   cd PASTEHERE

5. [Parameters are optional, delete it or replace the example with one from the chart below]
   To launch the client enter:

   "HD Witness.exe" --parameter

For Linux:

1. Open Terminal and enter:

   cat /opt/networkoptix/mediaserver/build_info.txt

2. Take note of the version number which appears on the first line (e.g., 4.0.0.29785).
3. [Replace the red text with your version number]
   In Terminal enter:

   cd "$(sudo find / -name "4.0.0.29785")"/bin

4. [Parameters are optional, delete it or replace the example with one from the chart below]
   To launch the client, enter:

   ./client-bin --parameter

For macOS:

1. [Parameters are optional, delete it or replace the example with one from the chart below]
   To launch the client, enter:

   ~/.local/share/Network\ Optix/client/default/<your_version_app>/Nx\ Witness.app/Contents/MacOS/Nx\ Witness --show-full-info

Command-line parameters:

Examples without the Nx URL Scheme

Connect to a specific Nx Server

• Ubuntu:
   

  ./client-bin --auth=http://admin:1234@192.168.1.200:7001

• Windows:
   

  "HD Witness.exe" --auth=http://admin:1234@192.168.1.200:7001

Open to a Specific Layout

• Ubuntu:
   

  ./client-bin --auth=http://admin:1234@192.168.1.200:7001 --layout-name="Some layout name"

• Windows;
   

  "HD Witness.exe" --auth=http://admin:1234@192.168.1.200:7001 --layout-name="Some layout name"

Examples with the Nx URL scheme

When using the Nx URL scheme on Windows, the exact version does not need to be specified in your command. As a result, you are not required to follow the steps in How to launch via CLI and simply enter start "" before your parameter.

The examples using the Nx URL Scheme on Ubuntu still require you to follow the steps listed in How to launch via CLI.

Open Nx Client (opens the latest version, no need to specify a client version)

• Ubuntu:

  ./client-bin "nx-vms://nxvms.com/"

• Windows:

  start "" "nx-vms://nxvms.com/"

Opens Nx Client and displays the camera at the specified point in its archive 

• Ubuntu:

  ./client-bin "nx-vms://nxvms.com/client/systemid/view?auth=YWRtaW46cXdlYXNkMTIz&resources=ed93120e-0f50-3cdf-39c8-dd52a640688c&timestamp=1520110800000"

• Windows:

  start "" "nx-vms://nxvms.com/client/systemid/view?auth=YWRtaW46cXdlYXNkMTIz&resources=ed93120e-0f50-3cdf-39c8-dd52a640688c&timestamp=1520110800000"