Frequently Asked Question

5. Remote Deployment and Configuring DeskCamera

Last Updated about a month ago

Note: Run the installer and the first DeskCamera configuration command with administrator privileges.

Use this article to install DeskCamera silently, activate the license, and apply common settings during deployment.

Silent Setup

Install DeskCamera silently with no user interaction. Use the actual installer file name from your DeskCamera package:

SetupDeskCamera_x64.exe /install /quiet /norestart

If your installer file name includes a version number, use that exact file name in the command.

Installer Options and Variables

Option	Description
`/install`	Installs DeskCamera. This is the normal silent-deployment action.
`/quiet`	Runs the installer without UI.
`/passive`	Runs the installer with progress UI but no prompts.
`/norestart`	Prevents the installer from restarting Windows automatically.
`/log [file.log]`	Writes an installer log file.
`/uninstall`	Uninstalls DeskCamera.
`InstallFolder="C:\Program Files\DeskCamera"`	Overrides the installation folder.
`start=1`	Starts DeskCamera after a quiet install. The default is `start=0`.
`INSTALLREMOTECONTROL=0` or `INSTALLREMOTECONTROL=1`	Use `0` to skip the Remote Control service. Use `1` to allow the service to install on supported PCs. The default is `1`.

Installer variables use the form Name=Value.

Example

SetupDeskCamera_x64.exe /install /quiet /norestart InstallFolder="C:\Program Files\DeskCamera" INSTALLREMOTECONTROL=0

Before Running Configuration Commands

DeskCamera command-line options use switch/value pairs. Every DeskCamera option below requires a value. If a value contains spaces, put it in quotes.

Option names are case-insensitive. The examples use slash-prefixed options, such as /ImportLic.

The multi-line examples below use Command Prompt and batch-file syntax. The caret character (^) continues the command on the next line.

If an App Password is already set on a licensed DeskCamera installation, command-line changes to protected settings are refused. For a new deployment, apply the required settings before setting the App Password, or include /SetAppPassword in the same first-run command.

If you need to change protected settings later, remove the App Password in DeskCamera first, apply the deployment change, and then set the App Password again.

If you use Multi-user mode, test the command on one PC before rolling it out. A switch to Shared mode can be refused on Windows Server, Remote Desktop hosts, Azure Virtual Desktop, or other systems where several users can be signed in at the same time. For details, see Multi-user Mode and Lock Settings.

Perpetual License

For a perpetual license, choose the online, offline, or Local License Server method below.

Online Activation

Use this method on workstations with Internet access. It imports and activates a perpetual .lic license file, sets the camera login for the NVR/VMS, selects the camera mode, turns Hidden mode off, and sets the App Password.

"%ProgramFiles%\DeskCamera\DeskCamera.exe" ^
 /ImportLic "C:\Deploy\LicenseFile.lic" ^
 /SetCameraInstanceMode peruser ^
 /SetCameraUsername onvifUser ^
 /SetCameraPassword onvifPass ^
 /SetHiddenMode 0 ^
 /SetAppPassword appPass

The camera username and password are the ONVIF login used by the NVR/VMS. They are not the Windows login and are not the browser management password. For login troubleshooting, see NVR/VMS Asks for a Username or Password.

Offline Activation

Use this method to activate a perpetual license on workstations without Internet access. It requires creating a request file and generating an activation file manually.

Create a license request file:

"%ProgramFiles%\DeskCamera\DeskCamera.exe" /CreateReq "C:\Deploy\DeskCamera.req"

Generate an activation file at activationservice.net using the .req file and your license file.

Import the activation file and configure DeskCamera:

"%ProgramFiles%\DeskCamera\DeskCamera.exe" ^
 /ImportAct "C:\Deploy\ActivatedLicense.act" ^
 /SetCameraInstanceMode peruser ^
 /SetCameraUsername onvifUser ^
 /SetCameraPassword onvifPass ^
 /SetHiddenMode 0 ^
 /SetAppPassword appPass

Local License Server

Use this method when DeskCamera should obtain an activated perpetual license from a Local License Server. The server address must be an absolute URL.

"%ProgramFiles%\DeskCamera\DeskCamera.exe" ^
 /LicServer "http://192.168.1.2:8088" ^
 /SetCameraInstanceMode peruser ^
 /SetCameraUsername onvifUser ^
 /SetCameraPassword onvifPass ^
 /SetHiddenMode 0 ^
 /SetAppPassword appPass

Subscription License

Use this method for subscription licensing. /SubSerial must be a subscription GUID, and /SubSecretKey is required.

"%ProgramFiles%\DeskCamera\DeskCamera.exe" ^
 /SubSerial "00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000" ^
 /SubSecretKey "subscription-secret-key" ^
 /SetCameraInstanceMode peruser ^
 /SetCameraUsername onvifUser ^
 /SetCameraPassword onvifPass ^
 /SetHiddenMode 0 ^
 /SetAppPassword appPass

If subscription licensing uses a Local Subscription Server (LSS), add /SubServer with an absolute URL. For requirements and setup guidance, see Using Subscription Floating License with no Internet connection.

"%ProgramFiles%\DeskCamera\DeskCamera.exe" ^
 /SubSerial "00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000" ^
 /SubSecretKey "subscription-secret-key" ^
 /SubServer "https://192.168.1.2:8078" ^
 /SetCameraInstanceMode peruser ^
 /SetCameraUsername onvifUser ^
 /SetCameraPassword onvifPass ^
 /SetHiddenMode 0 ^
 /SetAppPassword appPass

DeskCamera.exe Command Reference

This table lists the DeskCamera application command-line options supported for deployment configuration.

Use one licensing method per command: /ImportLic, /ImportAct, /LicServer, or /SubSerial with /SubSecretKey. Do not repeat the same option in one command.

Command	Description
`/ImportLic [file.lic]`	Imports and activates a perpetual license on a PC with Internet access.
`/CreateReq [file.req]`	Creates an offline activation request file. DeskCamera exits after creating the request.
`/ImportAct [file.act]`	Imports an offline activation file.
`/LicServer [absolute-url]`	Configures DeskCamera to import an activated license from a Local License Server.
`/SubSerial [guid]`	Configures subscription licensing. Must be used with `/SubSecretKey`.
`/SubSecretKey [secret-key]`	Sets the subscription secret key used with `/SubSerial`.
`/SubServer [absolute-url]`	Optional local subscription server URL used with `/SubSerial` and `/SubSecretKey`.
`/SetCameraUsername [name]`	Sets the ONVIF username used by the NVR/VMS. The value cannot be blank.
`/SetCameraPassword [password]`	Sets the ONVIF password used by the NVR/VMS. The value cannot be blank.
`/SetAppPassword [password]`	Sets the App Password that protects the DeskCamera application. The value cannot be blank.
`/SetHiddenMode 0` or `/SetHiddenMode 1`	Turns Hidden mode off (`0`) or on (`1`).
`/SetCameraInstanceMode shared`	Sets Multi-user mode to Shared. All Windows users use one machine-wide DeskCamera camera. A switch to Shared mode can be refused on multi-session systems.
`/SetCameraInstanceMode peruser`	Sets Multi-user mode to Per-user. Each Windows user has a separate DeskCamera camera.
`/SetCameraInstanceMode managedperuser`	Sets Multi-user mode to Managed per-user. Each Windows user has a separate camera, with selected settings managed and locked centrally. Configure and test this carefully before deployment.

/SetCameraInstanceMode also accepts 1 for shared, 0 or per-user for peruser, and managed or managed-per-user for managedperuser. For readability, use shared, peruser, or managedperuser in deployment scripts.

When Multi-user mode is managedperuser, command-line changes to Hidden mode, App Password, camera username, and camera password are ignored unless the same command first switches the mode to shared or peruser.

For more about Hidden mode, see Hidden mode. For App Password details, see Protect DeskCamera with an App Password.

Example Batch Files

Download the example batch files for online and offline activation.