konsole does not have --new-tab option

Question

My konsole has no --new-tab option, but it has a button does the same thing.

Usage: konsole [Qt-options] [KDE-options] [options] [args]

X terminal for use with KDE.

Generic options:
  --help                    Show help about options
  --help-qt                 Show Qt specific options
  --help-kde                Show KDE specific options
  --help-all                Show all options
  --author                  Show author information
  -v, --version             Show version information
  --license                 Show license information
  --                        End of options

Options:
  --name <name>             Set window class
  --ls                      Start login shell
  -T <title>                Set the window title
  --tn <terminal>           Specify terminal type as set in the TERM [xterm]
                            environment variable
  --noclose                 Do not close Konsole when command exits
  --nohist                  Do not save lines in history
  --nomenubar               Do not display menubar
  --notabbar, --notoolbar   Do not display tab bar
  --noframe                 Do not display frame
  --noscrollbar             Do not display scrollbar
  --noxft                   Do not use Xft (anti-aliasing)
  --vt_sz CCxLL             Terminal size in columns x lines
  --noresize                Terminal size is fixed
  --type <type>             Start with given session type
  --types                   List available session types
  --keytab <name>           Set keytab to 'name'
  --keytabs                 List available keytabs
  --profile <name>          Start with given session profile
  --profiles                List available session profiles
  --schema <name> | <file>  Set schema to 'name' or use 'file'
  --schemas, --schemata     List available schemata
  --script                  Enable extended DCOP Qt functions
  --workdir <dir>           Change working directory to 'dir'
  -e <command>              Execute 'command' instead of shell

Arguments:
  args                      Arguments for 'command'

So I want to know:

1. Why it this possible that the konsole dont have an option to open a new tab but can have a button does this thing.

2. How can I still lauch a new tab in the same window frame from command line under my current situation? What are the possible ways to fix this?

Version info:

Qt: 3.3.6
KDE: 3.5.4-26.el5.centos.1 Red Hat
Konsole: 1.6.4

Answer 1

1. I'm not sure about the older Qt programs, but modern Qt framework events work on the concept of "signals and slots" (http://doc.qt.io/qt-4.8/signalsandslots.html). I'd imagine the writer/maintainer of Konsole had created the link between that button's pressed event and the function that generates a new tab, but hadn't created the link between --new-tab program option and said function (at the time).

2. I am unsure of a way to fix this in your current situation (with the software and framework versions you have installed), however, this --new-tab option was made available in later versions of Konsole:

   --new-tab                 Create a new tab in an existing window rather
                             than creating a new window
   --tabs-from-file <file>   Create tabs as specified in given tabs
                             configuration file
   

Version info:

Qt: 5.5.1
KDE Frameworks: 5.18.0
Konsole: 15.12.3

If at all possible (barring any incompatibilities with mission-critical services/programs), the simplest answer may be to just upgrade Konsole and/or KDE to a newer version.