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VIPM CLI Command Reference

Use this page to look up syntax, options, and common workflows for the most frequently used VIPM CLI commands. For additional details, remember that vipm help lists every command and vipm <command> --help prints the authoritative help text for a single command.

Global Options

These flags are available on every command unless noted otherwise:

Option Description
--refresh Forces a package-list refresh before the command runs. Helpful when automation needs the latest repository metadata.
--labview-version <YYYY> Targets a specific LabVIEW year (e.g., 2025). Combine with --labview-bitness when multiple bitnesses exist.
--labview-bitness <32|64> Specifies 32-bit or 64-bit LabVIEW when both are installed for the same year. Only meaningful with --labview-version.
--color-mode <auto|always|never> Controls CLI color output (defaults to auto).
-h, --help Shows help for the current command.

Unless a command states otherwise, it returns exit code 0 on success and a non-zero value on failure (check your automation scripts for non-zero exits).

Command Quick Look

Command Summary
vipm install Install packages, .vipc, .vip, .ogp, or .dragon files.
vipm uninstall Remove packages from the selected LabVIEW installation.
vipm list List installed packages or inspect a .vipc/.dragon file.
vipm package-list-refresh Refresh repository metadata (legacy command, still supported).
vipm activate Activate VIPM Pro using a serial number, name, and email.
vipm build Build packages from .vipb specs or LabVIEW project build specs.
vipm version Output the CLI and Desktop version numbers.
vipm about Print installation details (paths, versions).

vipm install

Installs one or more packages by name, name@version, or file path.

Syntax

vipm install [OPTIONS] <package|path>...

Options

Option Description
--upgrade If the package is already installed, upgrade it to the latest available version.

Examples

Install a single package:

vipm install oglib_boolean

Install multiple packages and upgrade existing ones:

vipm install --upgrade oglib_boolean oglib_numeric

Apply a configuration file:

vipm install project.vipc

Expected output includes progress such as:

Installing 2 packages
✓ Installed 2 packages from LabVIEW 2025 (64-bit) in 28.5s

Common Issues

  • Package not found: Run vipm package-list-refresh and verify the package ID at vipm.io.
  • Wrong LabVIEW version: Specify --labview-version and --labview-bitness to target the correct environment.

vipm uninstall

Removes packages from the selected LabVIEW installation.

Syntax

vipm uninstall <package|package@version>...

Examples

vipm uninstall oglib_boolean

Expected output:

Uninstalling 1 package
✓ Uninstalled 1 package from LabVIEW 2025 (64-bit)

Common Issues

  • Package in use: Close LabVIEW or stop any process locking the files before uninstalling.
  • Multiple LabVIEW versions: Provide --labview-version if the package exists in more than one installation.

vipm list

Lists packages from the installed LabVIEW environment or from a .vipc / .dragon file.

Syntax

vipm list [OPTIONS] [path/to/project.vipc]

Options

Option Description
--installed Show every package installed in the active LabVIEW version.

Examples

List installed packages:

vipm list --installed

Inspect a configuration file:

vipm list project.vipc

Expected output:

Listing installed packages
Found 4 packages:
  OpenG Boolean Library (oglib_boolean v6.0.0.9)

Searches the VIPM repositories for packages by name or description.

Syntax

vipm search [OPTIONS] <search terms>

Options

Option Description
--limit <N> Limits the number of search results (defaults to 10).

Examples

Search for OpenG packages:

vipm search openg --limit 5

Sample output:

Showing 5 packages matching "openg":
  OpenG Array Library (oglib_array v6.0.0.9)
  ...

Tips

  • Combine multiple terms (e.g., vipm search serial communication) to narrow results.
  • Append --refresh to ensure the latest catalog data before searching in CI.

vipm package-list-refresh

Legacy command that refreshes VIPM's cached repository metadata. Still widely used in scripts.

Syntax

vipm package-list-refresh [OPTIONS]

Options

Option Description
--timeout <seconds> Set how long VIPM waits for the refresh to finish (-1 waits indefinitely).
--lv-version <YY.0> Old-style LabVIEW version selector (prefer --labview-version).
--show-progress Display a progress bar.

Example

vipm package-list-refresh

Expected output:

✓ Package list refreshed successfully

Common Issues

  • Corporate proxy: Configure http_proxy / https_proxy environment variables before running.
  • Offline environments: Mirror the repository internally and point VIPM to the local server.

vipm activate

Activates VIPM Pro. Legacy scripts may use vipm activate; both map to the same functionality.

Syntax

vipm activate \
  --serial-number "SERIAL" \
  --name "Full Name" \
  --email "you@example.com"

Any argument omitted on interactive terminals will trigger a prompt.

Example Output

✓ Activation succeeded!

Common Issues

  • Ensure the serial number is valid and not already in use elsewhere.
  • The name and email must exactly match the VIPM account tied to the serial number.

vipm build

Builds packages or other project artifacts from .vipb or .lvproj build specifications.

Syntax

vipm build [OPTIONS] path/to/spec.vipb

For LabVIEW project builds:

vipm build \
  --lvproj-spec "My Build" \
  --lvproj-target "My Computer" \
  path/to/project.lvproj

Options

Option Description
--lvproj-spec <name> Name of the LabVIEW project build spec to run when using .lvproj.
--lvproj-target <name> LabVIEW project target (defaults to My Computer).

Example Output

Building VI Package from path/to/your_package.vipb
✓ Build completed: builds/your_package.vip

Common Issues

  • Linux build limitations: Review the VIPM Preview docs for current platform support notes.
  • Missing dependencies: Run vipm install project.vipc before invoking vipm build in CI.

vipm version

Prints the VIPM CLI and Desktop versions. Useful for support tickets and automation logs.

vipm version

Sample output:

VIPM CLI version 2025.3.0
VIPM Desktop version 2025.3.0

vipm about

Shows installation information such as install paths and license data.

vipm about

Use vipm about --help to review the latest options.