The ChartForgeX Markup CLI reads Markdown containing native chartforgex <kind> v1 blocks or supported Mermaid fences. Use it for file-based validation, previews and exports without writing a .NET host.
Install
Install the .NET 8 SDK, which includes the runtime used by the tool, then install the global tool:
dotnet tool install --global ChartForgeX.Markup.Cli
chartforgex-markup --help
Create a visual
Save this as trend.cfx.md:
```chartforgex chart v1 {#trend title="Trend" type="line"}
labels Jan Feb Mar
values 12 18 16
```
Validate the file, create a preview, and export the chart:
chartforgex-markup validate trend.cfx.md
chartforgex-markup preview trend.cfx.md --output trend.preview.html
chartforgex-markup export trend.cfx.md --output trend.svg
chartforgex-markup export trend.cfx.md --output trend.png
chartforgex-markup export trend.cfx.md --output trend.html
The output extension selects the export format. Open the HTML file in a browser or use the SVG and PNG in a report or document. SVG and PNG exports require exactly one visual artifact in the input; HTML can contain several.
Mermaid and diagnostics
Use a fenced mermaid block in the Markdown file for a supported diagram. The Mermaid catalog shows the implemented families and limits. For yearless Gantt input, pass --gantt-date-anchor YYYY-MM-DD to validation, preview and export so each command uses the same calendar context.
Validation reports source locations. Exit code 0 means the input is valid, 2 means invalid input or no supported visual artifacts, and 1 means an invocation or file-access error.
Generate topology code
For a native topology document, emit creates C# builder code:
chartforgex-markup emit topology.cfx.md --target csharp --output Topology.cs
Code generation supports topology documents. It is not a general converter for every chart or Mermaid family.
Continue with markup authoring, the v1 grammar reference, or VS Code for the same authoring workflow inside an editor.