NAME

       pcscd - PC/SC Smart Card Daemon

SYNOPSIS

       pcscd [options]

OPTIONS

       -a, --apdu
              log APDUs and SW using the debug method (see --debug).

       -c, --config file
              Specifies the file file as an alternate location for /etc/reader.conf.d/reader.conf.

       -f, --foreground
              Runs pcscd in the foreground and sends log messages to stderr instead of syslog(3).

       -T, --color
              force use of colored logs.

       -d, --debug
              use  the  lowest  log  level.  Any  log  message  of this level or above will be sent to stderr or
              syslog(3) depending on the use of --foreground.

       --info use info log level. This is the default log level.

       -e, --error
              use error log level.

       -C, --critical
              use critical log level.

       The log levels are ordered as: debug < info < error < critical. Use a log level l will log this level and
       all the levels above it.

       --force-reader-polling
              ignore the IFD_GENERATE_HOTPLUG reader capability

       -t, --max-thread
              maximum number of threads (default 200).

              This is the maximum number of clients (SCardEstablishContext) that pcscd can handle.

       -s, --max-card-handle-per-thread
              maximum number of card handle per thread (default: 200).

              This is the maximum number of card handle (SCardConnect) per client (SCardEstablishContext).

       -r, --max-card-handle-per-reader
              maximum number of card handle per reader (default: 200)

              This is the maximum number of card handle (SCardConnect) per reader.

       -h, --help
              Displays information about the pcscd command line

       -v, --version
              Displays the program version number

       -H, --hotplug
              Ask  pcscd  to  re-read the /etc/reader.conf.d/reader.conf file to detect added or removed non-USB
              readers (serial or PCMCIA).

       -x, --auto-exit
              pcscd will quit after 60 seconds of inactivity. This is used when pcscd os started  on  demand  by
              systemd.

       -S, --reader-name-no-serial
              Do not include the USB serial number in the reader name.

       -I, --reader-name-no-interface
              Do not include the USB interface name in the reader name.

DESCRIPTION

       pcscd  is the daemon program for pcsc-lite. It is a resource manager that coordinates communications with
       smart card readers and smart cards and cryptographic tokens that are connected to the system.

       It allows applications to access smart cards and readers using  the  winscard  API  but  without  knowing
       details of the card or reader.

       pcscd coordinates the loading of drivers for card readers.

SERIAL SMART CARD READER DRIVERS

       Smart card reader drivers are placed in the /usr/lib/pcsc/drivers directory. Each driver is simply an .so
       file.  pcscd locates the driver using the /etc/reader.conf.d/reader.conf file.   See  the  reader.conf(5)
       manual page for more information.

       Some drivers are available at http://pcsclite.alioth.debian.org/musclecard.com/drivers.html.

USB SMART CARD READER DRIVERS

       USB  smart  card reader drivers are located in /usr/lib/pcsc/drivers directory as a bundle. You shall not
       add a USB driver in /etc/reader.conf.d/reader.conf file.

FILES

       /etc/reader.conf.d/reader.conf : Reader configuration file

       /var/run/pcscd/pcscd.pid : process id of the running pcscd

       /usr/lib/pcsc/drivers : directory containing bundles for USB drivers

SEE ALSO

       bundleTool(8), reader.conf(5), syslog(3)

AUTHORS

       David Corcoran <corcoran@musclecard.com> and Ludovic Rousseau <ludovic.rousseau@free.fr>