PIC2GRAPH(1) PIC2GRAPH(1)
NAME
pic2graph - convert a PIC diagram into a cropped image
SYNOPSIS
pic2graph [ -unsafe ] [ -format fmt ] [ -eqn delim ]
DESCRIPTION
Reads a PIC program as input; produces an image file (by default in Portable Network Graphics format)
suitable for the Web as output. Also translates eqn(1) constructs, so it can be used for generating
images of mathematical formulae.
PIC is a rather expressive graphics minilanguage suitable for producing box-and-arrow diagrams of the
kind frequently used in technical papers and textbooks. The language is sufficiently flexible to be
quite useful for state charts, Petri-net diagrams, flow charts, simple circuit schematics, jumper
layouts, and other kinds of illustration involving repetitive uses of simple geometric forms and
splines. Because PIC descriptions are procedural and object-based, they are both compact and easy to
modify.
The PIC language is fully documented in "Making Pictures With GNU PIC", a document which is part of
the groff(1) distribution.
Your input PIC code should not be wrapped with the .PS and .PE macros that normally guard it within
groff(1) macros.
The output image will be a black-on-white graphic clipped to the smallest possible bounding box that
contains all the black pixels. By specifying command-line options to be passed to convert(1) you can
give it a border, set the background transparent, set the image's pixel density, or perform other
useful transformations.
This program uses pic(1), eqn(1), groff(1), gs(1), and the ImageMagick convert(1) program. These
programs must be installed on your system and accessible on your $PATH for pic2graph to work.
OPTIONS
-unsafe
Run pic(1) and groff(1) in the `unsafe' mode enabling the PIC macro sh to execute arbitrary
commands. The default is to forbid this.
-format fmt
Specify an output format; the default is PNG (Portable Network Graphics). Any format that
convert(1) can emit is supported.
-eqn delim
Change the fencepost characters that delimit eqn(1) directives ($ and $, by default). This
option requires an argument, but an empty string is accepted as a directive to disable eqn(1)
processing.
Command-line switches and arguments not listed above are passed to convert(1).
FILES
/usr/share/groff/1.19.2/tmac/eqnrc The eqn(1) initialization file.
ENVIRONMENT
GROFF_TMPDIR
The directory in which temporary files will be created. If this is not set pic2graph searches
the environment variables TMPDIR, TMP, and TEMP (in that order). Otherwise, temporary files
will be created in /tmp.
SEE ALSO
eqn2graph(1), grap2graph(1), pic(1), eqn(1), groff(1), gs(1), convert(1).
AUTHOR
Eric S. Raymond <esr@thyrsus.com>, based on a recipe by W. Richard Stevens.
Groff Version 1.19.2 27 October 2003 PIC2GRAPH(1)
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