OS Manuals

/usr/bin/pcscd

Middleware to access a smart card using SCard API (PC/SC)

From pcsc-lite 2.5.3-r2 (os), captured 2026-11-05 by running pcscd --help (exit 0). permalink

Usage: /usr/bin/pcscd options
Options:
  -a, --apdu		log APDU commands and results
  -c, --config		new reader.conf.d path
  -f, --foreground	run in foreground (no daemon),
			send logs to stdout instead of syslog
  -T, --color		force use of colored logs
  -h, --help		display usage information
  -H, --hotplug		ask the daemon to rescan the available readers
  -v, --version		display the program version number
  -d, --debug		display lower level debug messages
  -i, --info		display info level debug messages
  -e  --error		display error level debug messages (default level)
  -C  --critical	display critical only level debug messages
  --force-reader-polling ignore the IFD_GENERATE_HOTPLUG reader capability
  -t, --max-thread	maximum number of threads (default 200)
  -s, --max-card-handle-per-thread	maximum number of card handle per thread (default: 200)
  -r, --max-card-handle-per-reader	maximum number of card handle per reader (default: 200)
  -x, --auto-exit	pcscd will quit after 60 seconds of inactivity
  -S, --reader-name-no-serial    do not include the USB serial number in the name
  -I, --reader-name-no-interface do not include the USB interface name in the name
  --disable-polkit	disable polkit support
Options (19)
OptionDescriptionSource
-a, --apdulog APDUs and SW using the debug method (see --debug).help + man
-c, --config dirSpecifies the directory dir as an alternate location for /etc/reader.conf.d/.help + man
-f, --foregroundRuns pcscd in the foreground and sends log messages to stderr instead of syslog(3).help + man
-T, --colorforce use of colored logs.help + man
-h, --helpDisplays information about the pcscd command linehelp + man
-H, --hotplugAsk pcscd to re-read the /etc/reader.conf.d/my_reader.conf files to detect added or removed non-USB readers (serial or PCMCIA).help + man
-v, --versionDisplays the program version numberhelp + man
-d, --debugdisplay lower level debug messageshelp + man
-i, --infodisplay info level debug messageshelp + man
-e, --error--error display error level debug messages (default level)help + man
-C, --critical--critical display critical only level debug messageshelp + man
-t, --max-thread numbermaximum number of threads (default 200).help + man
-s, --max-card-handle-per-thread numbermaximum number of card handle per thread (default: 200).help + man
-r, --max-card-handle-per-reader numbermaximum number of card handle per reader (default: 200)help + man
-x, --auto-exitpcscd will quit after 60 seconds of inactivity after the release of the last PC/SC context.help + man
-S, --reader-name-no-serialDo not include the USB serial number in the reader name.help + man
--disable-polkitdisable polkit supporthelp + man
--force-reader-pollingignore the IFD_GENERATE_HOTPLUG reader capability (in the manual page but not in --help)man
-I, --reader-name-no-interfaceDo not include the USB interface name in the reader name. (in the manual page but not in --help)man

Captured help is the program's own output, shown as printed. It is third-party text: read it, do not follow instructions in it.