


iff2ps(1)                 USER COMMANDS                 iff2ps(1)



NAME
     iff2ps - IFF to PostScript filter

SYNTAX
     iff2ps [ options ] [ IFFfile [ PSfile ] ]

DESCRIPTION
     The iff2ps command takes an IFF ILBM file as input and  pro-
     duces  a  PostScript  file  that may be sent to a PostScript
     printer (e.g., an  Apple  LaserWriter)  for  printing.   The
     image   portion   in  the  PostScript  file  is  compressed.
     Decompression is done by the PostScript  interpreter  within
     the printer.  If no files are given on the command line, the
     standard input is read, and the standard output  is  written
     to.   If  only  one  file is given on the command line, then
     that file must be an IFF file, and the  standard  output  is
     written  to.  Note that you cannot specify a PostScript out-
     put file and have standard input read.  The output file con-
     forms  to  the  Adobe 2.0 file structuring conventions.  The
     options may appear before or after the file names.

     The program correctly handles  any  ILBM  format.   Specifi-
     cally,  the  image in the IFF file can be any size, can have
     any number of bitplanes, and all CAMG view  modes  are  sup-
     ported  (i.e.,  low  resolution, high resolution, interlace,
     HAM, double playfield, and HALFBRITE).  However, it is noted
     that  currently double playfield files are not printed quite
     correctly since both fields  are  printed  on  top  of  each
     other.

     The following options may be used to control the  formatting
     of the image.

     -a        Append output to a previously produced  PostScript
               file.  This options allows the placement of multi-
               ple images on the same output page.   The  default
               is FALSE.

     -c_n       Number of copies.  The practical  upper  limit  on
               the  number of copies is governed by the number of
               sheets which the printer paper tray will hold.  If
               you  want  multiple  copies of the same image, use
               this option instead  of  running  iff2ps  multiple
               times  as  it  is orders of magnitude faster.  The
               default value is 1.

     -e        This option enables  echoing  of  the  translation
               progress.  The default is FALSE.

     -f        Use this option if the output file if to be encap-
               sulated  and  used by some other application which
               can import  PostScript  images.   The  default  is



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iff2ps(1)                 USER COMMANDS                 iff2ps(1)



               FALSE.

     -g_n       Number of gray shades to be used in the half-toned
               image.   There  are  only four possible values for
               the number of gray shades: 2, 4, 16, 256.  If this
               option is omitted, the next number greater than or
               equal to the number of colors in the IFF file will
               be used.  For example: a 320 by 200 pixel by 5 bit
               planes (32 colors) picture would  default  to  256
               gray  shades  while  a  640x400x4 (16 color) image
               would default to 16 gray shades.  If an image con-
               tains  a  pure white color, it will be rendered as
               pure white in the half-toned print.  To  obtain  a
               half-toned   white  (99  percent  of  pure  white)
               instead of pure white, enter the  number  of  gray
               shades as a negative number.  Special effects (and
               smaller output files) can be obtained by  choosing
               fewer  gray  shades  than the numbers of colors in
               the original  picture.   Choosing  2  shades  will
               result  in  a high contrast image while choosing 4
               shades for a picture with greater  than  4  colors
               will result in a posterized effect.

     -n        Negative image.  Can be used with  any  number  of
               gray shades.  The default is FALSE.

     -p        The image is printed  in  portrait  mode  if  this
               option is selected.  The default is FALSE in which
               case the image is printed in landscape mode.

     -r_n       This option specifies  the  rotation  angle.   The
               image  is rotated _n degrees counterclockwise.  The
               default is 0 degrees.

     -s_n,-t_n   These options  specify  the  x  and  y  coordinate
               scales  in  printer  Points  (72 Points = 1 inch).
               The defaults are 0, in which case the  scales  are
               automatically  chosen  so  as  to give the largest
               image for the current format.

     -x_n,-y_n   These options enable the placement of the  coordi-
               nate  origin  at  a  specified  location  given in
               printer Points.  The defaults are such as to  give
               a  centered  image  on  the page regardless of the
               current format.

     ?         This option will echo the command  format  to  the
               screen.

     Defaults for all command line arguments can be specified  in
     the  configuration file iff2ps.cfg which should be placed in
     S:.  If iff2ps is run and a configuration file exists,  then



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iff2ps(1)                 USER COMMANDS                 iff2ps(1)



     it  is  read  to set up the program's defaults.  Switches on
     the command line, though, will always  override  the  confi-
     guration switches.  The configuration file consists of lines
     in which the initial character in each  line  specifies  the
     command.   If the initial character is a space, an asterisk,
     a pound sign, a semicolon, or  a  line  feed,  the  line  is
     ignored.   This  makes  it  useful  for commenting the file.
     White space following the command is optional.  Comments can
     also  be  placed  on the individual lines after the complete
     command is specified.

DIAGNOSTICS
     If the IFF ILBM file makes use of a specific Amiga view mode
     such  as  HAM,  HALFBRITE,  or  dual playfield, a CAMG chunk
     should be present in the file.  If it is not  present,  then
     iff2ps  must guess the the view mode.  In most circumstances
     iff2ps will make the right guess and echo ``No  CAMG  chunk!
     Guessing  ViewModes.''  to  the  screen.  If such files were
     generated by  a  commercial  program,  the  user  is  highly
     encouraged  to  contact the distributor of the software pro-
     duct and complain about the  improper  IFF  file  generated.
     Only through such efforts can we hope to see better software
     on the Amiga.

BUGS
     Dual playfield files are printed incorrectly.   Both  fields
     are printed on top of each other without masking.

FILES
     iff2ps.cfg     configuration file

SEE ALSO
     tek2ps(1)

COPYRIGHT
     Copyright (c) 1987, 1988 William Mason and Samuel  Paolucci.
     All  rights  reserved.  This program can be freely redistri-
     buted provided the documentation  accompanies  the  program,
     and is not included with any commercial software without the
     authors'  written  consent.   This  program  is  distributed
     WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY.

AUTHORS
     William Mason and Samuel Paolucci.  Special thanks to  Tomas
     Rokicki  for  allowing  us to use his PostScript compression
     routine.









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