mx Command-Line Tool - Studio Pro 8 Guide

1 Introduction

The mx tool is a Windows and Linux command-line tool that can be used to do useful things with your Mendix app.

2 Location

Mendix Studio Pro comes with the mx command-line tool. The executable mx.exe file can be found in the same folder that contains studiopro.exe (for example, C:\Program Files\Mendix\8.1.0.58215\modeler\mx.exe).

3 mx Tool Options

The mx tool enables the options described below.

3.1 mx convert Command

The mx convert command converts the apps to a specific Studio Pro version. For example, if you are using the mx command-line tool for Mendix version 8.1.0.58215, then mx convert will convert apps to that version.

The input can be a single file, directory, or multiple files.

The mx tool can only upgrade your project, but you cannot use it to downgrade the version.

3.1.1 Usage

Use the following command pattern for mx convert:

mx convert [OPTIONS] INPUT... OUTPUT

The OPTIONS are described in the table below:

Option	Shortcut	Result
`--help`	`-h`	Displays the help text and exits.
`--in-place`	`-p`	Converts the current app directory. Use this option to convert a folder containing a Mendix app. Otherwise, `mx convert` will convert .mpk files.
`--skip-error-check`	`-s`	Does not check for errors. Use this option to disable app error-checking during the conversion. When omitted, the tool will report on the number of errors, warnings, and deprecations in the app and do the conversion.

For INPUT..., enter one or more .mpk files or one directory that needs to be converted.

For OUTPUT, enter the output location for the converted results. Mind the following:

When INPUT... is a single file, OUTPUT can be a single file or directory; otherwise, OUTPUT must be a directory.
When using the --in-place option, the INPUT... folder will also be used as the OUTPUT folder, so you do not need to specify a separate OUTPUT folder

3.1.2 Examples

Examples of commands are described in the table below:

Example	Result
`mx convert --in-place C:\MxProjects\App-main`	Converts the app in folder `C:\MxProjects\App-main` to a specific Studio Pro version which the mx tool is bundled with.
`mx convert C:\Mendix\App1.mpk C:\Mendix\App2.mpk C:\Mendix\ConvertedProjects\`	Converts the App1.mpk and App2.mpk app packages that are in the C:\Mendix folder and puts the results in the `C:\Mendix\ConvertedProjects\` folder.
`mx convert --skip-error-check C:\Mendix\Packages\ C:\Mendix\ConvertedPackages\`	Converts all app packages in the `C:\Mendix\Packages\` folder to the `C:\Mendix\ConvertedPackages\` folder without checking for errors.

3.1.3 Return Codes

Return codes are described in the table below:

Exit Code	Description
0	The conversion was successful.
1	An internal error occurred.
2	There is something wrong with the command-line options.
3	Converting failed.

3.2 mx create-project Command

The mx create-project command creates a new app in the Studio Pro. The app version depends on the version the tool was bundled with. For example, if you are using the mx tool for Studio Pro version 8.1.0.58215, mx create project will create a new app in that version.

3.2.1 Usage

Use the following command pattern: mx create-project [OPTIONS] [TEMPLATE-MPK-FILE]

The OPTIONS are described in the table below:

Option	Default Value	Result
`app-name`	App	Assigns the specified app name to the app.
`output-dir`	Current directory	The directory in which to create the project.
`language-code`	Optional	The default language of the app.
`sprintr-app-id`	Optional	Associates the app feedback features with the provided Developer Portal app.

TEMPLATE-MPK-FILE is an optional path to a Mendix app package (.mpk) file. If this argument is omitted, the app is created with a default empty project template.

3.2.2 Examples

Examples of commands are described in the table below:

Example	Result
`mx create-project`	Creates an app in the current folder using all the default parameters.
`mx create-project --app-name "MyFirstApp" --output-dir "C:/Projects/MyFirstApp"`	Creates an app named `MyFirstApp` in the C:/Projects/MyFirstApp folder using all the default parameters.
`mx create-project "C:/Templates/ExpenseReportTemplate.mpk"`	Creates an app with the default parameters from a template located at C:/Templates/ExpenseReportTemplate.mpk.

3.2.3 Return Codes

Return codes are described in the table below:

Exit Code	Description
0	The app creation was successful.
1	An internal error occurred.
2	There is something wrong with the command-line options.

3.3 Undocumented Options

The mx tool contains options that are not described in this document. Those are for internal Mendix usage and are not officially supported. This might change in the future, but these options can be used only at your own risk.