# pbmpage(1) - man - phpman

> **TLDR:** Generate a test pattern for printing.
>
- Generate a test pattern for printing onto US standard paper:
  `pbmpage > {{path/to/file.pbm}}`
- Generate a test pattern for printing onto A4 paper:
  `pbmpage -a4 > {{path/to/file.pbm}}`
- Specify the pattern to use:
  `pbmpage {{1|2|3}} > {{path/to/file.pbm}}`

*Source: tldr-pages*

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[pbmpage(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pbmpage/1/markdown)                             General Commands Manual                            [pbmpage(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pbmpage/1/markdown)



## NAME
       pbmpage - create a one page test pattern for printing

## SYNOPSIS
       **pbmpage** [**-a4**] _test_pattern_


## DESCRIPTION
       **pbmpage**  generates a one page test pattern to print on a sheet of paper, for use in calibrat‐
       ing a printer.  The test pattern in is PBM format.

       **pbmpage** produces an image intended for 600 dots per inch printer resolution.

       If you are printing on an HP PPA printer, you can convert the output of  this  program  to  a
       stream that you can feed to the printer with **pbmtoppa**.

       Bear  in mind that when you print the test pattern, you are testing not only the printer, but
       any converter or driver software along the printing path.  Any one of  these  components  may
       adjust margins, crop the image, erase edges, and such.

       If, due to addition of margins, the printer refuses to print the image because it is too big,
       use **pnmcut** to cut the right and bottom edges off the test pattern until it is small enough to
       print.

       _test_pattern_ is the number of the test pattern to generate, as follows.  The default is **1**.

       **1**      A  grid  ruled  in numbers of pixels.  The outermost rules are exactly at the edges of
              the paper.

       **2**      A vertical line segment, one pixel wide, extending 1/2" up from the  exact  center  of
              the page.

       **3**      Two  diagonal  line  segments,  one starting at the upper left corner of the page, the
              other starting from the lower left corner of the page.  Both extend  1/2"  toward  the
              center of the page at 45 degrees.


## OPTIONS
### -a4
              image for US standard paper (8 1/2" wide x 11" high).


## SEE ALSO
       [**pbmtoppa**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pbmtoppa/1/markdown), [**pnmcut**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pnmcut/1/markdown), [**pbm**(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pbm/5/markdown)


## AUTHOR
       Tim Norman.  Copyright (C) 1998.  Licensed under GNU Public License

       Manual page by Bryan Henderson, May 2000.



                                             01 May 2000                                  [pbmpage(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pbmpage/1/markdown)