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Command line options

This appendix lists all the command line options that are available when executing test cases and when post-processing outputs. Also environment variables affecting execution and post-processing are listed.

Command line options for test execution

--rpa
Turn on generic automation mode.

--language <lang>
Activate localization. lang can be a name or a code of a built-in language, or a path or a module name of a custom language file.

-F, --extension <value>
Parse only these files when executing a directory.

-I, --parseinclude <pattern>
Parse only matching files when executing a directory.

-N, --name <name>
Sets the name of the top-level test suite.

-D, --doc <document>
Sets the documentation of the top-level test suite.

value>
Sets free metadata for the top level test suite.

-G, --settag <tag>
Sets the tag(s) to all executed test cases.

-t, --test <name>
Selects the test cases by name.

--task <name>
Alias for --test that can be used when executing tasks.

-s, --suite <name>
Selects the test suites by name.

-R, --rerunfailed <file>
Selects failed tests from an earlier output file to be re-executed.

-S, --rerunfailedsuites <file>
Selects failed test suites from an earlier output file to be re-executed.

-i, --include <tag>
Selects the test cases by tag.

-e, --exclude <tag>
Selects the test cases by tag.

--skip <tag>
Tests having given tag will be skipped. Tag can be a pattern.

--skiponfailure <tag>
Tests having given tag will be skipped if they fail.

value>
Sets individual variables.

args>
Sets variables using variable files.

-d, --outputdir <dir>
Defines where to create result files.

-o, --output <file>
Sets the path to the generated output file.

--legacyoutput
Creates output file in Robot Framework 6.x compatible format.

-l, --log <file>
Sets the path to the generated log file.

-r, --report <file>
Sets the path to the generated report file.

-x, --xunit <file>
Sets the path to the generated xUnit compatible result file.

-b, --debugfile <file>
A debug file that is written during execution.

-T, --timestampoutputs
Adds a timestamp to result files listed above.

--splitlog
Split log file into smaller pieces that open in browser transparently.

--logtitle <title>
Sets a title for the generated test log.

--reporttitle <title>
Sets a title for the generated test report.

--reportbackground <colors>
Sets background colors of the generated report.

--maxerrorlines <lines>
Sets the number of error lines shown in report when tests fail.

--maxassignlength <characters>
Sets the number of characters shown in log when variables are assigned.

-L, --loglevel <level>
Sets the threshold level for logging. Optionally the default visible log level can be given separated with a colon (:).

--suitestatlevel <level>
Defines how many levels to show in the Statistics by Suite table in outputs.

--tagstatinclude <tag>
Includes only these tags in the Statistics by Tag table.

--tagstatexclude <tag>
Excludes these tags from the Statistics by Tag table.

title>
Creates combined statistics based on tags.

doc>
Adds documentation to the specified tags.

--tagstatlink <pattern:link:title>
Adds external links to the Statistics by Tag table.
--expandkeywords <name:pattern|tag:pattern>
Automatically expand keywords in the generated log file.
--removekeywords <all|passed|name:pattern|tag:pattern|for|while|wuks>
Removes keyword data from the generated log file.
--flattenkeywords <for|while|iteration|name:pattern|tag:pattern>
Flattens keywords in the generated log file.
args>
Sets a listener for monitoring test execution.

--nostatusrc
Sets the return code to zero regardless of failures in test cases. Error codes are returned normally.

--runemptysuite
Executes tests also if the selected test suites are empty.

--dryrun
In the dry run mode tests are run without executing keywords originating from test libraries. Useful for validating test data syntax.

-X, --exitonfailure
Stops test execution if any test fails.

--exitonerror
Stops test execution if any error occurs when parsing test data, importing libraries, and so on.

--skipteardownonexit
Skips teardowns if test execution is prematurely stopped.

args>
Activate programmatic modification of test data.

args>
Activate programmatic modification of results.

--randomize <all|suites|tests|none>
Randomizes test execution order.
--console <verbose|dotted|quiet|none|custom>
Console output type. Also accepts custom console loggers.
--dotted
Shortcut for --console dotted.

--quiet
Shortcut for --console quiet.

-W, --consolewidth <width>
Sets the width of the console output.

-C, --consolecolors <auto|on|ansi|off>
Specifies are colors used on the console.
--consolelinks <auto|off>
Controls making paths to results files hyperlinks.
-K, --consolemarkers <auto|on|off>
Show markers on the console when top level keywords in a test case end.
-P, --pythonpath <path>
Additional locations to add to the module search path.

-A, --argumentfile <path>
A text file to read more arguments from.

-h, --help
Prints usage instructions.

--version
Prints the version information.

Command line options for post-processing outputs

--rpa
Turn on generic automation mode.

-R, --merge
Changes result combining behavior to merging.

-N, --name <name>
Sets the name of the top level test suite.

-D, --doc <document>
Sets the documentation of the top-level test suite.

value>
Sets free metadata for the top-level test suite.

-G, --settag <tag>
Sets the tag(s) to all processed test cases.

-t, --test <name>
Selects the test cases by name.

--task <name>
Alias for --test.

-s, --suite <name>
Selects the test suites by name.

-i, --include <tag>
Selects the test cases by tag.

-e, --exclude <tag>
Selects the test cases by tag.

-d, --outputdir <dir>
Defines where to create result files.

-o, --output <file>
Sets the path to the generated output file.

--legacyoutput
Creates output file in Robot Framework 6.x compatible format.

-l, --log <file>
Sets the path to the generated log file.

-r, --report <file>
Sets the path to the generated report file.

-x, --xunit <file>
Sets the path to the generated xUnit compatible result file.

-T, --timestampoutputs
Adds a timestamp to result files listed above.

--splitlog
Split log file into smaller pieces that open in browser transparently.

--logtitle <title>
Sets a title for the generated test log.

--reporttitle <title>
Sets a title for the generated test report.

--reportbackground <colors>
Sets background colors of the generated report.

-L, --loglevel <level>
Sets the threshold level to select log messages. Optionally the default visible log level can be given separated with a colon (:).

--suitestatlevel <level>
Defines how many levels to show in the Statistics by Suite table in outputs.

--tagstatinclude <tag>
Includes only these tags in the Statistics by Tag table.

--tagstatexclude <tag>
Excludes these tags from the Statistics by Tag table.

title>
Creates combined statistics based on tags.

doc>
Adds documentation to the specified tags.

--tagstatlink <pattern:link:title>
Adds external links to the Statistics by Tag table.
--expandkeywords <name:pattern|tag:pattern>
Automatically expand keywords in the generated log file.
--removekeywords <all|passed|name:pattern|tag:pattern|for|wuks>
Removes keyword data from the generated outputs.
--flattenkeywords <for|foritem|name:pattern|tag:pattern>
Flattens keywords in the generated outputs.
--starttime <timestamp>
Sets the starting time of test execution when creating reports.

--endtime <timestamp>
Sets the ending time of test execution when creating reports.

--nostatusrc
Sets the return code to zero regardless of failures in test cases. Error codes are returned normally.

--processemptysuite
Processes output files even if files contain empty test suites.

args>
Activate programmatic modification of results.

--console <verbose|quiet|none|custom>
Controlling Rebot console output. Also accepts custom console loggers.
--quiet
Shortcut for --console quiet.

-C, --consolecolors <auto|on|ansi|off>
Specifies are colors used on the console.
--consolelinks <auto|off>
Controls making paths to results files hyperlinks.
-P, --pythonpath <path>
Additional locations to add to the module search path.

-A, --argumentfile <path>
A text file to read more arguments from.

-h, --help
Prints usage instructions.

--version
Prints the version information.

Environment variables for execution and post-processing

ROBOT_OPTIONS and REBOT_OPTIONS
Space separated list of default options to be placed in front of any explicit options on the command line.

ROBOT_SYSLOG_FILE
Path to a syslog file where Robot Framework writes internal information about parsing test case files and running tests.

ROBOT_SYSLOG_LEVEL
Log level to use when writing to the syslog file.

ROBOT_INTERNAL_TRACES
When set to any non-empty value, Robot Framework's internal methods are included in error tracebacks.