Batch CGM conversion with CLI workflows for repeatable output

Where batch workflows usually break

• Manual one-by-one conversion introduces timing and operator variance.
• Unvalidated file sets cause failed exports near release deadlines.
• Lack of predictable settings leads to inconsistent output between runs.
• No review trail for what changed between conversion batches.

CLI command reference (Professional and Enterprise)

The Reforge CLI runs on Windows and Linux. All four commands require a Professional or Enterprise license — the CommandLineAccess feature flag is checked at startup and any command will exit with code 10 if the license does not include CLI access. The general form is:

reforge-cli convert

Converts one or more CGM files to SVG. Accepts individual file paths, glob patterns, or a folder path as input. When multiple inputs resolve, the output argument must be a directory.

• --profile auto|generic|webcgm|s1000d|ata|cals|cgmplus|pip — selects the CGM input profile (default: auto)
• --preset s1000d|ataispec2200|webcgm21|cals|pipcggc|default|highqualityprint — applies one of the seven GUI output presets (DPI, hotspot encoding, APS preservation, validation). Aliases: ata, webcgm, pip, print
• --dpi 72–600 — output resolution (default: 96)
• --validate — runs pre-conversion validation; issues appear in output
• --json — emits a structured JSON result to stdout instead of text lines
• --log debug|info|quiet — controls verbosity (default: info)

JSON output fields: success, inputPath, outputPath, profile, conversionDurationMs, hasWatermark, warnings[], error, errorCategory.

reforge-cli watch

Monitors a folder and auto-converts any CGM file dropped into it. Runs until Ctrl-C or SIGTERM. Designed for CSDB staging pipelines and server-side hot-folders. On shutdown, in-flight conversions are drained before the process exits.

• --output <dir> — SVG output directory (defaults to watched folder)
• --recursive — also watches subdirectories
• --profile — same values as convert
• --workers 1–16 — parallel conversion slots (default: 4)
• --log-format plain|json — plain text or NDJSON for log aggregators and systemd (default: plain)
• --log-file <path> — appends log to a file alongside stdout
• --pidfile <path> — writes process ID on start; cleaned up on clean exit
• --drain-timeout <seconds> — seconds to wait for in-flight jobs on SIGTERM (default: 30)
• --log debug|info|quiet — verbosity

Event log tags emitted to stdout: [DETECT], [OK], [FAILED], [ERROR], [STARTED], [STOPPED], [SUMMARY]. Use --log-format json for NDJSON output compatible with log aggregators and systemd journal forwarding.

reforge-cli validate

Standalone validation without conversion. Useful for pre-flight checks on large archives before committing to a batch run. Produces per-file results plus an overall summary.

• --profile — same values as convert
• --format text|json — output format (default: text)
• --strict — treats warnings as errors; exit 1 if any warning exists
• --skip-rules color-spaces,text-encoding,references,coordinates — comma-separated rule categories to skip (Professional/Enterprise only)
• --log debug|info|quiet

Text output per file: detected profile, confidence percentage, error / warning / info counts. JSON output includes per-issue code, severity, description, lineNumber, remediationHint, and specReference fields.

reforge-cli license

Full lifecycle license management. Subcommands: activate, deactivate, status, import, request-offline.

The status --json command returns the license edition, expiry date, feature flags (cliAccess, batchProcessing, customProfiles, advancedValidation, apiAccess), daily conversion limit, and the machine ID — useful for scripted environment checks.

Offline / air-gapped activation:

1. Generate an offline request file: reforge-cli license activate <key> --email <email> --offline
2. Email the generated file to support@reforgesoftware.com
3. Import the license file returned by support: reforge-cli license import license.lic

To obtain the machine ID for an offline request without a key: reforge-cli license status --machine-id

Exit codes

All Reforge CLI commands use consistent exit codes for scripting and CI/CD pipeline gates:

• 0 — All files succeeded; or license is valid; or file is valid (validate)
• 1 — All files failed, pre-flight error (no files matched), or file has errors (validate); also used for no license found on deactivate
• 2 — Partial batch: some files succeeded, some failed; or warnings-only result from validate (without --strict)
• 10 — License error — no Professional or Enterprise license is active on this machine

Putting it together — a release-day pipeline

For recurring publication cycles, the two-command pattern is: validate first, then convert approved files.

The watch command fits a continuous intake model — run it as a background service or systemd unit targeting your CSDB staging folder. The point-in-time convert command fits scheduled release windows and CI/CD steps where the input set is known in advance.

Related workflow pages

• CGM to SVG converter overview
• S1000D and WebCGM workflows
• Validation and compliance checks