nivlmcmd.exe Command Reference

Use the commands available with the nivlmcmd.exe binary to manage users, computers, and groups in VLM. You can also use the commands to export the activity history for clients and licenses.

The nivlmcmd.exe file is located in the default VLM installation location: C:\Program Files (x86)\National Instruments\Volume License Manager\nivlmcmd.exe.

Note You cannot run command line options with nivlmcmd.exe while the NI VLM user interface is running.

Global Parameters

  • --h—Displays the help for any command. You can also use --help or -?.
    • Tip
    • All names, such as group, user, computer, license, and field, are not case-sensitive.
    • If a name contains spaces, enclose the name in quotation marks. For example: "my group name".
    • To view field names for group details, navigate to Tools » Preferences » Custom Fields.
    • Commands allow you to include multiple items, such as groups, users, computers, and licenses, in a single command

    Computer Commands

    Use the computer commands to add and remove computers, and view a list of computers using VLM.

    computer add

    Add a new computer to Volume License Manager. A computer name is required.

    Note Computer names and field names are case insensitive.
    Table 2. Command Options
    -id, --computerid Computer ID in the format XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX.
    -d, --detail Computer details in the format "<field1>=<value1>". 
    nivlmcmd.exe computer add mycomputer -id K4K5-FQ8D-64GF-X8ZN -d "full name=John Doe" -d email=john@doe.com
    Successfully added computer: mycomputer

    computer delete

    Remove a computer from Volume License Manager. A computer name is required.

    Note Computer names are case insensitive.
    nivlmcmd.exe computer delete mycomputer
    Successfully deleted computer: mycomputer

    computer list

    List all computers in Volume License Manager. 

    nivlmcmd.exe computer list
    computer1
computer2
computer3

    Computer Group Commands

    Manage computer groups in VLM.

    computer-group add computer

    Add computers to an existing computer group.

    Table 3. Command Arguments
    <group-name> Name of the computer group to which to add the computer.
    <computer-name> Name of the computer to add. 
    nivlmcmd.exe computer-group add computer mygroup computer1 
    nivlmcmd.exe computer-group add computer mygroup computer1 computer2 computer3

    computer-group add license

    Add licenses to an existing computer group.

    Table 4. Command Arguments
    <group-name> Name of the computer group to which to add the license.
    <package-name> Name of the license package to add. 
    nivlmcmd.exe computer-group add license mygroup license1__PKG 
    nivlmcmd.exe computer-group add license mygroup license1__PKG license2__PKG license3__PKG

    computer-group create

    Create new computer groups in VLM. One or more group names are required.

    Table 5. Command Arguments
    <group-name> Name of the computer group to create. Required argument. You can specify multiple group names.
    Table 6. Command Options
    -d Computer group details in the format -d "<field1>=<value1>". Supported fields include visibility, description, permission request. You can also use --detail. 
    nivlmcmd.exe computer-group create mygroup
    nivlmcmd.exe computer-group create group1 group2 group3
    nivlmcmd.exe computer-group create computergroup -d visibility=public -d "permission request"=Manual -d description="Engineering team computers"

    computer-group delete

    Remove existing computer groups from VLM. One or more group names are required.

    Table 7. Command Arguments
    <group-name> Name of the computer group to delete. Required argument. You can specify multiple group names.
    Table 8. Command Options
    --f, --force Delete without a confirmation prompt. 
    nivlmcmd.exe computer-group delete mygroup
    nivlmcmd.exe computer-group delete group1 group2 -f

    computer-group list

    List computer groups and their components in VLM.

    Table 9. Command Arguments
    <group-name> Name of the specific groups to list. Optional argument. If you do not specify a group, all groups are listed.
    Table 10. Command Options
    --c, --computers List computers that are part of the group.
    --l, --licenses List licenses that are part of the group.
    Note If you do not specify --computers or --licenses when listing a specific group, the system displays both options.
    nivlmcmd.exe computer-group list 
    nivlmcmd.exe computer-group list mygroup 
    nivlmcmd.exe computer-group list mygroup --computers 
    nivlmcmd.exe computer-group list --licenses 
    nivlmcmd.exe computer-group list mygroup --computers --licenses

    computer-group remove computer

    Remove computers from an existing computer group.

    Table 11. Command Arguments
    <group-name> Name of the computer group from which to remove the computer.
    <computer-name> Name of the computer to remove. 
    nivlmcmd.exe computer-group remove computer mygroup computer1 
    nivlmcmd.exe computer-group remove computer mygroup computer1 computer2 computer3

    computer-group remove license

    Remove licenses from an existing computer group.

    Table 12. Command Arguments
    <group-name> Name of the computer group from which to remove the license.
    <package-name> Name of the license package to remove. 
    nivlmcmd.exe computer-group remove license mygroup license1__PKG 
    nivlmcmd.exe computer-group remove license mygroup license1__PKG license2__PKG license3__PKG

    Export Commands

    Use export commands to generate CSV files containing licenses and VLM activity history. This functionality supports reporting and data analysis tasks.

    disconnected-usage

    Exports disconnected license records in CSV format. You can specify a start date, an end date, or both to retrieve the history of disconnected usage. If you do not specify any dates, the system exports only the currently disconnected licenses.

    Table 13. Command Arguments
    <directory> Directory to export the disconnected usage report.
    Table 14. Command Options
    -s, --start-date Start date in DD/MM/YYYY format.
    -e, --end-date End date in DD/MM/YYYY format. 
    nivlmcmd.exe disconnected-usage C:\Exports 
    nivlmcmd.exe disconnected-usage C:\Exports -s 01/01/2025 -e 31/12/2025

    export client-activity

    Export client activity data to CSV format.

    Table 15. Command Arguments
    <directory> Directory to export the CSV file.
    Table 16. Command Options
    -c, --client- name Name of the client to which you want to export the client activity. If you do not specify this option, all client activity is exported.
    -s, --start-date Start date in DD/MM/YYYY format.
    -e, --end-date End date in DD/MM/YYYY format. 
    nivlmcmd.exe export client-activity C:\Exports 
    nivlmcmd.exe export client-activity C:\Exports -c mycomputer 
    nivlmcmd.exe export client-activity C:\Exports -c mycomputer -s 01/01/2025 -e 31/12/2025

    export license

    Export list of all licenses to CSV format.

    Table 17. Command Arguments
    <directory> Directory to export the CSV file. 
    nivlmcmd.exe export licenses C:\Exports

    export license-activity

    Export license activity data to CSV format.

    Table 18. Command Arguments
    <directory> Directory to export the CSV file.
    Table 19. Command Options
    -l, --license- name Package name of the license in which to export the activity. If you do not specify this option, all activity for all licenses is exported.
    Tip Use the export licenses command to find the package name of a license.
    -s, --start-date Start date in DD/MM/YYYY format.
    -e, --end-date End date in DD/MM/YYYY format. 
    nivlmcmd.exe export license-activity C:\Exports 
    nivlmcmd.exe export license-activity C:\Exports -l mylicense 
    nivlmcmd.exe export license-activity C:\Exports -l mylicense -s 01/01/2025 -e 31/12/2025

    User Commands

    Commands for managing users in VLM.

    user add

    Add a user to Volume License Manager. A user name is required.

    Note User names and field names are case insensitive.
    Table 20. Command Options
    -d, --detail User details in the format "<field1>=<value1>". 
    nivlmcmd.exe user add myuser -d "Full Name=John Doe" -d email=john@doe.com
    Successfully added user:myuser

    user delete

    Remove a user from VLM. A user name is required.

    Note User names are case insensitive.
    nivlmcmd.exe user delete myuser
    Successfully deleted user: myuser

    user list

    List all users in VLM.

    nivlmcmd.exe user list
    user1
user2
user3

    User Groups Commands

    Manage user groups in VLM.

    user-group add user

    Add users to an existing user group.

    Table 21. Command Arguments
    <group-name> Name of the user group to which to add the user.
    <user-name> Name of the user to add. 
    nivlmcmd.exe user-group add user mygroup user1 
    nivlmcmd.exe user-group add user mygroup user1 user2 user3

    user-group add license

    Add licenses to an existing user group.

    Table 22. Command Arguments
    <group-name> Name of the user group to which to add the license.
    <package-name> Name of the license package to add. 
    nivlmcmd.exe user-group add license mygroup license1__PKG 
    nivlmcmd.exe user-group add license mygroup license1__PKG license2__PKG license3__PKG

    user-group create

    Create new user groups.

    Table 23. Command Arguments
    <group-name> Name of the user group.
    Table 24. Command Options
    -d, --detail User group details in the format -d "<field1>=<value1>". Supported fields include visibility, description, permission request. 
    nivlmcmd.exe user-group create mygroup 
    nivlmcmd.exe user-group create group1 group2 group3 
    nivlmcmd.exe user-group create usergroup -d visibility=public -d "permission request"=Manual -d description="Engineering team"

    user-group delete

    Delete existing user groups.

    Table 25. Command Arguments
    <group-name> Name of the user group.
    Table 26. Command Options
    -f, --force Delete without a confirmation prompt. 
    nivlmcmd.exe user-group delete mygroup
    nivlmcmd.exe user-group delete group1 group2

    user-group list

    List user groups and their components in VLM.

    Table 27. Command Arguments
    <group-name> Name of the group components to list. Optional argument. If you do not specify a group, all user groups are listed.
    Table 28. Command Options
    -u, --users List users who are part of the group.
    -l, --licenses List licenses that are part of the group.
    Note If you do not specify --computers or --licenses when listing a specific group, the system displays both options.
    nivlmcmd.exe user-group list 
    nivlmcmd.exe user-group list mygroup 
    nivlmcmd.exe user-group list mygroup --users 
    nivlmcmd.exe user-group list --licenses 
    nivlmcmd.exe user-group list mygroup --users --licenses

    user-group remove license

    Remove licenses from an existing user group.

    Table 29. Command Arguments
    <group-name> Name of the user group from which to remove the license.
    <user-name> Name of the license package to remove. 
    nivlmcmd.exe user-group remove license mygroup license1__PKG 
    nivlmcmd.exe user-group remove license mygroup license1__PKG license2__PKG license3__PKG

    user-group remove user

    Remove users from an existing user group.

    Table 30. Command Arguments
    <group-name> Name of the user group from which to remove the user.
    <user-name> Name of the user to remove. 
    nivlmcmd.exe user-group remove user mygroup user1
    nivlmcmd.exe user-group remove user mygroup user1 user2 user3