{
    "mode": "man",
    "parameter": "DVIPOS",
    "section": "",
    "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/DVIPOS/json",
    "generated": "2026-10-22T12:56:18Z",
    "synopsis": "dvipos [ OPTION... ] infile[.dvi]",
    "sections": {
        "NAME": {
            "content": "dvipos - compute positions in a DVI file\n\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "SYNOPSIS": {
            "content": "dvipos [ OPTION... ] infile[.dvi]\n\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "DESCRIPTION": {
            "content": "dvipos  parses  a  DVI  file  looking  for  pos:  specials.  It currently recognizes pos:pxy,\npos:pxywhd, pos:pxyplus, pos:begbox, pos:endbox, pos:beglines,  and  pos:endlines.   It  then\noutputs  the  information  from  those  specials along with information that only a DVI post‐\nprocessor could determine, such as the current x and y location.  The output looks like:\n\\pospxywhd{text:54}{54}{10663sp}{8535sp}{21326sp}{34081sp}{0sp}\nand is suitable for including in a tex(1) or pdftex(1) auxiliary file, such as  document.tuo,\nto be read in by the next run of the tex(1) or similar typesetting engine.\n\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "OPTIONS": {
            "content": "",
            "subsections": [
                {
                    "name": "-h, --help",
                    "content": "print usage.\n",
                    "flag": "-h",
                    "long": "--help"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-W, --warning",
                    "content": "print warnings.\n",
                    "flag": "-W",
                    "long": "--warning"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-v, --verbose",
                    "content": "print verbose output.\n",
                    "flag": "-v",
                    "long": "--verbose"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-d, --debug",
                    "content": "print dvitype(1) debugging data.\n",
                    "flag": "-d",
                    "long": "--debug"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-s, --smashchars",
                    "content": "regard height and depth as zero.\n",
                    "flag": "-s",
                    "long": "--smashchars"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-o, --output=_",
                    "content": "send all output to FILE.  Without this option, output goes to stdout.\n",
                    "flag": "-o",
                    "long": "--output",
                    "arg": "_"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-b, --bbox[=_",
                    "content": "send bounding box to FILE (default FILE is infile.pos).\n",
                    "flag": "-b"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-f, --framed[=_",
                    "content": "request  copy  of  DVI file, BASE.dvi, with bounding boxes framed (default FILE is in‐\nfileframes.dvi).  See the --framesize option.\n",
                    "flag": "-f"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-m, --mag=_",
                    "content": "override tex(1) magnification by INT.\n",
                    "flag": "-m",
                    "long": "--mag",
                    "arg": "_"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-w, --framesize=_",
                    "content": "set frame rule size by INT (default 6554 = .1pt).\n",
                    "flag": "-w",
                    "long": "--framesize",
                    "arg": "_"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-p, --pages=_",
                    "content": "set page ranges from X to Y.\n\n",
                    "flag": "-p",
                    "long": "--pages",
                    "arg": "_"
                }
            ]
        },
        "USAGE": {
            "content": "dvipos is run mostly behind the scenes by ConTeXt's texexec(1) between runs of tex(1) or pdf‐\ntex(1), in order to provide information to and get  information  about  positional  graphics.\nThese  graphics  are  provided  by the MetaFun interface to mpost(1).  dvipos is not used (or\nneeded) in PDF-output mode but is needed for DVI-output mode.  pdftex(1) starting  with  ver‐\nsion  1.40 can produce position information even in DVI mode, so once the ConTeXt macros take\nadvantage of this feature, the need for dvipos will fade.\n\nUntil then, here is a typical use of dvipos:\ndvipos notes.dvi\nThe position information that is  output  is  collected  by  texexec(1)  to  include  in  the\nnotes.tuo auxiliary file to use in the next run.\n\n\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "EXAMPLES": {
            "content": "Extract positions from doc.dvi, with output to doc.loc:\ndvipos -o doc.loc doc.dvi\n\nSame as above, but also send bbox information to doc.pos:\ndvipos -b -o doc.loc doc.dvi\n\nInstead send bbox information to /tmp/debug.pos:\ndvipos -b=/tmp/debug.pos -o doc.loc doc.dvi\n\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "SEE ALSO": {
            "content": "dvips(1), dvitype(1), mpost(1), pdftex(1), tex(1), texexec(1).\n\nFor more about positional graphics, see the MetaFun documentation on the ConTeXt wiki\n⟨https://wiki.contextgarden.net/MetaFun⟩.\n\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "BUGS": {
            "content": "If you specify a file for the -b option, you must join the option and name with = rather than\n(the more common) space:\ndvipos -b=/tmp/debug.pos notes.dvi\nworks, but\ndvipos -b /tmp/debug.pos notes.dvi\ndoes not.\n\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "AUTHOR": {
            "content": "dvipos  is  written  by  Jin-Hwan  Cho  <chofchof@ktug.or.kr>.  It is free software (GPLv2 or\nlater).  This manpage was written by Sanjoy Mahajan <sanjoy@mit.edu> and is in the public do‐\nmain.  It is currently maintained as part of TeX Live.\n\ndvipos 20070107 (KPATHSEA)                 30 August 2022                                  DVIPOS(1)",
            "subsections": []
        }
    },
    "summary": "dvipos - compute positions in a DVI file",
    "flags": [
        {
            "flag": "-h",
            "long": "--help",
            "arg": null,
            "description": "print usage."
        },
        {
            "flag": "-W",
            "long": "--warning",
            "arg": null,
            "description": "print warnings."
        },
        {
            "flag": "-v",
            "long": "--verbose",
            "arg": null,
            "description": "print verbose output."
        },
        {
            "flag": "-d",
            "long": "--debug",
            "arg": null,
            "description": "print dvitype(1) debugging data."
        },
        {
            "flag": "-s",
            "long": "--smashchars",
            "arg": null,
            "description": "regard height and depth as zero."
        },
        {
            "flag": "-o",
            "long": "--output",
            "arg": "_",
            "description": "send all output to FILE. Without this option, output goes to stdout."
        },
        {
            "flag": "-b",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "send bounding box to FILE (default FILE is infile.pos)."
        },
        {
            "flag": "-f",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "request copy of DVI file, BASE.dvi, with bounding boxes framed (default FILE is in‐ fileframes.dvi). See the --framesize option."
        },
        {
            "flag": "-m",
            "long": "--mag",
            "arg": "_",
            "description": "override tex(1) magnification by INT."
        },
        {
            "flag": "-w",
            "long": "--framesize",
            "arg": "_",
            "description": "set frame rule size by INT (default 6554 = .1pt)."
        },
        {
            "flag": "-p",
            "long": "--pages",
            "arg": "_",
            "description": "set page ranges from X to Y."
        }
    ],
    "examples": [
        "Extract positions from doc.dvi, with output to doc.loc:",
        "dvipos -o doc.loc doc.dvi",
        "Same as above, but also send bbox information to doc.pos:",
        "dvipos -b -o doc.loc doc.dvi",
        "Instead send bbox information to /tmp/debug.pos:",
        "dvipos -b=/tmp/debug.pos -o doc.loc doc.dvi"
    ],
    "see_also": [
        {
            "name": "dvips",
            "section": "1",
            "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/dvips/1/json"
        },
        {
            "name": "dvitype",
            "section": "1",
            "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/dvitype/1/json"
        },
        {
            "name": "mpost",
            "section": "1",
            "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/mpost/1/json"
        },
        {
            "name": "pdftex",
            "section": "1",
            "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pdftex/1/json"
        },
        {
            "name": "tex",
            "section": "1",
            "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tex/1/json"
        },
        {
            "name": "texexec",
            "section": "1",
            "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/texexec/1/json"
        }
    ]
}