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I am trying to parse....but I don't see a leadiing -- Error

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 12:41 am
by oguruma
I have been running OpenVPN via PFSense router successfully for a few months, but only with iOS and OSX clients. When I attempted to use the certificate via OpenVPN GUI, I receive the error message. I'm trying to parse "Location of .ovpn file" as an option parameter, but I don't see a leading --

I get the same error message on all 3 windows machines I have tried it on. I can use the OSX and iOS clients just fine.

Anybody have any idea where to start? This is my first time using the Windows OpenVPN client....

Re: I am trying to parse....but I don't see a leadiing -- Er

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 12:49 am
by Traffic
oguruma wrote:This is my first time using the Windows OpenVPN client
I hope you downloaded the correct version ..

https://openvpn.net/index.php/download/ ... loads.html

Re: I am trying to parse....but I don't see a leadiing -- Er

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 1:07 am
by oguruma
I did, in fact, install the correct version.... The issue persists across two different Windows versions (7 and 10). Both are 64 bit.

Re: I am trying to parse....but I don't see a leadiing -- Er

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 1:24 am
by Traffic
oguruma wrote:via OpenVPN GUI, I receive the error message. I'm trying to parse "Location of .ovpn file" as an option parameter, but I don't see a leading --
This suggests that the GUI has not been installed correctly ..

You could post your config, log and/or screenshot ..

Re: I am trying to parse....but I don't see a leadiing -- Er

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 1:59 am
by oguruma
How is it that one would incorrectly install this? I tried both with the "export tool" provided by PFSense, as well as the download page, and I got the same results on both attempts. I tried on a third PC and I got the same issue.

persist-tun
persist-key
cipher AES-256-CBC
auth SHA1
tls-client
client
remote MY IP udp
lport 0
verify-x509-name "DDN" name
auth-user-pass
ns-cert-type server

<ca>
-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
snip
-----END CERTIFICATE-----
</ca>

<cert>
-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
snip
-----END CERTIFICATE-----
</cert>

<key>
-----BEGIN PRIVATE KEY-----
snip
-----END PRIVATE KEY-----
</key>

<tls-auth>
#
# 2048 bit OpenVPN static key
#
-----BEGIN OpenVPN Static key V1-----
snip
-----END OpenVPN Static key V1-----
</tls-auth>

key-direction 1

Re: I am trying to parse....but I don't see a leadiing -- Er

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 11:46 am
by Traffic
oguruma wrote:How is it that one would incorrectly install this?
How long is a piece of string ?

Try starting the VPN from the command line like so (Login as administrator):

Code: Select all

C:\Program Files\Opevpn\Config>openvpn --config filename.ovpn

Re: I am trying to parse....but I don't see a leadiing -- Error

Posted: Fri May 13, 2016 6:33 pm
by vince
I'm having the same issue.

I'm running Windows 7 SP1. 64-bit. Downloaded and Installed the Windows Vista and later 64-bit version.

My company provided me with an .ovpn file that works on my Mac computer, but when I run OpenVPN (as administrator) on my PC and try to open the .ovpn file, it kicks back with the "I'm trying to parse "file path" as an --option parameter but I don't see a leading "--"

Re: I am trying to parse....but I don't see a leadiing -- Error

Posted: Fri May 13, 2016 6:46 pm
by Traffic
vince wrote:it kicks back with the "I'm trying to parse "file path" as an --option parameter but I don't see a leading "--"
  • As above

Code: Select all

C:\Program Files\Opevpn\Config>openvpn --config filename.ovpn
--config is an openvpn parameter to specify the name of the config file to open.