---
name: "pbmtoepson"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "netpbm"
version: "10.86.51-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/pbmtoepson"
---

# pbmtoepson(1)

convert a PBM image into Epson printer graphics

## NAME

pbmtoepson - convert a PBM image into Epson printer graphics

## SYNOPSIS

**pbmtoepson**

\[**-dpi=***n*\] \[**-protocol=**{**escp9**\|**escp**}\] \[**-adjacent**\] \[**-nonadjacent**\]

\[*pbmfile*\]

## DESCRIPTION

This program is part of **Netpbm**(1) .

**pbmtoepson** reads a PBM image as input and produces a stream of Epson printer graphics as output.

The input is from the file identified by the *pbmfile* argument or, if you don't specify *pbmfile*, from Standard Input.  Output is to Standard Output.

The output is for traditional (ca 1991) Epson 9-wire dot matrix (sometimes called ESC/P 9-wire) printers or newer ESC/P printers.  For a more modern Epson ESC/P2 type printer, try **pbmtoescp2**.

Before Netpbm 10.23 (July 2004), **pbmtoepson** could not produce ESC/P streams -- only ESC/P 9-wire.

The Epson printer protocols are described in Epson's protocol specification.

Note that there is no epsontopbm tool - this transformation is one way.

## OPTIONS

In addition to the options common to all programs based on libnetpbm (most notably **-quiet**, see \
  Common Options ⟨index.html#commonoptions⟩ ), **pbmtoepson** recognizes the following command line options:

- **-protocol=**{**escp9**\|**escp**}

  This determines which Epson printer protocol the output uses. **escp9** is the older ESC/P 9-pin protocol.  **escp** is the newer ESC/P protocol.  For the even newer **ESC/P2** protocol, you have to use **pbmtoescp2** instead.

  This option was new in Netpbm 10.23 (July 2004).

- **-dpi=***n*

  This specifies the horizontal print density in dots per inch.  The protocol allows only certain values: 60, 72, 80, 90, 120, 144, and 240. Actually, the ESC/P protocol allows a few others, but **pbmtoepson** doesn't know how to generate the command streams that use them.

  If you don't specify this, **pbmtoepson** chooses a horizontal print density for you consistent with your other options.

  This option was new in Netpbm 10.23 (July 2004).

- **-adjacent**

  - **-nonadjacent**

  These options determine whether the output uses "adjacent dot printing" or not, whatever that is.

  If you don't specify this, **pbmtoepson** selects adjacent dot printing unless that is incompatible with your other options.

  This option was new in Netpbm 10.23 (July 2004).

## SEE ALSO

[**pbmtoescp2**(1)](/pbmtoescp2/1.md) , **pbm**(1) ,

## AUTHOR

Copyright (C) 1991 by John Tiller (*tiller@galois.msfc.nasa.gov*) and Jef Poskanzer.

## DOCUMENT SOURCE

This manual page was generated by the Netpbm tool 'makeman' from HTML source.  The master documentation is at

-

  **http://netpbm.sourceforge.net/doc/pbmtoepson.html**