Command line parameters

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SRB2 has many command line parameters that can be used to launch the game with special settings, such as switching graphics renderers, changing networking parameters or adding files. These parameters can be added via a command line interpreter such as the Windows Command Prompt (cmd.exe), or by executing a batch file. Launcher programs for SRB2 allow the user to set some of these parameters in a graphical interface.

It is possible to load command line parameters from an external text file, called a response file, and pass them to SRB2. To do this, add @file to the list of parameters, where file is the response file in question. The contents of the file will then be appended to the list of parameters. For example, if the file windowed.txt contains the text -win -width 640 -height 480, then executing srb2win.exe -nomusic @windowed.txt is equivalent to srb2win.exe -nomusic -win -width 640 -height 480.

List of parameters

In the tables below, text to be entered exactly is in Roman type, text to be replaced with an appropriate value is in italic type, and optional parameters are enclosed in square brackets.

General settings

Parameter	Description
`-config filename`	Uses the specified configuration file instead of `config.cfg`.
`-console`	Creates a separate console window that shows the SRB2 console's output and allows console commands and variables to be entered.
`-detachconsole`	DirectDraw builds only Detaches SRB2 from any console window it might be attached to and creates a separate console window that shows the SRB2 console's output and allows console commands and variables to be entered.
`-file filename1 filename2 ...`	Specifies extra WAD, PK3, SOC or Lua files to be added to the game.
`-home folder`	Specifies the game's home folder, where files such as `config.cfg`, `gamedata.dat`, savegames, logs, screenshots, the `DOWNLOAD` folder and Record Attack replays are stored.
`-nodata`	Starts the game without loading game data; unlike `-resetdata`, the game will not overwrite the game data file.
`-resetdata`	Starts the game without loading game data; unlike `-nodata`, the game can overwrite the game data file later.
`-gamedata filename`	Sets the gamedata file to use for saving time attack records and unlocked secrets. In the case of a custom modification being added, this will override the name set in the `MainCfg` parameter `GameData`.
`-skipintro`	Skips the intro on startup, immediately going to the title screen instead.
`-ultimatemode`	Starts a game in Ultimate mode.
`-warp mapnum`	Automatically warps to the specified map upon starting the game. The map can be supplied either in the integer representation (e.g., `-warp 101`) or in the extended map number representation (e.g., `-warp MAPA1`). Use of this parameter marks the game as modified, unless `-server` is also used.
`-writetextmap`	Writes a `TEXTMAP` file of the converted UDMF map into your SRB2 folder. A warning for anything that couldn't be converted automatically will be printed in the console.

Video

Parameter	Description
`-borderless`	SDL2 builds only Starts up the game with a borderless window.
`-height height`	Sets the screen height in pixels. Only certain width/height combinations are supported.
`-noblit`	In SRB2 executables that use the SDL 1.2 library, this causes video surfaces to be created in system memory rather than video memory. In the official SRB2 executables, which use SDL2, this has no effect.
`-nodraw`	Turns off rendering once the `timedemo` console command is used. This is useful for testing how fast the game can process a demo without rendering. Rendering will remain disabled after processing the demo, so in order to read the console output afterwards, you either need to check the log or use the `-console` parameter to create an external console.
`-renderer renderer`	Sets the chosen renderer as SRB2's renderer, can be either Software or OpenGL. Takes priority over `-software` or `-opengl`.
`-opengl`	Sets OpenGL as SRB2's renderer.
`-software`	Sets Software as SRB2's renderer.
`-nogl`	Disables loading of the OpenGL library.
`-softblit`	SDL2 builds only Makes SDL2 render the game with a fallback software renderer and with a 32-bit RGBA pixel format instead of a 16-bit RGB format.
`-width width`	Sets the screen width in pixels. Only certain width/height combinations are supported.
`-win`	Starts SRB2 in windowed mode.

Sound/Music

Parameter	Description
`-nodigmusic`	Turns off digital music.
`-nomidimusic`	Turns off MIDI music.
`-nomusic`	Turns off music.
`-nosound`	Turns off sound effects.
`-noaudio`	Starts the game without any audio drivers, turning off music and sound effects.
`-precachesound`	Preloads sound effects into memory.

Controls

Parameter	Description
`-nodinput`	DirectDraw builds only Doesn't use DirectInput.
`-nohidapi`	SDL2 builds only Disables HIDAPI joystick drivers.
`-nojoy`	Disables use of joysticks.
`-nomouse`	Disables use of mouse.
`-noxinput`	SDL2 builds only Disables detection of XInput gamepad devices.

Demos/Replays

Parameter	Description
`-maxdemo size`	Determines the maximum size that recorded demos may have, in kilobytes. The default value is 1,024 kilobytes, or 1 megabyte.
`-metal`	Records replay data that is used for the Metal Sonic race. By default, you will be warped to `MAP01` and play as Sonic. In levels where a different character is forced (e.g., Echidnapolis Zone), that character will be used instead. To record the demo in a different map, use the `-warp` parameter. Overrides `-record`.
`-playdemo demoname`	Plays back the specified demo.
`-record demoname`	Records a demo, which can be played back with the `playdemo`/`timedemo` console commands. By default, you will be warped to `MAP01`. To record the demo in a different map, use the `-warp` parameter.
`-timedemo demoname`	Plays back the specified demo at the highest possible speed and prints out information about how fast it was processed in the console afterwards. Useful for benchmarking.

Server

Parameter	Description
`-dedicated`	Starts a dedicated server, where the host is not a player in the game and instead monitors the game from a console window.
`-gametype gametype`	Sets the gametype when hosting a server. This parameter is in the same format as that accepted by the `map` command's own `-gametype` parameter.
`-noupload`	Turns off `downloading`, so the game doesn't send files to be downloaded when acting as the server.
`-password password`	Sets the server password, which players can use to log in as netgame administrators.
`-room ID`	If used with the `-server` or `-dedicated` parameter, advertises the server on the Master Server. ID specifies the room in which the server is hosted: 33 is the Standard room, while 28 is the Casual room.
`-server`	Automatically hosts a server upon starting the game.

Networking

Parameter	Description
`-bandwidth bytes_per_second`	Sets the network bandwidth for servers. SRB2 uses 30,000 bytes per second by default. The minimum value is 1,000 bytes per second.
`-bindaddr external_ip_address external_ip_address2 ...`	Listens for incoming connections on the specified address (or addresses) only.
`-bindaddr6 external_ip_address external_ip_address2 ...`	Listens for incoming connections on the specified IPv6 address (or addresses) only.
`-connect [external_ip_address]`	If an external IP address is specified, SRB2 will automatically try to connect to a netgame with that IP address. If no IP address is specified, SRB2 will search for a server on the local network and connect to the first server found.
`-extratic [num]`	Sends up to num (defaults to 1 if num is not given) extra previous tics to clients per server tic.
`-noipv6`	Disables listening for incoming IPv6 connections.
`-nodownload`	Doesn't download files from servers.
`-packetsize bytes_per_packet`	Changes the size of the UDP packets sent in netgames. The minimum value for this is 75 bytes per packet, while the maximum (and default) value is the network bandwidth (which is 1,450^{[confirm? – discuss]} bytes by default).
`-port portnum` `-serverport portnum`	Specifies the UDP port to use when hosting a server. This defaults to port 5029.
`-clientport portnum`	Specifies the UDP port to use when joining a server. By default a random port number will be used.
`-useuPnP`	Turns on Universal Plug and Play support. Warning: This feature is untested.

Debugging

Parameter	Description
`-consisdump`	Prints out debug information into the console if a synch failure happens in a netgame.
`-debug`	Displays more in-depth technical information in the console, e.g., sprites loaded, file-searching details, etc.
`-debugfile [num]`	Outputs extra debug info to the file `debugnum.txt`. If num is omitted, it is calculated from the player number.
`-nofork`	Allows GDB to be attached more easily by disabling the signal handler process

System

Parameter	Description
`-3DNow`	Enables 3DNow!-specific code, if not already enabled.
`-486`	Enables i486-specific code, if not already enabled.
`-586`	Enables Pentium 5-specific code, if not already enabled.
`-framebuffer`	SDL2 builds only Prevents SRB2 from logging any output to the command line. Useful for framebuffer-based systems where this text would interfere with the game display.
`-MMX`	Enables MMX-specific code, if not already enabled. Note: MMX-specific rendering code will not be used if SRB2 is also launched with `-noASM`.
`-MMXExt`	Enables code specific to AMD MMX extensions, if not already enabled.
`-noASM`	Disables ASM rendering code. The non-ASM rendering code will be used instead.
`-NOCPUID`	Prevents SRB2 from detecting the processor features supported by the current system/computer, as well as preventing SRB2 from automatically enabling code for any features found.
`-noSSE`	Disables SSE-specific code, if SSE support is currently enabled. Overrides `-SSE`.
`-SSE`	Enables SSE-specific code, if not already enabled.
`-SSE2`	Enables SSE2-specific code, if not already enabled.

Console commands/variables

Main article: Console > Command line