7.3 Command-Line Options

The commands MathKernel and Mathematica have several command-line options used to specify certain configuration information and file locations.

MathKernel

The command MathKernel starts the kernel, which is the part of Mathematica that handles calculations. This command is also used by the Mathematica front end.

Command-Line Options

-initfile file

Specifies the name of a file containing commands to be run on startup.

-lmverbose

Prints diagnostic information to stderr on connecting to the license manager. This is useful for debugging problems related to the license server.

-mathlink

Specifies that the kernel should be run in MathLink mode. See www.wolfram.com/solutions/mathlink for additional information about MathLink.

-noinit

Specifies that no initialization file should be read at startup.

-password str

Specifies a password to use instead of the password or passwords stored in the mathpass file. The password should have the form "!servername" or "machinename mathid licensenumber password".

-pwfile file

Specifies the name of a file that has a valid password.

-run

Takes a command to be run on startup as an argument.

Mathematica

The command Mathematica runs the Mathematica front end. In order to run Mathematica with a command-line option, you must start it from the command line using the Terminal application.

Command-Line Options

-cleanStart

Tells the front end to ignore caches stored in the directory ~/Library/Mathematica/FrontEnd/5.1 Caches, and rebuilds the front end preferences file, ~/Library/Mathematica/FrontEnd/init.m.

-mathlink

Causes the front end to run in MathLink mode. In MathLink mode, the front end runs as a child process that is capable of accepting MathLink packets. This option may be useful when the front end is used as a typesetting or graphics-rendering service.

-preferencesDirectory dir

Specifies the location where preference settings are stored. The default location is ~/Library/Mathematica.

-topDirectory dir

Specifies the location of the Mathematica installation directory.