dvipng: A DVI-to-PNG converter - Summary

This group is not part of the GNU Project.

dvipng
****

This program makes PNG and/or GIF graphics from DVI files as obtained
from TeX and its relatives.

   If GIF support is enabled, GIF output is chosen by using the
`dvigif' binary or with the `--gif' option.

   It is intended to produce anti-aliased screen-resolution images as
fast as is possible. The target audience is people who need to generate
and regenerate many images again and again. The primary target is the
preview-latex (X)Emacs package, a package to preview formulas from
within (X)Emacs. Yes, you get to see your formulas in the (X)Emacs
buffer, see `http://www.gnu.org/software/auctex/preview-latex.html'.

   Another example is WeBWorK, an internet-based method for delivering
homework problems to students over the internet, giving students
instant feedback as to whether or not their answers are correct, see
`http://webwork.math.rochester.edu'.

   A more recent addition to the dvipng-using applications out there is
MediaWiki, the software behind Wikipedia and many other wikis out
there. Dvipng is used to render mathematical formulae from version
1.8.0 of MediaWiki, see `http://www.mediawiki.org'.

   Other applications may also benefit, like web applications as
latex2html and WYSIWYG editors like LyX.

Benefits of dvipng
==================

   The benefits of `dvipng'/`dvigif' include

   * Speed. It is a very fast bitmap-rendering code for DVI files, which
     makes it suitable for generating large amounts of images
     on-the-fly, as needed in preview-latex, WeBWorK and others.

   * It does not read the postamble, so it can be started before TeX
     finishes. There is a `--follow' switch that makes dvipng wait at
     end-of-file for further output, unless it finds the POST marker
     that indicates the end of the DVI.

   * Interactive query of options. dvipng can read options interactively
     through stdin, and all options are usable. It is even possible to
     change the input file through this interface.

   * Supports PK, VF, PostScript Type1, and TrueType fonts, subfonts
     (i.e., as used in CJK-LaTeX), color specials, and inclusion of
     PostScript, PNG, JPEG or GIF images.

   * and more...

Registration Date: Mon 13 Dec 2004 01:37:44 PM UTC
License: GNU Lesser General Public License
Development Status: 5 - Production/Stable