Opera's Command Line Syntax (Windows)
Ed Jay
My goal is to have a single instance of Opera installed, but with a few
different Opera6.ini files, such that each uses different menus and
toolbars. I'm having difficulty launching Opera with different profiles
using the command line option '/Settings.'
According to the Opera docs*, the command line syntax to launch with
different profiles is: 'Opera.exe /Settings <full path>,' and with the
note 'Launch with specified settings (opera6.ini) file.' I take this to
mean I can have multiple Opera6.ini files in path1, path2, etc., and can
launch Opera using a shortcut to profile 'n' with the syntax:
<path/>Opera.exe /Settings pathn/Opera6.ini, or alternatively,
<path/>Opera.exe /Settings path-to-profile/Opera6n.ini.
I have been unable to implement this. No matter what path I put in for the
desired Opera6.ini, I always get the original profile. What is the proper
syntax?
--
Ed Jay (remove 'M' to reply by email)
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Ed Jay
>Ed Jay wrote:
>
>> No matter what path I put in for the desired Opera6.ini,
>> I always get the original profile.
>>
>
>
>Your desired "user files" have different assigned values for the
>below entry AND there is no "system file" with the same entry?
>
>[User Prefs]
>Opera Directory=
I'm not sure I understand the relevance of your question, at least as it
relates to Opera's instructions for command line options. If I understand
your question, I would imagine that the command line option '/Settings'
would override any previous parameters.
Here's what I've tried:
Launch Opera and select options. Close Opera and rename Opera6.ini to
Opera6A.ini. Leave in usual profile.
Change Opera shortcut command line to:
F:\Opera\Opera.exe /Settings C:\documents&settings\Eds\Application
Data\Opera\Profile\Opera6A.ini.
When I launch the above, it launches Opera using Opera6.ini, not
Opera6A.ini.
Ed Jay
>Ed Jay wrote:
>
>> Guy wrote:
>>
>>> Ed Jay wrote:
>>>
>>>> No matter what path I put in for the desired Opera6.ini,
>>>> I always get the original profile.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Your desired "user files" have different assigned values for the
>>> below entry AND there is no "system file" with the same entry?
>>>
>>> [User Prefs]
>>> Opera Directory=
>>
>> I'm not sure I understand the relevance of your question, at least
>> as it relates to Opera's instructions for command line options.
>>
>So... you've completely discounted the relevance of my query?
>
Why would you think that? I said I didn't understand it. Then, I went on
to say:
>
>> If I understand your question, I would imagine that the command
>> line option '/Settings' would override any previous parameters.
>>
>> Here's what I've tried:
>>
>> Launch Opera and select options. Close Opera and rename Opera6.ini
>> to Opera6A.ini. Leave in usual profile.
>>
>Hmmm... "discounted the relevance of my query"
>
Wrong again...I questioned it. [User Prefs]/Opera Directory= simply tells
Opera what the full path to the profile folder is. I suggested that
perhaps the command line /Settings option path would override the user
prefs path.
>
>> Change Opera shortcut command line to:
>> F:\Opera\Opera.exe /Settings C:\documents&settings\Eds\Application Data\Opera\Profile\Opera6A.ini.
>>
>The above is the EXACT shortcut Target?
>
Yes. I've also tried the following variations, without success"
F:\Opera\Opera.exe "/Settings C:\documents&settings\Eds\Application
Data\Opera\Profile\Opera6A.ini"
F:\Opera\Opera.exe /Settings "C:\documents&settings\Eds\Application
Data\Opera\Profile\Opera6A.ini"
>
>> When I launch the above, it launches Opera using Opera6.ini, not
>> Opera6A.ini.
>>
>Either you are passing the paths incorrectly
>or are unaware of which INI is in use.
I'm quite aware of which ini is in use. :-) One has a blank set of
toolbars and no menus, the other is Opera Standard.
>
>When you have the path correct, delete the file "Opera6A.ini"
>then launch Opera from the shortcut WITH "Opera6A.ini" as the Target.
>
>You'll then see which INI is being used...
I came to the Group for an answer, because I've tried all basic
troubleshooting steps.
>
> and the relevance of my query.
You seem very proud of the relevance of your query, yet its relevance
still escapes me...at least within the bounds of Opera's documentation.
According to <http://www.opera.com/docs/switches/#win-only>, the command
line option '/Settings' is available to "Launch with specified settings
(opera6.ini) file." That tells me that I can either have multiple
opera6.ini files in the same profile folder ([User Prefs]/Opera
Directory=), and call them up individually using different names for each
ini, or that I can point to another profile and employ its Opera6.ini with
different user preferences. The former is questionable, but the latter
seems reasonable. It's not working using my syntax, and I am asking why.
Rijk van Geijtenbeek
> Opera10b under WXP-Pro/SP3.
>
> My goal is to have a single instance of Opera installed, but with a few
> different Opera6.ini files, such that each uses different menus and
> toolbars. I'm having difficulty launching Opera with different profiles
> using the command line option '/Settings.'
>
> According to the Opera docs*, the command line syntax to launch with
> different profiles is: 'Opera.exe /Settings <full path>,' and with the
> note 'Launch with specified settings (opera6.ini) file.' I take this to
> mean I can have multiple Opera6.ini files in path1, path2, etc., and can
> launch Opera using a shortcut to profile 'n' with the syntax:
> <path/>Opera.exe /Settings pathn/Opera6.ini, or alternatively,
> <path/>Opera.exe /Settings path-to-profile/Opera6n.ini.
>
> I have been unable to implement this. No matter what path I put in for
> the
> desired Opera6.ini, I always get the original profile. What is the proper
> syntax?
The /settings parameter doesn't seem to work at all in Opera 10 beta.
We've got a bug report about it. Personally I'd like to see it replaced
with support for the 'personaldir' parameter as supported on Linux (that
one is easier to work with).
For now, as a workaround you could duplicate the installation folder
instead.
--
Rijk van Geijtenbeek
Opera Software ASA
Tweak: http://my.opera.com/Rijk/blog/
"The most common way to get usability wrong is to listen to what users
say rather than actually watching what they do." - J.Nielsen
Ed Jay
>Op Sun, 14 Jun 2009 18:21:36 +0200 schreef Ed Jay <ed...@aes-intl.com>:
>
>> Opera10b under WXP-Pro/SP3.
>>
>> My goal is to have a single instance of Opera installed, but with a few
>> different Opera6.ini files, such that each uses different menus and
>> toolbars. I'm having difficulty launching Opera with different profiles
>> using the command line option '/Settings.'
>>
>> According to the Opera docs*, the command line syntax to launch with
>> different profiles is: 'Opera.exe /Settings <full path>,' and with the
>> note 'Launch with specified settings (opera6.ini) file.' I take this to
>> mean I can have multiple Opera6.ini files in path1, path2, etc., and can
>> launch Opera using a shortcut to profile 'n' with the syntax:
>> <path/>Opera.exe /Settings pathn/Opera6.ini, or alternatively,
>> <path/>Opera.exe /Settings path-to-profile/Opera6n.ini.
>>
>> I have been unable to implement this. No matter what path I put in for
>> the
>> desired Opera6.ini, I always get the original profile. What is the proper
>> syntax?
>
>The /settings parameter doesn't seem to work at all in Opera 10 beta.
>We've got a bug report about it. Personally I'd like to see it replaced
>with support for the 'personaldir' parameter as supported on Linux (that
>one is easier to work with).
>
>For now, as a workaround you could duplicate the installation folder
>instead.
Thanks, Rijk.
I finally got it playing by reinstalling Opera (9.64) as a single user and
using multiple, uniquely-named opera6.ini files.
Opera 10 relies on 'operaprefs.ini' instead of opera6.ini for user
preferences. Apparently, the /Settings option is hardwired for opera6.ini.