Working from the command line

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In Extension Manager CC, you can use the command line to perform various operations you would normally perform in the Extension Manager workspace.

Extension Manager command-line basics

You can manage extensions from the command line, using certain syntax, commands, and attributes. The command line syntax in Extension Manager CC has changed remarkably. For command line syntax used in Extension Manager CS6 or earlier, refer to this article.

  1. In Windows, open the command prompt by selecting Start > All Programs > Accessories > Command Prompt. In Mac OS, open Terminal by double-clicking its icon in the Applications/Utilities folder.
  2. Navigate to the following folder:
    • Windows: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Extension Manager CC\
    • Mac OS: /Applications/Adobe Extension Manager CC/Adobe Extension Manager CC.app/Contents/MacOS
  3. On the command line, enter the executable as follows (including the double quotes):
    • Windows: "ExManCmd.exe"
    • Mac OS: “./ExManCmd”
  4.  After the executable, enter the desired command.

    The following list describes the available commands:
Command on Windows Command on MAC Description Required Attributes
/help --help Display help information of the command line.  
/launch --launch Launch Extension Manager from the command line  
/install
 --install Install an extension.  ZXP(file path)
/remove --remove Remove an extension. Name of the extension
/enable --enable Enable an extension. Name of the extension
/disable --disable Disable an extension. Name of the extension
/list all --list all Lists all extensions that are installed.  
/list --list Display the specified product extensions. Name of the product
/update --update Update an extension Name of the extension
/list_update all --list_update all List of extensions that have fresh updates to be installed  
/list_update --list_update List the specified product updated extensions Name of the product
/locale --locale Specify a locale for Extension Manager at startup lang
/list_update_extension --list_update_extension List update of an extension Name of the extension
/install_for_all --install_for_all Install extension for all user accounts in the machine ZXP(file path)
/remove_for_all --remove_for_all Remove extension for all user accounts in the machine Name of the extension
/disableSendResult --disableSendResult Do not send install or remove result to other Adobe products True/False

The following table describes the list of available attributes:

Attributes

Description

zxp(file path)

Specifies the name and location of the package file in ZXP format.

lang

Specifies the locale language code, such as en_US.

extension name

Specifies the name of the extension (as specified in the MXI file).

product display name

Specifies the product that uses the extension.

(CS6 and earlier versions only)Packaging an extension from the command line

  1. Navigate to the Extension Manager application folder.
  2. (Windows) Enter the following command, specifying your own attribute values:
    • (CS4): "Adobe Extension Manager CS4.exe" -package mxi="c:\myfile.mxi" mxp="c:\myfile.mxp"
    • (CS5 and CS5.5, MXP format): "XManCommand.exe" -package mxi="c:\myfile.mxi" mxp="c:\myfile.mxp"
    • (CS5, CS5.5, and CS6, ZXP format): "XManCommand.exe" -package mxi="c:\myfile.mxi" zxp="c:\myfile.zxp"
  3. (Macintosh) Enter the following command, specifying your own attribute values:
    • (CS4/CS5/CS5.5, MXP format): "./Adobe Extension Manager CSx" -package mxi="/myfolder/mysubfolder/myfile.mxi" mxp="/myfolder/mysubfolder/myfile.mxp"
    • (CS5, CS5.5, and CS6, ZXP format): "./Adobe Extension Manager CSx" -package mxi="/myfolder/mysubfolder/myfile.mxi" zxp="/myfolder/mysubfolder/myfile.zxp"
  4. Install and test the extension to make sure that everything works as intended.

Install an extension from the command line

  1. Navigate to the Extension Manager application folder.
  2. (Windows) Enter the following command, specifying your own attribute value:
    (ZXP format): ExManCmd.exe /install "c:\myfile.zxp"
  3. (Macintosh) Enter the following command, specifying your own attribute value:
    (ZXP format): ./ExManCmd --install "/myfolder/mysubfolder/myfile.zxp"
  4. To specify a locale, add the locale command and specify the lang attribute before the install command, as follows:
    ExManCmd.exe /locale "en_US" /install "c:\myfile.zxp"
  5. Test the extension to make sure that everything works as intended

Remove an extension from the command line

  1. Navigate to the Extension Manager application folder.
  2. Enter the following command, specifying your own attribute values:
    • (Windows): ExManCmd.exe /remove "Sample"
    • (Macintosh): ./ExManCmd --remove "Sample" 

    Use the extension attribute to specify the name of the extension.

Install an extension for all user accounts on a computer using the command line

  1. Navigate to the Extension Manager application folder.
  2. Enter the following command, specifying your own attribute value:
    • (Windows) ExManCmd.exe /install_for_all "c:\myfile.zxp"
    • (Macintosh) ./ExManCmd --install_for_all "/myfolder/mysubfolder/myfile.zxp"
  3. Test the extension to ensure it works as intended.

Removing an extension for all user accounts on a computer using the command line

  1. Navigate to the Extension Manager application folder.
  2. Enter the following command, specifying your own attribute values:
    • (Windows) ExManCmd.exe /remove_for_all "Sample"
    • (Macintosh) ./ExManCmd --remove_for_all "Sample"
  3. Use the extension attribute to specify the name of the extension.

Enable an extension from the command line

  1. Navigate to the Extension Manager application folder.
  2. Enter the following command, specifying your own attribute values:
    • (Windows): ExManCmd.exe /enable "Sample"
    • (Macintosh): ./ExManCmd --enable "Sample" 

    Use the extension attribute to specify the name of the extension.

Disable an extension from the command line

  1. Navigate to the Extension Manager application folder.
  2. Enter the following command, specifying your own attribute values:
    • (Windows): ExManCmd.exe /disable "Sample"
    • (Macintosh): ./ExManCmd --disable "Sample" 

    Use the extension attribute to specify the name of the extension.

Launching Extension Manager from the Command Line

  1. Navigate to the Extension Manager application folder.
  2. Enter the following command, specifying your own attribute values:
    • (Windows): ExManCmd.exe /launch "en_US"
    • (Macintosh): ./ExManCmd --launch "en_US" 

    Use the lang attribute to specify the locale language code for Extension Manager.

Updating an extension from the command line

  1. Navigate to the Extension Manager application folder.
  2. Enter the following command, specifying your own attribute values:
    • (Windows): ExManCmd.exe/update "Sample"
    • (Macintosh): ./ExManCmd --update "Sample"

Use the extension attribute to specify the name of the extension

List extensions from the Command Line

  1. Navigate to the Extension Manager application folder.
  2. Enter the following command, specifying your own attribute values:
    • (Windows): ExManCmd.exe /list "all"
    • (Windows): ExManCmd.exe /list "Photoshop CC 64"
    • (Macintosh): ./ExManCmd --list "Photoshop CC 64"

Use the all attribute to list all extensions installed on the system. Use the product name attribute to list extensions specifically installed for the product.

Listing updates for multiple extensions from the command line

  1. Navigate to the Extension Manager application folder.
  2. Enter the following command, specifying your own attribute values:
    • (Windows): ExManCmd.exe /list_update "all" 
    • (Windows): ExManCmd.exe /list_update "Photoshop CC 64"
    • (Macintosh): ./ExManCmd --list_update "Photoshop CC 64"

Use the all attribute to list all updatable extensions installed on the system. Use the product name attribute to list extensions specifically installed for the product.

Listing updates for an extension from the command line

  1. Navigate to the Extension Manager application folder.
  2. Enter the following command, specifying your own attribute values:
    • (Windows) ExManCmd.exe /list_update_extension "Sample"
    • (Macintosh) ./ExManCmd --list_update_extension "Sample"
  3. Use the extension name attribute to list whether this extension need to be updated.

Restrict sending installation results to other Adobe Products

The Extension Manager Command Line tool sends the result of extension installation or removal to the other Adobe product by default. Please use disableSendResult to disable the function.

  1. Navigate to the Extension Manager application folder.
  2. Enter the following command, specifying your own attribute values:
    • (Windows) ExManCmd.exe /disableSendResult true /install "c:\myfile.zxp"
    • (Macintosh) ./ExManCmd --disableSendResult true --install "/myfolder/mysubfolder/myfile.zxp"

Execute commands through BridgeTalk

Extension Manager can execute install commands passed through BridgeTalk. To send commands to the Extension Manager, specify the target BridgeTalk Identifier as "exman-7.0"

Windows:

var bt = new BridgeTalk();
bt.target = "exman-7.0"; 
bt.body = "C:\\test.zxp"; 
bt.send()

Mac OS:

var bt = new BridgeTalk(); 
bt.target = "exman-7.0";
bt.body = "/Volumes/x1/test.zxp"; 
bt.send();
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