.PH "'HDFTOPS(1)'RCD REFERENCE MANUAL PAGES'HDFTOPS(1)'"
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.HI 0
.HU NAME
.SA 1
hdftops - HDF image to PostScript image conversion utility

.HU SYNOPSIS
hdftops  [-vhLl] [-n image_number] [-p palette_file] hdffile outputfile

.HU DESCRIPTION
.SA 1
This RCD utility converts an HDF image to either a PostScript program 
or to a PostScript compatilble hex file.  This conversion will
generate programs that use the colorimage operator (which is not supported by
all PostScript implementations) for 24 bit images and 8 bit images that have
a palette.  The PostScript code will work on printers that do not have the
colorimage operator by doing a color to intensity conversion using the NTSC
constants (0.114 * blue + 0.587 * green + 0.299 * red).  It is not suggested
that the color images be routinely sent to B&W printers as each pixel takes
six bytes (plus a little additional overhead).

.HU "GLOBAL OPTIONS"
.SA 1
The following options affect the global operation of HDFTOPS.
.VL 15
.LI -v: 
verbose (provide descriptive messages)
.LI -h: 
generate hex dump only
.LI -L: 
generate code for legal size paper (default is tabloid size paper)
.LI -l: 
generate code for letter size paper (overrides -L option)
.LI -n image_number: 
indicates which image in the hdffile to convert
.LI -p palette_file: 
indicates that the file palette_file holds the palette to use for 8 bit 
images (overrides the palette in the hdffile), palette is ignored if
image is 24 bit
.LI hdffile 
the HDF input file containing the images and palettes
.LI outfile 
the output file holding the PostScript program or hex format image
.LE

.HU NOTES

The PostScript program may be executed on a Silicon Graphics IRIS, a
Sun SparcStation, or other systems with the NeWS window server by 
using psh.  This will display a B&W version of the image (the colorimage 
operator is not currently supported by NeWS).

The PostScript code will automatically scale the image (preserving the
aspect ratio) and rotate if necessary to produce as large an image as
possible on the largest paper size available.  The default is to assume
tabloid size paper (11x17 inch).  If this size is not supported then the
code will fall back to legal size (8.5x14 inch) and to letter (8.5x11)
as necessary.  The -L option eliminates the test for tabloid support and 
the -l option eliminates all testing for paper size.

.HU BUGS

The PostScript code has been tested on the QMS ColorScript 100 Model 10
and Tektronix Phaser-PX printers and Silicon Graphics IRIS workstations.  
The Phaser-PX does not correctly handle the tabloid size paper code
correctly (it scales and rotates as though it was printing on tabloid
size paper, which it does not support).  To use the Phaser-PX use the
-l or -L option to generate the code for scaling & rotation to the
paper size to used.  Other devices will be tested as they become available.

This program should be modified to support 4bit (12bit for color) output,
to provide some sort of compression, to provide intelligent support for
8bit with palette images, to provide for multiple images on a page, and
to generate B&W format files.

.HU FILES
     /usr/bin/hdftops
     /usr/catman/local/man1/hdftops.1
     /usr/catman/local/cat1/hdftops.1

.HU "SEE ALSO"
     graphics(1) hdf(1) psh(1)
 
     More information about documentation may be obtained by 
     sending e-mail to: 
          root@rcdips.nrl.navy.mil 
 
     Usage questions should be addressed to: 
          root@rcdips.nrl.navy.mil