---
title: "Starting LumiScan VGR"
product: "LumiScan VGR"
component: "lumiscan-vgr"
version: "1.8.4"
display_version: "1.8.4.6"
latest_version: true
language: "en"
url: "https://docs.hdvisionsystems.com/en/lumiscan-vgr/1.8.4/start-menu.html"
---

# Starting LumiScan VGR

LumiScan VGR can be started either through the Start Menu or from the command line.

## Starting from the Start Menu

When the software starts, the Start Menu window opens (Fig. 3).

To start LumiScan VGR:

1. Enter the path to the configuration file.
2. Alternatively, click **Load** and select the configuration file.
3. If required, enable additional startup options.
4. Click **Start**.

By default, only the path to the configuration file is required. Additional options are available for camera simulation, PLC simulation, and debug mode.

![LumiScan VGR Start Menu with a settings file path, options for camera simulation, PLC simulation, and debug mode, and the Cancel and Start buttons](https://docs.hdvisionsystems.com/en/lumiscan-vgr/1.8.4/_images/Screenshot_2024-02-26_161132.png)

## Starting from the Command Line

LumiScan VGR can also be started from the command line.

At minimum, the settings file must be specified using the `-s` or `--settings` option.

The available command-line options are listed in Table 2.

**Table 1. Table 2: Command-Line Arguments**

| Command-line option | Effect |
| --- | --- |
| `-s`, `--settings <filepath>` | Required. Specifies the path to the settings file. |
| `--gen-settings` | Creates a settings file. |
| `-v`, `--version` | Displays information about the current software version. |
| `--simulate-camera` | Optional. Simulates a camera so that no physical camera needs to be connected. Images and point clouds are loaded from disk.<br> Intended for testing purposes. |
| `--simulate-sps` | Optional. Simulates the PLC so that no physical PLC needs to be connected. PLC communication can be simulated through the PROFINET tab. |
| `-d`, `--debug` | Optional. Starts LumiScan VGR in debug mode. |
| `-?`, `-h`, `--help` | Displays command-line help. |
| `--help-all` | Displays additional help, including Qt-specific options. |