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desktop.html CLI Reference

The app executable also acts as the CLI:

.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe <command>

Most commands support --json for agent-friendly output.

Common Skin Workflow

.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe skin validate .\my-skin --json
.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe skin install .\my-skin --force --json
.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe skin activate my.skin --entry index.html --json

If desktop.html is already running:

.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe skin reload --json

Skin Authoring Toolkit

These commands help create and iterate on skins from the CLI.

.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe skin scaffold my.skin --template classic --json
.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe skin scaffold my.rabbits --template rabbits --json
.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe skin validate .\my-skin --strict --json
.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe skin dev .\my-skin --entry index.html --watch --json
.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe skin pack .\my-skin --out .\dist --json
.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe skin install .\dist\my.skin-0.1.0.zip --force --json

Implemented behavior:

  • skin scaffold: generates valid starter skins from blank, classic, launcher, dashboard, or rabbits templates.
  • skin validate --strict: checks missing referenced assets, obvious local JavaScript syntax errors, and warns on private absolute paths or remote assets.
  • skin dev: validates, installs, activates, and reloads a skin folder. With --watch, it repeats on file changes until Ctrl+C.
  • skin pack: validates and zips a skin into <id>-<version>.zip (--out accepts a folder or a .zip path; --force overwrites).
  • skin install accepts either a skin folder or a .zip package produced by skin pack.

Still planned:

.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe skin screenshot .\my-skin --entry index.html --size 1920x1080 --state desktop --out .\screenshots --json
.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe skin audit .\my-skin --accessibility --json
  • --mock-bridge: provide fake runtime, monitor, storage, clipboard, desktop item, and known folder responses.
  • --no-execution: log file, URL, app, and raw execution requests instead of running them.
  • skin screenshot: render deterministic PNGs for common viewport and UI states.
  • skin audit --accessibility: check keyboard reachability, focus states, accessible names, contrast, and reduced-motion issues.

Status and Diagnostics

.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe status --json
.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe monitor list --json
.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe placement diagnostics --json
.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe logs --lines 100 --json

placement diagnostics --json is the best non-visual check that host windows exist and placement is working.

Monitor Assignment

.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe monitor assign "\\.\DISPLAY1" my.skin --entry index.html --json
.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe monitor clear "\\.\DISPLAY1" --json
.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe monitor mode single-monitor --json
.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe monitor span my.skin --monitors "\\.\DISPLAY1,\\.\DISPLAY2" --entry index.html --json

Runtime Host Commands

These require desktop.html to be running:

.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe ping --json
.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe open-settings --json
.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe skin reload --json
.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe placement reapply --json
.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe exit --json

If no host is running, host-only commands return:

Could not connect to a running desktop.html process. Is desktop.html open?

Config and Startup

.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe config get --json
.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe config set app.safeMode false --json
.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe startup status --json
.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe startup on --json
.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe startup off --json

Updates

Installed builds (from the GitHub releases installer) update themselves automatically: the app checks GitHub releases shortly after startup, downloads any newer version, and restarts to apply it. update check reports the current state without applying anything:

.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe update check --json

Dev builds (anything not installed by the Velopack installer) report "installed": false and are never auto-updated.

Backups and Recovery

Backups live under %AppData%\desktop-html\backups as plain folders with a manifest.json and payload files.

.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe backup list --json
.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe backup create config --reason manual --json
.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe backup create skin --skin-id my.skin --reason before-overwrite --json
.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe backup create storage --skin-id my.skin --reason before-clear --json
.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe backup restore <backup-id> --json
.\DesktopHtml.App\bin\Debug\net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0\win-x64\desktop-html.exe backup prune --keep 20 --json

config patch, config set, safe-mode toggles, startup toggles, monitor assignment changes, forced skin overwrites, and storage clears create backups automatically when there is existing data to protect.