postmd(1) postmd(1)
NAME
postmd - matrix display program for PostScript printers
SYNOPSIS
/usr/lib/lp/postscript/postmd [options] [files]
DESCRIPTION
The postmd filter reads a series of floating point numbers
from files, translates them into a PostScript gray scale
image, and writes the results on the standard output. In a
typical application the numbers might be the elements of a
large matrix, written in row major order, while the printed
image could help locate patterns in the matrix. If no files
are specified, or if - is one of the input files, the standard
input is read. The following options are understood:
-b num Pack the bitmap in the output file using num byte
patterns. A value of 0 turns off all packing of the
output file. By default, num is 6.
-c num Print num copies of each page. By default, only one
copy is printed.
-d dimen Sets the default matrix dimensions for all input
files to dimen. The dimen string can be given as
rows or rowsxcolumns. If columns is omitted it will
be set to rows. By default, postmd assumes each
matrix is square and sets the number of rows and
columns to the square root of the number of elements
in each input file.
-g list List is a comma or space separated string of
integers, each lying between 0 and 255 inclusive,
that assigns PostScript gray scales to the regions
of the real line selected by the -i option. 255
corresponds to white, and 0, to black. The postmd
filter assigns a default gray scale that omits white
(that is, 255) and gets darker as the regions move
from left to right along the real line.
-i list List is a comma, space or slash(/) separated string
of N floating point numbers that partition the real
line into 2N+1 regions. The list must be given in
increasing numerical order. The partitions are used
to map floating point numbers read from the input
files into gray scale integers that are either
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assigned automatically by postmd or arbitrarily
selected using the -g option. The default interval
list is -1,0,1, which partions the real line into
seven regions.
-m num Magnify each logical page by the factor num. Pages
are scaled uniformly about the origin which, by
default, is located at the center of each page. The
default magnification is 1.0.
-n num Print num logical pages on each piece of paper,
where num can be any positive integer. By default,
num is set to 1.
-o list Print pages whose numbers are given in the comma
separated list. The list contains single numbers N
and ranges N1 - N2. A missing N1 means the lowest
numbered page, a missing N2 means the highest.
-p mode Print files in either portrait or landscape mode.
Only the first character of mode is significant.
The default mode is portrait.
-w window Window is a comma or space separated list of four
positive integers that select the upper left and
lower right corners of a submatrix from each of the
input files. Row and column indices start at 1 in
the upper left corner and the numbers in the input
files are assumed to be written in row major order.
By default, the entire matrix is displayed.
-x num Translate the origin num inches along the positive x
axis. The default coordinate system has the origin
fixed at the center of the page, with positive x to
the right and positive y up the page. Positive num
moves everything right. The default offset is 0
inches.
-y num Translate the origin num inches along the positive y
axis. Positive num moves everything up the page.
The default offset is 0.
Only one matrix is displayed on each logical page, and each of
the input files must contain complete descriptions of exactly
one matrix. Matrix elements are floating point numbers
arranged in row major order in each input file. White space,
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postmd(1) postmd(1)
including newlines, is not used to determine matrix
dimensions. By default, postmd assumes each matrix is square
and sets the number of rows and columns to the square root of
the number of elements in the input file. Supplying default
dimensions on the command line with the -d option overrides
this default behavior, and in that case the dimensions apply
to all input files.
An optional header can be supplied with each input file and is
used to set the matrix dimensions, the partition of the real
line, the gray scale map, and a window into the matrix. The
header consists of keyword/value pairs, each on a separate
line. It begins on the first line of each input file and ends
with the first unrecognized string, which should be the first
matrix element. Values set in the header take precedence, but
apply only to the current input file. Recognized header
keywords are dimension, interval, grayscale, and window. The
syntax of the value string that follows each keyword parallels
what's accepted by the -d, -i, -g, and -w options.
EXAMPLES
For example, suppose file initially contains the 1000 numbers
in a 20x50 matrix. Then you can produce exactly the same
output by completing three steps. First, issue the following
command line:
postmd -d20x50 -i"-100 100" -g0,128,254,128,0 file
Second, prepend the following header to file:
dimension 20x50
interval -100.0 .100e+3
grayscale 0 128 254 128 0
Third, issue the following command line:
postmd file
The interval list partitions the real line into five regions
and the gray scale list maps numbers less than -100 or greater
than 100 into 0 (that is, black), numbers equal to -100 or 100
into 128 (that is, 50 percent black), and numbers between -100
and 100 into 254 (that is, almost white).
NOTICES
The largest matrix that can be adequately displayed is a
function of the interval and gray scale lists, the printer
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postmd(1) postmd(1)
resolution, and the paper size. A 600x600 matrix is an
optimistic upper bound for a two element interval list (that
is, five regions) using 8.5x11 inch paper on a 300 dpi
printer.
Using white (that is, 255) in a gray scale list is not
recommended and won't show up in the legend and bar graph that
postmd displays below each image.
DIAGNOSTICS
An exit status of 0 is returned if files were successfully
processed.
FILES
/usr/lib/lp/postscript/postmd.ps
/usr/lib/lp/postscript/forms.ps
/usr/lib/lp/postscript/ps.requests
REFERENCES
dpost(1), postdaisy(1), postdmd(1), postio(1), postprint(1),
postreverse(1), posttek(1)
Copyright 1994 Novell, Inc. Page 4