NAME
autotrace - converts bitmap image data into vector
graphics
SYNOPSIS
autotrace [-background-color
hexvalue] [-centerline] [-color-count
int] [-corner-always-threshold angle]
[-corner-surround int] [-corner-threshold
angle] [-despeckle-level int]
[-despeckle-tightness real] [-dpi int]
[-error-threshold real] [-filter-iterations
int] [-help] [-input-format format]
[-line-reversion-threshold real]
[-line-threshold real] [-list-input-formats]
[-list-output-formats] [-log] [-output-file
file] [-output-format format]
[-preserve-width] [-remove-adjacent-corners]
[-report-progress] [-debug-arch]
[-debug-bitmap] [-tangent-surround int]
[-version] [-width-factor real]
inputfile
DESCRIPTION
The autotrace program accepts bitmap
graphics from the file inputfile specified on the command
line, and as output produces a collection of splines approximating
the original image, the converting the image from bitmap to vector
format. It behaves in a manner similar to the commercial software
known as *tream*ine or *orel*race. The result is sent to standard
output unless the -output-file option is active.
OPTIONS
Options can begin with either -- or
-. Any unambiguous abbreviation can be used for the option
name. Option names and values can be separated with either a space
or equal sign (=).
- -background-color hexvalue
- Employ the color specified by the hexadecimal code
hexcode as the background that should be ignored, for
example FFFFFF (default: no background color).
- -centerline
- Trace an object's centerline (default: employ its outline).
- -color-count int
- Reduce the bitmap to using the number of colors specified by
the unsigned integer int (range: 1-256). The default value
of 0 indicates that no color reduction is to be done. Does not work
with grayscale images.
- -corner-always-threshold angle
- Consider any angle at a pixel which falls below the specified
angle (in degrees) as a corner, even if it is bordered by
other corner pixels (default: 60).
- -corner-surround int
- Consider the specified number of pixels on either side of a
point when determining if that point is a corner (default: 4).
- -corner-threshold angle
- Consider any pixel which forms an angle with its predecessor(s)
and successor(s) that is smaller than the specified angle
(in degrees) as a corner (default: 100).
- -despeckle-level int
- Employ the specified integer (range: 1-20) as the value for
despeckling (default: no despeckling).
- -despeckle-tightness real
- Employ the specified real number (range: 0.0-8.0) as the value
for despeckle tightness (default: 2.0).
- -dpi int
- The dots per inch value in the input image, affects scaling of
mif output image.
- -error-threshold real
- Subdivide fitted curves that are offset by a number of pixels
exceeding the specified real number (default: 2.0).
- -filter-iterations int
- Smooth the curve the specified number of times prior to fitting
(default: 4).
- -help
- Print a help message and exit.
- -input-format format
- Employ the specified input format, where format is one
of:
-
- BMP (Windows bitmap format)
- PBM (Portable BitMap format)
- PGM (Portable Graymap format)
- PNM (Portable Anymap format)
- PPM (Portable Pixmap format)
- TGA (Targa format)
- The supported input formats are determined when the application
is built and depend upon the availability of other software (the
-list-input-formats command can be used to determine which
are supported locally).
- -line-reversion-threshold real
- When a spline is closer to a straight line than the specified
real number weighted by the square of the curve length (default:
.01), maintain it as a straight line, even if it is a list with
curves.
- -line-threshold real
- If a spline does not deviate from the straight line defined by
its endpoints by more than the specified number of pixels, then
treat it as a straight line (default: 1).
- -list-input-formats
- Send a list of the supported input formats to stderr.
- -list-output-formats
- Send a list of the supported output formats to stderr.
- -log
- Send a detailed progress report to the file
inputfile.log.
- -output-file file
- Send the output to the specified file.
- -output-format format
- Employ the specified output format, where format is one
of:
-
- ai(Adobe Illustrator)
- cgm(Computer Graphics Metafile)
- dr2d(IFF DR2D format, used almost exclusively on Amiga
platforms)
- dxf(AutoCAD Drawing Exchange format)
- emf(Windows Enhanced Metafile format)
- epd(Encapsulated Vectorial Graphics format)
- eps(Encapsulated )
- er(Elastic Reality Shape format)
- fig(xfig (1) 3.2)
- mif(FrameMaker MIF format)
- pdf(Portable Data Format)
- p2e(pstoedit (1) frontend)
- sk(Sketch)
- svg(Scalable Vector Graphics)
- swf(Shockwave Flash 3)
- The supported output formats are determined when the
application is built and depend upon the availability of other
software (the -list-output-formats command can be used to
determine which are supported locally).
- -preserve-width
- Whether to preserve line width prior to thinning.
- -remove-adjacent-corners
- Remove adjacent corners.
- -report-progress
- Report tracing status in real time.
- -debug-arch
- Print the type of cpu.
- -debug-bitmap
- Dump loaded bitmap to <input_name>.bitmap.
- -tangent-surround int
- Consider the specified number of points to either side of a
point when computing the tangent at that point (default: 3).
- -version
- Print the version number of the program and exit.
- -width-factor real
- Weight factor for fitting the linewidth.
FILES
- /depot/bin/autotrace
- binary
SEE ALSO
gimp(1),
imagemagick(1),
pbm(1),
pgm(1),
pnm(1),
ps2pdf(1),
pstoedit(1),
pstoepd(1),
sketch(1),
xfig(1),
xv(1)
AUTHORS
Martin Weber (martweb@gmx.net)
Manual page by R. P. C. Rodgers, Lister Hill National Center for
Biomedical Communications, U.S. National Library of Medicine
(rodgers@nlm.nih.gov).