10.7.1 List of all options

gpg-connect-agent is invoked this way:

gpg-connect-agent [options] [commands]

The following options may be used:

--dirmngr

Connect to a running directory manager (keyserver client) instead of to the gpg-agent. If a dirmngr is not running, start it.

--keyboxd

Connect to a running keybox daemon instead of to the gpg-agent. If a keyboxd is not running, start it.

-S

--raw-socket name

Connect to socket name assuming this is an Assuan style server. Do not run any special initializations or environment checks. This may be used to directly connect to any Assuan style socket server.

-E

--exec

Take the rest of the command line as a program and it’s arguments and execute it as an Assuan server. Here is how you would run gpgsm:

 gpg-connect-agent --exec gpgsm --server

Note that you may not use options on the command line in this case.

-v

--verbose

Output additional information while running.

-q

--quiet

Try to be as quiet as possible.

--homedir dir

Set the name of the home directory to dir. If this option is not used, the home directory defaults to ~/.gnupg. It is only recognized when given on the command line. It also overrides any home directory stated through the environment variable GNUPGHOME or (on Windows systems) by means of the Registry entry HKCU\Software\GNU\GnuPG:HomeDir.

On Windows systems it is possible to install GnuPG as a portable application. In this case only this command line option is considered, all other ways to set a home directory are ignored.

To install GnuPG as a portable application under Windows, create an empty file named gpgconf.ctl in the same directory as the tool gpgconf.exe. The root of the installation is then that directory; or, if gpgconf.exe has been installed directly below a directory named bin, its parent directory. You also need to make sure that the following directories exist and are writable: ROOT/home for the GnuPG home and ROOTAPPDATA/GNU/cache/gnupg for internal cache files.

--chuid uid

Change the current user to uid which may either be a number or a name. This can be used from the root account to run gpg-connect-agent for another user. If uid is not the current UID a standard PATH is set and the envvar GNUPGHOME is unset. To override the latter the option --homedir can be used. This option has only an effect when used on the command line. This option has currently no effect at all on Windows.

--no-ext-connect

When using -S or --exec, gpg-connect-agent connects to the Assuan server in extended mode to allow descriptor passing. This option makes it use the old mode.

--no-autostart

Do not start the gpg-agent or the dirmngr if it has not yet been started.

--no-history

In interactive mode the command line history is usually saved and restored to and from a file below the GnuPG home directory. This option inhibits the use of that file.

--agent-program file

Specify the agent program to be started if none is running. The default value is determined by running gpgconf with the option --list-dirs. Note that the pipe symbol (|) is used for a regression test suite hack and may thus not be used in the file name.

--dirmngr-program file

Specify the directory manager (keyserver client) program to be started if none is running. This has only an effect if used together with the option --dirmngr.

--keyboxd-program file

Specify the keybox daemon program to be started if none is running. This has only an effect if used together with the option --keyboxd.

-r file

--run file

Run the commands from file at startup and then continue with the regular input method. Note, that commands given on the command line are executed after this file.

-s

--subst

Run the command /subst at startup.

--hex

Print data lines in a hex format and the ASCII representation of non-control characters.

--decode

Decode data lines. That is to remove percent escapes but make sure that a new line always starts with a D and a space.

-u

--unbuffered

Set stdin and stdout into unbuffered I/O mode. This this sometimes useful for scripting.