---
name: "pdf2fax"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "hylafax-server"
version: "3:6.0.7-11.1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/pdf2fax"
---

# pdf2fax(8)

image Portable Document Format file for facsimile transmission by HylaFAX

## NAME

pdf2fax - image Portable Document Format file for facsimile transmission  by *HylaFAX*

## SYNOPSIS

**/var/spool/hylafax/bin/pdf2fax** \[ *options* \] \[ *files*... \]

## DESCRIPTION

*pdf2fax* takes Portable Document Format (PDF) input and generates a TIFF Class F image file suitable for facsimile transmission. It is usually invoked by the *HylaFAX* scheduler process, [*faxq*(8)](/faxq/8.md). PDF imaging is typically done using the freely available *Ghostscript* software.

*pdf2fax* is actually a link (symbolic or otherwise) to the script appropriate for the PDF imaging tool. The link is setup when the [*faxsetup*(8)](/faxsetup/8.md) script is run to configure a *HylaFAX* server machine for use.

Input files containing PDF may be specified on the command line. If none are given, then *pdf2fax* will read from standard input.

By default, *pdf2fax* will generate a 98 line/inch output document whose page width is 1728 pixels and page length is 297 mm (a standard A4 page at low resolution). Horizontal resolution is always 204 dpi. Command line options may be used to select alternate vertical resolution and page dimensions.

If no filename is given,  *pdf2fax* writes its output to a file named **pdf.fax**; the **-o** option can be used to specify an alternate filename.

By default, output is compressed using the standard Group 3 1D-encoding scheme, with EOL codes padded to byte boundaries. If the **-2** option is specified, output is encoded with the optional Group 3 2D-encoding scheme (EOL codes are still padded to byte boundaries).

This script can modify outgoing facsimile, such as watermarking, To do this create a shell script **etc/FaxModify** in the spooling area that alters the document.

Note that **bin/pdf2fax** is usually just a link to a shell script that invokes the appropriate PDF RIP to do the work.

## OPTIONS

The following operations are recognized:

- **-1**

  Write Group 3 1D-encoded data to the output file.

- **-2**

  Write Group 3 2D-encoded data to the output file.

- **-3**

  Write Group 4 MMR-encoded data to the output file.

- **-m** *pages*

  Set the maximum number of pages that are permitted in the output file. If more pages are present in the input document then abort processing.

- **-o** *file*

  Write output to the specified *file* instead of the default **pdf.fax** filename.

- **-w** *width*

  Set the output page *width*, in pixels. By default, pages are 1728 pixels wide.

- **-l** *length*

  Set the output page *length* in millimeters. By default, pages are 297 millimeters long.

- **-r** *vres*

  Set the vertical resolution, in lines/inch, at which to image the PDF.

## RUNTIME ENVIRONMENT

Before user-supplied PDF is passed to the PDF interpreter, a limited number of operators are defined. These operators are operators commonly found in a LaserWriter printer and (sometimes) generated by Macintosh-based applications.

The default Display PDF-based execution environment includes support for the following fonts:

```
AvantGarde-Book	Helvetica-Bold	Palatino-BoldItalic
AvantGarde-BookOblique	Helvetica-BoldOblique	Palatino-Italic
AvantGarde-Demi	Helvetica-Narrow	Palatino-Roman
AvantGarde-DemiOblique	Helvetica-Narrow-Bold	StoneSerif
Bookman-Demi	Helvetica-Narrow-BoldOblique	Symbol
Bookman-DemiItalic	Helvetica-Narrow-Oblique	Tekton
Bookman-Light	Helvetica-Oblique	Times-Bold
Bookman-LightItalic	Lithos-Bold	Times-BoldItalic
Courier	NewCenturySchlbk-Bold	Times-Italic
Courier-Bold	NewCenturySchlbk-BoldItalic	Times-Roman
Courier-BoldOblique	NewCenturySchlbk-Italic	ZapfChancery-MediumItalic
Courier-Oblique	NewCenturySchlbk-Roman	ZapfDingbats
Helvetica	Palatino-Bold
```

Note that this is the same set of fonts supported by the DPS extension to the X server.

The default Ghostscript-based environment is more uncertain; consult the Ghostscript documentation for information on what fonts are available.

## BUGS

Output from the Display PDF version of this command is encoded according to the Display PDF binary encoding protocol.

Ghostscript-based versions of this program fail to exit with non-zero status when an invalid PDF document is processed; this makes it problematic for the *HylaFAX* queue manager to determine when a problem arises when preparing a job for transmission.

## SEE ALSO

[*sendfax*(1)](/sendfax/1.md), [*faxq*(8)](/faxq/8.md), *[hylafax-server(5)](/hylafax-server/5.md)*