How to use the command "a2ping" (with examples)

Convert an image to PDF

Using the a2ping command, you can convert an image to a PDF file. The code for this use case is as follows:

a2ping path/to/image.ext path/to/output.pdf

• path/to/image.ext: This argument specifies the path to the image file that you want to convert to PDF.
• path/to/output.pdf: This optional argument specifies the path where you want to save the output PDF file. If not specified, the output file will be saved with the same name and location as the input image.

Motivation: Converting images to PDF files can be useful in various scenarios, such as creating a document or presentation that requires images to be embedded.

Example output: The image example.jpg is converted to a PDF file named output.pdf using the following command: a2ping example.jpg output.pdf.

Compress the document using the specified method

The a2ping command provides options to compress the generated document using different methods. The code for this use case is as follows:

a2ping --nocompress none|zip|best|flate path/to/file

• --nocompress: This option disables compression for the output document. It can be followed by one of the following compression methods:
  • none: No compression is applied.
  • zip: The output document is compressed using the ZIP method.
  • best: The output document is compressed using the best available method.
  • flate: The output document is compressed using the FLATE method.
• path/to/file: This argument specifies the path to the file to be converted and compressed.

Motivation: Compressing the document can help reduce its file size, making it easier to share or store.

Example output: The document example.ps is converted and compressed using the ZIP compression method with the following command: a2ping --nocompress zip example.ps.

Scan HiResBoundingBox if present

By default, a2ping scans for the HiResBoundingBox when converting a file. However, you can use the --nohires option to disable this behavior. The code for this use case is as follows:

a2ping --nohires path/to/file

• --nohires: This option disables the scanning of HiResBoundingBox when converting the file.
• path/to/file: This argument specifies the path to the file to be converted.

Motivation: The HiResBoundingBox is used to define the exact bounding box of an image, which can affect the layout and positioning of the content. Disabling the scanning of HiResBoundingBox can be useful if the file does not contain precise bounding box information.

Example output: The file example.pdf is converted without scanning the HiResBoundingBox using the following command: a2ping --nohires example.pdf.

Allow page content below and left of the origin

By default, a2ping does not allow page content below and left of the origin. However, you can use the --below option to enable this behavior. The code for this use case is as follows:

a2ping --below path/to/file

• --below: This option allows page content to be positioned below and left of the origin.
• path/to/file: This argument specifies the path to the file to be converted.

Motivation: Enabling page content below and left of the origin can be useful when dealing with files that have content positioned in these areas. It ensures that the content is accurately represented in the output file.

Example output: The file example.ps is converted with the allowed page content below and left of the origin using the following command: a2ping --below example.ps.

Pass extra arguments to gs

The a2ping command allows you to pass extra arguments to the Ghostscript (gs) utility. The code for this use case is as follows:

a2ping --gsextra arguments path/to/file

• --gsextra: This option is used to specify additional arguments to be passed to Ghostscript.
• arguments: This placeholder should be replaced with the desired extra arguments.
• path/to/file: This argument specifies the path to the file to be converted.

Motivation: Ghostscript is a powerful tool for manipulating and processing PostScript and PDF files. Being able to pass extra arguments to Ghostscript allows for more flexibility and customization during the conversion process.

Example output: The file example.pdf is converted with the extra argument -dPDFSETTINGS=/ebook passed to Ghostscript using the following command: a2ping --gsextra -dPDFSETTINGS=/ebook example.pdf.

Pass extra arguments to external program

The a2ping command also allows you to pass extra arguments to an external program, such as pdftops. The code for this use case is as follows:

a2ping --extra arguments path/to/file

• --extra: This option is used to specify additional arguments to be passed to the external program.
• arguments: This placeholder should be replaced with the desired extra arguments.
• path/to/file: This argument specifies the path to the file to be converted.

Motivation: Pass extra arguments to an external program can provide additional customization options and extend the capabilities of the a2ping command.

Example output: The file example.ps is converted with the extra argument -r 300 passed to the external program pdftops using the following command: a2ping --extra -r 300 example.ps.

Display help

If you need information about the a2ping command and its available options, you can use the -h option to display the help documentation. The code for this use case is as follows:

a2ping -h

• -h: This option displays the help information for the a2ping command.

Motivation: The help documentation provides detailed instructions and explanations for using the a2ping command effectively. It can be useful for understanding the available options and their usage.

Example output: When running the command a2ping -h, the help documentation for the command will be displayed, providing information about the usage, options, and more.