a2ps(1) - f39

1A2PS(1)                          User Commands                         A2PS(1)
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NAME

6       a2ps - format files for printing on a PostScript printer
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SYNOPSIS

9       a2ps [OPTION]... [FILE]...
10

DESCRIPTION

12       Convert  FILE(s) or standard input to PostScript.  By default, the out‐
13       put is sent to the default printer.  An output file  may  be  specified
14       with -o.
15
16       Mandatory  arguments  to  long  options are mandatory for short options
17       too.  Long options marked with `*' require a  yes/no  argument,  corre‐
18       sponding short options stand for `yes'.
19
20       Tasks:
21
22       --version
23              display version
24
25       --help display this help
26
27       --guess
28              report guessed types of FILES
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30       --which
31              report the full path of library files named FILES
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33       --glob report the full path of library files matching FILES
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35       --list=defaults
36              display default settings and parameters
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38       --list=TOPIC
39              detailed  list on TOPIC (delegations, encodings, features, vari‐
40              ables, media, ppd, printers, prologues,  style-sheets,  user-op‐
41              tions)
42
43       After having performed the task, exit successfully.  Detailed lists may
44       provide additional help on specific features.
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46       Global:
47
48       -q, --quiet, --silent
49              be really quiet
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51       -v, --verbose[=LEVEL]
52              set verbosity on, or to LEVEL
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54       -=, --user-option=OPTION
55              use the user defined shortcut OPTION
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57       --debug
58              enable debugging features
59
60       -D, --define=KEY[:VALUE]
61              unset variable KEY or set to VALUE
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63       Sheets:
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65       -M, --medium=NAME
66              use output medium NAME
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68       -r, --landscape
69              print in landscape mode
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71       -R, --portrait
72              print in portrait mode
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74       --columns=NUM
75              number of columns per sheet
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77       --rows=NUM
78              number of rows per sheet
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80       --major=DIRECTION
81              first fill (DIRECTION=) rows, or columns
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83       -1, -2, ..., -9
84              predefined font sizes and layouts for 1..9 virtuals
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86       -A, --file-align=MODE
87              align separate files according to MODE (fill, rank page,  sheet,
88              or a number)
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90       -j, --borders*
91              print borders around columns
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93       --margin[=NUM]
94              define an interior margin of size NUM
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96       The  options -1.. -9 affect several primitive parameters to set up pre‐
97       defined layouts with 80 columns.  Therefore the order matters: `-R -f40
98       -2' is equivalent to `-2'.  To modify the layout, use `-2Rf40', or com‐
99       pose primitive options (`--columns', `--font-size' etc.).
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101       Virtual pages:
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103       --line-numbers=NUM
104              precede each NUM lines with its line number
105
106       -C     alias for --line-numbers=5
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108       -f, --font-size=SIZE
109              use font SIZE (float) for the body text
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111       -L, --lines-per-page=NUM
112              scale the font to print NUM lines per virtual
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114       -l, --chars-per-line=NUM
115              scale the font to print NUM columns per virtual
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117       -m, --catman
118              process FILE as a man page (same as -L66)
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120       -T, --tabsize=NUM
121              set tabulator size to NUM
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123       --non-printable-format=FMT specify how non-printable chars are printed
124
125       Headings:
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127       -B, --no-header
128              no page headers at all
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130       -b, --header[=TEXT]
131              set page header
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133       -u, --underlay[=TEXT]
134              print TEXT under every page
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136       --center-title[=TEXT]
137              set page title to TITLE
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139       --left-title[=TEXT]
140              set left and right page title to TEXT
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142       --right-title[=TEXT]
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144       --left-footer[=TEXT]
145              set sheet footers to TEXT
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147       --footer[=TEXT]
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149       --right-footer[=TEXT]
150
151       The TEXTs may use special escapes.
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153       Input:
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155       -a, --pages[=RANGE]
156              select the pages to print
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158       -c, --truncate-lines*
159              cut long lines
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161       -i, --interpret*
162              interpret tab, bs and ff chars
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164       --end-of-line=TYPE
165              specify the eol char (TYPE: r, n, nr, rn, any)
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167       -X, --encoding=NAME
168              use input encoding NAME
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170       -t, --title=NAME
171              set the name of the job
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173       --stdin=NAME
174              set the name of the input file stdin
175
176       --print-anyway*
177              force binary printing
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179       -Z, --delegate*
180              delegate files to another application
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182       --toc[=TEXT]
183              generate a table of content
184
185       When delegations are enabled, a2ps may use other applications to handle
186       the  processing of files that should not be printed as raw information,
187       e.g., HTML PostScript, PDF etc.
188
189       Pretty-printing:
190
191       -E, --pretty-print[=LANG]
192              enable pretty-printing (set style to LANG)
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194       --highlight-level=LEVEL
195              set pretty printing highlight LEVEL LEVEL can be none, normal or
196              heavy
197
198       -g     alias for --highlight-level=heavy
199
200       --strip-level=NUM
201              level of comments stripping
202
203       Output:
204
205       -o, --output=FILE
206              leave output to file FILE.  If FILE is `-', leave output to std‐
207              out.
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209       --version-control=WORD
210              override the usual version control
211
212       --suffix=SUFFIX
213              override the usual backup suffix
214
215       -P, --printer=NAME
216              send output to printer NAME
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218       -d     send output to the default printer (this is the  default  behav‐
219              ior)
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221       PostScript:
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223       --prologue=FILE
224              include FILE.pro as PostScript prologue
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226       --ppd[=KEY]
227              automatic PPD selection or set to KEY
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229       -n, --copies=NUM
230              print NUM copies of each page
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232       -s, --sides=MODE
233              set  the  duplex  MODE (`1' or `simplex', `2' or `duplex', `tum‐
234              ble')
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236       -S, --setpagedevice=K[:V]
237              pass a page device definition to output
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239       --statusdict=K[:[:]V]
240              pass a statusdict definition to the output
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242       -k, --page-prefeed
243              enable page prefeed
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245       -K, --no-page-prefeed
246              disable page prefeed
247
248       By default a2ps is tuned to do what you  want  to,  so  trust  it.   To
249       pretty print the content of the `src' directory and a table of content,
250       and send the result to the printer `lw',
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252              $ a2ps -P lw --toc src/*
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254       To process the files `sample.ps' and `sample.html' and display the  re‐
255       sult,
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257              $ a2ps -P display sample.ps sample.html
258
259       To process a mailbox in 4 up,
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261              $ a2ps -=mail -4 mailbox
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263       To print as a booklet on the default printer, which is duplex capable,
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265              $ a2ps -=book paper.dvi.gz -d
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FILES

268       a2ps  reads  several  files before the command line options.  In order,
269       they are:
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271
272       1.     The system configuration file (usually  /usr/local/etc/a2ps.cfg)
273              unless you have defined the environment variable A2PS_CONFIG, in
274              which case a2ps reads the file it points to;
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276
277       2.     the user's home configuration file ($HOME/.a2ps/a2psrc)
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280       3.     the file .a2psrc in the current directory.
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282              See the info manual for more information, including  a  descrip‐
283              tion of the configuration file format.
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AUTHOR

286       Written by Akim Demaille, Miguel Santana, and Reuben Thomas.
287

REPORTING BUGS

289       Report bugs to: bug-a2ps@gnu.org
290       GNU a2ps home page: <https://www.gnu.org/software/a2ps/>
291       General help using GNU software: <https://www.gnu.org/gethelp/>
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COPYRIGHT

294       Copyright  ©  2023  Free Software Foundation, Inc.  License GPLv3+: GNU
295       GPL version 3 or later <https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>.
296       This is free software: you are free  to  change  and  redistribute  it.
297       There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.
298