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59<p class="text-center"><a href="command-line-processing.html#anatomy">The Anatomy of the Command-line</a> • <a href="command-line-processing.html#input">Input Filename</a> • <a href="command-line-processing.html#option">Command-line Options</a> • <a href="command-line-processing.html#output">Output Filename</a></p>
60
61<p class="lead magick-description">The ImageMagick command-line <a href="command-line-tools.html">tools</a> can be as simple as this:</p>
62
63<pre>
64convert image.jpg image.png
65</pre>
66
67<p>Or it can be complex with a plethora of <a href="command-line-processing.html#option">options</a>, as in the following:</p>
68
69<pre>
70convert label.gif +matte \
71  \( +clone  -shade 110x90 -normalize -negate +clone  -compose Plus -composite \) \
72  \( -clone 0 -shade 110x50 -normalize -channel BG -fx 0 +channel -matte \) \
73  -delete 0 +swap  -compose Multiply -composite  button.gif");
74</pre>
75
76<p class="bg-info">This example command is long enough that the command must be written across several lines, so we formatted it for clarity by inserting backslashes (<code>\</code>). The backslash is the Unix <var>line-continuation</var> character. In the Windows shell, use a carat character (<code>^</code>) for line-continuation. We use the Unix style on these web pages, as above. Sometimes, however, the lines are wrapped by your browser if the browser window is small enough, but the command-lines, shown in white, are still intended to be typed as one line. Line continuation characters need not be entered. The <var>parentheses</var> that are <var>escaped</var> above using the backslash are not escaped in Windows. There are some other differences between Windows and Unix (involving quotation marks, for instance), but we'll discuss some of those issues later, as they arise. </p>
77
78<p>Without knowing much about the ImageMagick command-line, you can probably surmise that the first command above converts an image in the JPEG format to one in the PNG format.  However, very few may realize the second, more complex command, gives a flat two-dimensional label a three-dimensional look with rich textures and simulated depth:</p>
79
80<ul>
81  <a href="../images/label.gif"><img src="../images/label.gif" width="78" height="53" alt="label" /></a>
82<img style="margin-top:16px; margin-bottom:17px;" src="../images/right.gif" width="20" height="20" alt="==>" />
83  <a href="../images/button.gif">
84  <img src="../images/button.gif" width="78" height="53" alt="button" /></a>
85</ul>
86
87
88<p>Here we show percent completion of a task as a shaded cylinder:</p>
89
90<ul>
91  <img src="../images/cylinder_shaded.png" width="320" height="200" alt="Shaded Cylinder" />
92</ul>
93
94<p>Given the complexity of the rendering, you might be surprised it is accomplished by a single command-line:</p>
95
96<pre>
97convert -size 320x90 canvas:none -stroke snow4 -size 1x90 -tile gradient:white-snow4 \
98  -draw 'roundrectangle 16, 5, 304, 85 20,40' +tile -fill snow \
99  -draw 'roundrectangle 264, 5, 304, 85  20,40' -tile gradient:chartreuse-green \
100  -draw 'roundrectangle 16,  5, 180, 85  20,40' -tile gradient:chartreuse1-chartreuse3 \
101  -draw 'roundrectangle 140, 5, 180, 85  20,40' +tile -fill none \
102  -draw 'roundrectangle 264, 5, 304, 85 20,40' -strokewidth 2 \
103  -draw 'roundrectangle 16, 5, 304, 85 20,40' \( +clone -background snow4 \
104  -shadow 80x3+3+3 \) +swap -background none -layers merge \( +size -font Helvetica \
105  -pointsize 90 -strokewidth 1 -fill red label:'50 %' -trim +repage \( +clone \
106  -background firebrick3 -shadow 80x3+3+3 \) +swap -background none -layers merge \) \
107  -insert 0 -gravity center -append -background white -gravity center -extent 320x200 \
108  cylinder_shaded.png
109</pre>
110
111<p>In the next sections we dissect the anatomy of the ImageMagick command-line.  Hopefully, after carefully reading and better understanding how the command-line works, you should be able to accomplish complex image-processing tasks without resorting to the sometimes daunting <a href="api.html">program interfaces</a>.</p>
112
113<p>See <a href="http://www.imagemagick.org/Usage/">Examples of ImageMagick Usage</a> for additional help when using ImageMagick from the command-line.</p>
114
115<h2 class="magick-header"><a id="anatomy"></a>The Anatomy of the Command-line</h2>
116<p>The ImageMagick command-line consists of</p>
117
118<ol>
119<li>one or more required input filenames.</li>
120<li>zero, one, or more image settings.</li>
121<li>zero, one, or more image operators.</li>
122<li>zero, one, or more image sequence operators.</li>
123<li>zero, one, or more image stacks.</li>
124<li>zero or one output image filenames (required by
125<a href="convert.html">convert</a>,
126<a href="composite.html">composite</a>,
127<a href="montage.html">montage</a>,
128<a href="compare.html">compare</a>,
129<a href="import.html">import</a>,
130<a href="conjure.html">conjure</a>).
131</li>
132</ol>
133
134<p>You can find a detailed explanation of each of the constituent parts of the command-line in the sections that follow.</p>
135
136<h2 class="magick-header"><a id="input"></a>Input Filename</h2>
137
138<p>ImageMagick extends the concept of an input filename to include:</p>
139<ul>
140<li>filename globbing</li>
141<li>an explicit image format</li>
142<li>using built-in images and patterns</li>
143<li>STDIN, STDOUT, and file descriptors</li>
144<li>selecting certain frames from an image</li>
145<li>selecting a region of an image</li>
146<li>forcing an inline image resize</li>
147<li>forcing an inline image crop</li>
148<li>using filename references</li>
149</ul>
150
151<p>These extensions are explained in the next few paragraphs.</p>
152
153<h4>Filename Globbing</h4>
154<p>In Unix shells, certain characters such as the asterisk (<code>*</code>) and question mark (<code>?</code>) automagically cause lists of filenames to be generated based on pattern matches. This feature is known as globbing.  ImageMagick supports filename globbing for systems, such as Windows, that does not natively support it.  For example, suppose you want to convert <code>1.jpg</code>, <code>2.jpg</code>, <code>3.jpg</code>, <code>4.jpg</code>, and <code>5.jpg</code> in your current directory to a GIF animation.  You can conveniently  refer to all of the JPEG files with this command:
155</p>
156
157<pre>
158convert *.jpg images.gif
159</pre>
160
161<h4>Explicit Image Format</h4>
162<p>Images are stored in a myriad of image formats including
163the better known JPEG, PNG, TIFF and others.  ImageMagick must know the format
164of the image before it can be read and processed.  Most formats have a
165signature within the image that uniquely identifies the format.  Failing
166that, ImageMagick leverages the filename extension to determine the format.
167For example, <code>image.jpg</code> or <code>image.JPG</code> tells ImageMagick
168it is reading an image in the JPEG format. </p>
169
170                <p>In some cases the image may not contain a signature
171and/or the filename does not identify the image format.  In these cases an
172explicit image format must be specified.  For example, suppose our image
173is named <code>image</code> and contains raw red, green, and blue intensity
174values.  ImageMagick has no way to automagically determine the image format
175so we explicitly set one:
176</p>
177
178<pre>
179convert -size 640x480 -depth 8 rgb:image image.png
180</pre>
181
182<h4>Built-in Images and Patterns</h4>
183
184<p>ImageMagick has a number of built-in <a href="formats.html#builtin-images">images</a> and <a href="formats.html#builtin-patterns">patterns</a>.  To utilize the checkerboard pattern, for example, use:
185</p>
186
187<pre>
188convert -size 640x480 pattern:checkerboard checkerboard.png
189</pre>
190
191<h4>STDIN, STDOUT, and file descriptors</h4>
192<p>Unix and Windows permit the output of one command to be piped to the input of another. ImageMagick permits image data to be read and written from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_streams">standard streams</a> STDIN (<var>standard in</var>) and STDOUT (<var>standard out</var>), respectively, using a pseudo-filename of <code>-</code>.  In this example we pipe the output of
193  <a href="convert.html">convert</a> to the <a href="display.html">display</a> program:
194</p>
195
196<pre>
197convert logo: gif:- | display gif:-
198</pre>
199
200<p>The second explicit format "<code>gif:</code>" is optional in the preceding example.  The GIF image format has a unique signature within the image so ImageMagick's <a href="display.html">display</a> command can readily recognize the format as GIF.  The <a href="convert.html">convert</a> program also accepts STDIN as input in this way:
201</p>
202
203<pre>
204convert rose: gif:- | convert - -resize "200%" bigrose.jpg'
205</pre>
206
207<p>Other pipes can be accessed via their <var>file descriptors</var> (as of version 6.4.9-3). The file descriptors 0, 1, and 2 are reserved for the standard streams STDIN, STDOUT, and STDERR, respectively, but a pipe associated with a file descriptor number <var>N</var>&gt;2 can be accessed using the pseudonym <code>fd:</code><var>N</var>. (The pseudonyms <code>fd:0</code> and <code>fd:1</code> can be used for STDIN and STDOUT.) The next example shows how to append image data piped from files with  descriptors 3 and 4 and direct the result to the file with descriptor number 5.
208</p>
209
210<pre>
211convert fd:3 fd:4 -append fd:5
212</pre>
213
214<p>When needed, explicit image formats can be given as mentioned earlier, as in the following.
215</p>
216
217<pre>
218convert gif:fd:3 jpg:fd:4 -append tif:fd:5
219</pre>
220
221<h4>Selecting Frames</h4>
222<p>Some images formats contain more than one image frame.  Perhaps you only want the first image, or the last, or some number of images in-between.  You can specify which image frames to read by appending the image filename with the frame range enclosed in brackets.  Here our image (an animated GIF) contains more than one frame but we only want the first:
223</p>
224
225<pre>
226convert 'images.gif[0]' image.png
227</pre>
228
229<p class="bg-info">Unix shells generally interpret brackets so we enclosed the filename in quotes above.
230In a Windows command shell the brackets are not interpreted but using quotes doesn't hurt. However, in most cases the roles of single-quotes and double-quotes are reversed with respect to Unix and Windows, so Windows users should usually try double-quotes where we display single-quotes, and vice versa.
231</p>
232
233<p>You can read more than one image from a sequence with a frame range.  For example, you can extract the first four frames of an image sequence:
234</p>
235
236<pre>
237convert 'images.gif[0-3]' images.mng
238</pre>
239
240<p>Finally, you can read more than one image from a sequence, out-of-order. The next command gets the third image in the sequence, followed by the second, and then the fourth:
241</p>
242
243<pre>
244convert 'images.gif[3,2,4]' images.mng
245</pre>
246
247<p>Notice that in the last two commands, a single image is written. The output in this case, where the image type is MNG, is a multi-frame file because the MNG format supports multiple frames. Had the output format been JPG, which only supports single frames, the output would have consisted of separate frames. More about that below, in the section about the <a href="command-line-processing.html#output">Output Filename</a>.
248</p>
249
250<h4>Selecting an Image Region</h4>
251<p>Raw images are a sequence of color intensities without additional meta information such as width, height, or image signature.  With raw image formats, you must specify the image width and height but you can also specify a region of the image to read.  In our example, the image is in the raw 8-bit RGB format and is 6000 pixels wide and 4000 pixels high.  However, we only want a region of 600 by 400 near the center of the image:
252</p>
253
254<pre>
255convert -size 6000x4000 -depth 8 \
256  'rgb:image[600x400+1900+2900]' image.jpg
257</pre>
258
259<p>
260  You can get the same results with the <a href="command-line-options.html#extract">&#x2011;extract</a> option:
261</p>
262
263<pre>
264convert -size 6000x4000 -depth 8 \
265  -extract 600x400+1900+2900 rgb:image image.jpg
266</pre>
267
268<h4>Inline Image Resize</h4>
269<p>It is sometimes convenient to resize an image as they are read.  Suppose you have hundreds of large JPEG images you want to convert to a sequence of PNG thumbails:
270</p>
271
272<pre>
273convert '*.jpg' -resize 120x120 thumbnail%03d.png
274</pre>
275
276<p>Here <var>all</var> the images are read and subsequently
277resized.  It is faster and less resource intensive to resize each image it
278is read:
279</p>
280
281<pre>
282convert '*.jpg[120x120]' thumbnail%03d.png
283</pre>
284
285<h4>Inline Image Crop</h4>
286<p>It is sometimes convenient to crop an image as they are read.  Suppose you have hundreds of large JPEG images you want to convert to a sequence of PNG thumbails:
287</p>
288
289<pre>
290convert '*.jpg' -crop 120x120+10+5 thumbnail%03d.png
291</pre>
292
293<p>Here <var>all</var> the images are read and subsequently cropped.  It is faster and less resource-intensive to crop each image as it is read:
294</p>
295
296<pre>
297convert '*.jpg[120x120+10+5]' thumbnail%03d.png
298</pre>
299
300
301<h4>Filename References</h4>
302
303<p>There are two methods to use a filename to reference other image filenames.
304The first is with '<code>@</code>' which reads image filenames separated by white space from the specified file.  Assume the file <code>myimages.txt</code> consists of a list of filenames, like so:
305</p>
306
307<pre>
308frame001.jpg
309frame002.jpg
310frame003.jpg
311</pre>
312
313<p>We then expect this command:</p>
314
315<pre>
316convert @myimages.txt mymovie.gif
317</pre>
318
319<p>to read the images <code>frame001.jpg</code>, <code>frame002.jpg</code>, and <code>frame003.jpg</code> and convert them to a GIF image sequence.  </p>
320<p>If the image path includes one or more spaces, enclose the path in quotes:</p>
321<pre>
322'my title.jpg'
323</pre>
324
325
326    <p>Some ImageMagick command-line <a href="command-line-options.html">options</a> may exceed the capabilities of
327your command-line processor.  Windows, for example, limits command-lines
328to 8192 characters.  If, for example, you have a draw option with polygon
329points that exceed the command-line length limit, put the draw option instead
330in a file and reference the file with
331the <code>@</code> (e.g. <code>@mypoly.txt</code>).</p>
332
333<p>Another method of referring to other image files is by
334embedding a formatting character in the filename with a scene range.  Consider
335the filename <code>image-%d.jpg[1-5]</code>. The command</p>
336
337<pre>
338convert image-%d.jpg[1-5]
339</pre>
340
341<p>causes ImageMagick to attempt to read images with these filenames:
342</p>
343
344<pre>
345image-1.jpg
346image-2.jpg
347image-3.jpg
348image-4.jpg
349image-5.jpg
350</pre>
351
352<h4>Stream Buffering</h4>
353<p>By default, the input stream is buffered.  To ensure information on the source file or terminal is read as soon as its available, set the buffer size to 0:</p>
354
355<pre>
356convert logo: gif:- | display -define stream:buffer-size=0 gif:-
357</pre>
358
359<h2 class="magick-header"><a id="option"></a>Command-line Options</h2>
360
361<p>You can direct the behavior of ImageMagick utilities with these command-line <a href="command-line-options.html">options</a>.  The behavior of an option falls into one of these categories:</p>
362
363<ul>
364<li><a href="command-line-processing.html#setting">Image Setting</a></li>
365<li><a href="command-line-processing.html#operator">Image Operator</a></li>
366<li><a href="command-line-processing.html#sequence">Image Sequence Operator</a></li>
367<li><a href="command-line-processing.html#geometry">Image Geometry</a></li>
368<li><a href="command-line-processing.html#stack">Image Stack</a></li>
369</ul>
370
371<h4 class="magick-header"><a id="setting"></a>Image Setting</h4>
372
373<p>An image setting persists as it appears on the command-line and may affect
374subsequent processing such as reading an image, an image operator, or when
375writing an image as appropriate.  An image setting stays in effect until it
376is reset or the command-line terminates.  The image settings include:</p>
377
378<ul>
379<a href="command-line-options.html#adjoin">&#x2011;adjoin</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#affine">&#x2011;affine</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#alpha">&#x2011;alpha</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#alpha-color">&#x2011;alpha&#x2011;color</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#antialias">&#x2011;antialias</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#authenticate">&#x2011;authenticate</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#background">&#x2011;background</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#bias">&#x2011;bias</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#black-point-compensation">&#x2011;black&#x2011;point&#x2011;compensation</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#blue-primary">&#x2011;blue&#x2011;primary</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#bordercolor">&#x2011;bordercolor</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#caption">&#x2011;caption</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#channel">&#x2011;channel</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#comment">&#x2011;comment</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#compress">&#x2011;compress</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#debug">&#x2011;debug</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#define">&#x2011;define</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#delay">&#x2011;delay</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#density">&#x2011;density</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#depth">&#x2011;depth</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#direction">&#x2011;direction</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#display">&#x2011;display</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#dispose">&#x2011;dispose</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#dither">&#x2011;dither</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#encoding">&#x2011;encoding</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#endian">&#x2011;endian</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#extract">&#x2011;extract</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#family">&#x2011;family</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#fill">&#x2011;fill</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#filter">&#x2011;filter</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#font">&#x2011;font</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#format">&#x2011;format</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#fuzz">&#x2011;fuzz</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#geometry">&#x2011;geometry</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#gravity">&#x2011;gravity</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#green-primary">&#x2011;green&#x2011;primary</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#interlace">&#x2011;interlace</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#intent">&#x2011;intent</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#interpolate">&#x2011;interpolate</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#label">&#x2011;label</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#limit">&#x2011;limit</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#linewidth">&#x2011;linewidth</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#log">&#x2011;log</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#loop">&#x2011;loop</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#mask">&#x2011;mask</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#mattecolor">&#x2011;mattecolor</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#monitor">&#x2011;monitor</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#orient">&#x2011;orient</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#page">&#x2011;page</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#pointsize">&#x2011;pointsize</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#preview">&#x2011;preview</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#quality">&#x2011;quality</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#quiet">&#x2011;quiet</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#red-primary">&#x2011;red&#x2011;primary</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#region">&#x2011;region</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#render">&#x2011;render</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#repage">&#x2011;repage</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#sampling-factor">&#x2011;sampling&#x2011;factor</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#scene">&#x2011;scene</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#seed">&#x2011;seed</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#size">&#x2011;size</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#stretch">&#x2011;stretch</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#stroke">&#x2011;stroke</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#strokewidth">&#x2011;strokewidth</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#style">&#x2011;style</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#texture">&#x2011;texture</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#tile">&#x2011;tile</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#transparent-color">&#x2011;transparent&#x2011;color</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#treedepth">&#x2011;treedepth</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#type">&#x2011;type</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#undercolor">&#x2011;undercolor</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#units">&#x2011;units</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#verbose">&#x2011;verbose</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#virtual-pixel">&#x2011;virtual&#x2011;pixel</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#weight">&#x2011;weight</a> </ul>
380
381<p>In this example, <var>-channel</var> applies to each of the images, since, as we mentioned, settings persist:
382</p>
383
384<pre>
385convert -channel RGB wand.png wizard.png images.png
386</pre>
387
388<h4 class="magick-header"><a id="operator"></a>Image Operator</h4>
389
390<p>An image operator differs from a setting in that it affects the image
391immediately as it appears on the command-line.  An operator is
392any command-line <a href="command-line-options.html">option</a> not listed as a
393<a href="command-line-processing.html#setting">image setting</a> or
394<a href="command-line-processing.html#sequence">image sequence operator</a>.  Unlike an
395image setting, which persists until the command-line terminates,
396an operator is applied to an image and forgotten.  The image operators
397include:</p>
398
399<ul>
400<a href="command-line-options.html#annotate">&#x2011;annotate</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#black-threshold">&#x2011;black&#x2011;threshold</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#blur">&#x2011;blur</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#border">&#x2011;border</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#charcoal">&#x2011;charcoal</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#chop">&#x2011;chop</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#clip">&#x2011;clip</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#clip-path">&#x2011;clip&#x2011;path</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#clip-mask">&#x2011;clip&#x2011;mask</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#colors">&#x2011;colors</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#colorize">&#x2011;colorize</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#colorspace">&#x2011;colorspace</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#compose">&#x2011;compose</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#contrast">&#x2011;contrast</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#convolve">&#x2011;convolve</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#crop">&#x2011;crop</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#cycle">&#x2011;cycle</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#despeckle">&#x2011;despeckle</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#draw">&#x2011;draw</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#edge">&#x2011;edge</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#emboss">&#x2011;emboss</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#enhance">&#x2011;enhance</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#equalize">&#x2011;equalize</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#evaluate">&#x2011;evaluate</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#extent">&#x2011;extent</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#flip">&#x2011;flip</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#flop">&#x2011;flop</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#floodfill">&#x2011;floodfill</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#frame">&#x2011;frame</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#gamma">&#x2011;gamma</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#gaussian-blur">&#x2011;gaussian&#x2011;blur</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#grayscale">&#x2011;grayscale</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#implode">&#x2011;implode</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#lat">&#x2011;lat</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#level">&#x2011;level</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#map">&#x2011;map</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#median">&#x2011;median</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#modulate">&#x2011;modulate</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#monochrome">&#x2011;monochrome</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#negate">&#x2011;negate</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#noise">&#x2011;noise</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#normalize">&#x2011;normalize</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#opaque">&#x2011;opaque</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#ordered-dither">&#x2011;ordered&#x2011;dither</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#paint">&#x2011;paint</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#posterize">&#x2011;posterize</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#raise">&#x2011;raise</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#profile">&#x2011;profile</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#radial-blur">&#x2011;radial&#x2011;blur</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#raise">&#x2011;raise</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#random-threshold">&#x2011;random&#x2011;threshold</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#resample">&#x2011;resample</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#resize">&#x2011;resize</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#roll">&#x2011;roll</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#rotate">&#x2011;rotate</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#sample">&#x2011;sample</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#scale">&#x2011;scale</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#sepia-tone">&#x2011;sepia&#x2011;tone</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#segment">&#x2011;segment</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#shade">&#x2011;shade</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#shadow">&#x2011;shadow</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#sharpen">&#x2011;sharpen</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#shave">&#x2011;shave</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#shear">&#x2011;shear</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#sigmoidal-contrast">&#x2011;sigmoidal&#x2011;contrast</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#solarize">&#x2011;solarize</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#splice">&#x2011;splice</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#spread">&#x2011;spread</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#strip">&#x2011;strip</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#swirl">&#x2011;swirl</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#threshold">&#x2011;threshold</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#transparent">&#x2011;transparent</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#thumbnail">&#x2011;thumbnail</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#tint">&#x2011;tint</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#transform">&#x2011;transform</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#trim">&#x2011;trim</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#unsharp">&#x2011;unsharp</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#version">&#x2011;version</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#wave">&#x2011;wave</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#white-point">&#x2011;white&#x2011;point</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#white-threshold">&#x2011;white&#x2011;threshold</a> </ul>
401
402<p>In this example, <var>-negate</var> negates the wand image but not the wizard:</p>
403
404<pre>
405convert wand.png -negate wizard.png images.png
406</pre>
407
408<h4 class="magick-header"><a id="sequence"></a>Image Sequence Operator</h4>
409
410<p>An image sequence operator differs from a setting in that it affects an
411image sequence immediately as it appears on the command-line.  Choose from
412these image sequence operators:</p>
413
414<ul>
415<a href="command-line-options.html#append">&#x2011;append</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#affinity">&#x2011;affinity</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#average">&#x2011;average</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#clut">&#x2011;clut</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#coalesce">&#x2011;coalesce</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#combine">&#x2011;combine</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#compare">&#x2011;compare</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#complex">&#x2011;complex</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#composite">&#x2011;composite</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#copy">&#x2011;copy</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#crop">&#x2011;crop</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#debug">&#x2011;debug</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#deconstruct">&#x2011;deconstruct</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#delete">&#x2011;delete</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#evaluate-sequence">&#x2011;evaluate&#x2011;sequence</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#fft">&#x2011;fft</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#flatten">&#x2011;flatten</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#fx">&#x2011;fx</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#hald-clut">&#x2011;hald&#x2011;clut</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#ift">&#x2011;ift</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#identify">&#x2011;identify</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#insert">&#x2011;insert</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#layers">&#x2011;layers</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#limit">&#x2011;limit</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#map">&#x2011;map</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#maximum">&#x2011;maximum</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#minimum">&#x2011;minimum</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#morph">&#x2011;morph</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#mosaic">&#x2011;mosaic</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#optimize">&#x2011;optimize</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#print">&#x2011;print</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#process">&#x2011;process</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#quiet">&#x2011;quiet</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#separate">&#x2011;separate</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#swap">&#x2011;swap</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#write">&#x2011;write</a> </ul>
416<p>In this example, <var>-append</var> appends three images into one:</p>
417
418<pre>
419convert mikayla.png picnic.png beach.png -append vacation.png
420</pre>
421
422<h4 class="magick-header"><a id="geometry"></a>Image Geometry</h4>
423
424<p>Many command-line <a href="command-line-options.html">options</a> take a <var>geometry</var> argument
425to specify such things as the desired width and height of an image and other
426dimensional quantities. Because users want so many variations on the resulting
427dimensions, sizes, and positions of images (and because ImageMagick wants to
428provide them), the <var>geometry</var> argument can take many
429forms. We describe many of these in this section. </p>
430
431<p>The image options and settings that take some form of
432a <var>geometry</var> argument include the following.
433Keep in mind that some of these parse their arguments in slightly
434different ways. See the documentation for the individual option or
435setting for more specifics.</p>
436
437<ul>
438<a href="command-line-options.html#adaptive-resize">&#x2011;adaptive&#x2011;resize</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#border">&#x2011;border</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#borderwidth">&#x2011;borderwidth</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#chop">&#x2011;chop</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#crop">&#x2011;crop</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#density">&#x2011;density</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#extent">&#x2011;extent</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#extract">&#x2011;extract</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#frame">&#x2011;frame</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#geometry">&#x2011;geometry</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#iconGeometry">&#x2011;iconGeometry</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#liquid-rescale">&#x2011;liquid&#x2011;rescale</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#page">&#x2011;page</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#region">&#x2011;region</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#repage">&#x2011;repage</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#resize">&#x2011;resize</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#sample">&#x2011;sample</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#scale">&#x2011;scale</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#shave">&#x2011;shave</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#splice">&#x2011;splice</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#thumbnail">&#x2011;thumbnail</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#window">&#x2011;window</a> </ul>
439
440<p>The <var>geometry</var> argument might take any of the forms listed in the table below. These will described in more detail in the subsections following the table. The usual form is <var>size</var>[<var>offset</var>], meaning <var>size</var> is required and <var>offset</var> is optional. Occasionally, [<var>size</var>]<var>offset</var> is possible. In no cases are spaces permitted within the <var>geometry</var> argument.</p>
441
442
443<div class="table-responsive">
444<table class="table table-condensed table-striped">
445  <col width="20%"/> <col width="80%"/>
446  <thead>
447  <tr>
448    <th style="text-align:center"><var>size</var></th>
449    <th>General description (actual behavior can vary for different options and settings)</th>
450  </tr>
451  </thead>
452  <tbody>
453  <tr>
454    <td><var>scale</var>%</td>
455    <td>Height and width both scaled by specified percentage.</td>
456  </tr>
457  <tr>
458    <td><var>scale-x</var>%x<var>scale-y</var>%</td>
459    <td>Height and width individually scaled by specified percentages. (Only one % symbol needed.)</td>
460  </tr>
461  <tr>
462    <td><var>width</var></td>
463    <td>Width given, height automagically selected to preserve aspect ratio.</td>
464  </tr>
465  <tr>
466    <td>x<var>height</var></td>
467    <td>Height given, width automagically selected to preserve aspect ratio.</td>
468  </tr>
469  <tr>
470    <td><var>width</var>x<var>height</var></td>
471    <td>Maximum values of height and width given, aspect ratio preserved.</td>
472  </tr>
473  <tr>
474    <td><var>width</var>x<var>height</var>^</td>
475    <td>Minimum values of width and height given, aspect ratio preserved.</td>
476  </tr>
477  <tr>
478    <td><var>width</var>x<var>height</var>!</td>
479    <td>Width and height emphatically given, original aspect ratio ignored.</td>
480  </tr>
481  <tr>
482    <td><var>width</var>x<var>height</var>&gt;</td>
483    <td>Shrinks an image with dimension(s) <b>larger</b> than the corresponding <var>width</var> and/or <var>height</var> argument(s).</td>
484  </tr>
485  <tr>
486    <td><var>width</var>x<var>height</var>&lt;</td>
487    <td>Enlarges an image with dimension(s) <b>smaller</b> than the corresponding <var>width</var> and/or <var>height</var> argument(s).</td>
488  </tr>
489  <tr>
490    <td><var>area</var>@</td>
491    <td>Resize image to have specified area in pixels. Aspect ratio is preserved.</td>
492  </tr>
493  <tr>
494    <td>{<var>size</var>}{<var>offset</var>}</td>
495    <td>Specifying the <var>offset</var> (default is <code>+0+0</code>). Below, {<var>size</var>} refers to any of the forms above.</td>
496  </tr>
497  <tr>
498    <td>{<var>size</var>}{<var>+-</var>}<var>x</var>{<var>+-</var>}<var>y</var></td>
499    <td>Horizontal and vertical offsets <var>x</var> and <var>y</var>, specified in pixels. Signs are required for both. Offsets are affected by <a href="command-line-options.html#gravity">&#x2011;gravity</a> setting. Offsets are not affected by <code>%</code> or other <var>size</var> operators.</td>
500  </tr>
501 </tbody>
502</table></div>
503
504
505<h4>Basic adjustments to width and height; the operators <code>%</code>, <code>^</code>, and <code>!</code> </h4>
506<p>Here, just below, are a few simple examples of <var>geometry</var>, showing how it might be used as an argument to the <a href="command-line-options.html#resize">&#x2011;resize</a> option. We'll use the internal image <code>logo:</code> for our input image.
507<a href="../images/logo.png">
508This fine image</a> is 640 pixels wide and 480 pixels high. We say its <var>dimensions</var> are 640x480. When we give dimensions of an image, the width (the horizontal dimension) always precedes the height (the vertical dimension). This will be true when we speak of coordinates or <var>offsets</var> into an image, which will always be <var>x</var>–value followed by <var>y</var>. Just think of your high school algebra classes and the <var>xy</var>–plane. (Well, almost: our <var>y</var>–axis will always go downward!)
509</p>
510
511<pre>
512convert logo: -resize '200%' bigWiz.png
513convert logo: -resize '200x50%' longShortWiz.png
514convert logo: -resize '100x200' notThinWiz.png
515convert logo: -resize '100x200^' biggerNotThinWiz.png
516convert logo: -resize '100x200!' dochThinWiz.png
517</pre>
518
519<p>The first of the four commands is simple—it stretches both the width and height of the input image by <code>200%</code> in each direction; it magnifies the whole thing by a factor of two. The second command specifies different percentages for each direction, stretching the width to <code>200</code>% and squashing the height to <code>50%</code>. The resulting image (in this example) has dimensions 1280x240. Notice that the percent symbol needn't be repeated; the following are equivalent: <code>200x50%</code>, <code>200%x50</code>, <code>200%x50%</code>.
520</p>
521
522<p>By default, the width and height given in a <var>geometry</var> argument are <var>maximum</var> values unless a percentage is specified. That is, the image is expanded or contracted to fit the specified width and height value while maintaining the <var>aspect ratio</var> (the ratio of its height to its width) of the image. For instance, the third command above "tries" to set the dimensions to <code>100x200</code>. Imagine gradually shrinking the original image (which is 640x480), keeping is aspect ratio constant, until it just fits into a 100x200 rectangle. Since the image is longer than it is tall, it will fit when its width shrinks to 100 pixels. To preserve the aspect ratio, the height will therefore have to be (480/640)×100 pixels=75 pixels, so the final dimensions will be 100x75.</p>
523
524<p> Notice that in the previous example, at least one of the specified dimensions will be attained (in this case, the width, 100 pixels). The resulting image fits snugly within the original. One can do just the opposite of this by invoking the <code>^</code> operator, as in the fourth example above. In that case, when <code>100x200^</code> is given as the argument, again at least one of the dimensions will be attained, but in this case the resulting image can snugly contain the original. Here the <var>geometry</var> argument gives <var>minimum</var> values. In our example, the height will become 200 and the width will be scaled to preserve the aspect ratio, becoming (640/480)×200 pixels=267 pixels. With the <code>^</code> operator, one of those dimensions will match the requested size, but the image will likely overflow the dimensions requested to preserve its aspect ratio. (The <code>^</code> feature is new as of IM 6.3.8-2.)</p>
525
526<p>We see that ImageMagick is very good about preserving aspect ratios of images, to prevent distortion of your favorite photos and images. But you might really want the dimensions to be <code>100x200</code>, thereby stretching the image. In this case just tell ImageMagick you really mean it (!) by appending an exclamation operator to the geometry. This will force the image size to exactly what you specify. So, for example, if you specify <code>100x200!</code> the dimensions will become exactly 100x200 (giving a small, vertically elongated wizard).</p>
527
528<h4>Bounding the width, height, and area; the operators <code>&gt;</code>, <code>&lt;</code>, and <code>@</code> </h4>
529<p>
530Here are a few more examples:
531</p>
532
533<pre>
534convert logo: -resize '100' wiz1.png
535convert logo: -resize 'x200' wiz2.png
536convert logo: -resize '100x200&gt;' wiz3.png
537convert logo: -resize '100x200&lt;' wiz4.png
538</pre>
539
540<p>If only one dimension is given it is taken to be the width. When only the width is specified, as in the first example above, the width is accepted as given and the height is chosen to maintain the aspect ratio of the input image. Similarly, if only the height is specified, as in the second example above, the height is accepted and the width is chosen to maintain the aspect ratio.</p>
541
542
543<p>Use <code>&gt;</code> to shrink an image <var>only</var> if its dimension(s) are <b>larger</b> than the corresponding <var>width</var> and/or <var>height</var> arguments. Use <code>&lt;</code> to enlarge an image <var>only</var> if its dimension(s) are <b>smaller</b> than the corresponding <var>width</var> and/or <var>height</var> arguments.  In either case, if a change is made, the result is as if the <code>&gt;</code> or <code>&lt;</code> operator was not present. So, in the third example above, we specified <code>100x200&gt;</code> and the original image size is 640x480, so the image size is reduced as if we had specified <code>100x200</code>. However, in the fourth example above, there will be no change to its size.</p>
544
545<p>Finally, use <code>@</code> to specify the maximum area in pixels of an image, again while attempting to preserve aspect ratio. (Pixels take only integer values, so some approximation is always at work.) In the following example, an area of 10000 pixels is requested. The resulting file has dimensions 115x86, which has 9890 pixels. </p>
546
547<pre>
548convert logo: -resize '10000@' wiz10000.png
549</pre>
550
551<p class="bg-info">In all the examples above and below, we have enclosed the <var>geometry</var> arguments  within quotation marks. Doing so is optional in many cases, but not always. We <var>must</var> enclose the geometry specifications in quotation marks when using <code>&lt;</code> or <code>&gt;</code> to prevent these characters from being interpreted by the shell as <var>file redirection</var>. On Windows systems, the carat <code>^</code>  needs to be within quotes, else it is ignored. To be safe, one should probably maintain a habit of enclosing all <var>geometry</var> arguments in quotes, as we have here.
552</p>
553
554<h4>Offsets in geometry</h4>
555<p>
556Here are some examples to illustrate the use of <var>offsets</var> in <var>geometry</var> arguments. One typical use of offsets is in conjunction with the
557<a href="command-line-options.html#region">&#x2011;region</a> option. This option allows many other options to modify the pixels within a specified rectangular subregion of an image. As such, it needs to be given the width and height of that region, and also an <var>offset</var> into the image, which is a pair of coordinates that indicate the location of the region within the larger image. Below, in the first example, we specify a region of size <code>100x200</code> to be located at the <var>xy</var>–coordinates <var>x</var>=10, <var>y</var>=20. Let's use the usual algebraic notation (<var>x</var>,<var>y</var>)=(10,20), for convenience.
558</p>
559
560<pre>
561convert logo: -region '100x200+10+20' -negate wizNeg1.png
562convert logo: -region '100x200-10+20' -negate wizNeg2.png
563convert logo: -gravity center -region '100x200-10+20' \
564  -negate wizNeg3.png
565</pre>
566
567<p>Note that offsets always require +/− signs. The offset is not actually a true location within the image; its coordinates must be added to some other location. Let's refer to that as the <var>current location</var>. In the first two examples above, though, that location is the upper-left hand corner of the image, which has coordinates (0,0). (That is the default situation when there are no other directives given to change it.) The first example above puts the <code>100x200</code> rectangle's own upper-left corner at (10,20). </p>
568
569<p>A negative offset can make sense in many cases. In the second example above, the offset is (-10,20), specified by <code>-10+20</code>. In that case, only the portion of the (virtual) rectangle obtained that lies within the image can be negated; here it is equivalent to specifying the geometry as <code>90x200+0+20</code>.</p>
570
571<p>In the third example above, the <a href="command-line-options.html#gravity">&#x2011;gravity</a> setting precedes the others and sets the current location within the image at the very center of the image. In this case that is at pixel (320,240), since the size of the image is 640x480. This means that the offsets apply to that location, which thereby gets moved, in this case, to (320-10,240+20)=(310,260). But the <code>100x200</code> region itself is affected by the <a href="command-line-options.html#gravity">&#x2011;gravity</a> setting, so instead of affecting its upper-left corner, the region's own center (at (+50,+100) within it) is determined. Therefore the center of the <code>100x200</code> rectangle is moved to (310,260). The negated rectangle's upper-left corner is now at (310-50,260-100)=(260,160).
572</p>
573
574
575<h4 class="magick-header"><a id="stack"></a>Image Stack</h4>
576
577<p>In school, your teacher probably permitted you to work on problems on a scrap of paper and then copy the results to your test paper.  An image stack is similar.  It permits you to work on an image or image sequence in isolation and subsequently introduce the results back into the command-line.  The image stack is delineated with parenthesis.  Image operators only affect images in the current stack.  For example, we can limit the image rotation to just the wizard image like this:</p>
578
579<pre>
580convert wand.gif \( wizard.gif -rotate 30 \) +append images.gif
581</pre>
582
583
584<p class="bg-info">Notice again that the  parentheses are <var>escaped</var> by preceding them with
585backslashes.  This is required under Unix, where parentheses are special
586<var>shell</var> characters.  The backslash tells the shell not to interpret
587these characters, but to pass them directly to the command being executed. Do
588not escape the parentheses under Windows. Each parenthesis (or escaped
589parenthesis) must have spaces on either side, as in the example shown
590above.</p>
591
592<p>In addition to the image operators already discussed, the following image operators are most useful when processing images in an image stack:</p>
593
594<ul>
595<a href="command-line-options.html#clone">&#x2011;clone</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#delete">&#x2011;delete</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#insert">&#x2011;insert</a>  • <a href="command-line-options.html#swap">&#x2011;swap</a> </ul>
596
597<p>The arguments to these operators are indexes into the image sequence by number, starting with zero, for the first image, and so on. However if you give a negative index, the images are indexed from the end (last image added). That is, an index of -1 is the last image in the current image sequence, -2 gives the second-to-last, and so on.</p>
598
599<h2 class="magick-header"><a id="output"></a>Output Filename</h2>
600
601<p>ImageMagick extends the concept of an output filename to include:</p>
602
603<ol>
604<li>an explicit image format</li>
605<li>write to <var>standard out</var></li>
606<li>filename references</li>
607</ol>
608
609<p>Each of these extensions are explained in the next few paragraphs.</p>
610
611<h4>Explicit Image Format</h4>
612  <p>Images can be stored in a mryiad of image formats including the better known JPEG, PNG, TIFF and others.  ImageMagick must know the desired format of the image before it is written.  ImageMagick leverages the filename extension to determine the format.  For example, <code>image.jpg</code> tells ImageMagick to write the image in the JPEG format.  In some cases the filename does not identify the image format.  In these cases, the image is written in the format it was originally read unless an explicit image format is specified.  For example, suppose we want to write our image to a filename of <code>image</code> in the raw red, green, and blue intensity format:
613  </p>
614
615<pre>
616convert image.jpg rgb:image
617</pre>
618
619
620<h4>Standard Out</h4>
621  <p>Unix permits the output of one command to be piped to another.  ImageMagick permits piping one command to another with a filename of <code>-</code>.  In this example we pipe the output of <a href="convert.html">convert</a> to the <a href="display.html">display</a> program:
622  </p>
623
624<pre>
625convert logo: gif:- | display gif:-
626</pre>
627
628<p>Here the explicit format is optional.  The GIF image format has a signature that uniquely identifies it so ImageMagick can readily recognize the format as GIF.</p>
629
630<h4>Filename References</h4>
631<p>Optionally, use an embedded formatting character to write a sequential image list.  Suppose our output filename is <code>image-%d.jpg</code> and our image list includes 3 images.  You can expect these images files to be written:
632</p>
633
634<pre>
635image-0.jpg
636image-1.jpg
637image-2.jpg
638</pre>
639
640<p>Or retrieve image properties to modify the image filename.  For example, the command
641</p>
642
643<pre>
644convert rose: -set filename:area '%wx%h' 'rose-%[filename:area].png'
645</pre>
646
647<p>writes an image with this filename:
648</p>
649
650<pre>
651  rose-70x46.png
652</pre>
653
654<p>Finally to convert multiple JPEG images to individual PDF pages, use:</p>
655
656<pre>
657  convert *.jpg +adjoin page-%d.pdf
658</pre>
659
660<h4>Stream Buffering</h4>
661
662<p>By default, the output stream is buffered.  To ensure information appears on the destination file or terminal as soon as written, set the buffer size to 0:</p>
663
664<pre>
665convert -define stream:buffer-size=0 logo: gif:- | display gif:-
666</pre>
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