Common flags for the command line renderer

The following table contains the common flags shared by all the renderers. To view these, type the following in a shell or Terminal (Mac OS X) window:

Render -help

These options complete the list of all options that you can use with:

the file renderer (Render -r file)
The file renderer uses the settings specified in the file as to which renderer is used.
the vector renderer (Render -r vr).

Common options

Flag name	Definition
`-test`	Print MEL commands but do not execute them.
`-verb`	Print MEL commands before they are executed.
`-keepMel`	Keep the temporary MEL file.
`-listRenderers`	Lists all available renderers.
`-renderer <string>`or `-r <string>`	Use this specific renderer: sw, hw, mr, vr, file.
`-proj <string>`	Use this Maya project to load the file.
`-log <string>`	Specifies a render log file and location. The log file contains the standard output and standard error information.

General purpose flags

Flag	Definition
`-rd <path>`	Directory in which to store image files.
`-im <filename>`	Image file output name.
`-fnc <int>`	Frame/Animation ext, such as name, name.ext. For details, see the Render Settings: Common tab in the Rendering book.
`-of <format>`	Output image file format. For supported file formats, see File formats in the Rendering book.

Frame numbering options

Flag	Definition
`-s <float>`	Start frame for an animation sequence.
`-e <float>`	End frame for an animation sequence.
`-b <float>`	By frame (or step) for an animation sequence.
`-pad <int>`	Number of digits in the output image frame file name extension.
`-rfs <int>`	Renumber frames: Start number - number for the first image when rendering.
`-rfb <int>`	Renumber frames: By frame - step used for renumbering frames.
`-skipExistingFrames`	Enable this option so that the renderer detects and skips over frames that have already been rendered. This feature saves rendering time.

Camera Options

Flag	Definition
`-cam <name>`	Specify which camera to be used.
`-rgb <boolean>`	Turn RGB output on or off.
`-alpha <boolean>`	Turn Alpha output on or off.
`-depth <boolean>`	Specify whether the rendered images contain a depth channel.

Resolution options

Flag	Definition
`-x <int>`	Set X resolution of the final image.
`-y <int>`	Set Y resolution of the final image.
`-percentRes <float>`	Renders the image using the specified percent of the resolution.
`-ard <float>`	(Software renderer) Device aspect ratio for the rendered image.
-par <float>	(Hardware renderer, Vector renderer) Pixel aspect ratio for the rendered image.
`-x <int>`	Set X resolution of the final image.

Render Layers and Passes

Flag	Definition
`-rl <boolean:name>`	Render each render layer separately.
`-rp <boolean:name>`	Render passes separately.
`-sel <boolean:name>`	Selects which objects, groups, and/or sets to render.

MEL callbacks

Flag	Definition
`-preRender <string>`	MEL code executed before rendering.
`-postRender <string>`	MEL code executed after rendering.
`-preLayer <string>`	MEL code executed before each render layer.
`-postLayer <string>`	MEL code executed after each render layer.
`-preFrame <string>`	MEL code executed before each frame.
`-postFrame <string>`	MEL code executed after each frame.
`-pre string`	Obsolete flag.
`-post string`	Obsolete flag.