---
name: "htmldoc"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "htmldoc"
version: "1.9.25-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/htmldoc"
---
# htmldoc(1)
convert html source files into html, postscript, or pdf.
## NAME
htmldoc - convert html source files into html, postscript, or pdf.
## SYNOPSIS
htmldoc \[options\] filename1.{html,md} \[ ... filenameN.{html,md} \]
htmldoc \[options\] -
htmldoc \[filename.book\]
## DESCRIPTION
**Htmldoc**(1) converts HTML and Markdown source files into indexed HTML, PostScript, or Portable Document Format (PDF) files that can be viewed online or printed. With no options a HTML document is produced on stdout.
The second form of **htmldoc** reads HTML source from stdin, which allows you to use **htmldoc** as a filter.
The third form of **htmldoc** launches a graphical interface that allows you to change options and generate documents interactively.
## COMMON MISTAKES
There are two types of HTML files - structured documents using headings (H1, H2, etc.) which **htmldoc** calls "books", and unstructured documents that do not use headings which **htmldoc** calls "web pages".
A very common mistake is to try converting a web page using:
```
htmldoc -f filename.pdf filename.html
```
which will likely produce a PDF file with no pages. To convert web page files you **must** use the *--webpage* or *--continuous* options at the command-line or choose *Web Page* or *Continuous* in the input tab of the GUI.
## OPTIONS
The following command-line options are supported by **htmldoc**:
- **--batch** *filename.book*
Generates the specified book file without opening the GUI.
- **--bodycolor** *color*
Specifies the background color for all pages.
- **--bodyfont** *{courier,helvetica,monospace,sans,serif,times}*
- **--textfont** *{courier,helvetica,monospace,sans,serif,times}*
Specifies the default typeface for all normal text.
- **--bodyimage** *filename*
Specifies the background image that is tiled on all pages.
- **--book**
Specifies that the HTML sources are structured (headings, chapters, etc.)
- **--bottom** *margin*
Specifies the bottom margin in points (no suffix or ##pt), inches (##in), centimeters (##cm), or millimeters (##mm).
- **--charset** *{cp-nnnn,iso-8859-1,...,iso-8859-15,utf-8}*
Specifies the character set to use for the output. Note: UTF-8 support is limited to the first 128 Unicode characters that are found in the input.
- **--color**
Specifies that PostScript or PDF output should be in color.
- **--continuous**
Specifies that the HTML sources are unstructured (plain web pages.) No page breaks are inserted between each file or URL in the output.
- **--datadir** *directory*
Specifies the location of the **htmldoc** data files, usually */usr/share/htmldoc* or *C:/Program Files/HTMLDOC.*
- **--duplex**
Specifies that the output should be formatted for double-sided printing.
- **--effectduration** *{0.1...10.0}*
Specifies the duration in seconds of PDF page transition effects.
- **--embedfonts**
Specifies that fonts should be embedded in PDF and PostScript output.
- **--encryption**
Enables encryption of PDF files.
- **--fontsize** *size*
Specifies the default font size for body text.
- **--fontspacing** *spacing*
Specifies the default line spacing for body text. The line spacing is a multiplier for the font size, so a value of 1.2 will provide an additional 20% of space between the lines.
- **--footer** *fff*
Sets the page footer to use on body pages. See the **HEADERS/FOOTERS FORMATS** section below.
- **--format** *format*
- **-t** *format*
Specifies the output format: epub, html, htmlsep (separate HTML files for each heading in the table-of-contents), ps or ps2 (PostScript Level 2), ps1 (PostScript Level 1), ps3 (PostScript Level 3), pdf11 (PDF 1.1/Acrobat 2.0), pdf12 (PDF 1.2/Acrobat 3.0), pdf or pdf13 (PDF 1.3/Acrobat 4.0), or pdf14 (PDF 1.4/Acrobat 5.0).
- **--gray**
Specifies that PostScript or PDF output should be grayscale.
- **--header** *fff*
Sets the page header to use on body pages. See the **HEADERS/FOOTERS FORMATS** section below.
- **--header1** *fff*
Sets the page header to use on the first body/chapter page. See the **HEADERS/FOOTERS FORMATS** section below.
- **--headfootfont** *font*
Sets the font to use on headers and footers.
- **--headfootsize** *size*
Sets the size of the font to use on headers and footers.
- **--headingfont** *typeface*
Sets the typeface to use for headings.
- **--help**
Displays a summary of command-line options.
- **--helpdir** *directory*
Specifies the location of the **htmldoc** online help files, usually */usr/share/doc/htmldoc* or *C:/Program Files/HTMLDOC/DOC.*
- **--hfimageN** *filename*
Specifies an image (numbered from 1 to 10) to be used in the header or footer in a PostScript or PDF document.
- **--jpeg***\[=quality\]*
Sets the JPEG compression level to use for large images. A value of 0 disables JPEG compression.
- **--left** *margin*
Specifies the left margin in points (no suffix or ##pt), inches (##in), centimeters (##cm), or millimeters (##mm).
- **--letterhead** *filename*
Specifies an image to be used as a letterhead in the header or footer in a PostScript or PDF document. Note that you need to use the *--header, --header1,* and/or *--footer* options with the *L* parameter or use the corresponding HTML page comments to display the letterhead image in the header or footer.
- **--linkcolor** *color*
Sets the color of links.
- **--links**
Enables generation of links in PDF files (default).
- **--linkstyle** *{plain,underline}*
Sets the style of links.
- **--logoimage** *filename*
Specifies an image to be used as a logo in the header or footer in a PostScript or PDF document, and in the navigation bar of a HTML document. Note that you need to use the *--header, --header1,* and/or *--footer* options with the *l* parameter or use the corresponding HTML page comments to display the logo image in the header or footer.
- **--no-compression**
Disables compression of PostScript or PDF files.
- **--no-duplex**
Disables double-sided printing.
- **--no-embedfonts**
Specifies that fonts should not be embedded in PDF and PostScript output.
- **--no-encryption**
Disables document encryption.
- **--no-jpeg**
Disables JPEG compression of large images.
- **--no-links**
Disables generation of links in a PDF document.
- **--no-numbered**
Disables automatic heading numbering.
- **--no-pscommands**
Disables generation of PostScript setpagedevice commands.
- **--no-strict**
Disables strict HTML input checking.
- **--no-title**
Disables generation of a title page.
- **--no-toc**
Disables generation of a table of contents.
- **--numbered**
Numbers all headings in a document.
- **--nup** *pages*
Sets the number of pages that are placed on each output page. Valid values are 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, and 16.
- **--outdir** *directory*
- **-d** *directory*
Specifies that output should be sent to a directory in multiple files. (Not compatible with PDF output)
- **--outfile** *filename*
- **-f** *filename*
Specifies that output should be sent to a single file.
- **--owner-password** *password*
Sets the owner password for encrypted PDF files.
- **--pageduration** *I{1.0...60.0}*
Sets the view duration of a page in a PDF document.
- **--pageeffect** *effect*
Specifies the page transition effect for all pages; this attribute is ignored by all Adobe PDF viewers.
- **--pagelayout** *{single,one,twoleft,tworight}*
Specifies the initial layout of pages for a PDF file.
- **--pagemode** *{document,outlines,fullscreen}*
Specifies the initial viewing mode for a PDF file.
- **--path**
Specifies a search path for files in a document.
- **--permissions** *permission\[,permission,...\]*
Specifies document permissions for encrypted PDF files. The following permissions are understood: all, none, annotate, no-annotate, copy, no-copy, modify, no-modify, print, and no-print. Separate multiple permissions with commas.
- **--pre-indent** *distance*
Specifies the indentation of pre-formatted text in points (no suffix or ##pt), inches (##in), centimeters (##cm), or millimeters (##mm).
- **--pscommands**
Specifies that PostScript setpagedevice commands should be included in the output.
- **--quiet**
Suppresses all messages, even error messages.
- **--referer** *url*
Specifies the URL that is passed in the Referer: field of HTTP requests.
- **--right** *margin*
Specifies the right margin in points (no suffix or ##pt), inches (##in), centimeters (##cm), or millimeters (##mm).
- **--size** *pagesize*
Specifies the page size using a standard name or in points (no suffix or ##x##pt), inches (##x##in), centimeters (##x##cm), or millimeters (##x##mm). The standard sizes that are currently recognized are "letter" (8.5x11in), "legal" (8.5x14in), "a4" (210x297mm), and "universal" (8.27x11in).
- **--strict**
Enables strict HTML input checking.
- **--textcolor** *color*
Specifies the default color of all text.
- **--title**
Enables the generation of a title page.
- **--titlefile** *filename*
- **--titleimage** *filename*
Specifies the file to use for the title page. If the file is an image then the title page is automatically generated using the document meta data and title image.
- **--tocfooter** *fff*
Sets the page footer to use on table-of-contents pages. See the **HEADERS/FOOTERS FORMATS** section below.
- **--tocheader** *fff*
Sets the page header to use on table-of-contents pages. See the **HEADERS/FOOTERS FORMATS** section below.
- **--toclevels** *levels*
Sets the number of levels in the table-of-contents.
- **--toctitle** *string*
Sets the title for the table-of-contents.
- **--top** *margin*
Specifies the top margin in points (no suffix or ##pt), inches (##in), centimeters (##cm), or millimeters (##mm).
- **--user-password** *password*
Specifies the user password for encryption of PDF files.
- **--verbose**
- **-v**
Provides verbose messages.
- **--version**
Displays the current version number.
- **--webpage**
Specifies that the HTML sources are unstructured (plain web pages.) A page break is inserted between each file or URL in the output.
## EXIT STATUS
**Htmldoc** returns a non-zero exit status if any errors are seen, zero otherwise.
## HEADER/FOOTER FORMATS
The header and footer of each page can contain up to three preformatted values. These values are specified using a single character for the left, middle, and right of the page, resulting in the *fff* notation shown previously.
Each character can be one of the following:
- **.**
blank
- **/**
n/N arabic page numbers (1/3, 2/3, 3/3)
- **:**
c/C arabic chapter page numbers (1/2, 2/2, 1/4, 2/4, ...)
- **1**
arabic numbers (1, 2, 3, ...)
- **a**
lowercase letters
- **A**
uppercase letters
- **c**
current chapter heading
- **C**
current chapter page number (arabic)
- **d**
current date
- **D**
current date and time
- **h**
current heading
- **i**
lowercase roman numerals
- **I**
uppercase roman numerals
- **l**
logo image
- **L**
logo image as letterhead - the image is inserted at its maximum size
- **t**
title text
- **T**
current time
- **u**
current filename or URL
## EXIT STATUS
**Htmldoc** exits with the number of errors that have occurred.
## ENVIRONMENT
**Htmldoc** looks for several environment variables which can override the default directories, display additional debugging information, and disable CGI mode:
- **HTMLDOC\_DATA**
This environment variable specifies the location of **htmldoc**'s data and fonts directories, normally /usr/share/htmldoc or C:/Program Files/HTMLDOC.
- **HTMLDOC\_DEBUG**
This environment variable enables debugging information that is sent to stderr. The value is a list of any of the following keywords separated by spaces: "all", "links", "memory", "remotebytes", "table", "tempfiles", and/or "timing".
- **HTMLDOC\_HELP**
This environment variable specifies the location of **htmldoc**'s documentation directory, normally /usr/share/doc/htmldoc or C:/Program Files/HTMLDOC/doc.
- **HTMLDOC\_NOCGI**
This environment variable, when set (the value doesn't matter), disables CGI mode. It is most useful for using **htmldoc** on a web server from a scripting language or invocation from a program.
## EXAMPLES
Create a PDF file from a web site:
```
htmldoc --webpage -f example.pdf http://www.example.com/
```
Create a PostScript book from a directory of HTML files
```
htmldoc --book -f example.pdf *.html
```
## SEE ALSO
HTMLDOC Users Manual
https://www.msweet.org/htmldoc
## AUTHOR
Michael R Sweet
## LEGAL STUFF
HTMLDOC is copyright © 1997-2025 by Michael R Sweet.
This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 as published by the Free Software Foundation.
This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.
You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA.