PCSC lite project

Source download #

Get released/stable versions

Go in the Download section.

Consult the ChangeLog file.

Get the current source code from git #

You can also access the git development version from Debian salsa or github.

You may need to use the git version to benefit from the latest features.

Build #

From inside the source code directory run the commands:

meson setup builddir
cd builddir
meson compile

See pcsc-lite now uses meson build tool for more details and documentation.

Dependencies #

You will need to also install:

• flex
• libsystemd (optional)
• libudev or libusb
• meson
• polkit (optional)

Documentation

• PC/SC Lite API (WinSCard)
• PC/SC error codes
• IFD Handler API v3.0
• PC/SC internals documented with Doxygen

See also Ludovic Rousseau blog about PC/SC and smart cards

Supported features and more information #

• CPU efficiency
  • Card movement notification mechanism
  • Embedded systems support: pcsc-lite for limited (embedded) systems, RAM and CPU improvements in pcsc-lite 1.6.x
• Power saving
  • Card auto power on and off
  • pcscd auto start using systemd (deprecates pcscd auto start and Configuring your system for pcscd auto-start)
  • libccid and USB selective suspend
• Programming
  • PC/SC sample in different languages
  • What is in a PC/SC reader name?
  • PC/SC client and server on two different hosts
• Debug
  • PCSC API spy using LIBPCSCLITE_DELEGATE, pcsc-spy.1 manpage
  • Debug a smart card reader driver on Yosemite
  • Level 1 smart card support on GNU/Linux
  • Level 1 smart card support on Mac OS X
  • Level 1.5 smart card support on Mac OS X

How to get support #

If you have a problem and want to get support from me (ludovic.rousseau@free.fr) you shall include the following information:

Versions

• smart card reader driver name and version
• pcsc-lite version
• the output of the command "/usr/sbin/pcscd --version"

Platform

• Operating system or GNU/Linux distribution name and version
• Smart card middleware name and version
• Smart card reader manufacturer name and reader model name
• Smart card name

Log

Then you shall generate a complete log (do not truncate it).

• If you need to enter the smart card PIN to reproduce the problem then consider changing your PIN before generating the logs as the PIN value will be included in the logs.
• Kill any running pcscd process
• (re)start pcscd exactly as described below:

  sudo LIBCCID_ifdLogLevel=0x000F pcscd --foreground --debug --apdu --color | tee -i log.txt

• Stop pcscd (using Control-C) after the problem occurred and send me the generated log.txt file

Mailing list

If you have general questions or bug reports you should use the Pcsclite-muscle mailing list.

First search the mailing list archives. Maybe your problem has already been reported and solved. If you have not found a solution then subscribe to the Pcsclite-muscle mailing list and send your request to pcsclite-muscle@lists.infradead.org..

Authors

The pcsclite project was started by David Corcoran in 1999. The main author since 2001 is Ludovic Rousseau.

See Subversion statistics for pcsc-lite at September 2010 for more information.

Licence

The main parts of the code are using the BSD-like licence below:

Copyright (c) 1999-2003 David Corcoran <corcoran@linuxnet.com>
Copyright (c) 2001-2024 Ludovic Rousseau <ludovic.rousseau@free.fr>
All rights reserved.

Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:

1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
3. The name of the author may not be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific prior written permission.

Changes to this license can be made only by the copyright author with explicit written consent.

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

Some source code files are using other licences. See the COPYING file for details.

Supported Operating Systems #

Available binaries

The middleware is also available as packages pcscd, libpcsclite1 libpcsclite-dev and for many other distributions.