Starting the Frontend with MERLIC

When starting a Frontend with MERLIC, the Frontend automatically connects to the MERLIC server of the MERLIC core The processing unit of a running MERLIC Vision App. it was started with.

You do not need to define any connection settings for the Frontend, they are chosen automatically to match the available channels. As a consequence the connection settings from the .ini file, i.e., the setting for "Host" and "Port" are ignored. For more information see the chapter The MERLIC .ini File.

Starting the Frontend Via the MERLIC GUI

You can start the Frontend directly from the MERLIC Creator and the MERLIC Designer. The Frontend will be automatically opened with the MERLIC Vision App that is currently loaded in the MERLIC Creator.

How to Start the Frontend From the MERLIC Creator

Open the MERLIC Creator.
Open the drop-down menu "Run" in the menu bar.
Click on "Launch Frontend".

How to Start the Frontend From the MERLIC Designer

Open the MERLIC Designer
Click on " Launch Frontend" in the menu bar.

How to Start the Frontend via Keyboard Shortcut:

Open the MERLIC Creator or MERLIC Designer and press F10.

Starting the Frontend Without the MERLIC GUI

You may start the Frontend without the MERLIC Creator or MERLIC Designer via different options. The MERLIC core The processing unit of a running MERLIC Vision App. and MERLIC server are started automatically when starting the Frontend without the MERLIC Creator.

Please see also the special aspects regarding the licenses when starting a MERLIC Vision App directly in the Frontend.

How to Start the Frontend via the Windows Start Menu

Open the Windows start menu.
Navigate to "MVTec MERLIC 5.6 > MERLIC 5.6 Frontend".

How to Start the Frontend via Command Line Option

Open a command prompt and change to the "bin\x64-win64" directory within the MERLIC installation path, for example, "%PROGRAMFILES%\MVTec\MERLIC-5.6\bin\x64-win64".
Start the Frontend with a specified MERLIC Vision App and use the command line option "-f" or "--frontend":
Copy
```
merlic_creator.exe --frontend <FILENAME>.mvapp
```
To automatically execute the specified MERLIC Vision App in the Frontend, you can add the command line option "-x" or "--execute":
Copy
```
merlic_creator.exe --frontend <FILENAME>.mvapp --execute
```

MERLIC offers several command line options.

List of available command line options for "merlic_creator.exe"

Command line option	Description
-h, --help	Get help for the available command line options and arguments.
-V, --version	Display the MERLIC version.
--ini	Set the full path and file name of the .ini file that is used for the configuration of the MERLIC settings, e.g., settings for the Frontend, process integration mode, or logging. If the Frontend is started from the MERLIC Creator, the -ini option, that was used for starting the MERLIC Creator, is forwarded to the Frontend.
-f, --frontend	Start the MERLIC Frontend with the specified MERLIC Vision App.
-x, --execute	Execute the MERLIC Vision App.
--image_source_config_ports	Define the ports that are opened by the MERLIC Creator to allow the configuration of image sources. If this option is used, only one instance of the MERLIC Creator can be started. For more information, see the description of the respective configuration property ImageSourceConfigurationPorts.

When you want to start the Frontend with a connection to a remotely running MERLIC, use "merlic_frontend.exe". For more information see Starting the Frontend with a Remote Connection.

List of available command line options for "merlic_frontend.exe"

Command line option	Description
-h, --help	Get help for the available command line options and arguments.
-V, --version	Display the MERLIC version.
--ini	Set the full path and file name of the .ini file that is used for the configuration of the MERLIC settings, e.g., settings for the Frontend, process integration mode, or logging. If the Frontend is started from the MERLIC Creator, the -ini option, that was used for starting the MERLIC Creator, is forwarded to the Frontend.
--tcp <hostname or ip address>:<port>	Set a hostname or an IP address, and the TCP/IP port to configure to which computer the Frontend shall be connected.
--hide_window_title_bar=true	Starts the MERLIC Frontend without showing the title bar of the application window. This will also affect the keyboard shortcuts that can be used e.g., to close the window.
--icon_file	Specify a custom icon for the Frontend. It will be shown in the window title bar and the task bar instead of the default MERLIC icon. You have to define the absolute path and file name of the icon.
--fullscreen	Starts the MERLIC Frontend in full screen mode.

How to Start the Frontend in MERLIC Process Integration Mode

If you start the process integration mode of MERLIC, the Frontend is also automatically opened with the MERLIC Vision App that is referenced in the loaded recipe file. Please refer to the topic Starting the Process Integration Mode for more detailed information. For detailed information about how to use the Frontend in process integration mode, see the topic Write Access in the Frontend.

Special Aspects With Respect to Licenses When Starting a MERLIC Frontend Without MERLIC Creator

When using Frontends without a MERLIC Creator, you have to consider that you can run up to 2 instances of MERLIC with one MERLIC license.

If a MERLIC Vision App is started directly in the MERLIC Frontend without the MERLIC Creator, e.g., from the command line, the MERLIC core The processing unit of a running MERLIC Vision App. will also be started and runs in the background. This is visible by a system tray icon.

If the MERLIC core The processing unit of a running MERLIC Vision App. is running in the background, it also counts as one running instance of MERLIC. This means that only one more instance of MERLIC is still free for use. Thus, if a MERLIC Vision App is opened directly in the Frontend (without a MERLIC Creator) and a MERLIC Creator is also running at the same time, two instances of MERLIC are already in use. Therefore you cannot open another instance of MERLIC anymore if you have only one MERLIC license.

The MERLIC core The processing unit of a running MERLIC Vision App. keeps running in the background if it is not closed explicitly. It can be closed via a right-click on the system tray icon.