Startup Parameters for Reflection X 14.x

This technical note summarizes the startup parameters (switches) that can be used when initializing Reflection X 14.x.

You can customize your Reflection X sessions by adding a startup parameter to your Reflection X shortcut icon (executable command line). This technical note provides the following information:

• Available startup parameters
• Using startup parameters

Available Startup Parameters

The following table provides the full list of startup parameters (switches) available for use in Reflection X.

Note: Switches are not case sensitive. Multiple switches can be used.

Switch	What It Does
-b	Broadcast. Starts Reflection X with the XDMCP Broadcast method.
-c<filename> [-c<filename>]	Client startup. Starts Reflection X, and then launches the specified client file(s). If no path is given, the program assumes it is in the User directory. This example uses a file called Myclient.rxc (if the file has the extension ".rxc", the -c parameter can be omitted): C:\Program files\Reflection\Rx.exe Myclient.rxc (In this example, the path for the Rx.exe file contains a space; the path for the .rxc file, assuming it is not in the User directory, cannot contain spaces.) You can also specify multiple client files. An alternative to using the -c parameter is to run Reflection X, right-click a connection file, and then click the Use At Startup command. This approach, however, allows only one X client file to be specified.
-d<hostname>	Direct. Starts Reflection X with the XDMCP Direct method; a <hostname> must be specified.
-fa	Force About box. Displays the About Reflection X dialog box when you start Reflection X. Using -fa overrides all other startup options.
-fc	Force X Client Manager. Displays the Reflection X Manager (titles X Client Manager in Reflection 10.x and earlier versions) when you start Reflection X. The -fc parameter overrides other startup options.
-fs	Force settings. Displays the Reflection X Settings Dialog box when you start Reflection X. The -fs parameter overrides other startup options.
-ft	Force trace. Displays the Reflection X Trace dialog box when you start Reflection X. Using -ft overrides all other startup options.
-I<hostname>	Indirect XDMCP. Starts Reflection X with the XDMCP Indirect method; a <hostname> must be specified. The option Select first responding XDMCP host is also selected when this parameter is used.
-ime	(Input Method Editor). Use -ime to debug situations in which pasting with the middle mouse button works (on a two-button mouse, the middle mouse is simulated by pressing the left and right mouse buttons simultaneously), but where local FEP pastes nothing. Additional information is written to the Log file when this parameter is used.
-lc	Write the contents of the registry to the Log file. For each keyword, the log file entry shows the date, time, keyword section, then the keyword and its setting. For example: Oct 10 16:25 [Server] AdvertiseMSBByteOrder = 1 (RX355). The contents of the registry are appended to the log file every time you view it by clicking Log file on the Tools menu, or by clicking View in the Server Settings dialog box. To write the contents of the registry to the log file without adding this startup parameter to your command line, simply hold down the Shift key while you click Log file on the Tools menu (or click View in the Server Settings dialog box).
-na	No About box. The Reflection X Manager (X Client Manager in earlier versions) is immediately displayed, after the splash screen. (The About box is still available via the Help menu.)
-nc	No X Client Manager. This parameter removes the Reflection X Manager (X Client Manager in earlier versions) command from the Reflection X menu and disables the main Reflection X icon on your desktop. A system administrator might use this parameter to prevent end users from changing client startup settings. With -nc, X clients can only be started via a shortcut (assuming that a Reflection X client file has been saved as a shortcut).
-nfcs	Don't do an XDMCP Broadcast the first time Reflection X is started. If you are using TCP/IP, Reflection X attempts to establish an XDMCP Broadcast session when you start the program for the first time. If this attempt is successful, the Select XDMCP Host dialog box appears, with a list of available hosts. Using this switch bypasses the XDMCP broadcast.
-nm	Reflection X starts without displaying its startup screen. (The other way to achieve the same end is to rename or delete the files Rxlogo.bmp and/or Rxlogo8.bmp in your Reflection X directory.) For further details, see KB 7021764.
-noglx	No GLX. This parameter was introduced in Reflection X version 7.2 patch 4 and disables GLX functions. This parameter should only be used on the advice of Attachmate Technical Support to workaround display conflicts.
-nq	No quit. A user-initiated shutdown of Reflection X is not allowed; a system shutdown, however, is still possible (you can exit Windows). Both Exit (on the File menu) and Close (on the Reflection X Control menu) appear dimmed.
-ns	No settings. This parameter dims the Settings menu in the Reflection X Manager (X Client Manager in earlier versions), and removes the Settings command from the Reflection X icon menu. It is similar to the -nc parameter: A system administrator might use it to prevent end users from changing Reflection X settings. With -ns, settings are read from the registry or Rx.ini when Reflection X starts up (different settings can be specified in the startup command with the -s<file/key> parameter).
-nt	No trace. This parameter removes the Trace command from the Reflection X menu and disables the Reflection X Trace utility in the Start menu. It is similar to the -nc parameter: A system administrator might use -nt to prevent end users from creating Reflection X trace files. See Using the Trace Program for troubleshooting help.
-regcom	It is possible to have Reflection X programs (.exe) that are out of synch with their COM components. This can happen if, for example, you have installed Reflection X in one folder, and you then install the program to a different location without uninstalling the first one. When you start Reflection X, you are prompted to register COM components that are out of synch (or not found). Use -regcom to automatically register the proper COM components, bypassing this prompt.
-s<filename.ini>	Settings. This parameter loads the specified Reflection X profile (<filename.ini>) when the Reflection X shortcut is accessed. For further information regarding Reflection X profiles, see the online help in the Reflection X Profiler utility. (The Reflection X Profile utility is not installed by default.)

How to Use Startup Parameters

Only a shortcut can be modified to use startup parameters. To create a Reflection X shortcut and add a startup parameter to it, follow the steps listed below for the operating system and version of Reflection X you are using.

To use multiple switches, add a space between the prior switch and the dash indicating the next switch, for example: Rx.exe -b -ft -na. Some switches are mutually exclusive. For instance, you can not use -ft (force trace) and -nt (no trace) together.

Note: If you have already created a shortcut, you need only follow the "Edit the Shortcut" steps. The Target field is not available in the properties of the original Rx.exe file.

Create a Custom Reflection Icon

Select the operating system you are using from the headings below, and follow the steps provided to create a new Reflection X icon that will start Reflection X with your customized startup parameters.

Windows XP

Follow the steps below to create, edit, and relocate a new icon under Windows XP that will start Reflection X using a startup parameter.

Create a Shortcut

1. Click Start > Search > All Files and Folders.
2. In the "Search for files or folders named" field, type rx.exe, and then click Search.
3. When Rx.exe has been found, right-click Rx.exe > Send To > Desktop (create shortcut).
4. Exit the search window.

Edit the Shortcut

1. Right-click the "Shortcut to Rx.exe" desktop icon, and then click Rename. Rename the shortcut Reflection X.

2. Right-click the Reflection X shortcut, and then click Properties.
3. Click the Shortcut tab.
4. In the Target field, add the startup parameter to the end of the existing command line. The edited command line should look similar to the following (this example uses the -noglx parameter):

5. Click OK.

Relocate the Shortcut

1. Right-click the Reflection X desktop icon, and then click Cut.
2. Click Start > My Computer and navigate to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\WRQ Reflection.
3. Click Edit and then Paste to paste the new icon into the Reflection folder. When prompted to confirm file replacement, click “Yes.”
4. Exit My Computer.

Windows 2000

Follow the steps below to create, edit, and relocate a new icon under Windows 2000 that will start Reflection X using a startup parameter.

Create a Shortcut

1. Click Start > Search > For Files or Folders.
2. In the "Search for files or folders named" field, type rx.exe, and then click Search Now.
3. When Rx.exe has been found, right-click Rx.exe, and then click Create Shortcut.
4. When prompted with the message "Windows cannot create a shortcut here. Do you want the shortcut to be placed on the desktop instead?" click Yes.
5. Exit the search window.

Edit the Shortcut

1. Right-click the "Shortcut to Rx.exe" desktop icon and click Rename. Rename the shortcut Reflection X.

2. Right-click the Reflection X shortcut and then click Properties.
3. Click the Shortcut tab.
4. In the Target field, add the startup parameter to the end of the existing command line. The edited command line should look similar to the following (this example uses the -fa parameter):

5. Click OK.

Relocate the Shortcut

1. Right-click the Reflection X desktop icon, and then click Cut.
2. Navigate to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\WRQ Reflection.
3. Click Edit > Paste to paste the new icon into the Reflection folder. When prompted to confirm file replacement, click Yes.
4. Exit Windows Explorer.

Legacy KB ID

This article was originally published as Attachmate Technical Note 1530.