Starting Vupos From the Command Line

Starting Vupos from the command line is relatively straightforward. Here, we'll describe how to start the program this way and offer suggestions if you run into problems. In this document, the Courier font is used to identify text which may appear on the computer screen or in a file. Additional, helpful information may be found in the Getting Started.

The following abbreviations will be used to represent information specific to the computer system you, the user, are using. Before beginning, you will need to identify the information these abbreviations represent for your computer and substitute that information for the abbreviations when entering the commands.
{JavaDir}   The directory where the Java interpreter is found. On computers running Microsoft Windows, the interpreter might be found in C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\; on Linux and Unix computers, the interpreter might be found in /usr/bin/. On most computers, the Java interpreter will be in your PATH, i.e. the directories your computer searches automatically, and you can ignore this abbreviation. A simple way to test if the interpreter appears in your PATH is, in a Command Prompt window for Microsoft Windows, or interactive shell for Linux/Unix, type:
java -version
If the Java interpreter is in your PATH, text similar to the following should appear:
java version "1.5.0_XX"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.5.0_XX)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.5.0_XX, mixed mode)
If, instead you see a message like
java is not recognized
or
java: command not found
you will have to find the directory where the interpreter resides. Search tools or your computer system administrator should be able to assist you if necessary.
{VuposDir}   The directory where the Vupos Java archive (jar) file is found. If necessary, operating system search tools on your computer system administrator should be able to assist you.

To run Vupos from a Windows Command Prompt or shell window, type

{JavaDir}java -jar {VuposDir}KgpsPlot.jar
The program will initially display its file selection dialog. This will enable you to select a plot file to display and then the Vupos interface will appear. There are four variations to this command:
{JavaDir}java -jar {VuposDir}KgpsPlot.jar plot_file
where plot_file is the name, with directory if needed, of a plot file on your computer. In this case, Vupos will appear and display the plot as soon as it completes reading the file.
{JavaDir}java -jar {VuposDir}KgpsPlot.jar -help
will start Vupos with its help dialog visible. Here, a user can review the help information while actively interacting with the Vupos program.
{JavaDir}java -jar {VuposDir}KgpsPlot.jar -version
simply prints a brief description of Vupos and its version number to the screen without starting the program.
{JavaDir}java -jar {VuposDir}KgpsPlot.jar -format "YYYY-MM-DD"
forces the program to use the alternate date format given as the argument to the option. Recognized formats are:
MJD
 the modified Julian day number
SINEX
 the SINEX standard two-digit year and three-digit day-of-year separated by a colon
YYYY-DDD
 an ISO 8601 standard four-digit year and three-digit day-of-year
YYYY-MM-DD
 an ISO 8601 standard four-digit year, two-digit month (January = 1) and the two-digit day-of-month
These commands can be hidden inside a batch file eliminating the need to remember complex path names and simplifying starting the program.

$Id: command_line.html 24 2008-04-25 15:12:21Z mark $