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NAME

       asciitopgm - convert ASCII graphics into a portable graymap

SYNOPSIS

       asciitopgm [-d divisor] height width [asciifile]

DESCRIPTION

       Reads  ASCII  data  as  input.   Produces a portable graymap with pixel
       values which are an approximation of  the  "brightness"  of  the  ASCII
       characters,  assuming  black-on-white  printing.   In  other  words,  a
       capital M is very dark, a period is ver light, and a  space  is  white.
       Input  lines  which  are  fewer than width characters are automatically
       padded with spaces.

       The divisor argument is a floating-point number  by  which  the  output
       pixels  are  divided;  the  default  value is 1.0.  This can be used to
       adjust the brightness of the graymap: for example, if the image is  too
       dim, reduce the divisor.

       In  keeping  with  (I  believe) Fortran line-printer conventions, input
       lines beginning with a + (plus) character are assumed  to  "overstrike"
       the previous line, allowing a larger range of gray values.

       This  tool contradicts the message in the pbmtoascii manual: "Note that
       there is no asciitopbm tool - this transformation is one-way."

BUGS

       The table of ASCII-to-grey values is subject to interpretation, and, of
       course, depends on the typeface intended for the input.

SEE ALSO

       pbmtoascii(1), pgm(5)

AUTHOR

       Wilson H. Bent. Jr. (whb@usc.edu)

                               26 December 1994                  asciitopgm(1)