---
name: "avs2ps"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "raster3d"
version: "3.0-7-2+b2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/avs2ps"
---

# avs2ps(1)

convert AVS image input on stdin to monochrome PostScript on stdout

## NAME

avs2ps - convert AVS image input on stdin to monochrome PostScript on stdout

## SYNOPSIS

   avs2ps \[-b\] \[-dpi xxx\] \< infile.avs \> outfile.ps

*avs2ps* converts a 24-bit color image file in AVS format into a dithered monochrome PostScript image with the same number of pixels as the input file. *avs2ps* may be used as a filter for the output of the  *render* program to produce a PostScript file directly.

*avs2ps* is machine independent, and does not impose restrictions on the tile size in the original image.  It supersedes the programs *molras3d* and *hdither* in the viewtools package.

## EXAMPLES

Produce an unbordered black & white image suitable for printing on a 300 dpi PostScript printer.

     render \< infile.r3d \| avs2ps \> image.ps

Add a border, and prepare image for a 400dpi printer

     render \< infile.r3d \| avs2ps -b -dpi 400 \> image.ps

## OPTIONS

**-b**

Draw a border around the figure. By default *avs2ps* will produce a borderless image 0.5 inch in from the bottom left of the page.

**-dpi xxx**

By default *avs2ps* writes header records into the PostScript output file which are correct for a 300dpi printer (e.g. an HP IIIsi). If there is a mis-match between the header records and the actual resolution of the printer the image quality is substantially degraded. This option allows one to specify a different printer resolution (e.g. -dpi 400 for a Next printer, or -dpi 95 for GhostScript on a 1280x1024 workstation screen).

## DESCRIPTION

*avs2ps* converts the input stream to a grey scale image and then applies an empirical algorithm for dithering and error propagation to produce a monochrome output image.

## SOURCE

**anonymous ftp site:**\
  	ftp.bmsc.washington.edu

**web URL:**\
  	http://www.bmsc.washington.edu/raster3d/raster3d.html

**contact:**\
  	Ethan A Merritt\
  	University of Washington, Seattle WA 98195\
  	merritt@u.washington.edu

## SEE ALSO

render(l), raster3d(l), avs

## AUTHORS

Ethan A Merritt.  \
  Dithering algorithm derived from code by Randy Read and Albert Berghuis.