FS-UAE Command Line Usage

The FS-UAE executable can be invoked alone, or with one of – or a combination of:

A path to a configuration file.
Options given as program arguments

If the FS-UAE executable is invoked without the path to a configuration file, the default configuration file will be loaded.

Program Arguments

All options can be specified either in a configuration file, or as program arguments. Options must be prefixed with a double dash (--), and a equal sign must separate the option from its value. Underlines in option names may be written as hyphens for aesthetics. Example:

fs-uae --floppy-drive-0=Disk1.adf

This is the same as:

fs-uae --floppy_drive_0=Disk1.adf

Options given as program arguments always override options from configuration files.

Shorthand Arguments

Several FS-UAE options are boolean options – they take either 0 or 1 as value (for off and on, respectively). To enable the option, you can simply omit the =1 part. To disable the option, you omit the =0 part and prepend the option name with –no. Take for example the option fullscreen. To enable full-screen mode, these two commands are equivalent:

fs-uae --fullscreen=1
fs-uae --fullscreen

And to disable full-screen mode:

fs-uae --fullscreen=0
fs-uae --no-fullscreen

Default Values

All options have default values. With that, I mean that FS-UAE has a default behavior if an option is never specified at all. For example, if the fullscreen option is not used, FS-UAE will open in windowed mode. If you want to override an option and explicitly ask for the default behavior, use the nothing as the value.

To use the fullscreen option as an example again:

fs-uae /path/to/config.fs-uae --fullscreen=

This will force FS-UAE to use the default value for the fullscreen option (which is to open in windowed mode) even though fullscreen=1 may have been specified in the configuration files.

57 thoughts on “FS-UAE Command Line Usage”

Rob Fontaine on 2021-11-23 at 04:29 said:

HI, I’m using 3.0.5 i think or 3.05 fs-uae. I spent days getting a collection together and scraping for the art, now the ARCADE.exe won’t boot anything. The launcher will no worries, but arcade – no go. It was working, I don’t know why it stopped. Any ideas?

Rob.

Reply ↓
- FrodeSolheim on 2021-11-23 at 08:43 said:
  
  Hi, please send fs-uae-arcade.log.txt to frode@fs-uae.net (https://fs-uae.net/logs).
  
  Reply ↓
Bil on 2016-04-14 at 12:32 said:

Could you add CD32 and CDTV command line options to Launcher.exe ?

Reply ↓
- FrodeSolheim on 2016-04-15 at 18:47 said:
  
  Hi, can you be more specific about what you want to have? An example would be nice.
  
  Reply ↓
  - Bil on 2016-04-16 at 18:07 said:
    
    For WHDLoad games I use the command line: Launcher.exe –amiga-model=a1200 –fullscreen
    
    For CD32 I tried: Launcher.exe -–amiga-model=cd32 –fullscreen –cdrom-drive-0=
    
    And CDTV: Launcher.exe –amiga-model=cdtv –fullscreen –cdrom-drive-0=
    
    WHDLoad works, but for CD32 and CDTV it does not.
    
    Reply ↓
    - FrodeSolheim on 2016-04-16 at 18:25 said:
      
      With recent development versions, you can add arguments like this: Launcher.exe --config:key=value, for example Launcher.exe --config:amiga-model=CD32. See https://fs-uae.net/2016/02/25/fs-uae-2-7-8dev-released for more information.
      
      Reply ↓
      - Bil on 2016-04-16 at 21:12 said:
        
        I tried: Launcher.exe –config:amiga-model=CD32 but all it does is load the launcher gui.
        
        I’m using the LaunchBox front end to run Amiga games, and I have WHDLoad games working, but cannot get CD32 or CDTV games to work. I should add that I am trying to run CD images, usually cue files.
      - FrodeSolheim on 2016-04-24 at 22:50 said:
        
        Then you will probably like the upcoming version! The next development release will allow you to directly specify a .cue or .iso as argument to fs-uae-launcher, which will (by default) auto-start with the CD32 model.
      - FrodeSolheim on 2016-04-25 at 16:21 said:
        
        Also, pleaase remember that you can use fs-uae(.exe) directly. For example fs-uae.exe --amiga-model=CD32 --cdrom-drive-0=path/to/cd-image.
      - SentaiBrad on 2016-04-25 at 12:26 said:
        
        Just came across this, trying to get FS-UAE working with LaunchBox. I am apart of the team and if you are making it easier for games to be ran through the command line then I appreciate it.
Alan Ribas Martins Coura on 2015-11-23 at 03:05 said:

Good evening!

First of all congratulations for the development of this excellent emulator !! You have done well !!

My question is:

Currently I downloaded the latest update of this emulator. I use it on a Front End, called GameEx.
With this command line:

fs-uae.exe –amiga-model = CDTV –joystick-port-0-mode = joystick –fullscreen = 1 –cdrom-drive-0 = “[ROMPATH] \ [ROMFILE]”

For some reason I can not tell, this command line can no longer open the games through GameEx. Whenever I try to get in some game comes that black screen showing two eyes, which seem to be cat, with the following message: “waiting for bootable media”

I also use this emulator for the AMIGA system CD 32. Some games stopped working when I try to run them through GameEx:

The command line is:
fs-uae.exe –amiga-model = CD32 –joystick-port-0-mode = “CD32 gamepad” –fullscreen = 1 –cdrom-drive-0 = “[ROMPATH] \ [ROMFILE]”

just to make things clear. The emulator is excellent and the games work when I run it directly. But when the execution takes place through GameEx, many games fail to start or not start

My question is: With the new version of its emulator there was a change in the command line should I use?

Reply ↓
- FrodeSolheim on 2015-11-23 at 20:05 said:
  
  Hi, make sure you don’t use space around = when giving options on the command line. It should be fs-uae.exe –-amiga-model=CD32 etc. The “Waiting for bootable media” message (and eyes) is the AROS kickstart replacement. If this is shown, FS-UAE could not find the correct kickstart for the current Amiga model. Without more information, I cannot really give further help. There hasn’t really been any changes in behaviour…
  
  Reply ↓
  - Alan Ribas Martins Coura on 2015-11-23 at 20:16 said:
    
    I checked my command lines. And none of them has space between the “=”.
    
    The message “Waiting for bootable media” appears only when I try to run the FS-UAE emulator using the command line shown in my last message.
    When I run your emulator directly the game works normally. It is through the front-end GameEx the emulator does not.
    Formerly the command line was correct. But after updating the emulator to the latest version now began to encounter this problem when I try to run the games through GameEx.
    
    Reply ↓
- FrodeSolheim on 2015-11-23 at 20:23 said:
  
  It should be relatively obvious what the problem is by looking at fs-uae.log.txt. If you want me to look at it, send it to frode@fs-uae.net (but make sure you have just experienced the problem).
  
  Reply ↓
  - Alan Ribas Martins Coura on 2015-11-23 at 23:37 said:
    
    Already sent the email to you.
    Thank you!
    
    Reply ↓
- FrodeSolheim on 2015-11-23 at 23:53 said:
  
  Hi, it looks like you are using two (separate portable directories). In this setup, FS-UAE will look for the Kickstart ROM files in D:\Jogos\EMULADORES\Amiga CD 32\FS UAE\Kickstarts and D:\Jogos\EMULADORES\Commodore CDTV\FS UAE\Kickstarts, respectively. Your problems are likely caused by missing kickstarts in these directories.
  
  (When you launch FS-UAE from FS-UAE Launcher, the system is more flexible, as FS-UAE Launcher can find the kickstarts in the scanned file database, and tell FS-UAE where to find them, if necessary).
  
  Reply ↓
  - Alan Ribas Martins Coura on 2015-11-24 at 12:12 said:
    
    Got it.
    I added the Kickstart files in the folder suggested me and everything started working.
    Excuse me for ignorance. But the moment was setting up this emulator I added the ways of the Kickstart files, but in a different directory.
    Just so I understand. Is this some kind of error emulator? Something that can be corrected in future versions? That is something that is part of the emulator and can not be changed !?
    
    Either way thank you very much !!!
    I am part of GameEx forum. I said there as you are a nice and helpful person and as your emulator is the best we found for the AMIGA system.
    
    Thanks !!!!
    
    Reply ↓
    - FrodeSolheim on 2015-11-28 at 13:33 said:
      
      Right here and now, I cannot think of a reason why it should have behaved differently in earlier versions. If you have used FS-UAE Launcher to scan Kickstarts from another directory, that only works when FS-UAE is started from FS-UAE Launcher, and it is not a bug.
      
      If you want to have the kickstarts in a single place, using FS-UAE alone, you have several options:
      – Use the kickstarts_dir option to point FS-UAE to the directory containing the kickstarts.
      – Point FS-UAE to a specific kickstart using kickstart_file (but you also need to use kickstart_ext_file for CD32), the former option is easier.
      – Use a single FS-UAE installation for both CDTV and CD32, instead of having two different.
      
      Reply ↓
stuCONNERS on 2015-05-14 at 01:29 said:

does anyone know how to use command line to load whdload games via config files? Trying to usewith kodi. Is it possiblw to put the whdload arguments in the config?

Reply ↓
- FrodeSolheim on 2015-05-14 at 12:45 said:
  
  You cannot currently do this directly from the command line. See http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=73544 for more information!
  
  Reply ↓
  - stuCONNERS on 2015-05-15 at 20:34 said:
    
    Where does the launcher unpack the files to? Is it possible to make a hdf file from the tempory folder. I`ve been messing with sensible world of soccer 96/97 and whdload, to the point I`ve now got a swos.hdf that boots from command-line/kodi, but required a save.adf, but works perfect inc saving. But havent got a clue how i managed it. I can send you the working file if it helps.
    
    Reply ↓
    - FrodeSolheim on 2015-08-07 at 01:34 said:
      
      Hi, the launcher unpacks to a new temporary directory each time it starts. You can see what temporary directory is in use by looking at fs-uae.log.txt (you’ll see hard_drive_0 = pathtotempdir/DH0).
      
      Reply ↓
Ciro Aflredo Consentino on 2014-08-08 at 15:05 said:

hi,
if I have a Unicode filename (non-ANSI) like 後、バーナー（1989）（セガ）.adf, loading from command line doesn’t work.
If I load this file using FS-UAE launcher, the correct Japanese filename appears in floppy drivers (launcher). BUT, in the emulator, the filename appears as ??????(1989)(??).adf

I tested loading this file with WinUAE emulator (command line execution), and it works fine.
I’m using latest official build 2.4.1

Can it please be fixed ? Thank you.

Reply ↓
- FrodeSolheim on 2014-08-08 at 20:37 said:
  
  I’ll reply to http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=74647 since you also posted there 🙂 (it is fixed now)
  
  Reply ↓
marketto on 2014-01-23 at 14:15 said:

Hi ! I have a problem launching Turrican and turrican 2 with command line :

In the launcher i have the config for both the games, but if i try to launch the confgis from command line the games don’t start ! turrican 1 is one disk game, turrican 2 is on 2 disks . . . I have try to use some command line arguments like “Amiga_model” ,” chip_memory” , “Floppy_drive_0” , “kickstart_file”, “Uae_chipset” , but nothing work !! Any suggestions ??? Tnx A lot !!! 😀

Reply ↓
- FrodeSolheim on 2014-01-23 at 15:29 said:
  
  I’m sure I can help, but I need the exact command line you’re trying to run (otherwise I’d just be guessing), and also the resulting fs-uae.log.txt. You can send the log file to frode@fs-uae.net.
  
  Reply ↓
  - marketto on 2014-01-23 at 23:16 said:
    
    ok ! Tnx ! 😀
    
    Reply ↓
    - marketto on 2014-01-23 at 23:29 said:
      
      For Turrican 1 i solved the enmigma ; my fault, wrong directory . . .
      
      for Turrican 2 here is the string that i use for :
      ..\programs\fs-uae.exe "..\configurations\Turrican 2 ( Floppy ).fs-uae" --Amiga_model=a500-- --chip_memory=512--
      
      I tryed also change the chip memory amount , but no change . . .
      
      Tnx Again for your cooperation 😀
      
      Reply ↓
      - FrodeSolheim on 2014-01-23 at 23:33 said:
        
        Btw, there is not supposed to be any trailing dashes. Use: --chip_memory=512 and not --chip_memory=512--. If this does not help, I’ll need the log too (fs-uae.log.txt) to see what happens.
      - marketto on 2014-01-23 at 23:43 said:
        
        excuse me again . . . The log file isn’t created beacause, i suppose, the game Turrican 2 start to load, but stop loading after a few seconds . . . so it isn’t an FS-Uae’s crash . . .
        
        tnx again !
twenty90seven on 2013-12-07 at 12:43 said:

Hello, is there a command line for launching a save state?

Reply ↓
- FrodeSolheim on 2013-12-09 at 18:41 said:
  
  There is now in version 2.3.12dev!
  
  Reply ↓
  - twenty90seven on 2013-12-10 at 10:35 said:
    
    Awesome, thanks very much! Checking it now.
    
    Reply ↓
- Oliver on 2015-08-22 at 16:12 said:
  
  You can use --load_state=1 to load load the first state slot on startup.
  
  —
  Option: load_state
  Description: Load state by number
  Default:
  Example: 5
  Type: integer
  Range: 1 – 9
  Since: 2.3.12
  
  Loads a save state identified by the save state slot number (1..9) when FS-UAE
  starts. If the state does not exist, nothing will happen.
  —
  
  Reply ↓
pat on 2013-03-06 at 18:12 said:

Hi, and with ISO files by the way for cd32? [how to run FS-UAE from the command line].

Reply ↓
- FrodeSolheim on 2013-03-06 at 19:08 said:
  
  fs-uae --amiga-model=CD32 --cdrom-drive-0=/path/to/file.iso
  
  Reply ↓
  - Alan on 2015-02-24 at 18:45 said:
    
    this command line now did not work on the front end “GameEx”. Would you know tell me what command line should I use for this fornt end !?
    
    ps.
    using the command line: fs-uae.exe --fullscreen = 1 model = --amiga-CD32, the emulator opens in fullscreen mode. but a message comes up saying “match any configuration file found”
    
    Reply ↓
    - FrodeSolheim on 2015-02-28 at 11:37 said:
      
      The correct command line for those options would be: fs-uae.exe --fullscreen=1 --amiga-model=CD32
      
      Reply ↓
      - Alan on 2015-03-13 at 17:53 said:
        
        Tank you!!! 🙂
      - Alan on 2015-03-13 at 18:35 said:
        
        I set up the emulator two joysticks. Using the “FS UAE Launcher” both joysticks work. But when I run the emulator through GameEx only one control works.
        It is possible that lacks the command line I’m using some command to enable the second control?
        
        my command line I’m using are:
        fs-uae.exe --fullscreen=1 --amiga-model=CD32 --cdrom-drive-0="[ROMPATH]\[ROMFILE]"
        
        fs-uae.exe --fullscreen=1 --amiga-model=CDTV --cdrom-drive-0="[ROMPATH]\[ROMFILE]"
        
        Thank U! Congratulations and development!
      - FrodeSolheim on 2015-03-14 at 09:56 said:
        
        Hi, FS-UAE “auto-fills” Amiga joystick ports with detected host gamepads, but by default, joystick port 0 is in mouse mode, in which case FS-UAE does not automatically assign a joystick device.
        
        Use --joystick-port-0-mode=joystick (Amiga/CDTV) or --joystick-port-0-mode="cd32 gamepad" (CD32) to tell FS-UAE that you do not want a 2nd joystick device attached instead of a mouse.
      - Alan on 2015-03-13 at 18:48 said:
        
        I forgot to mention, always comes up that message at the beginning of emulation:
        
        “found no configuration file”
        
        but both joysticks station configured
      - FrodeSolheim on 2015-03-14 at 10:02 said:
        
        This is a “weakness” in the 2.4.x stable series. It always complains unless you give it a configuration file. You can either upgrade to the latest development version, or just load an empty dummy configuration, e.g. by adding /tmp/empty.fs-uae to the command line (file must exist).
      - Alan on 2015-03-15 at 04:59 said:
        
        It is just the opposite. What I want is that by default the FS UAE emulator recognizes the two joysticks.
        
        These two command lines now makes me enable the second control !?
      - FrodeSolheim on 2015-08-07 at 01:30 said:
        
        Sorry, I have some trouble understanding what you mean and what you want…
      - Alan on 2015-03-15 at 06:04 said:
        
        I tested these two command lines that passed me, but it seems that they are ignored, nothing happens. The second joystick is not recognized.
      - Alan on 2015-03-15 at 09:19 said:
        
        Added the command line you gave me and I realized something. When I start the game and click on the menu button, I can see that there is control number 1 connected, in a more down see the mouse option is selected, but the letter in “[]” I see is the letter “c” (that must mean control). Then I just click it and go to the option to choose the control Number 2. Then everything works.
        The catch is I need to do this every time I enter a game. Even if it’s the same game.
        
        Is there any command line to establish this choice of number 2 control automatically !!?
      - FrodeSolheim on 2015-08-07 at 02:00 said:
        
        The [C] stands for CD32 gamepad mode. Perhaps you can send me a screenshot of how the menu looks like at startup, and after you have configured it like you want to? Then I’ll probably understand better. If you can also attach fs-uae.log.txt, that would be good! (Send to frode@fs-uae.net)
Cabirus on 2013-02-03 at 20:29 said:

Hi! Is it possible to start WHDload-Games via the Command Line? I’d like to use FS-UAE on my HTPC in conjunction with the frontends GameEx and XBMC. Which arguments should I be using? Right now I’m using WinUAELoader, but FS-UAE seems to be a very good alternative, Thanks for any hints!

Reply ↓
- FrodeSolheim on 2013-02-03 at 20:54 said:
  
  Hi, all FS-UAE options can be used via the command line. But you’re perhaps thinking of the WHDLoad support in FS-UAE Launcher as described here http://fengestad.no/fs-uae/whdload-support? This is additional functionality added by FS-UAE Launcher which is not available in FS-UAE. I’m planning to add some command-line control to FS-UAE Launcher as well, so one can use the extra features provided by FS-UAE Launcher from external programs.
  
  Reply ↓
  - Cabirus on 2013-02-04 at 22:54 said:
    
    Sorry to ask again, but what command line exactly should I be using to start WHDLoad-Games, let’s say for example Lemmings? I’m using Killergorillas packs by the way (http://kg.whdownload.com/kgwhd/).
    WHDLoad support in FS-UAE Launcher sounds great. Maybe someday we only have to supply the WHDLoad gamename as an argument and FS-UAE will do the rest with the help of the database?
    
    Reply ↓
    - FrodeSolheim on 2013-02-04 at 23:04 said:
      
      You won’t be able to start such a zipped WHDLoad game (with only the zip file and FS-UAE), because this is not a complete hard drive (missing some programs and a startup file). FS-UAE Launcher are able to launch such files by assembling a full drive automatically, but FS-UAE Launcher is not controllable from the command line (yet). Once it is, you will be able to start such WHDLoad games from the command line. With the database enabled, it will be even easier 🙂
      
      Reply ↓
      - Cabirus on 2013-02-05 at 21:43 said:
        
        Sounds good! Thanks for your big effort and good luck with further development!
      - Benjamin Hodgetts on 2015-01-29 at 19:48 said:
        
        Hey, did you make any progress on this?
        
        I’d like my Frontend to be able to start WHDLoad games with FS-UAE and this relies on being able to do WHDLoad games with FS-UAE via the command line.
      - FrodeSolheim on 2015-01-30 at 09:35 said:
        
        Hi, it is now possible to run .fs-uae files via FS-UAE Launcher (http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?p=989495&postcount=5), and this works with FS-UAE Launcher’s WHDLoad feature.
      - Benjamin Hodgetts on 2015-01-30 at 19:16 said:
        
        I don’t mean running .fs-uae files (because I don’t use them, FS-UAE-Launcher auto-configures everything when you’re using the GUI).
        
        I was referring to being able to point FS-UAE at a WHDLoad game zip file and it starting the game, via the command line. For example “fs-uae /mnt/Games/Amiga/WHDLoads/ChaosEngine.7z”
      - FrodeSolheim on 2015-08-06 at 18:17 said:
        
        Hi, I have created a wishlist entry this request: https://github.com/FrodeSolheim/fs-uae-launcher/issues/22

FS-UAE Amiga Emulator

FS-UAE Command Line Usage

Program Arguments

Shorthand Arguments

Default Values

57 thoughts on “FS-UAE Command Line Usage”

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