1AUTOTRACE(1) General Commands Manual AUTOTRACE(1)
2
6 autotrace - converts bitmap image data into vector graphics
7
9 autotrace [-background-color hexvalue] [-centerline] [-color-count
10 int] [-corner-always-threshold angle] [-corner-surround int] [-cor‐
11 ner-threshold angle] [-despeckle-level int] [-despeckle-tightness
12 real] [-dpi int] [-error-threshold real] [-filter-iterations int]
13 [-help] [-input-format format] [-line-reversion-threshold real]
14 [-line-threshold real] [-list-input-formats] [-list-output-formats]
15 [-log] [-output-file file] [-output-format format] [-preserve-width]
16 [-remove-adjacent-corners] [-report-progress] [-debug-arch] [-debug-
17 bitmap] [-tangent-surround int] [-version] [-width-factor real] in‐
18 putfile
19
21 The autotrace program accepts bitmap graphics from the file inputfile
22 specified on the command line, and as output produces a collection of
23 splines approximating the original image, the converting the image from
24 bitmap to vector format. It behaves in a manner similar to the commer‐
25 cial software known as *tream*ine or *orel*race. The result is sent to
26 standard output unless the -output-file option is active.
27
29 Options can begin with either -- or -. Any unambiguous abbreviation
30 can be used for the option name. Option names and values can be sepa‐
31 rated with either a space or equal sign (=).
32 -background-color hexvalue
34 Employ the color specified by the hexadecimal code hexcode as
35 the background that should be ignored, for example FFFFFF (de‐
36 fault: no background color or 0xFFFFFF if -centerline is set).
37 -centerline
39 Trace an object's centerline (default: employ its outline).
40 -color-count int
42 Reduce the bitmap to using the number of colors specified by the
43 unsigned integer int (range: 1-256). The default value of 0 in‐
44 dicates that no color reduction is to be done. Does not work
45 with grayscale images.
46 -corner-always-threshold angle
48 Consider any angle at a pixel which falls below the specified
49 angle (in degrees) as a corner, even if it is bordered by other
50 corner pixels (default: 60).
51 -corner-surround int
53 Consider the specified number of pixels on either side of a
54 point when determining if that point is a corner (default: 4).
55 -corner-threshold angle
57 Consider any pixel which forms an angle with its predecessor(s)
58 and successor(s) that is smaller than the specified angle (in
59 degrees) as a corner (default: 100).
60 -despeckle-level int
62 Employ the specified integer (range: 1-20) as the value for de‐
63 speckling (default: no despeckling).
64 -despeckle-tightness real
66 Employ the specified real number (range: 0.0-8.0) as the value
67 for despeckle tightness (default: 2.0).
68 -dpi int
70 The dots per inch value in the input image, affects scaling of
71 mif output image.
72 -error-threshold real
74 Subdivide fitted curves that are offset by a number of pixels
75 exceeding the specified real number (default: 2.0).
76 -filter-iterations int
78 Smooth the curve the specified number of times prior to fitting
79 (default: 4).
80 -help Print a help message and exit.
82 -input-format format
84 Employ the specified input format, where format is one of:
85 BMP (Windows bitmap format)
87 PBM (Portable BitMap format)
89 PGM (Portable Graymap format)
91 PNM (Portable Anymap format)
93 PPM (Portable Pixmap format)
95 TGA (Targa format)
97 The supported input formats are determined when the application
99 is built and depend upon the availability of other software (the
100 -list-input-formats command can be used to determine which are
101 supported locally).
102 -line-reversion-threshold real
104 When a spline is closer to a straight line than the specified
105 real number weighted by the square of the curve length (default:
106 .01), maintain it as a straight line, even if it is a list with
107 curves.
108 -line-threshold real
110 If a spline does not deviate from the straight line defined by
111 its endpoints by more than the specified number of pixels, then
112 treat it as a straight line (default: 1).
113 -list-input-formats
115 Send a list of the supported input formats to stderr.
116 -list-output-formats
118 Send a list of the supported output formats to stderr.
119 -log Send a detailed progress report to the file inputfile.log.
121 -output-file file
123 Send the output to the specified file.
124 -output-format format
126 Employ the specified output format, where format is one of:
127 ai(Adobe Illustrator)
129 cgm(Computer Graphics Metafile)
131 dr2d(IFF DR2D format, used almost exclusively on Amiga plat‐
133 forms)
134 dxf(AutoCAD Drawing Exchange format)
136 emf(Windows Enhanced Metafile format)
138 epd(Encapsulated Vectorial Graphics format)
140 eps(Encapsulated PostScript)
142 er(Elastic Reality Shape format)
144 fig(xfig (1) 3.2)
146 mif(FrameMaker MIF format)
148 pdf(Portable Data Format)
150 p2e(pstoedit (1) frontend)
152 sk(Sketch)
154 svg(Scalable Vector Graphics)
156 swf(Shockwave Flash 3)
158 The supported output formats are determined when the application
160 is built and depend upon the availability of other software (the
161 -list-output-formats command can be used to determine which are
162 supported locally).
163 -preserve-width
165 Whether to preserve line width prior to thinning.
166 -remove-adjacent-corners
168 Remove adjacent corners.
169 -report-progress
171 Report tracing status in real time.
172 -debug-arch
174 Print the type of cpu.
175 -debug-bitmap
177 Dump loaded bitmap to <input_name>.bitmap.
178 -tangent-surround int
180 Consider the specified number of points to either side of a
181 point when computing the tangent at that point (default: 3).
182 -version
184 Print the version number of the program and exit.
185 -width-factor real
187 Weight factor for fitting the linewidth.
188
190 /usr/bin/autotrace binary
191
193 gimp(1), ImageMagick(1), pbm(1), pgm(1), pnm(1), ps2pdf(1),
194 pstoedit(1), pstoepd(1), sketch(1), xfig(1), xv(1)
195
197 Martin Weber (martweb@gmx.net)
198 Manual page by R. P. C. Rodgers, Lister Hill National Center for Bio‐
200 medical Communications, U.S. National Library of Medicine
201 (rodgers@nlm.nih.gov).
202 10 October 2002 AUTOTRACE(1)