dvipdf

dvipdf [options] input.dvi [output.pdf]

input.dvi
    The path to the input DVI file to be converted. This argument is mandatory.

output.pdf
    The path to the desired output PDF file. If omitted, the output filename is derived from the input DVI file (e.g., document.dvi becomes document.pdf).

-o output_file
    Specifies the name of the output PDF file. Equivalent to providing output.pdf as the second argument.

-p papersize
    Sets the paper size for the output PDF. Common values include a4, letter, legal, etc.

-s
    Runs in silent mode, suppressing most messages and warnings.

-v
    Runs in verbose mode, providing more detailed output about the conversion process.

-l
    Sets the page orientation to landscape mode.

-V
    Displays the version information of the dvipdf utility or its underlying program.

-h
    Displays a brief help message and exits.

The dvipdf command is a utility used in the TeX/LaTeX ecosystem to transform a DVI (DeVice Independent) file into a PDF (Portable Document Format) file. DVI files are the standard output of TeX or LaTeX compilers, containing typesetting instructions rather than a final rendered document. dvipdf acts as a bridge, interpreting these instructions and rendering them into the widely viewable PDF format. This allows users to easily share and print documents generated from TeX sources without needing specialized TeX viewers.

While its name suggests a direct conversion, dvipdf is often a wrapper script or a symbolic link that invokes more powerful and feature-rich DVI-to-PDF converters like dvipdfm or dvipdfmx. These underlying tools handle complex tasks such as embedding fonts (including Type 1 and OpenType), incorporating graphics in various formats (e.g., JPEG, PNG, EPS), and supporting advanced PDF features like hyperlinks and annotations. Its primary use case is for workflows where an intermediate DVI file is desired or required before the final PDF output.

The exact behavior and available options of dvipdf can vary significantly, as it is often a wrapper or symbolic link to more robust programs like dvipdfm or dvipdfmx. Therefore, the full range of supported features and options depends on the specific underlying implementation installed on your system. Older versions might lack support for certain modern PDF features or advanced graphic formats. It requires a functioning TeX distribution (like TeX Live or MiKTeX) to be present on the system for its dependencies.

In many Linux distributions and TeX Live installations, dvipdf is not a standalone executable but rather a symlink to dvipdfm or dvipdfmx. This means that when you invoke dvipdf, you are effectively running the underlying command, inheriting its full capabilities and options. Users are encouraged to consult the man pages for dvipdfm or dvipdfmx for a comprehensive list of all possible flags and functionalities.

A common workflow for creating a PDF document from a LaTeX source using dvipdf involves two main steps:
1. Compile your LaTeX document to a DVI file: latex your_document.tex
2. Convert the generated DVI file to PDF: dvipdf your_document.dvi
This will typically produce your_document.pdf in the current directory.

The need for a direct DVI to PDF conversion tool arose as PDF gained prominence as a portable document format. Initially, the conversion typically involved two steps: DVI to PostScript (using dvips) and then PostScript to PDF (using ps2pdf, which is based on Ghostscript). dvipdf was developed as a simpler, single-command wrapper for this two-step process or as a frontend for early direct DVI-to-PDF converters.

The development of more sophisticated direct converters like dvipdfm (DVI to PDF Manager) and later dvipdfmx (an extended version of dvipdfm, especially for CJK languages and more advanced features) made the conversion more efficient and feature-rich, directly embedding fonts and handling transparency. While pdflatex (which compiles LaTeX directly to PDF) has become the dominant method for PDF output from LaTeX, dvipdf (and its underlying tools) remains relevant for workflows that necessitate an intermediate DVI file or when specific features of the DVI processing chain are required.

tex(1), latex(1), pdflatex(1), dvips(1), ps2pdf(1), dvipdfm(1), dvipdfmx(1)