NAME

       ra_ps - convert RADIANCE picture to a PostScript file

SYNOPSIS

       ra_ps [ -b|c ][ -A|B|C ][ -n ncopies ][ -e +/-stops ][ -g gamma ][ -p paper ][ -m[h|v] margin ][ -d dpi ]
       [ input [ output ] ]

DESCRIPTION

       Ra_ps translates a RADIANCE picture to a color or greyscale Adobe PostScript file for printing on a laser
       printer  or  importing  to a page layout program.  The -b option tells ra_ps to produce greyscale output.
       (The default is color, which may be specified explicitly with the -c option.)

       The -A option specifies that the output should be in uncompressed ASCII hexstring format  (the  default).
       The  -B  option  specifies that the output should be in uncompressed binary string format.  The file size
       will be roughly half that of the  ASCII  equivalent,  but  some  printers  and  especially  some  printer
       connections  do  not  support binary transfer, so this option should be used with caution.  The -C option
       specifies that the output should be in run-length compressed ASCII format.  The file  size  will  be  one
       half  to  one  tenth  as large as the hexstring equivalent and can be sent over any network or by e-mail.
       The only disadvantage is that it will  actually  take  longer  to  print  on  some  printers,  since  the
       "readhexstring" procedure is generally faster than a custom replacement.

       The  -n option specifies the number of copies to print of this image.  It is often preferable to use this
       option instead of the multiple copy option of the print spooler program, since the latter  often  results
       in duplication of the input file with a large associated cost.

       The  -e  option  specifies  an  exposure compensation in f-stops (powers of two).  Only integer stops are
       allowed, for efficiency.  The -g option specifies a power law for the  printer  transfer  function.   The
       default gamma setting for greyscale printers is 1.0 (linear), and the default gamma for color printers is
       1.8 (commonly used in prepress).  If your output seems to have too much contrast relative to  its  screen
       equivalent,  print  out the file "ray/lib/lib/gamma.hdr" to your printer without any gamma correction and
       using the -d option to set the dots-per-inch (see below).  The best match between the small lines and the
       grey  patch  next  to it indicate the approximate gamma of your printer, which you should use with the -g
       option for best contrast reproduction in subsequent conversions.

       The standard print area assumes 8.5 by 11 inch (U.S. letter) paper, with 0.5 inch margins on  all  sides.
       The  image will be rotated 90 degrees if it fits better that way in the available print area, and it will
       always be centered on the page.   The  -p  and  -m  options  to  control  the  paper  size  and  margins,
       respectively.   The  argument to the -p option is the common name for a given paper size, or WWxHH, where
       WW is the width (in inches) and HH is the height.   If  millimeters  or  centimeters  are  the  preferred
       measurement  unit, the 'x' may be replaced by 'm' or 'c', respectively.  The WW and HH values are decimal
       quantities, of course.  The current paper identifiers understood by the  program  may  be  discovered  by
       giving a 0 argument to the -p option.  They are currently:

       _Name________Width_Height_(inches)
       envelope      4.12   9.50
       executive     7.25  10.50
       letter        8.50  11.00
       lettersmall   7.68  10.16
       legal         8.50  14.00
       monarch       3.87   7.50
       statement     5.50   8.50
       tabloid      11.00  17.00
       A3           11.69  16.54
       A4            8.27  11.69
       A4small       7.47  10.85
       A5            6.00   8.27
       A6            4.13   6.00
       B4           10.12  14.33
       B5            7.17  10.12
       C5            6.38   9.01
       C6            4.49   6.38
       DL            4.33   8.66
       hagaki        3.94   5.83

       The  paper  size  name may be abbreviated with three or more letters, and character case is ignored.  The
       argument to the -m option is the margin  width,  which  is  0.5  inches  by  default.   A  millimeter  or
       centimeter  quantity  may be given instead of inches by immediately following the value with a 'm' or 'c'
       character, respectively.  (Leave no space between the quantity and its unit  letter.)   If  you  wish  to
       specify the horizontal and vertical margins separately, use the -mh and -mv options, instead.

       The  -d  option may be used to explicitly set the print density (in dots per inch).  If the input picture
       is lower resolution than the printer and has square pixels, then ra_ps will adjust the image size so that
       pixels  map to dot regions exactly.  This may improve the appearance of fine detail, and may speed up the
       printing process as well, at the expense of a slightly smaller image area.  If you wish to maximize print
       area and the input image contains no fine detail, then do not specify this option.

       The output from ra_ps is designed to be compatible with the Encapsulated PostScript standard, which means
       that the resulting file may be incorporated into documents by page layout programs that can read  in  EPS
       files.   Unfortunately,  there  is currently no option for generating a preview bitmap, so the image will
       show up on the screen as a rectangular area only.  To control the EPS image size  directly,  use  the  -p
       option as explained above with the WWxHH specification, and set -m 0 to turn off the margins.

AUTHOR

       Greg Ward

SEE ALSO

       pfilt(1),   ra_bmp(1),  ra_bn(1),  ra_pr(1),  ra_pr24(1),  ra_t8(1),  ra_t16(1),  ra_ppm(1),  ra_tiff(1),
       ximage(1)