Netpbm is based on the Pbmplus package (release: 10 Dec 91). The netpbm Image Conversion Toolkit is a series of tools for converting a variety of image formats to and from a set of portable formats, and hence between each other. The four formats are: PBM for bitmaps (1 bit per pixel) PGM for grayscale images PPM for full colour images PNM for context-independent manipulations, and other formats. These formats are upwards-compatible, and tools can read files in lower-resolution formats. In addition there are some simple tools for manipulating the various formats.
The netpbm utilities can be found in the /contrib/bin/netpbm area.
Note that this area is not part of the default PATH variable - users
wishing to use the netpbm utilities will need to modify their PATH
variable (the PATH variable is typically set in the .variable.ksh file for
ksh users and the .variables.csh file for csh users).
For more info on ITC's implementation of netpm visit The Digital Unix FreeWare Distribution page for netpbm.
Mail comments or questions on netpm to
res-consult@virginia.edu
A short synopsis of the many (!) utilities that compose netpbm:
| anytopnm | attempt to convert an unknown type of image file to a portable anymap For more info type: man anytopnm |
| asciitopgm | convert ASCII graphics into a portable graymap For more info type: man asciitopgm |
| atktopbm | convert Andrew Toolkit raster object to portable bitmap For more info type: man atktopbm |
| bioradtopgm | convert a Biorad confocal file into a portable graymap For more info type: man bioradtopgm |
| bmptoppm | convert a BMP file into a portable pixmap For more info type: man bmptoppm |
| brushtopbm | convert a doodle brush file into a portable bitmap For more info type: man brushtopbm |
| cmuwmtopbm | convert a CMU window manager bitmap into a portable bitmap For more info type: man cmuwmtopbm |
| fitstopnm | convert a FITS file into a portable anymap For more info type: man fitstopnm |
| fstopgm | convert a Usenix FaceSaver(tm) file into a portable graymap For more info type: man fstopgm |
| g3topbm | convert a Group 3 fax file into a portable bitmap For more info type: man g3topbm |
| gemtopbm | convert a GEM .img file into a portable bitmap For more info type: man gemtopbm |
| giftopnm | convert a GIF file into a portable anymap For more info type: man giftopnm |
| gouldtoppm | convert Gould scanner file into a portable pixmap For more info type: man gouldtoppm |
| hipstopgm | convert a HIPS file into a portable graymap For more info type: man hipstopgm |
| hpcdtoppm | convert a Photo-CD file into a portable pixmap For more info type: man hpcdtoppm |
| icontopbm | convert a Sun icon into a portable bitmap For more info type: man icontopbm |
| ilbmtoppm | convert an ILBM file into a portable pixmap For more info type: man ilbmtoppm |
| imgtoppm | convert an Img-whatnot file into a portable pixmap For more info type: man imgtoppm |
| lispmtopgm | convert a Lisp Machine bitmap file into pgm format For more info type: man lispmtopgm |
| macptopbm | convert a MacPaint file into a portable bitmap For more info type: man macptopbm |
| mgrtopbm | convert a MGR bitmap into a portable bitmap For more info type: man mgrtopbm |
| mtvtoppm | convert output from the MTV or PRT ray tracers into a portable pixmap For more info type: man mtvtoppm |
| pbmclean | flip isolated pixels in portable bitmap For more info type: man pbmclean |
| pbmlife | apply Conway's rules of Life to a portable bitmap For more info type: man pbmlife |
| pbmmake | create a blank bitmap of a specified size For more info type: man pbmmake |
| pbmmask | create a mask bitmap from a regular bitmap For more info type: man pbmmask |
| pbmpscale | enlarge a portable bitmap with edge smoothing For more info type: man pbmpscale |
| pbmreduce | read a portable bitmap and reduce it N times For more info type: man pbmreduce |
| pbmtext | render text into a bitmap For more info type: man pbmtext |
| pbmto10x | convert a portable bitmap into Gemini 10X printer graphics For more info type: man pbmto10x |
| pbmto4425 | Display PBM images on an AT&T 4425 terminal For more info type: man pbmto4425 |
| pbmtoascii | convert a portable bitmap into ASCII graphics For more info type: man pbmtoascii |
| pbmtoatk | convert portable bitmap to Andrew Toolkit raster object For more info type: man pbmtoatk |
| pbmtobg | convert a portable bitmap into BitGraph graphics For more info type: man pbmtobg |
| pbmtocmuwm | convert a portable bitmap into a CMU window manager bitmap For more info type: man pbmtocmuwm |
| pbmtoepsi | convert a portable bitmap into an encapsulated PostScript style preview bitmap For more info type: man pbmtoepsi |
| pbmtoepson | convert a portable bitmap into Epson printer graphics For more info type: man pbmtoepson |
| pbmtog3 | convert a portable bitmap into a Group 3 fax file For more info type: man pbmtog3 |
| pbmtogem | convert a portable bitmap into a GEM .img file For more info type: man pbmtogem |
| pbmtogo | convert a portable bitmap into compressed GraphOn graphics For more info type: man pbmtogo |
| pbmtoicon | convert a portable bitmap into a Sun icon For more info type: man pbmtoicon |
| pbmtolj | convert a portable bitmap into HP LaserJet format For more info type: man pbmtolj |
| pbmtoln03 | convert protable bitmap to DEC LN03+ Sixel output For more info type: man pbmtoln03 |
| pbmtolps | convert portable bitmap to PostScript For more info type: man pbmtolps |
| pbmtomacp | convert a portable bitmap into a MacPaint file For more info type: man pbmtomacp |
| pbmtomgr | convert a portable bitmap into a MGR bitmap For more info type: man pbmtomgr |
| pbmtopgm | convert portable bitmap to portable graymap by averaging areas For more info type: man pbmtopgm |
| pbmtopi3 | convert a portable bitmap into an Atari Degas .pi3 file For more info type: man pbmtopi3 |
| pbmtopk | convert a portable bitmap into a packed (PK) format font For more info type: man pbmtopk |
| pbmtoplot | convert a portable bitmap into a Unix plot(5) file For more info type: man pbmtoplot |
| pbmtoptx | convert a portable bitmap into Printronix printer graphics For more info type: man pbmtoptx |
| pbmtox10bm | convert a portable bitmap into an X10 bitmap For more info type: man pbmtox10bm |
| pbmtoxbm | convert a portable bitmap into an X11 bitmap For more info type: man pbmtoxbm |
| pgmtoybm | convert a portable bitmap into a Bennet Yee "face" file For more info type: man pgmtoybm< |
| pbmtozinc | convert a portable bitmap into a Zinc bitmap For more info type: man pbmtozinc |
| pbmupc | create a Universal Product Code bitmap For more info type: man pbmupc |
| pcxtoppm | convert a PCX file into a portable pixmap For more info type: man pcxtoppm |
| pgmbentley | Bentleyize a portable graymap For more info type: man pgmbentley |
| pgmcrater | create cratered terrain by fractal forgery For more info type: man pgmcrater |
| pgmedge | edge-detect a portable graymap For more info type: man pgmedge |
| pgmenhance | edge-enhance a portable graymap For more info type: man pgmenhance |
| pgmhist | print a histogram of the values in a portable graymap For more info type: man pgmhist |
| pgmkernel | generate a convolution kernel For more info type: man pgmkernel |
| pgmnoise | create a graymap made up of white noise For more info type: man pgmnoise |
| pgmnorm | normalize the contrast in a portable graymap For more info type: man pgmnorm |
| pgmoil | turn a portable graymap into an oil painting For more info type: man pgmoil |
| pgmramp | generate a grayscale ramp For more info type: man pgmramp |
| pgmtexture | calculate textural features on a portable graymap For more info type: man pgmtexture |
| pgmtofs | convert portable graymap to Usenix FaceSaver(tm) format For more info type: man pgmtofs |
| pgmtolispm | convert a portable graymap into Lisp Machine format For more info type: man pgmtolispm |
| pgmtopbm | convert a portable graymap into a portable bitmap For more info type: man pgmtopbm |
| pgmtoppm | colorize a portable graymap into a portable pixmap For more info type: man pgmtoppm |
| pi1toppm | convert an Atari Degas .pi1 into a portable pixmap For more info type: man pi1toppm |
| pi3topbm | convert an Atari Degas .pi3 file into a portable bitmap For more info type: man pi3topbm |
| picttoppm | convert a Macintosh PICT file into a portable pixmap For more info type: man picttoppm |
| pjtoppm | convert an HP PaintJet file to a portable pixmap For more info type: man pjtoppm |
| pktopbm | convert packed (PK) format font into portable bitmap(s) For more info type: man pktopbm |
| pnmalias | antialias a portable anyumap For more info type: man pnmalias |
| pnmarith | perform arithmetic on two portable anymaps For more info type: man pnmarith |
| pnmcat | concatenate portable anymaps For more info type: man pnmcat |
| pnmcomp | composite two portable anymap files together For more info type: man pnmcomp |
| pnmconvol | general MxN convolution on a portable anymap For more info type: man pnmconvol |
| pnmcrop | crop a portable anymap For more info type: man pnmcrop |
| pnmcut | cut a rectangle out of a portable anymap For more info type: man pnmcut |
| pnmdepth | change the maxval in a portable anymap For more info type: man pnmdepth |
| pnmenlarge | read a portable anymap and enlarge it N times For more info type: man pnmenlarge |
| pnmfile | describe a portable anymap For more info type: man pnmfile |
| pnmflip | perform one or more flip operations on a portable anymap For more info type: man pnmflip |
| pnmgamma | perform gamma correction on a portable anymap For more info type: man pnmgamma |
| pnmhistmap | draw a histogram for a PGM or PPM file For more info type: man pnmhistmap |
| pnmindex | build a visual index of a bunch of anymaps For more info type: man pnmindex |
| pnminvert | invert a portable anymap For more info type: man pnminvert |
| pnmmargin | add a border to a portable anymap For more info type: man pnmmargin |
| pnmnlfilt | non-linear filters: smooth, alpha trim mean, optimal estimation
smoothing, edge enhancement For more info type: man pnmnlfilt |
| pnmnoraw | force a portable anymap into plain format For more info type: man pnmnoraw |
| pnmpad | add borders to portable anymap For more info type: man pnmpad |
| pnmpaste | paste a rectangle into a portable anymap For more info type: man pnmpaste |
| pnmrotate | rotate a portable anymap by some angle For more info type: man pnmrotate |
| pnmscale | scale a portable anymap For more info type: man pnmscale |
| pnmshear | shear a portable anymap by some angle For more info type: man pnmshear |
| pnmsmooth | smooth out an image For more info type: man pnmsmooth |
| pnmtile | replicate a portable anymap into a specified size For more info type: man pnmtile |
| pnmtoddif | Convert a portable anymap to DDIF format For more info type: man pnmtoddif |
| pnmtofits | convert a portable anymap into FITS format For more info type: man pnmtofits |
| pnmtops | convert portable anymap to PostScript For more info type: man pnmtops |
| pnmtorast | convert a portable pixmap into a Sun rasterfile For more info type: man pnmtorast |
| pnmtosgi | convert a portable anymap to a SGI image file For more info type: man pnmtosgi |
| pnmtosir | convert a portable anymap into a Solitaire format For more info type: man pnmtosir |
| pnmtoxwd | convert a portable anymap into an X11 window dump For more info type: man pnmtoxwd |
| ppm3d | convert two portable pixmap into a red/blue 3d glasses pixmap For more info type: man ppm3d |
| ppmbrighten | change an images Saturation and Value from an HSV map For more info type: man ppmbrighten |
| ppmchange | change all pixels of one color to another in a portable pixmap For more info type: man ppmchange |
| ppmdim | dim a portable pixmap down to total blackness For more info type: man ppmdim |
| ppmdist | simplistic grayscale assignment for machine generated, color images For more info type: man ppmdist |
| ppmdither | ordered dither for color images For more info type: man ppmdither |
| ppmflash | brighten a picture up to complete white-out For more info type: man ppmflash |
| ppmforge | fractal forgeries of clouds, planets, and starry skies For more info type: man ppmforge |
| ppmhist | print a histogram of a portable pixmap For more info type: man ppmhist |
| ppmmake | create a pixmap of a specified size and color For more info type: man ppmmake |
| ppmmix | blend together two portable pixmaps For more info type: man ppmmix |
| ppmnorm | normalize the contrast in a portable pixmap For more info type: man ppmnorm |
| ppmntsc | make a portable pixmap look like taken from an American TV For more info type: man ppmntsc |
| ppmpat | make a pretty pixmap For more info type: man ppmpat |
| ppmquant | quantize the colors in a portable pixmap down to a specified number For more info type: man ppmquant |
| ppmquantall | run ppmquant on a bunch of files all at once, so they share a common colormap For more info type: man ppmquantall |
| ppmqvga | 8 plane quantization For more info type: man ppmqvga |
| ppmrelief | run a Laplacian relief filter on a portable pixmap For more info type: man ppmrelief |
| ppmshift | shift lines of a portable pixmap left or right by a random amount For more info type: man ppmshift |
| ppmspread | displace a portable pixmap's pixels by a random amount For more info type: man ppmspread |
| ppmtoacad | convert portable pixmap to AutoCAD database or slide For more info type: man ppmtoacad |
| ppmtobmp | convert a portable pixmap into a BMP file For more info type: man ppmtobmp |
| ppmtogif | convert a portable pixmap into a GIF file For more info type: man ppmtogif |
| ppmtoicr | convert a portable pixmap into NCSA ICR format For more info type: man ppmtoicr |
| ppmtoilbm | convert a portable pixmap into an ILBM file For more info type: man ppmtoilbm |
| ppmtomap | extract all colors from a portable pixmap For more info type: man ppmtomap |
| ppmtomitsu | convert a portable pixmap to a Mitsubishi S340-10 file For more info type: man ppmtomitsu |
| ppmtopcx | convert a portable pixmap into a PCX file For more info type: man ppmtopcx |
| ppmtopgm | convert a portable pixmap into a portable graymap For more info type: man ppmtopgm |
| ppmtopi1 | convert a portable pixmap into an Atari Degas .pi1 file For more info type: man ppmtopi1 |
| ppmtopict | convert a portable pixmap into a Macintosh PICT file For more info type: man ppmtopict |
| ppmtopj | convert a portable pixmap to an HP PaintJet file For more info type: man ppmtopj |
| ppmtopjxl | convert a portable pixmap into an HP PaintJet XL PCL file For more info type: man ppmtopjxl |
| ppmtopjxl | convert a portable pixmap into an HP PaintJet XL PCL file For more info type: man ppmtopjxl |
| ppmtopuzz | convert a portable pixmap into an X11 "puzzle" file For more info type: man ppmtopuzz |
| ppmtorgb3 | separate a portable pixmap into three portable graymaps For more info type: man ppmtorgb3 |
| ppmtosixel | convert a portable pixmap into DEC sixel format For more info type: man ppmtosixel |
| ppmtotga | convert portable pixmap into a TrueVision Targa file For more info type: man ppmtotga |
| ppmtouil | convert a portable pixmap into a Motif UIL icon file For more info type: man ppmtouil |
| ppmtoxpm | convert a portable pixmap into an X11 pixmap For more info type: man ppmtoxpm |
| ppmtoyuv | convert a portable pixmap into an Abekas YUV file For more info type: man ppmtoyuv |
| ppmtoyuvsplit | convert a portable pixmap into 3 subsampled raw YUV files For more info type: man ppmtoyuvsplit |
| psidtopgm | convert PostScript "image" data into a portable graymap For more info type: man psidtopgm |
| pstopnm | convert a PostScript file into a portable anymap For more info type: man pstopnm |
| qrttoppm | convert output from the QRT ray tracer into a portable pixmap For more info type: man qrttoppm |
| rasttopnm | convert a Sun rasterfile into a portable anymap For more info type: man rasttopnm |
| rawtopgm | convert raw grayscale bytes into a portable graymap For more info type: man rawtopgm |
| rawtoppm | convert raw RGB bytes into a portable pixmap For more info type: man rawtoppm |
| rgb3toppm | combine three portable graymaps into one portable pixmap For more info type: man rgb3toppm |
| sgitopnm | convert a SGI image file to a portable anymap For more info type: man sgitopnm |
| sirtopnm | convert a Solitaire file into a portable anymap For more info type: man sirtopnm |
| sldtoppm | convert an AutoCAD slide file into a portable pixmap For more info type: man sldtoppm |
| spctoppm | convert an Atari compressed Spectrum file into a portable pixmap For more info type: man spctoppm |
| spottopgm | convert SPOT satellite images to Portable Greymap format For more info type: man spottopgm |
| sputoppm | convert an Atari uncompressed Spectrum file into a portable pixmap For more info type: man sputoppm |
| tgatoppm | convert TrueVision Targa file into a portable pixmap For more info type: man tgatoppm |
| xbmtopbm | convert an X11 or X10 bitmap into a portable bitmap For more info type: man xbmtopbm |
| ximtoppm | convert an Xim file into a portable pixmap For more info type: man ximtoppm |
| xpmtoppm | convert an X11 pixmap into a portable pixmap For more info type: man xpmtoppm |
| xvminitoppm | convert a XV "thumbnail" picture to PPM For more info type: man xvminitoppm |
| xwdtopnm | convert a X11 or X10 window dump file into a portable anymap For more info type: man xwdtopnm |
| ybmtopbm | convert a Bennet Yee "face" file into a portable bitmap For more info type: man ybmtopbm |
| yuvplittoppm | convert a Y- an U- and a V-file into a portable pixmap For more info type: man yuvplittoppm |
| yuvtoppm | convert Abekas YUV bytes into a portable pixmap For more info type: man yuvtoppm |
| zeisstopnm | convert a Zeiss confocal file into a portable anymap For more info type: man zeisstopnm |