Full List of Command-Line Options

Below is a list of all the available command-line options grouped by use. For more information on any option follow the link to its full description.

Application Control Switches

These switches are used to feed instructions to the HotDocs executable from the command line.

Option		Description
Mutually Exclusive*	/tf=""	The Template File option causes HotDocs to assemble a document using the specified template or clause library.
	/ed=""	The Edit Template option causes HotDocs to edit a template using the specified template or clause library file.
	/ha=""	The HotDocs Auto-Assemble File option causes a document to be assembled using the specified auto-assemble (.HDA) file.
	/hi=""	The HotDocs Auto-Install File option causes the template set in the specified auto-install (.HDI) file to be installed. During this process, HotDocs prompts the user for any required information it needs to install the template library to the correct location.
/lf=""		The Library File option allows you to start HotDocs and open a specific library. If HotDocs is already running, it opens the library specified by the path and file name.
/ll		The Lock Library option locks the current library and prevents the user from editing the library or its contents. Specifically, when HotDocs is launched and the library appears, users can select templates and assemble documents from them. They can also view the answer library and change user preferences at the HotDocs Options dialog box. All other options are unavailable.
/ex		The Exit HotDocs option closes HotDocs when both of the following conditions are met: 1) there are no documents waiting to be assembled, and 2) all other programs are finished using HotDocs.
/db		The Don't Brag option stops HotDocs from displaying the splash screen when it opens.
Mutually Exclusive*	/hl	The Hide Library option causes HotDocs to assemble a document without first displaying the HotDocs template library. The user will not see the template library window at all during assembly. It is most commonly used by integrators who are using HotDocs with a third-party program and want to start an assembly without first displaying the template library window.
	/sl	The Show Library option forces HotDocs to display the template library if it is currently not showing. This is useful if you are integrating HotDocs with another program and you have hidden the library using the Hide Library option.

Template Type Switches

When a template is referred to by HotDocs, the template type is inferred from the file name extension. However, in some cases additional information is required so HotDocs knows how to process the requested template. These mutually exclusive switches (usable in combination with the /tf="" switch, on library items, or in INSERT or ASSEMBLE instructions) help with that. This switch (usable in combination with the /tf="" switch, on library items) can help with that.

Option		Description
Mutually Exclusive*	/mo	The HotDocs Model command-line option indicates that the file referenced in the library is a HotDocs Model. When you select the document in the library and click Assemble, HotDocs will create an interview for the model.
	/cl="name"	The Clause Name option is used by HotDocs to identify which clause component is associated with an item in a clause library. It is also used by HotDocs to process INSERT instructions during the assembly process. Generally speaking, developers should never have to modify this option unless they are converting clauses from one file format to another. Likewise, end users may see the Clause Name option while working with clauses at a clause library or during assembly, but should not modify it.

Answer Initialization Switches

These switches are used to initialize & define the answer set that will be used for an interview or assembly. They can be used in combination with the /tf="" switch and on library items.

Option		Description
/df=""		The Default Answer File option specifies a default answer file that is used to "seed" any answer file created during assembly. When a new answer file is created, it is automatically loaded with answers from the default answer file.
Mutually Exclusive*	/af=""	The Answer File option is useful if you want to use a specific answer file when you assemble a document. The option does two things: 1) when a template is selected for assembly, it immediately opens the specified answer file without displaying the Answer File dialog box, and 2) it sets the value for path and file name as the current answer file name to be used when answers are saved. If the specified answer file doesn't exist, it will be created when the user saves the answers
	/na[=""]	The New Answer File option specifies a new, untitled answer file to be used when assembling a given document. This option causes HotDocs to suppress the Answer File dialog box, which normally appears before assembly. Specifying a path and file name is optional. If a file name is specified, it will be used for the new answer file. If an answer file with that same name already exists, HotDocs overwrites the existing file with the new one. If no file name is specified, HotDocs displays a Save Answer File dialog box at the end of assembly.
/ov=""		The Overlay Answer File option causes HotDocs to take answers from a specific answer file and overlay them in the current answer file. For example, if you have specific information about a client that can be used in assembling multiple documents, you can save just that information in an overlay answer file and then use the Overlay Answer File option to force HotDocs to use those answers when assembling a document. All answers entered during assembly (including overlaid answers) are saved to the current answer file—not the overlay answer file—thus maintaining the integrity of the overlay answer file. An overlay answer file is loaded after the regular answer file so that the answers contained therein can overlay existing answers.

Interview Behavior Switches

These switches are used to modify the default behavior of the assembly window. They can be used in combination with the /tf="" switch and on library items.

Option		Description
Mutually Exclusive*	/nw	The No Assembly Window option causes HotDocs to assemble a document without displaying the assembly window.
	/ni	The No Interview option removes the Interview tab from the assembly window, and,by default, displays the assembled document in the Document Preview or Form Document tab (depending on whether you are assembling a text or form document). To present a correctly assembled document, you should specify an answer file using the Answer File option. Otherwise, the document will be assembled without any answers.
	/fia	When a user starts assembling a template that has the Finish Interview Action command-line option applied, HotDocs will complete the action defined in HotDocs Options—either display the assembled document at the Document tab of the assembly window or send the document to the word processor or HotDocs Filler. (See Control What Happens When You Finish an Interview.)
/la		The Lock Answer File option prevents users from opening, closing, and saving answer files during document assembly. If it is the only option used, however, users can choose an answer file before assembly and save any answers they have entered after assembly.
/sig		The Start Interview Group option is used to control which questions are asked when assembling a group of related documents, specifically, it keeps questions that are already answered in one interview from being asked in subsequent interviews. It must be used with the Keep Interview Group option, which must be assigned to each subsequent template within the group.
/kig		The Keep Interview Group option is used to control which questions are asked when assembling a group of related documents, specifically, it keeps questions that are already answered in one interview from being asked in subsequent interviews. It must be used with the Start Interview Group option, which must be assigned to each subsequent template within the group.
/is=u		The Interview Scope option allows you to ask only those dialogs that contain questions not answered by an existing answer file. This may be useful, for example, if you have some answers you are retrieving from a database that you don't want the user to change. Using this option will ask only those questions that don't have answers. Cannot be used with the Start Interview Group option or the Keep Interview Group option.
/sw		The Suppress Unanswered Warning option keeps HotDocs from displaying the warning dialog box that appears when the user attempts to either print, save, or send the assembled document to the word processor and the assembled document still contains unanswered questions.

Answer Disposition Switches

These mutually exclusive switches can be used to dictate what happens to answers that were modified while the assembly window was open or during assembly. They can be used in combination with the /tf="" switch and on library items.

Option		Description
Mutually Exclusive*	/sa	The Save Answers option forces an answer file to be saved at the end of an assembly. If using an existing answer file, any answers entered during the interview will be saved automatically. If using a new, untitled answer file, HotDocs will force the user to specify an answer file name.
	/sap	The Save Answers Prompt option, which is used in connection with an ASSEMBLE instruction, prompts the user to save an answer file after completing an interview. Regardless of whether the user uses an existing answer file during assembly, when the user finishes that assembly, HotDocs prompts to save the answers in a different file.
	/ss	The Suggest Save option, which is used in connection with an ASSEMBLE instruction, causes HotDocs to ask users after assembly of a document has finished if they want to save answers entered during the interview in an answer file. Specifically, if the user has assembled a document and made changes to an existing answer file, HotDocs prompts to save the answers to that file. If saving a new, untitled file, HotDocs allows the user to specify the new answer file name.
	/ssn	The Suggest Save New option, which is used in connection with an ASSEMBLE instruction, causes HotDocs to ask if answers should be saved in a new answer file after assembly of a document has finished. Regardless of whether the user is using an existing answer file during assembly, when the user finishes that assembly, HotDocs gives the user the option of saving the answers in a new answer file.
	/da	The Discard Answers option prevents the user from saving answers after the document has been assembled. This option is useful when you know you will never want to save the answers you use with a particular template (for example, a fax cover sheet), and you don't want HotDocs to ask about saving the answers when you close the assembly window. However, the user can save the answer file during the interview.

Document Disposition Switches

These switches can be used to dictate what happens to a document after its assembly is complete. They can be used in combination with the /tf="" switch and on library items.

Option	Description
/of=""	The Output File option causes HotDocs to assemble the document and save it using the file name specified. If you are using the Answer Summary or Question Summary options, the Output File option specifies the name for either of those generated documents. This is useful if you know you want to save an assembled document every time assembly of that document finishes.
/as	The Answer Summary option is used with the Output File option to specify the path and file name for saving an answer summary. It is useful if you want a certain template to always generate an answer summary document.
/qs	The Question Summary option is used with the Output File option to specify the path and file name for saving a question summary. It is useful if you want a certain template to always generate a question summary document.
/sto	The Send to Plugin option sends the assembled document to a specified output plugin.
/stw	The Send to Word Processor option sends the assembled document to the word processor once the user closes the assembly window. This is useful if you know you always want to view the assembled document using the word processing program.

Automator/Filler Command Line Switches

These switches can be used to dictate how HotDocs will print form templates from HotDocs Automator/Filler.

Option		Description
/pr		The Print option causes HotDocs to print a copy of the assembled text or form document once the user closes the assembly window. This is useful if you know you will always need to print a copy of a specific assembled document.
/pw		The Print Without Dialogs option causes HotDocs to bypass the Print dialog box and print the form using the current printer. The form is printed when the user clicks the Print Document button at the assembly window.
/ps=""		The Paper Size option selects the specified paper size when the user prints a copy of the form template or document. The effect is the same as manually setting the page size from the Print dialog box. This option works with form templates and documents only.
/pt=""		The Paper Tray option causes a specified printer paper tray or manual feed option to be used when printing a form document from HotDocs Filler. Paper tray values that can be used include manual, upper, lower, and so forth. For a complete list of acceptable values, either at the assembly window or at the HotDocs Filler window, click Document Properties > Printing (File menu) and click the Paper Source drop-down button.
/pc=n		The Print Copies option specifies the number of copies that should be printed when the user prints the form document (type in the number of copies needed instead of the letter n). This number should appear in the Number of Copies field at the Print dialog box.
/pd		The Print Duplex option sets the duplex printing option for a given form document. It prints the document Double-Sided, Side-to-Side, as if that option were selected at the Printing Properties dialog box (which you can access by clicking Document Properties > Printing (File menu).) When the user prints the form document, it is printed using this option.
Mutually Exclusive*	/pa	The Print Answers Only option selects the Answers Only (Use Preprinted Form) option at the Print dialog box. Then, when the user prints the assembled form document, it prints only the form's answers and not the underlying static text. This allows you to use preprinted forms.
	/po	The Print Form Only option selects the Form Only (Blank Form) option at the Print dialog box. Then, when the user prints the form document, it prints a blank copy of the form without answers.
	/pb	The Print Both option selects the Form with Answers option at the Print dialog box. Then, when the user prints the form document, the current form and its answers are printed.

*Mutually exclusive switches will not show an error if used in the same command-line but will cause unpredictable behavior. We recommend you do not use these switches together.