Is there a where to run Pico-8 from the commandline so that it can compile/export without having to run the actual game? I'm looking for a way to create the HTML export without having Pico-8 running.

I'm often on a computer where I can't install P8 but can code with a cloud IDE. Of course, that's just blind coding without any running or debugging. So was thinking if I can could install Pico-8 on my web server (which I can ssh into) and run a command that will tell P8 to export the web version, then I might be able to do some debugging and testing.

Possible?

I see there's a headless mode now available but not sure that would allow this type of workaround. That sounds like a normal "run and quit" type of thing.

Remember you can run the EXPORT() function from a cart (not just from the command line), so you can make a builder cart that just loads and exports the game, and use the -x flag to run that builder cart you have prepared.

There's an example of that in this post: https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?pid=46039

But, as that post notes, SDL2 video/audio is still required in the "headless" mode right now, so it may not be easily runnable from an average web server

Ah ha...thanks for the link. Totally get it and I'll give it a shot but you're probably right that the SDL stuff will be the roadblock.

But I might be able to come up with another workaround even if it comes down to scheduled tasks and FTPing stuff. Just having that commandline-ability should prove useful.