---
name: "lifeconv"
section: "6"
platform: "linux"
package: "xlife"
version: "5.0-8"
release: "Debian 5.0 (Lenny)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/lifeconv"
---

# lifeconv(6)

convert old life patterns to 2.0 format

## NAME

lifeconv - convert old life patterns to 2.0 format

## SYNTAX

**lifeconv \[-PARp\]**

## DESCRIPTION

is a format-conversiontool for [**xlife**(6)](/xlife/6.md) pattern files.  For information on the pattern file format, see its manual page.

A leading -\[RAPp\] argument forces the conversion format. Otherwise it uses the following rules:

1\) If the image won't fit in a 1000x876 screen, leave it alone (thus, very large patterns like the breeder are left in #A format).

2\) Otherwise, convert it to whichever of \`P' or \`R' format takes up less disk space. Offsets are generated in the header so that the hot spot is at the center of the bounding rectangle.

Option \`p' converts from old P format to new P format.  In old P format, the y offset at which a line was to be loaded was its absolute line number. In the new format, it's the line number relative to the #P control line (if the #P is the first line in the save file the two coincide).

All #-constructs other than #A, #R and #I are passed through without change.

With no file arguments, lifeconv acts as a filter.  If given file arguments, the files will be converted to the new format in place.

## RESTRICTIONS

None.

## AUTHOR

Eric S. Raymond \<esr@snark.thyrsus.com\>

## SEE ALSO

[xlife(6)](/xlife/6.md)