CLI
bash
ublx --helpUBLX is a TUI to index once, enrich with metadata, and browse a flat snapshot in a 3-pane layout with multiple modes.
Usage: ublx [OPTIONS] [DIR]
Arguments:
[DIR] Directory to index [default: .]
Options:
-s, --snapshot-only Headless snapshot. Writes a local config file when this dir has none
-e, --enhance-all With `--snapshot-only`: set `enable_enhance_all = true` in new local config and use it for this run
-f, --full-snapshot Same as `--snapshot-only --enhance-all`
-x, --export Headless: write each Zahir JSON to `ublx-export/` as flat `{path}.json` files. Recommended to run with "--full-snapshot" to get most complete & recent results. Adjust enhance policy in config to fine-tune which paths get `ZahirScan`
--dev Dev mode: tui-logger drain + `move_events` + trace-level default filter
--themes Print available themes grouped by appearance
-h, --help Print help
-V, --version Print versionSynopsis
| Invocation | Behavior |
|---|---|
ublx [DIR] | Index (if needed), open the TUI on the catalog for DIR (default .) |
ublx -s [DIR] | Headless index only — no TUI |
ublx -f [DIR] | Headless index with full ZahirScan pass (--snapshot-only --enhance-all) |
ublx -x [DIR] | Headless export of Zahir JSON to ublx-export/ |
ublx --themes | List theme names (light/dark groups) and exit |
ublx --dev [DIR] | TUI with dev logging (tui-logger, trace filter) |
TUI keybindings, panes, and tabs are documented in TUI & modes — not repeated here.
Arguments
| Argument | Description |
|---|---|
DIR | Project directory to index and browse. Default: current directory (.). |
UBLX stores a per-root SQLite catalog under your user cache (ubli/). Local config: .ublx.toml or ublx.toml in DIR. See Configuration.
Options
Headless indexing
| Flag | Short | Description |
|---|---|---|
--snapshot-only | -s | Index without opening the TUI. If DIR has no local config yet, UBLX writes a new one (path-only catalog by default). |
--enhance-all | -e | Only meaningful with --snapshot-only: set enable_enhance_all = true in the new local config and run ZahirScan for all files this pass. Ignored without -s (use config or TUI for enhance). |
--full-snapshot | -f | Shorthand for --snapshot-only --enhance-all — full metadata batch on this run. |
Default snapshot behavior matches enable_enhance_all = false: path + filetype only until you enhance in the TUI or tune enhance policies.
Headless export
| Flag | Short | Description |
|---|---|---|
--export | -x | Write each enhanced file’s Zahir JSON under ublx-export/ as flat {path}.json files. |
Recommended combinations:
bash
# Richest export: index + enhance all, then export
ublx --full-snapshot --export /path/to/project
# Path-only export skeleton (enhance selectively in config/TUI first)
ublx --snapshot-only --export /path/to/projectExport uses whatever Zahir JSON is already in the catalog from the snapshot/enhance pass on that run. See Headless snapshot + export.
Other flags
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
--dev | Development mode: tui-logger drain, move_events, trace-level default filter. |
--themes | Print available palette names grouped by appearance (from palettes.rs); then exit. Same names as theme = "..." in config — see Themes. |
--help | Print help. |
--version | Print version. |
Examples
Interactive catalog (default):
bash
ublx /path/to/your/projectCI or warm cache without TUI:
bash
ublx --snapshot-only /path/to/projectOne-shot full metadata snapshot:
bash
ublx --full-snapshot /path/to/project
# same as: ublx --snapshot-only --enhance-all /path/to/projectExport after full enhance:
bash
ublx --full-snapshot --export /path/to/projectList installable themes:
bash
ublx --themesConfig vs CLI
Most behavior (theme, layout, [[enhance_policy]], hash, excludes, etc.) lives in global and local ublx.toml files and hot-reloads in the TUI. CLI flags above cover headless entry points and dev utilities.
| Topic | Doc |
|---|---|
| All config keys | Configuration |
| Path-only vs full enhance | Guide |
| Nefaxer indexing | Nefaxer |
| ZahirScan CLI (standalone) | ZahirScan CLI |
Related
- Install — Homebrew, Cargo, prerequisites, first run
- API (docs.rs) — Rust crate