# pbmtoascii(1) - man - phpman

> **TLDR:** Convert a PBM image to ASCII graphics.
>
- Read a PBM file as input and produce an ASCII output:
  `pbmtoascii {{path/to/input_file.pbm}}`
- Read a PBM file as input and save an ASCII output into a file:
  `pbmtoascii {{path/to/input_file.pbm}} > {{path/to/output_file}}`
- Read a PBM file as input while setting the pixel mapping (defaults to 1x2):
  `pbmtoascii -{{1x2|2x4}} {{path/to/input_file.pbm}}`
- Display version:
  `pbmtoascii {{-v|-version}}`

*Source: tldr-pages*

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



## NAME
       pbmtoascii - convert a portable bitmap into ASCII graphics

## SYNOPSIS
       **pbmtoascii** [**-1x2**|**-2x4**] [_pbmfile_]

## DESCRIPTION
       Reads a portable bitmap as input.  Produces a somewhat crude ASCII graphic as output.

       Note that there is no asciitopbm tool - this transformation is one-way.

## OPTIONS
       The **-1x2** and **-2x4** flags give you two alternate ways for the bits to get mapped to characters.
       With **1x2**, the default, each character represents a group of 1 bit  across  by  2  bits  down.
       With **-2x4**, each character represents 2 bits across by 4 bits down.  With the 1x2 mode you can
       see the individual bits, so it's useful for previewing small bitmaps on a non-graphics termi‐
       nal.   The  2x4  mode lets you display larger bitmaps on a standard 80-column display, but it
       obscures bit-level details.  2x4 mode is also good for displaying graymaps - "pnmscale -width
       158 | pgmnorm | pgmtopbm -thresh" should give good results.

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

## AUTHOR
       Copyright (C) 1988, 1992 by Jef Poskanzer.



                                            20 March 1992                              [pbmtoascii(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pbmtoascii/1/markdown)