MayaVi Users Guide
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# Command line arguments

## Basic options

This section lists some simple useful command line options

`mayavi `--display DISPLAY``

  Use DISPLAY for the X display. This option makes sense only when running MayaVi under X.

`mayavi `-g WIDTHxHEIGHT+XOFF+YOFF``

  Set the geometry of the main window when it is launched. The arguments that can be passed follow the standard X convention and include the width, height, x offset and y offset of the window. This option is also available through ``--geometry``.

`mayavi `-h``

  This prints all the available command line options and exits. Also available through ``--help``.

`mayavi `-V``

  This prints the MayaVi version on the command line and exits. Also available through ``--version`` .

`mayavi `filename.mv``

  This loads a previously saved MayaVi visualization.

## Advanced options

This section lists some advanced command line options. This section is intended for those who already understand how MayaVi works. If you are new to MayaVi it is recommended that you read the rest of the guide and then get back here when you need more advanced command line options.

`mayavi `-d vtk_file.vtk``

  Opens a VTK file (even the new XML format is supported) passed as the argument. Also available through ``--vtk`` .

`mayavi `-x plot3d_xyz_file``

  This opens a PLOT3D co-ordinate file passed as the argument. Also available through ``--plot3d-xyz`` .

`mayavi `-q plot3d_q_file``

  This opens a PLOT3D solution file passed as the argument. Please note that this option must always follow a -q or --plot3d-xyz option. Also available through ``--plot3d-q`` .

`mayavi `-e ensight_case_file``

  Opens an EnSight case file passed as the argument. Also available through ``--ensight`` .

`mayavi `-m module-name``

  The passed module name is loaded in the current ModuleManager. The module name must be a valid one if not you will get an error message. Also available through ``--module`` .

`mayavi `-f filter-name``

  The passed filter name is loaded in the current ModuleManager. The filter name must be a valid one if not you will get an error message. Also available through ``--filter`` . If the filter is the `UserDefined` filter then it could be specified as `UserDefined:vtkSomeFilter` where `vtkSomeFilter` is a valid VTK class. In this case the filter will not prompt you for the VTK filter to use.

`mayavi `-z saved-visualization-file``

  Loads a previously saved MayaVi visualization file passed as the argument. Also available through ``--viz`` and ``--visualization`` .

`mayavi `-M module-manager-file``

  Loads a module manager saved to a file. If a file that does not exist is given this will simply create a new module manager that can be populated with filters and modules. Also available through ``--module-mgr`` .

`mayavi `-w vrml2-file``

  Imports a VRML2 scene given an appropriate file. Also available through ``--vrml`` .

`mayavi `-3 3DStudio-file``

  Imports a 3D Studio scene given an appropriate file. Also available through ``--3ds`` .

`mayavi `-n``

  Creates a new window. Any options passed after this will apply to this newly created window. Also available through ``--new-window`` .

## Examples

Here are a few interesting examples.

    % mayavi examples/heart.mv

This command loads an existing visualization.

    % mayavi -z examples/heart.mv -n -z examples/other.mv

This command loads the `heart.mv` saved visualization in one window, creates a new window and loads the `other.mv` in the other.

    % mayavi -d examples/heart.vtk -m Axes -m GridPlane \
    >  -M new -f Threshold -m IsoSurface \
    >  -n -d examples/heart.vtk -m Outline -m ContourGridPlane

This command loads a VTK data file called `heart.vtk`, loads the `Axes`, `GridPlane` modules in one `ModuleManager`. Then creates a new `ModuleManager` and loads a `Threshold` filter and an `IsoSurface` module in it. It then opens a new visualization window, loads the VTK data file, `heart.vtk`, the modules `Outline` and `ContourGridPlane` in it.

The provided options make it possible to construct very useful visualizations from the command line.

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