# Command Line Operation
:::{index} Command Line Operation
:::
## Running Arelle on the Command Line:
| Method or System | Command |
|--------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Python source code | `python arelleCmdLine.py [arguments]` |
| Windows x64 or 32 bit | `"c:\Program Files\arelleCmdLine.exe" [arguments]` |
| MacOS App | `/Applications/Arelle.app/contents/MacOS/arelleCmdLine [arguments]` |
| Linux/Unix | `./arelleCmdLine [arguments]` |
## Arguments
### General Arguments
| Flag | Description |
|--------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|
| `-a` *or* `--about`| Prints build, copyright, and license information then exits |
| `-h` *or* `--help` | Prints help message and exits |
| `--diagnostics` | Prints diagnostic information |
| `--version` | Prints Arelle's version number and exits |
### Input File Arguments
| Flag | Description |
|---------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `-f FILE` *or*
`--file FILE` | The `FILE` for Arelle to process.
The `FILE` may be an entry point to be loaded, instance, schema, linkbase, inline XBRL instance, testcase file, or testcase index file.
The `FILE` may be local or a URL to a web-located file. |
| `--username USERNAME` | The `USERNAME` if needed (with the password flag) for web file retrieval . |
| `--password PASSWORD` | The `PASSWORD` if needed (with username flag) for web file retrieval. |
| `-i FILE` *or*
`--import FILE` | Imports a `v` to the DTS, such as additional formula or label linkbases.
`FILE` may contain multiple files separated by the `\|` character. | |
| `-d DTS` *or*
`--diff DTS` | Compares a second DTS for versioning report generation.
The -f file is the fromDTS and the -d `DTS` is the toDTS. |
| `-r FILE` *or*
`--report FILE` | Saves the versioning report (with the diff flag) to the specified `FILE`. |
### Validation Arguments
| Flag | Description |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `-v` or `--validate` | Validate the file according to the entry file type.
For an XBRL file, it is validated according to XBRL validation 2.1
Performs calculation linkbase validation if either \\--calcDecimals or \\--calcPrecision are specified
Performs SEC EDGAR Filing Manual validations (if \\--efm selected)
Performs Global Filer Manual disclosure system validation (if \\--gfm=XXX selected).
If a test suite or testcase, the test case variations are individually so validated.
If formulae are present they will be validated and run unless \\--formula=none is specified. |
| `--noValidateTestcaseSchema` *or*
`--novalidatetestcaseschema` | Validate testcases against their schemas. |
| `--calc=CALCS` | Specify calculations validations:
`CALCS` can be one of:
`none` – no calculations validation.
`c10` or `xbrl21` – Calc 1.0 (XBRL 2.1) calculations.
`c10d` or `xbrl21-dedup` – Calc 1.0 (XBRL 2.1) calculations with de-duplication
`c11r` or `round-to-nearest` – Calc 1.1 round-to-nearest mode
`c11t` or `truncation` - Calc 1.1 truncation mode |
| `--calcDecimals` *or*
`--calcdecimals` | DEPRECATED - XBRL v2.1 calculation linkbase validation inferring decimals. |
| `--calcPrecision` *or*
`--calcprecision` | DEPRECATED - pre-2010 XBRL v2.1 calculation linkbase validation inferring precision. |
| `--calcDeduplicate` *or*
`--calcdeduplicate` | DEPRECATED - de-duplication of consistent facts when performing calculation validation, chooses most accurate fact. |
| `--efm` | Select Edgar Filer Manual (U.S. SEC) disclosure system validation (strict). |
| `--efm-skip-calc-tree` | Skip walking of calculation tree during EFM validation. |
| `--disclosureSystem=NAME` *or*
`--disclosuresystem=NAME` | Specify a disclosure system, and enable disclosure system-specific validation.
Enter `--disclosureSystem=help` for list of names or help-verbose for list of names and descriptions. |
| `--hmrc` | Select U.K. HMRC disclosure system validation. |
| `--utr` | Select validation with respect to Unit Type Registry. |
| `--utrUrl=UTRURL` *or*
`--utrurl=UTRURL` | Used with `--utr` flag. Override disclosure systems Unit Type Registry.
`UTRURL` is the location (URL or file path). |
| `--infoset` | Select validation with respect testcase infosets. |
### Output Arguments
These arguments can override the system language settings for the output options below.
| Flag | Description |
|---------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `--labelLang=LABELLANG` *or*
`--labellang=LABELLANG` | provides an `xml:lang` language code to override the system language settings for labels output by the following file options, e.g. `--labelLang=en-US` |
| `--disableRtl` | Disable reversing string read order for right to left languages, useful for some locale settings |
| `--labelRole=LABELROLE` *or*
`--labelrole=LABELROLE` | overrides the standard XBRL 2.1 label role for the labels output by the following file options.
e.g. `--labelRole=http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel` |
The following file options determine the type of file saved by the extension of the file name, the extension may be any of:
`.html`, `.htm`, `.xhtml`, `.json` or `.csv`
| Flag | Description |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `--DTS=DTSFILE` *or*
DEPRECATED `--csvDTS=DTSFILE` | Write DTS tree into `DTSFILE`. May be .csv or .html. |
| `--facts=FACTSFILE` *or*
DEPRECATED `--csvFacts=FACTSFILE` | Write fact list into `FACTSFILE`. |
| `--factListCols=FACTLISTCOLS` | Columns for fact list file.
The `FACTLISTCOLS` are comma separated and can be any of these: `Label`, `Name`, `contextRef`, `unitRef`, `Dec`, `Prec`, `Lang`, `Value`, `EntityScheme`, `EntityIdentifier`, `Period`, or `Dimensions`.
The default columns list is `Label,contextRef,unitRef,Dec,Prec,Lang,Value`. |
| `--factTable=FACTTABLEFILE` *or*
DEPRECATED `--csvFactTable=FACTTABLEFILE` | Write fact table into `FACTTABLEFILE` |
| `--factListCols=FACTLISTCOLS` | Columns for fact list file |
| `--factTable=FACTTABLEFILE` *or*
DEPRECATED `--csvFactTable=FACTTABLEFILE` | Write fact table into FILE `FACTTABLEFILE` |
| `--factTableCols=FACTTABLECOLS` | Columns for fact table file |
| `--concepts=CONCEPTSFILE` *or*
DEPRECATED `--csvConcepts=CONCEPTSFILE` | Write concepts into `CONCEPTSFILE` |
| `--pre=PREFILE` *or*
`--csvPre=PREFILE` | Write presentation linkbase into `PREFILE` |
| `--table=TABLEFILE` *or*
`--csvTable=TABLEFILE` | Write table linkbase into `TABLEFILE` |
| `--cal=CALFILE` *or*
`--csvCal=CALFILE` | Write calculation linkbase into `CALFILE` |
| `--dim=DIMFILE` *or*
`--csvDim=DIMFILE` | Write dimensions (of definitions) into `DIMFILE` |
| `--anch=ANCHFILE` | Write anchoring relationships (of definition) linkbase into `ANCHFILE`
The wider-narrower hierarchy is shown in a tree view.
For each anchored concept, if there are multiple parent (wider) concepts, the others are shown in a second column, “wider”.
To additionally show name, documentation, and references on this view, specify one or all of `--relationshipCols “Name,Documentation,References”` |
| `--formulae=FORMULAEFILE` *or*
`--htmlFormulae=FORMULAEFILE` | Write formulae linkbase into `FORMULAEFILE` |
| `--viewArcrole=ARCROLE` *or*
`--viewarcrole=ARCROLE` | Store relationships for the `ARCROLE` in the file specified by `--viewFile` argument. |
| `--viewFile=FILE` | Specifies the file to store the \\--viewArcrole relationships. |
| `--roleTypes=FILE` | Store defined role types in specified `FILE` |
| `--arcroleTypes=`FILE` | Store defined arcrole types in specified `FILE` |
| `--testReport=FILE` | Write a test report of validation (of test cases) in specified `FILE` |
| `--testReportCols=REPORTCOLS` | Used with `--testReport` argument. Specifies columns for test report.
`REPORTCOLS` are comma separated and can be any of these: Index, Testcase, ID, Name, Reference, ReadMeFirst, Status, Expected, Actual“. |
| `--rssReport=FILE` | Write a test report of RSS feed processing in specified `FILE` |
| `--rssReportCols=RSSCOLS` | Used with `--rssReport` argument. Specifies columns for RSS processing.
`RSSCOLS` are comma separated and can be any of these: Company Name, Accession Number, Form, Filing Date, CIK, Status, Period, Yr End, Results”. |
### Logging Arguments
| Flag | Description |
|------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `--logFile=FILE` | Write log messages into `FILE`, otherwise they go to standard output. If `FILE` ends in .xml it is xml-formatted, otherwise it is text.
XML log files contain significant additional details not provided in the text files.
Default files named logToPrint, logToStdOut.xml and logToStdError provide output on standard output and standard error streams. |
| `--logFormat=FORMAT` | Specify the Python logger `FORMAT` for the text description of messages, if absent the default is `[%(messageCode)s] %(message)s - %(file)s`. |
| `--logLevel=LEVEL` | Minimum `LEVEL` for messages capture, otherwise the message is ignored.
Current order of levels are: debug, info, info-semantic, warning, warning-semantic, warning, assertion-satisfied, inconsistency, error-semantic, assertion-not-satisfied, and error. |
| `--logLevelFilter=LOGREGX` | Regular expression filter for logLevel. (E.g., to not match \\*-semantic levels, `--logLevelFilter=(?!^.*-semantic$)(.+)`. |
| `--collectProfileStats` | Collect profile statistics, such as timing of validation activities and formulae. |
### Validation and Formula Options
| Flag | Description |
|----------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `--parameters` | Specifies parameters for formula and validation (name=value[,name=value]). |
| `--parameterSeparator` | Used with \\--parameters argument. Specify parameters separator string (if other than comma, may be a multi-character separator). |
| `--formula` | Specify formula action, If this option is not specified, `-v` or `--validate` will validate and run formulas if present:
`validate` - validate only, without running
`run` - validate and run
`none` - prevent formula validation or running when also specifying `-v` or `--validate`. |
| `--formulaParamExprResult` | Enable ParamExprResult formula tracing. |
| `--formulaParamInputValue` | Enable ParamInputValue formula tracing. |
| `--formulaMaximumMessageInterpolationLength` | Truncate interpolated expressions in formula messages to this length. |
| `--formulaCallExprSource` | Enable CallExprSource formula tracing. |
| `--formulaCallExprCode` | Enable CallExprCode formula tracing. |
| `--formulaCallExprEval` | Enable CallExprEval formula tracing. |
| `--formulaCallExprResult` | Enable CallExprResult formula tracing. |
| `--formulaVarSetExprEval` | Enable VarSetExprEval formula tracing. |
| `--formulaVarSetExprResult` | Enable VarSetExprResult formula tracing. |
| `--formulaVarSetTiming` | Show times of variable set evaluation |
| `--formulaAsserResultCounts` | Enable AsserResultCounts formula tracing. |
| `--formulaFormulaRules` | Enable FormulaRules formula tracing. |
| `--formulaVarsOrder` | Enable VarsOrder formula tracing. |
| `--formulaVarExpressionSource` | Enable VarExpressionSource formula tracing. |
| `--formulaVarExpressionCode` | Enable VarExpressionCode formula tracing. |
| `--formulaVarExpressionEvaluation` | Enable VarExpressionEvaluation formula tracing. |
| `--formulaVarExpressionResult` | Enable VarExpressionResult formula tracing. |
| `--formulaVarFiltersResult` | Enable VarFiltersResult formula tracing. |
| `--formulaVarFiltersWinnowing` | Show winnowing process of successive application of formulas, helpful in debugging to find out which filter affects the facts that pass a filtering step |
| `--formulaVarFiltersResult` | Show result of filters. |
### Configuration options
It is possible to specify options to be defaults for the web server, such as disclosureSystem and validations, but not including file names.
| Flag | Description |
|-------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `--uiLang` | Language for user interface (override system settings, such as program messages).
Does not save setting. Does not affect labels language of above reports (see `--labelLang`) |
| `--proxy` | Modify and re-save proxy settings configuration. Enter system to use system proxy setting, none to use no proxy, a specific proxy in the format http://[user[:password]@]host[:port]
(e.g., `http://192.168.1.253`, `http://example.com:8080`, `http://joe:secret@example.com:8080`), or show to `show` current (saved)setting. |
| `--internetConnectivity` | Specify internet connectivity: `online` or `offline`. |
| `--internetTimeout` | Specify internet connection timeout in seconds (0 means unlimited). |
| `--internetRecheck` | Specify frequency of rechecking web file’s time stamps to cached file copy and determine if newer file to be reloaded: `weekly` (default), `daily` or `never`. |
| `--noCertificateCheck` | Skip https SSL certificate checking. |
| `--internetLogDownloads` | Log an info message for downloads to the web cache. |
| `--xdgConfigHome` | Specify non-standard location for configuration and cache files (overrides environment parameter `XDG_CONFIG_HOME`, if also provided). |
| `--plugin` or `--plugins` | Specify plugins to load (no longer saved or shared with GUI)
Module urls are `\|` separated.
Standard plugin modules do not need “.py” specified.
Relative URLs are relative to installation plug-in directory.
Packaged plug-in urls are their directory’s url. | |
| `--packages=FILE` *or*
`--packages=URL` | Load XBRL taxonomy packages. Option can be repeated to specify multiple packages. Specifying a directory will attempt to load all `.zip` files in the directory.
Command line taxonomy package configuration is not persisted or shared with the GUI.
URLs must be full absolute paths. Multiple packages may also be specified as `\|`-separated list. |
| `--abortOnMajorError` | Abort process on major error, such as when load is unable to find an entry or discovered file. |
| `--webserver` | Start web server on host:port[:server] for REST and web access.
(e.g., `--webserver locahost:8080`, or specify nondefault a server name, such as cherrypy, `--webserver locahost:8080:cherrypy`.) |
### Standard Plugins and Options
Many of the plug-ins add command line (in addition to GUI menu) options.
For additional detail see the plug-in documentation. A summary of standard plugin options is provided [here](./plugins/plugins.md).
| inlineDocumentSet | Specify an inline XBRL document set by JSON parameter: \\--file ‘[{“ixDocumentSet”:[{“file”:file1},{“file”:file2}…]}]’ |
|--------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `--saveInstance` | Provides a file name into which to save an XBRL instance document derived from a loaded manifest (Japan FSA) of a document set of inline documents, or loaded single inline document.
(Currently supports one target instance document only.) |
| loadFromExcel | Load from Excel file |
|----------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| | No command line options, but the `-f` and `--file` options can specify an Excel document which represents a DTS. |
| profileCmdLine | Profiles command line operation |
|----------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `--save-profiler-report` | Specifies file into which to save a Python profiler report of the timings of Arelle Python methods and routines for the operations performed by the other command line functions.
Useful to determine if a long running function is spending excessive time in a function that needs implementation attention. |
| saveDTS | Produces a Taxonomy Package. |
|------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `--package-DTS` | Specifies a file into which to save a Taxonomy Package representing the loaded DTS. |
| saveHtmlEBAtables | EBA Table Sets. |
|-------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `--save-EBA-tablesets` | Specifies an index file (usually index.html) to represent an html page that holds a table of contents to the EBA tables generated for all loaded EBA Table Linkbase tables in the DTS. |
| saveLoadableExcel | Saves an Excel workbook |
|--------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `--save-loadable-excel` | Saves an Excel workbook representing the DTS (which can be subsequently loaded by loadFromExcel.py plugin. |
| saveSKOS | Saves a SKOS (OMG standard OWL file). |
|-----------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `--save-skos` | Saves a SKOS (OMG standard OWL file) representing a semantic view of a DTS based on presentation linkbase entries (for US-GAAP, IFRS, and EDInet style taxonomies). |
| xbrlDB | Saves XBRL data to a database. |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `--store-to-XBRL-DB=DBSTR` | Store into XBRL DB. Provides connection string: host,[port], user, password, database, [timeout], technology. |
| | *technology* can be:
`postgres` - XBRL-US Postgres SQL
`mssqlSemantic` - Semantic MSSQL SQL
`mysqlSemantic` - Semantic MySQL SQL
`orclSemantic` - Semantic Oracle SQL
`pgSemantic` - Semantic Postgres SQL
`rexster` - Rexter (Titan Cassandra)
`rdfDB` - RDF (Turtle, NanoSparqlServer)
`json` - JSON (JSON, MongoDB)
|
| | For `rdfDB` if hostname is `rdfTurtleFile` or `rdfXmlFile`, then database specifies a local file system pathname to store a file.
For `json`, if hostname is `jsonFile` then database specifies a local file system path name to store into a file.
|
Example storing into postgres database using XBRL-US schema:
```
arelleCmdLine -f c:\temp\test.rss -v --disclosureSystem efm-pragmatic-all-years --store-to-XBRL-DB "myhost.com,8084,pgUserId,pgPassword,test_db,90,postgres"
```
Example storing into local MSSQL database using SQLEXPRESS instance:
```
arelleCmdLine -f c:\temp\test.rss -v --disclosureSystem efm-pragmatic-all-years --store-to-XBRL-DB "localhost\SQLEXPRESS,,sqlLogin,sqlPassword,,90,mssqlSemantic"
```
### Disclosure System Selections
Run with `--disclosureSystem=help` to list the disclosure systems that are available for the currently loaded plugins.