iff2ps

Section: User Commands (1)
Updated: October 31, 1988
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NAME

iff2ps - IFF to PostScript filter

SYNTAX

iff2ps [ options ] [ IFFfile [ PSfile ] ]

DESCRIPTION

The iff2ps command takes an IFF ILBM file as input and produces 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 output file and have standard input read. The output file conforms 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. Specifically, the image in the IFF file can be any size, can have any number of bitplanes, and all CAMG view modes are supported (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 multiple images on the same output page. The default is FALSE.
-cn: 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 encapsulated and used by some other application which can import PostScript images. The default is FALSE.
-gn: 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 contains 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.
-rn: This option specifies the rotation angle. The image is rotated n degrees counterclockwise. The default is 0 degrees.
-sn,-tn: 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.
-xn,-yn: These options enable the placement of the coordinate 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 it is read to set up the program's defaults. Switches on the command line, though, will always override the configuration 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 product 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

COPYRIGHT

Copyright (c) 1987, 1988 William Mason and Samuel Paolucci. All rights reserved. This program can be freely redistributed 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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