command_line_usage.rdoc   [plain text]

= Rake Command Line Usage

Rake is invoked from the command line using:

   % rake [<em>options</em> ...]  [<em>VAR</em>=<em>VALUE</em>]  [<em>targets</em> ...]

Options are:

[<tt><em>name</em>=<em>value</em></tt>]
    Set the environment variable <em>name</em> to <em>value</em>
    during the execution of the <b>rake</b> command.  You can access
    the value by using ENV['<em>name</em>'].  

[<tt>--classic-namespace</tt> (-n)]
    Import the Task, FileTask, and FileCreateTask into the top-level
    scope to be compatible with older versions of Rake.  Alternatively
    you can include the line <code>require
    'rake/classic_namespace'</code> in your Rakefile to get the
    classic behavior.

[<tt>--describe</tt> _pattern_ (-D)]
    Describe the tasks (matching optional PATTERN), then exit.

[<tt>--dry-run</tt> (-n)]
    Do a dry run.  Print the tasks invoked and executed, but do not
    actually execute any of the actions.

[<tt>--execute</tt> _code_ (-e)]
    Execute some Ruby code and exit.

[<tt>--execute-print</tt> _code_ (-p)]
    Execute some Ruby code, print the result, and exit.

[<tt>--execute-continue</tt> _code_ (-p)]
    Execute some Ruby code, then continue with normal task processing.

[<tt>--help</tt>  (-H)]
    Display some help text and exit.

[<tt>--libdir</tt> _directory_  (-I)]
    Add _directory_ to the list of directories searched for require.

[<tt>--nosearch</tt>  (-N)]
    Do not search for a Rakefile in parent directories.

[<tt>--prereqs</tt>  (-P)]
    Display a list of all tasks and their immediate prerequisites.

[<tt>--quiet</tt> (-q)]
    Do not echo commands from FileUtils.

[<tt>--rakefile</tt> _filename_ (-f)]
    Use _filename_ as the name of the rakefile. The default rakefile
    names are +rakefile+ and +Rakefile+ (with +rakefile+ taking
    precedence). If the rakefile is not found in the current
    directory, +rake+ will search parent directories for a match. The
    directory where the Rakefile is found will become the current
    directory for the actions executed in the Rakefile.

[<tt>--rakelibdir</tt> _rakelibdir_ (-R)]
    Auto-import any .rake files in RAKELIBDIR. (default is 'rakelib')

[<tt>--require</tt> _name_ (-r)]
    Require _name_ before executing the Rakefile.

[<tt>--rules</tt>]
    Trace the rules resolution.

[<tt>--silent (-s)</tt>]
    Like --quiet, but also suppresses the 'in directory' announcement.

[<tt>--system</tt> (-g)]
    Use the system wide (global) rakefiles. The project Rakefile is
    ignored. By default, the system wide rakefiles are used only if no
    project Rakefile is found. On Unix-like system, the system wide
    rake files are located in $HOME/.rake. On a windows system they
    are stored in $APPDATA/Rake.

[<tt>--no-system</tt> (-G)]
    Use the project level Rakefile, ignoring the system-wide (global)
    rakefiles.

[<tt>--tasks</tt> (-T)]
    Display a list of the major tasks and their comments.  Comments
    are defined using the "desc" command.

[<tt>--trace</tt> (-t)]
    Turn on invoke/execute tracing. Also enable full backtrace on
    errors.

[<tt>--usage</tt> (-h)]
    Display a usage message and exit.

[<tt>--verbose</tt> (-v)]
    Echo the Sys commands to standard output.

[<tt>--version</tt> (-V)]
    Display the program version and exit.

In addition, any command line option of the form
<em>VAR</em>=<em>VALUE</em> will be added to the environment hash
<tt>ENV</tt> and may be tested in the Rakefile.