FEATURE Supported Command-line parameters in HWiNFO64 Pro

Martin

HWiNFO Author
Staff member
Here's the list of currently supported command-line parameters in HWiNFO64 Pro.
This interface is available only in the licensed version (HWiNFO64 Pro).

Code:
Usage: HWiNFO64 [-r|-c|-x|-h|-m|-l][LOG_FILENAME]

         Automatically create a hardware-snapshot report file:
         -r   Create Text Report File
         -c   Create Comma-delimited Report File (CSV)
         -x   Create XML Report File
         -h   Create HTML Report File
         -m   Create MHTML Report File
         Additional report parameters:
         -utf8  Use UTF-8 encoding (otherwise ANSI per current locale)
         {comp_name} as filename can be used as substitution for computer name

         Sensor logging:
         -l   Automatically start sensors with logging. Following additional arguments are possible:
            -log_delay=n    Start automatic logging with a delay of n seconds
            -max_time=n     Stop automatic logging after n seconds
            -poll_rate=n    Polling period in milliseconds
            -log_format=n   Specify log file format n:
                            default (no argument): Value name in header; "sensor name" and "value name" at end
                            1 = Single concatenated header with "sensor name|value name"
 
         PresentMon:
         -pm_proc_name=     Specify process name to be monitored
         -pm_proc_ex=       Specify list of process names to be excluded separated by |

    Example to automatically create a CSV Report File: HWiNFO64 -cMyLog.CSV
    Example to automatically create a Text Report File with computer name as filename: HWiNFO64 -r{comp_name}.log
    Example to automatically start sensor logging: HWiNFO64 -lMySensors.CSV
    Example to automatically start sensor logging in single header format: HWiNFO64 -log_format=1 -lMySensors.CSV
    Example to exclude FPS monitoring of processes via PresentMon: HWiNFO64 -pm_proc_ex=dwm.exe|msedge.exe
 
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Couple of questions:
1. Is this intended to enable logging on a running instance of HWiNFO or does it only work when launching a new instance?
2. How do you stop logging? So far it seems like you have to terminate the process. Is this guaranteed to flush the log file?
 
1. It works only when launching a new instance.
2. Yes, you have to terminate the process. You can do this by "taskkill" and if you don't use the /F (forced) option, HWiNFO should properly flush all data.
 
Please excuse my ignorance but... exactly how does one open/use the command line? I bought the Pro version to make auto-log in a couple of systems I need to monitor, I tried using cmd.exe but I tells me HWiNFO64 is not a recognized command... I'm sure I'm doing it wrong and that it must be a very silly mistake but... I can't figure it out.
 
Please excuse my ignorance but... exactly how does one open/use the command line? I bought the Pro version to make auto-log in a couple of systems I need to monitor, I tried using cmd.exe but I tells me HWiNFO64 is not a recognized command... I'm sure I'm doing it wrong and that it must be a very silly mistake but... I can't figure it out.

You first need to change the current directory where HWiNFO is located. If you installed HWiNFO64 using the default path, then it should be in "C:\Program Files\HWiNFO64\", so first in cmd you need to do:
cd "C:\Program Files\HWiNFO64\"

Alternatively you can use the portable version of HWiNFO64 and store it anywhere you like and from cmd change into that folder.
 
Good Afternoon Martin,

I haven't been on the forums for a while so I doubt you would remember me, but I am a long time user of your Product, and like to donate to help contribute to your work from time to time. I also have been been a Purchaser of the Pro Version since you released it a few years back.

I am trying to setup this automatic sensor logging feature for my systems, and then plan to roll it out to certain clients. But my current issue is that there is no way to rotate out the CSV files, without writing a complex script.

I was hoping you might be interested in building in an option to the command line that will allow us to create the sensor log based on the date, and then have it auto rotate to a new log file on the next date, continually for as long as HWiNFO is running. I know I am probably not describing this the best, but what I am after is a way to put a variable in the command line that would tell HWInfo to create the sensor log, but instead of using just the name like "MySensor.csv" it would Create a File Called "MySensor_2023-08-04.csv" because that's the current date today, and then once my PC's Clock Strikes Midnight on the 5th, it would automatically create a new Sensor File called "MySensor_2023-08-05.csv" (assuming HWiNFO is still running). And If HWiNFO is opened multiple times in one day, maybe we could also have the ability to add a variable so that a version number is appended at the end, so if I opened HWinfo 3 Times, then the files would be "MySensor_2023-08-04_1.csv" then "MySensor_2023-08-04_2.csv" and then "MySensor_2023-08-04_3.csv".

With these changes, we would be able to reliably add a command to TaskScheduler to start HWiNFO with Logging, but never lose sensor data that we collected due to the file being overwritten, and be able to collect this data going forward for months, and then be able to pull up that sensor data easily by finding the CSV file for the date. This means if we run HWiNFO for 3 months straight, our sensor file never gets bigger than 24 hours worth of data, and we can easily plot data from any given day on charts when we need to, without first having to segment the data from one huge file with months of a data in it.

I realize this might be a lot of work to implement on your end, but it would be a major additional selling point for those of us who have the need to collect sensor data for the systems we administer, and I myself of course am willing to contribute what ever would make this worth your time. Its been a while since I made a donation, so I will make another one shortly, I know its not much, but I want to do what I can to help make it worth your time to continue to contribute to such an awesome product. You will see a donation from my Paypal, in just a little bit, regardless of whether you decide to work on this or not.

Anyways, thank you for your time as always.

Transaction ID: 5611543882958460F
 
Good Afternoon Martin,

I haven't been on the forums for a while so I doubt you would remember me, but I am a long time user of your Product, and like to donate to help contribute to your work from time to time. I also have been been a Purchaser of the Pro Version since you released it a few years back.

I am trying to setup this automatic sensor logging feature for my systems, and then plan to roll it out to certain clients. But my current issue is that there is no way to rotate out the CSV files, without writing a complex script.

I was hoping you might be interested in building in an option to the command line that will allow us to create the sensor log based on the date, and then have it auto rotate to a new log file on the next date, continually for as long as HWiNFO is running. I know I am probably not describing this the best, but what I am after is a way to put a variable in the command line that would tell HWInfo to create the sensor log, but instead of using just the name like "MySensor.csv" it would Create a File Called "MySensor_2023-08-04.csv" because that's the current date today, and then once my PC's Clock Strikes Midnight on the 5th, it would automatically create a new Sensor File called "MySensor_2023-08-05.csv" (assuming HWiNFO is still running). And If HWiNFO is opened multiple times in one day, maybe we could also have the ability to add a variable so that a version number is appended at the end, so if I opened HWinfo 3 Times, then the files would be "MySensor_2023-08-04_1.csv" then "MySensor_2023-08-04_2.csv" and then "MySensor_2023-08-04_3.csv".

With these changes, we would be able to reliably add a command to TaskScheduler to start HWiNFO with Logging, but never lose sensor data that we collected due to the file being overwritten, and be able to collect this data going forward for months, and then be able to pull up that sensor data easily by finding the CSV file for the date. This means if we run HWiNFO for 3 months straight, our sensor file never gets bigger than 24 hours worth of data, and we can easily plot data from any given day on charts when we need to, without first having to segment the data from one huge file with months of a data in it.

I realize this might be a lot of work to implement on your end, but it would be a major additional selling point for those of us who have the need to collect sensor data for the systems we administer, and I myself of course am willing to contribute what ever would make this worth your time. Its been a while since I made a donation, so I will make another one shortly, I know its not much, but I want to do what I can to help make it worth your time to continue to contribute to such an awesome product. You will see a donation from my Paypal, in just a little bit, regardless of whether you decide to work on this or not.

Anyways, thank you for your time as always.

Transaction ID: 5611543882958460F

Well, this is currently possible to a certain degree but probably not as ideal as you would want to.
1. If you don't specify a filename for the log, HWiNFO will use a unique name based on the actual time-stamp.
2. There is the "-max_time=" command-line parameter which tells HWiNFO to run for a specific amount of seconds and then terminate.
Perhaps by combining these two features you could have a solution that would be somehow acceptable.
 
Howdy Martin!

The command line is almost perfect for my use I was just curious about one thing. Currently capturing in only sensor sensor mode and outputting to CSV which works wonderfully. I was curious if there was some way to narrow the CSV result down to only the devices I would like to capture such as SSD temperature?

Best Regards,
Lamurette
 
Howdy Martin!

The command line is almost perfect for my use I was just curious about one thing. Currently capturing in only sensor sensor mode and outputting to CSV which works wonderfully. I was curious if there was some way to narrow the CSV result down to only the devices I would like to capture such as SSD temperature?

Best Regards,
Lamurette

This is possible but not via command-line. Items to be included in the CSV log can be filtered by the "Logged" item in sensor settings.
 
Hello Martin!

We have some questions on the command line usage of hwinfo:

  1. Are there any other command line parameters other than the parameters listed in that thread? We want to use the cmd line interface to poll the "Disk S.M.A.R.T. every" 1 cycle. Can this be done using the cmd line interface?
  2. It looks like there is a hwinfo config file named hwinfo.ini file which is located in the same directory as the hwinfo.exe file. Can this ini file be customized?
  3. How does the log export function work when running from the cmd line. I see that the way to specify a target log file (CSV) would be something like "hwinfo.exe -cMY_LOG_NAME.csv". Where is the log file stored when ran this way?
  4. Are there conditions that need to be met when trying to monitor a process? Can you provide a sample invocation command where the hwinfo.exe is monitoring a process and exporting the results to a log file?
Note: We are using the PRO licensed version so we should have access to all of this functionality. I look forward to hearing back from you! Thanks in advance!
 
Hello Martin!

We have some questions on the command line usage of hwinfo:

  1. Are there any other command line parameters other than the parameters listed in that thread? We want to use the cmd line interface to poll the "Disk S.M.A.R.T. every" 1 cycle. Can this be done using the cmd line interface?
  2. It looks like there is a hwinfo config file named hwinfo.ini file which is located in the same directory as the hwinfo.exe file. Can this ini file be customized?
  3. How does the log export function work when running from the cmd line. I see that the way to specify a target log file (CSV) would be something like "hwinfo.exe -cMY_LOG_NAME.csv". Where is the log file stored when ran this way?
  4. Are there conditions that need to be met when trying to monitor a process? Can you provide a sample invocation command where the hwinfo.exe is monitoring a process and exporting the results to a log file?
Note: We are using the PRO licensed version so we should have access to all of this functionality. I look forward to hearing back from you! Thanks in advance!

1. This is the full list of commands. You can change the S.M.A.R.T. polling rate via the INI file (SmartScanRate=1): Change the setting in UI and then see what value is stored in the INI file.
2. This INI file has a fixed set of options available that you can see when changing options in HWiNFO. You can change the values but it wasn't meant to be fully customizable by users.
3. Without supplying a path, the report file will be stored in the current working directory.
4. HWiNFO doesn't monitor particular processes, the only exception is the PresentMon which monitors processes presenting graphics for FPS.
 
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