Provided by: poppler-utils_0.86.1-0ubuntu1.5_amd64 
NAME
pdftocairo - Portable Document Format (PDF) to PNG/JPEG/TIFF/PDF/PS/EPS/SVG using cairo
SYNOPSIS
pdftocairo [options] PDF-file [output-file]
DESCRIPTION
pdftocairo converts Portable Document Format (PDF) files, using the cairo output device of the poppler
PDF library, to any of the following output formats:
• Portable Network Graphics (PNG)
• JPEG Interchange Format (JPEG)
• Tagged Image File Format (TIFF)
• Portable Document Format (PDF)
• PostScript (PS)
• Encapsulated PostScript (EPS)
• Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG)
• Windows Printer
pdftocairo reads the PDF file, PDF-file, and writes to output-file. The image formats (PNG, JPEG, and
TIFF) generate one file per page with the page number and file type appended to output-file. When
-singlefile is used with the image formats, the file type is appended to output-file. When the output
format is a vector format (PDF, PS, EPS, and SVG), output-file is the full filename.
If the PDF-file is “-” , the PDF is read from stdin. If the output-file is “-” , the output file will be
written to stdout. Using stdout is not valid with image formats unless -singlefile is used. If output-
file is not used, the output filename will be derived from the PDF-file filename.
Not all options are valid with all output formats. One (and only one) of the output format options (-png,
-jpeg, -tiff, -pdf, -print, -ps, -eps, or -svg) must be used.
The resolution options (-r, -rx, -ry) set the resolution of the image output formats. The image
dimensions will depend on the PDF page size and the resolution. For the vector outputs, regions of the
page that can not be represented natively in the output format (eg translucency in PS) will be rasterized
at the resolution specified by the resolution options.
The -scale-to options may be used to set a fixed image size. The image resolution will vary with the page
size.
The cropping options (-x, -y, -W, and -H) use units of pixels with the image formats and PostScript
points (1/72 inch) with the vector formats. When cropping is used with vector output the cropped region
is centered unless -nocenter is used in which case the cropped region is at the top left (SVG) or bottom
left (PDF, PS, EPS).
OPTIONS
-png Generates a PNG file(s)
-jpeg Generates a JPEG file(s). See also -jpegopt.
-tiff Generates a TIFF file(s)
-pdf Generates a PDF file
-ps Generate a PS file
-eps Generate an EPS file. An EPS file contains a single image, so if you use this option with a multi-
page PDF file, you must use -f and -l to specify a single page. The page size options
(-origpagesizes, -paper, -paperw, -paperh) can not be used with this option.
-svg Generate a SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) file
-print (Windows only) Prints to a system printer. See also -printer and -printeropt.
If an output file is not specified, the output will be sent to the printer.
The output file '-' can not be used with this option.
-printdlg
(Windows only) Prints to a system printer. Displays the print dialog to allow the print options to
be modified before printing.
-f number
Specifies the first page to convert.
-l number
Specifies the last page to convert.
-o Generates only the odd numbered pages.
-e Generates only the even numbered pages.
-singlefile
Writes only the first page and does not add digits.
-r number
Specifies the X and Y resolution, in pixels per inch of image files (or rasterized regions in
vector output). The default is 150 PPI.
-rx number
Specifies the X resolution, in pixels per inch of image files (or rasterized regions in vector
output). The default is 150 PPI.
-ry number
Specifies the Y resolution, in pixels per inch of image files (or rasterized regions in vector
output). The default is 150 PPI.
-scale-to number
Scales the long side of each page (width for landscape pages, height for portrait pages) to fit in
scale-to pixels. The size of the short side will be determined by the aspect ratio of the page
(PNG/JPEG/TIFF only).
-scale-to-x number
Scales each page horizontally to fit in scale-to-x pixels. If scale-to-y is set to -1, the
vertical size will determined by the aspect ratio of the page (PNG/JPEG/TIFF only).
-scale-to-y number
Scales each page vertically to fit in scale-to-y pixels. If scale-to-x is set to -1, the
horizontal size will determined by the aspect ratio of the page (PNG/JPEG/TIFF only).
-x number
Specifies the x-coordinate of the crop area top left corner in pixels (image output) or points
(vector output)
-y number
Specifies the y-coordinate of the crop area top left corner in pixels (image output) or points
(vector output)
-W number
Specifies the width of crop area in pixels (image output) or points (vector output) (default is
0)
-H number
Specifies the height of crop area in pixels (image output) or points (vector output) (default is
0)
-sz number
Specifies the size of crop square in pixels (image output) or points (vector output) (sets -W and
-H)
-cropbox
Uses the crop box rather than media box when generating the files (PNG/JPEG/TIFF only)
-mono Generate a monochrome file (PNG and TIFF only).
-gray Generate a grayscale file (PNG, JPEG, and TIFF only).
-antialias
Set the cairo antialias option used for text and drawing in image files (or rasterized regions in
vector output). The options are:
default
Use the default antialiasing for the target device. This is the default setting if
-antialias is not used.
none Antialiasing is disabled.
gray Perform single-color antialiasing using shades of gray.
subpixel
Perform antialiasing by taking advantage of the order of subpixel elements on devices such
as LCD.
fast Hint that the backend should perform some antialiasing but prefer speed over quality.
good The backend should balance quality against performance.
best Hint that the backend should render at the highest quality, sacrificing speed if necessary.
-transp
Use a transparent page color instead of white (PNG and TIFF only).
-icc icc-file
Use the specified ICC file as the output profile (PNG only). The profile will be embedded in the
PNG file.
-jpegopt jpeg-options
When used with -jpeg, takes a list of options to control the jpeg compression. See JPEG OPTIONS
for the available options.
-level2
Generate Level 2 PostScript (PS only).
-level3
Generate Level 3 PostScript (PS only). This enables all Level 2 features plus shading patterns and
masked images. This is the default setting.
-origpagesizes
This option is the same as "-paper match".
-paper size
Set the paper size to one of "letter", "legal", "A4", or "A3" (PS,PDF,SVG only). This can also be
set to "match", which will set the paper size of each page to match the size specified in the PDF
file. If none the -paper, -paperw, or -paperh options are specified the default is to match the
paper size.
-paperw size
Set the paper width, in points (PS,PDF,SVG only).
-paperh size
Set the paper height, in points (PS,PDF,SVG only).
-nocrop
By default, printing output is cropped to the CropBox specified in the PDF file. This option
disables cropping (PS,PDF,SVG only).
-expand
Expand PDF pages smaller than the paper to fill the paper (PS,PDF,SVG only). By default, these
pages are not scaled.
-noshrink
Don't scale PDF pages which are larger than the paper (PS,PDF,SVG only). By default, pages larger
than the paper are shrunk to fit.
-nocenter
By default, PDF pages smaller than the paper (after any scaling) are centered on the paper. This
option causes them to be aligned to the lower-left corner of the paper instead (PS,PDF,SVG only).
-duplex
Adds the %%IncludeFeature: *Duplex DuplexNoTumble DSC comment to the PostScript file (PS only).
This tells the print manager to enable duplexing.
-printer printer-name
(Windows only). When used with -print, specifies the name of the printer to be used, instead of
the system default.
-printopt printer-options
(Windows only). When used with -print, takes a list of options to be used to configure the
printer. See WINDOWS PRINTER OPTIONS for the available options.
-setupdlg
(Windows only). When used with -print, the printer properties dialog is displayed allowing the
print settings to be modified before printing. The paper size selected in the print properties
dialog will be used except when -origpagesizes is specified.
-opw password
Specify the owner password for the PDF file. Providing this will bypass all security
restrictions.
-upw password
Specify the user password for the PDF file.
-q Don't print any messages or errors.
-v Print copyright and version information.
-h Print usage information. (-help and --help are equivalent.)
EXIT CODES
The poppler tools use the following exit codes:
0 No error.
1 Error opening a PDF file.
2 Error opening an output file.
3 Error related to PDF permissions.
4 Error related to ICC profile.
99 Other error.
JPEG OPTIONS
When JPEG output is specified, the -jpegopt option can be used to control the JPEG compression
parameters. It takes a string of the form "<opt>=<val>[,<opt>=<val>]". Currently the available options
are:
quality
Selects the JPEG quality value. The value must be an integer between 0 and 100.
progressive
Select progressive JPEG output. The possible values are "y", "n", indicating progressive (yes) or
non-progressive (no), respectively.
optimize
Sets whether to compute optimal Huffman coding tables for the JPEG output, which will create
smaller files but make an extra pass over the data. The value must be "y" or "n", with "y"
performing optimization, otherwise the default Huffman tables are used.
WINDOWS PRINTER OPTIONS
In Windows, you can use the -print option to print directly to a system printer. Additionally, you can
use the -printopt option to configure the printer. It takes a string of the form
"<opt>=<val>[,<opt>=<val>]". Currently the available options are:
source Selects the source paper tray to be used (bin). The possible values are "upper", "onlyone",
"lower", "middle", "manual", "envelope", "envmanual", "auto", "tractor", "smallfmt", "largefmt",
"largecapacity", "formsource", or a numeric value to choose a driver specific source.
duplex Sets the duplex mode of the printer. The possible values are "off", "short" or "long", indicating
no duplexing, short-edge binding, or long-edge binding, respectively. General option -duplex is a
synonym of "duplex=long". If both options are specified, -printopt has priority.
AUTHOR
The pdftocairo software and documentation are copyright 1996-2004 Glyph & Cog, LLC and copyright
2005-2011 The Poppler Developers.
SEE ALSO
pdfdetach(1), pdffonts(1), pdfimages(1), pdfinfo(1), pdftohtml(1), pdftoppm(1), pdftops(1), pdftotext(1)
pdfseparate(1), pdfsig(1), pdfunite(1)
pdftocairo(1)