xditview
Display X Window System bitmap images
SYNOPSIS
xditview [options] [filename]
PARAMETERS
-toolkitoption ...
Specifies standard X Toolkit command line options.
-page number
Starts viewing the document at the specified page number.
-file filename
Specifies the input ditroff file to be viewed. This is equivalent to providing filename as a positional argument.
-geometry geometry
Sets the initial window geometry (size and position) for xditview.
-display display
Specifies the X server to connect to.
-background color / -bg color
Sets the background color of the xditview window.
-foreground color / -fg color
Sets the foreground color, typically used for text elements like page numbers.
-font font
Specifies the font to use for text elements such as status messages and page numbers within the viewer.
-delay milliseconds
Sets the delay in milliseconds between pages when automatically advancing through a document.
-printfile filename
Specifies a file containing the shell command to be executed for printing the document.
-zoom scale
Sets the initial zoom level for the document view (e.g., 0.5 for half size, 2.0 for double size).
-fullscreen
Starts the application in fullscreen mode, maximizing the viewing area.
-noshrink
Prevents the document output from being shrunk to fit the window, potentially showing only a portion of the page.
-fitpage
Adjusts the view to fit the entire page within the current window size.
-magnifier
Enables a separate magnifier window that shows a magnified view of the area under the mouse cursor.
-magnifysize size
Sets the dimensions (widthxheight) of the magnifier window.
-magnifymult mult
Sets the magnification factor for the magnifier window (e.g., 2 for double magnification).
-pager
Displays a page number dialog box, allowing direct navigation to any page.
-printer command
Specifies the shell command to execute for printing the current document.
-status
Displays a status line at the bottom of the window, often showing current page number or messages.
-version
Prints the version information of xditview and then exits.
-debug
Enables debugging output, which can be useful for troubleshooting issues.
DESCRIPTION
xditview is a graphical utility for the X Window System that allows users to view files formatted by ditroff (Device Independent troff) or groff. It provides a visual representation of typeset documents, displaying text, images, and other elements as they would appear when printed on a specific device.
It's particularly useful for previewing documents created with the troff/groff typesetting system before sending them to a printer, offering features like page navigation, zooming, and basic printing capabilities directly from the X display.
As an older Motif-based application, its primary use case was for developers and users working extensively with the troff/groff suite to preview their manual pages, books, or other documents on a graphical workstation, ensuring layout and formatting correctness.
CAVEATS
xditview is an older X11 utility that relies on Motif libraries, which might not be pre-installed or easily available on all modern Linux distributions. Its functionality for previewing documents has largely been superseded by more modern viewers that handle PostScript, PDF, or directly render groff output to common graphical formats, making it less commonly used today. Users might encounter installation challenges or compatibility issues on newer systems.
HISTORY
xditview originated as part of the core X Window System distribution, specifically designed to complement the troff and ditroff typesetting tools. It provided the necessary graphical interface for previewing document output on X displays, which was crucial during the era when troff/groff was a primary method for creating documentation, including Unix manual pages and technical reports. Its development peaked alongside the widespread adoption of X11 workstations in the 1980s and 1990s, offering a visual alternative to printing draft copies or inspecting raw text output. While still available in some Xorg packages, its active development and widespread usage have diminished with the evolution of document formats and more versatile viewing technologies.
