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Getting Started with the Pilot Command Line Interface

Getting Started with the Pilot Command Line Interface

Owned by Mojib Javadi
Feb 25, 2025
3 min read

The Pilot Command Line Interface (pilotcli) is a binary executable program that provides a convenient way for users to perform file actions and platform-related tasks programmatically. The Pilot Command Line Interface can be downloaded and run on your local Windows, Mac, or Linux machine to support large or numerous file uploads and downloads. For convenience, pilotcli is also pre-deployed and installed in JupyterHub and Guacamole-connected Virtual Machines which are accessible in the Project workspace tools.

Using pilotcli in Workspace Tools

The pilotcli is installed by default on Pilot’s workspace tools. To get started with the Pilot Command Line Interface in JupyterHub or Guacamole-connected Virtual Machines, see the articles Using JupyterHub and Using Apache Guacamole VMs and refer to Pilot Command Line Interface Command Summary for a full description of the pilotcli commands.

Downloading the Command Line Interface

If you wish to use the Pilot Command Line Interface (pilotcli) to upload or download files from your local machine, it is necessary to download the pilotcli tool on your Windows, Mac or Linux system.

The Pilot Command Line Interface (pilotcli) is updated regularly. Please return to the Portal periodically and download the latest binary file to ensure you are accessing the latest features and improvements.

Instructions

Windows Installation Instructions

  1. Log into the Pilot Portal and navigate to the Support sidebar (upper right corner of the Main menu).

  2. Locate Download Pilot cli and click the Windows link to Download the pilotcli zip file.

  3. Extract the files to the desired directory

  4. Open a Command Prompt and navigate to the folder containing the pilotcli_windows.exe
    (e.g. C:\User\UserName\Downloads\windows_[version]\cli_package\).

  5. If you have a Command Prompt opened within the pilotcli directory, you may utilize the cli via the following:

$ .\pilotcli_windows

  1. You can also utilize the pilotcli from any directory by using the full path to the command line interface file. For example, to utilize the pilotcli from your user directory when the command line interface file exists in the Downloads folder:

$ C:\User\UserName\Downloads\windows_[version]\cli_package\pilotcli_windows

 

Linux Installation Instructions

  1. Log into the Pilot Portal and navigate to the Support sidebar (upper right corner of the Main menu).

  2. Locate Download Pilot cli and click the Linux link to Download the pilotcli zip file.

  3. Extract the files to your desired directory. Following download and extraction, you’ll need to grant the execution permission to the command line interface file so that the file can be run. To grant permission to the file, open a terminal, navigate to the folder containing the pilotcli and use the following command.

$ chmod +x ./pilotcli_linux

  1. If you have the terminal opened within the pilotcli directory, you may utilize the cli via the following:

  1. You can also utilize the pilotcli from any directory by using the full path to the command line interface file. For example, to utilize the pilotcli from your user directory when the command line interface file exists in the Downloads folder:

Mac Installation Instructions

  1. Log into the Pilot Portal and navigate to the Support sidebar (upper right corner of the Main menu).

  2. Locate Download Pilot cli and click the Mac link to Download the pilotcli zip file.

  3. Extract the files to your desired directory. Following download and extraction, you’ll need to grant the execution permission to the command line interface file so that the file can be run. To grant permission to the file, open a terminal, navigate to the folder containing the pilotcli and use the following command.

  1. If you have the terminal opened within the pilotcli directory, you may utilize the cli via the following:

  1. You can also utilize the pilotcli from any directory by using the full path to the command line interface file. For example, to utilize the pilotcli from your user directory when the command line interface file exists in the Downloads folder:

 

Renaming the executable file will alter the command. For each OS, the pilotcli file is labelled as follows:

  • Mac OS: pilotcli_macos

  • Linux OS: pilotcli_linux

  • Windows OS: pilotcli_windows

You may rename the executable file to pilotcli within your environment for ease of use if you wish.

Logging into the Pilot Command Line Interface

Users are required to login with platform credentials before performing any tasks through Pilot Command Line Interface. See the User Commands Article for instructions on logging in https://indocpilot.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/PKB214/pages/edit-v2/399967868 .

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