grolbp

grolbp [-v|--version] [-cnum] [-wnum] [-F dir] [files...]

-v, --version
    Print version information and exit

-cnum
    Set device resolution to num dots per inch (72 dpi default)

-wnum
    Set page width to num dots (864 default)

-F dir
    Search dir for font and device files

files
    Input files to process; use - for stdin (default)

grolbp is a driver program for the groff document formatting system that translates input files written in the BP (Berkeley Plotter) language into PostScript output suitable for printers or viewers. The BP language was originally designed for Versatec plotters and supports line drawings, graphs, and simple vector graphics.

It processes BP source files, which describe plots using commands for lines, circles, arcs, text, and fills, and generates high-quality PostScript. This makes it useful for legacy plotting data or custom diagrams in technical documents.

By default, grolbp reads from standard input and writes to standard output, allowing piping in pipelines like groff -Tbp -g input.roff | grolbp > output.ps. It integrates with groff's font and device handling, supporting scalable fonts and precise control over output dimensions.

Key features include adjustable resolution and page width for matching specific printer capabilities, making it adaptable for modern PostScript devices despite its origins in older plotting hardware.

Limited to BP language input; not for general troff. Requires groff fonts. Output may need ps2pdf for PDF conversion.
Deprecated for new projects; prefer SVG or modern tools.

echo 'line from (0,0) to (100,100)' | grolbp -c 300 > plot.ps
Generates a 300 dpi PostScript line plot.

Uses groff devbp fonts like B, H for text in plots.

Developed as part of GNU groff (1990s), successor to Unix troff. Supports legacy Berkeley BP format from 1970s plotters. Maintained in groff 1.23+.

groff(1), grops(1), gropdf(1), pic(1)