svgtopam(1) - phpMan

Svgtopam User Manual(0) Svgtopam User Manual(0)

NAME
svgtopam - convert an SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) image to Netpbm format

SYNOPSIS
svgtopam [-trace] [pnmfile]

Minimum unique abbreviation of option is acceptable. You may use double hyphens instead
of single hyphen to denote options. You may use white space in place of the equals sign
to separate an option name from its value.

DESCRIPTION
This program is part of Netpbm(1).

svgtopam reads an SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) image as input and produces a PAM image
as output.

svgtopam is so weak that it is probably not useful in general for converting SVG images.
It understands only <path> SVG elements which use only the "M", "L", and "z" commands, and
only those that use whole number arguments. This is sufficient for converting most of
what comes out of pamtosvg (not by coincidence - the program was developed for the spe-
cific task of testing pamtosvg), but the main reason it is part of Netpbm is to provide a
base for someone to create a full SVG to Netpbm converter.

SVG is a vector image format, which means it describes curves that compose an image. By
contrast, PNM is a raster format, which means it describes dots that compose an image.
The main practical difference between the two types is that you can scale vector images
better. A vector image also takes a lot less data to describe an image if the image is
composed of simple curves.

That means it is really an understatement to say that svgtopam is an image format con-
verter. It's really an image drawer, not unlike ppmdraw.

For more information on SVG, see the Worldwide Web Consortium's SVG web page
<http://www.w3.org/Graphics/SVG/> .

OPTIONS
-trace This option makes svgtopam issue messages describing the drawing.