{
    "mode": "man",
    "parameter": "dvipos",
    "section": "1",
    "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/dvipos/1/json",
    "generated": "2026-05-30T05:14:47Z",
    "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 postpro‐\ncessor 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) auxilliary 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"
                },
                {
                    "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"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-w, --framesize=",
                    "content": "set frame rule size by INT (default 6554 = .1pt).\n",
                    "flag": "-w"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-p, --pages=",
                    "content": "set page ranges from X to Y.\n\n",
                    "flag": "-p"
                }
            ]
        },
        "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 auxilliary 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⟨http://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.\n\n\n\ndvipos 20070107 (KPATHSEA)                  January 2007                                   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": null,
            "arg": null,
            "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": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "override tex(1) magnification by INT."
        },
        {
            "flag": "-w",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "set frame rule size by INT (default 6554 = .1pt)."
        },
        {
            "flag": "-p",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "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"
        }
    ]
}