---
name: "showtree"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "prime-phylo"
version: "1.0.11-13+b1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/showtree"
---

# showtree(1)

View and/or convert phylogenetic trees in the terminal.

## NAME

showtree - View and/or convert phylogenetic trees in the terminal.

## SYNOPSIS

**showtree** \[*OPTIONS*\] *\[treefile*\]

## DESCRIPTION

View and/or convert phylogenetic trees in the terminal.

*treefile* is the filename of the for the file containing trees in PRIME format.

## OPTIONS

- **--help**

  Display help (this text).

- **-V**, **--version**

  Print version and exit

- **-e**, **--show-edgetimes**

  Show edge times

- **-n**, **-show-nodetimes**

  Show node times

- **-b**, **--show-edgeweights**

  Show edge weights (i.e. branch lengths)

- **-x**, **--show-tot-edgetime**

  Show total edge time instead of tree

- **-y**, **--show-tot-edgeweight**

  Show total edge weight instead of tree

- **-c**, **--read-edge-times-after-colon**

  Read edge times after colon

- **-p**, **--convert-and-output-tree-in-prime-format**

  Convert and output tree in PRIME format

- **-i**, **--show-id**

  Show ID (only valid together with -p)

- **-S**, **--read-tree-from-stdin**

  Read tree from STDIN (no \<treefile\> nor \<tree\> needed)

- **-f**, **--format** **asciidrawing\|prime\|newick\|simplenewick**

  The output format. Default is asciidrawing. Output formats:

  newick - convert and output tree in NEWICK format

  simplenewick - Simple newick format, no branch lengths. This also enables reading of unbalanced trees.

  prime - prime format

  asciidrawing - an ascii drawing

- **-t**, **--tree-number**

  Use the tree with this number. If not set all trees will be printed out.

- **-t**, **--tree-number**

  Use the tree with this number. If not set all trees will be printed out.

## EXIT STATUS

- **0**

  Successful program execution.

- **1**

  Some error occurred

## URL

- The prime-phylo home page: http://prime.sbc.su.se

  ## SEE ALSO

[**primeDTLSR**(1)](/primeDTLSR/1.md), [**primeDLRS**(1)](/primeDLRS/1.md), [**primeGEM**(1)](/primeGEM/1.md), [**chainsaw**(1)](/chainsaw/1.md), [**reconcile**(1)](/reconcile/1.md), [**reroot**(1)](/reroot/1.md), [**tree2leafnames**(1)](/tree2leafnames/1.md), [**treesize**(1)](/treesize/1.md)