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 dir
              Specifies  the directory dir as an alternate location for /etc/reader.conf.d/.  The
              argument can also be a single configuration file (for backward compatibility).

       -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/my_reader.conf files to detect added or
              removed non-USB readers (serial or PCMCIA).

       -x, --auto-exit
              pcscd  will quit after 60 seconds of inactivity after the release of the last PC/SC
              context. This is used when pcscd is 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/my_reader.conf  files.   See  the  reader.conf(5)  manual page for more
       information.

       Some drivers are available at https://muscle.apdu.fr/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 a /etc/reader.conf.d/my_reader.conf file.

FILES

       /etc/reader.conf.d/* : Serial reader configuration files

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

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

SEE ALSO

       reader.conf(5), syslog(3)

AUTHORS

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