# phpman > man > rletopnm(1) > **TLDR:** Convert a Utah Raster Tools RLE image file to a PNM file. > - Convert an RLE image to a PNM file: `rletopnm {{path/to/input.rle}} > {{path/to/output.pnm}}` - Create a PGM image containing the RLE file's alpha channel: `rletopnm {{--a|--alphaout}} {{path/to/alpha_file.pgm}} {{path/to/input.rle}} > {{path/to/output.pnm}}` - Operate in verbose mode and print the contents of the RLE header to `stdout`: `rletopnm {{--verb|--verbose}} {{path/to/input.rle}} > {{path/to/output.pnm}}` *Source: tldr-pages* --- [RLETOPNM(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/RLETOPNM/1/markdown) General Commands Manual [RLETOPNM(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/RLETOPNM/1/markdown) ## NAME rletopnm - convert a Utah Raster Tools RLE image file into a PNM image file. ## SYNOPSIS **rletopnm** [**--alphaout=**{_alpha-filename_,**-**}] [**--headerdump**|**-h**] [**--verbose**|**-v**] [**--plain**|**-p**] [_rlefile_|**-**] All options may be abbreviated to their minimum unique abbreviation and options and arguments may be in any order. ## DESCRIPTION This program converts Utah Raster Toolkit RLE image files into PNM image files. **rletopnm** handles four types of RLE files: Grayscale (8 bit data, no color map), Pseudocolor (8 bit data with a color map), Truecolor (24 bit data with color map), and Directcolor (24 bit data, no color map). **rletopnm** generates a PPM file for all these cases except for the Grayscale file, for which **rletopnm** generates a PGM file. _rlefile_ is the RLE input file. If it is absent or **-**, the input comes from Standard Input. ## OPTIONS **--alphaout=**_alpha-filename_ **rletopnm** creates a PGM (portable graymap) file containing the alpha channel values in the input image. If the input image doesn't contain an alpha channel, the _alpha-file__‐ _name_ file contains all zero (transparent) alpha values. If you don't specify **--al**‐‐ **phaout**, **rletopnm** does not generate an alpha file, and if the input image has an alpha channel, **rletopnm** simply discards it. If you specify **-** as the filename, **rletopnm** writes the alpha output to Standard Output and discards the image. See [**pnmcomp**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pnmcomp/1/markdown) for one way to use the alpha output file. ### --verbose This option causes **rletopnm** to operate in verbose mode. It prints messages about what it's doing, including the contents of the RLE image header, to Standard Error. ### --headerdump This option causes **rletopnm** to operate in header dump mode. It prints the contents of the RLE image header to Standard Error, but does not produce any other output. ### --plain This option causes the PNM output file to be in the "plain" (text) format, instead of the default "raw" (binary) format. See [**ppm**(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/ppm/5/markdown) and [**pgm**(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pgm/5/markdown) for details on the differ‐ ence. ## EXAMPLES ### rletopnm --verbose lenna.rle >lenna.ppm While running in verbose mode, convert lenna.rle to PPM format and store the resulting image as lenna.ppm. ### rletopnm --headerdump file.rle Dump the header information of the RLE file called file.rle. ### rletopnm --alphaout=dartalpha.pgm dart.rle >dart.ppm Convert RLE file dart.rle to PPM format as dart.ppm. Store the alpha channel of dart.rle as dartalpha.pgm (if dart.rle doesn't have an alpha channel, store a fully transparent alpha mask as dartalpha.pgm). ## SEE ALSO [**pnmtorle**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pnmtorle/1/markdown), [**pnmconvol**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pnmconvol/1/markdown), [**pnm**(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pnm/5/markdown), [**ppm**(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/ppm/5/markdown), [**pgm**(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pgm/5/markdown), [**urt**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/urt/1/markdown), [**RLE**(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/RLE/5/markdown) ## AUTHOR Wes Barris Army High Performance Computing Research Center (AHPCRC) Minnesota Supercomputer Center, Inc. Modifications by Eric Haines to support raw and plain formats. Modifications by Bryan Henderson to create alpha files and use mnemonic options. 1 13 April 2000 [RLETOPNM(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/RLETOPNM/1/markdown)