GIF-FB

## Name

gif-fb — display GIF file on frame buffer

## Synopsis

`gif-fb` [ -F `frame_buffer_file` ] [-c ] [ -i `image_number` ] [-o ] [-v ] [-z ] [ `GIF_file_name` ]

## DESCRIPTION

gif-fb displays on a frame buffer the images described by a CompuServe GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) file.

### Options

`-F` `frame_buffer_name`

  Outputs to the specified frame buffer instead of the one specified by the `FB_FILE` environment variable (or the default frame buffer, if `FB_FILE` is not set). The frame buffer size requested will be the same as the input GIF screen size. The actual size obtained depends on details of the specific frame buffer.

`-c`

  Uses all 8 bits per channel for color maps supplied in the GIF file, overriding the color resolution specified in the GIF file. (While technically a violation of the GIF standard, apparently some GIF implementations assume this interpretation.)

`-i`

  Displays just the specified image (starting counting with 1), rather than displaying all images as the GIF specification requires.

`-o`

  (overlay) Skips the initial clearing of the frame buffer to the background color specified in the GIF file.

`-v`

  (verbose) Also prints information about the GIF images on the standard error output.

`-z`

  (zoom) Uses the zoom capability of the current framebuffer to make the image as large as possible on the screen while preserving a square aspect ratio to the pixels. This means that the zoom factor in X and Y will be equal to the smaller of the two possible zooms.

GIF_file_name

  Specifies the GIF input file to be translated, rather than reading the file from the standard input.

## DISCUSSION

The GIF standard is far from an ideal specification for frame buffer images, but it has been widely accepted in the personal computer arena, and consequently there are a large number of images stored in GIF format on bulletin-board systems and other information services. Since most personal computer systems have GIF translators available for them, `gif-fb` provides a means of converting most images from such systems into a form suitable for processing with other BRL-CAD utilities.

Notice that multiple images within a single GIF file can achieve animation effects.

## EXAMPLE

The following is a typical invocation:

gif-fb image.gif

## SEE ALSO

A Standard Defining a Mechanism for the Storage and Transmission of Raster-Based Graphics Information, June 15, 1987 (CompuServe Incorporated). libfb(3)

## DIAGNOSTICS

Error messages are intended to be self-explanatory.

## AUTHOR

Douglas A. Gwyn, BRL/VLD-VMB

## COPYRIGHT

This software is Copyright (c) 1989-2021 by the United States Government as represented by U.S. Army Research Laboratory.

## BUG REPORTS

Reports of bugs or problems should be submitted via electronic mail to `<devs@brlcad.org>`