pic2graph - convert a PIC diagram into a cropped image

pic2graph [ -unsafe ] [ -format fmt ] [ -eqn delim ]

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.

-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).

/usr/share/groff/1.18.1/tmac/eqnrc

The eqn(1) initialization file.

eqn2graph(1), pic(1), eqn(1), groff(1), gs(1), convert(1).

Eric S. Raymond <esr@thyrsus.com>, based on a recipe by W. Richard Stevens.