MAC-PIX(1)

📦
version 7.44.0 · 2 versions
, in nixpkgs unstable

💅 MAC-PIX(1) — the mac-pix glow-up 💅

okay so bestie, gather round, because this little icon mac-pix from the BRL-CAD fam is about to become your new favorite converter. it takes a dusty Apple Macintosh MacPaint bitmap and turns it into a pix(5) or bw(5) raster image. literally that's it. that's the whole gig. iconic behavior.

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

mac-pix [-c] [-l] [-b] [-s squareMacSize] [-w Mac_width] [-n Mac_height]
        [-x Mac_xoff] [-y Mac_yoff] [-X output_xoff] [-Y output_yoff]
        [-S squareOutputSize] [-W output_width] [-N output_height]
        [-C r/g/b] [file.mac] > output.pix

like, yes, that's a lot of flags. no cap, we're getting to every single one. 🫶

🌸 DESCRIPTION 🌸

mac-pix reads an Apple Macintosh MacPaint bitmap — from file.mac, or, if you don't hand it a file, straight from standard input — and writes a BRL-CAD pix(5) or bw(5) raster image out to standard output. and yeah, that output must be redirected. it's not gonna politely ask where to put things. 🎀

the defaults, so you know what you're walking into:

  • the input bitmap is assumed to be 720x576 (that's the standard MacPaint resolution, bestie, respect the classics)
  • the output pix(5) image defaults to 1024x1024
  • the input gets placed at the lower-left corner
  • active ("on") pixels default to white (R=G=B=255)
  • inactive pixels and any border are black

it's giving minimalist. it's giving high contrast. we love her. 🖤🤍

💅 OPTIONS 💅

  • -c — centers the input image inside the output image instead of yeeting it into the lower-left corner. main character energy, centered, as she should be. 👑
  • -l — tracks the input size: sets the output width and height to 0 so they just assume the input dimensions. no forcing, just vibes. ✨
  • -b — outputs a single-channel bw(5) image instead of the default color pix(5). minimalist queen. 🖤
  • -s squareMacSize — sets both the input width and height to the given number of pixels. one number, both dimensions, efficient. 🎀
  • -w Mac_width — sets the input width in pixels (default 720, clamped to 720). note the clamp, bestie, it will not let you go over. 🫶
  • -n Mac_height — sets the input height in pixels (default 576, clamped to 576). same deal, clamped at 576. 💀
  • -x Mac_xoff — horizontal (X) offset into the input bitmap at which reading begins. like starting a book on chapter two. 📖
  • -y Mac_yoff — vertical (Y) offset into the input bitmap at which reading begins. 📖
  • -X output_xoff — adds a horizontal (X) offset to where the input is placed in the output. a little nudge to the side. 👉
  • -Y output_yoff — adds a vertical (Y) offset to where the input is placed in the output. a little nudge up or down. 👆
  • -S squareOutputSize — sets both the output width and height to the given number of pixels. square output, square life. ⬜
  • -W output_width — sets the output width in pixels (default 1024). 🦋
  • -N output_height — sets the output height in pixels (default 1024). 🦋
  • -C r/g/b — slash-separated red/green/blue intensities (each in [0..255]) for active ("on") pixels in the output. like, 255/0/0 gives you red. yes the slashes are mandatory. no we don't use commas. 🌈
  • -h, -? — prints a usage message and dips. ✌️

🎀 EXAMPLES 🎀

Example 1. Convert a MacPaint document, centering it on a default canvas

mac-pix -c drawing.mac > drawing.pix

reads drawing.mac and writes a 1024x1024 color pix(5) image with the artwork centered, ready to view with pix-fb(1) or compose with pixmerge(1). slay. centered. camera-ready. 📸

Example 2. Recolor and trim a MacPaint bitmap to its native size

mac-pix -l -C 255/0/0 drawing.mac | pix-png > drawing.png

produces a red-on-black pix(5) image sized to the input dimensions (\text{chef's kiss}), and pipes it through pix-png(1) to get a PNG for sharing. red on black is such a serve, honestly. 🔥❤️‍🔥

🦋 SEE ALSO 🦋

brlcad(1), pix-fb(1), pix-png(1), pixmerge(1), pixbackgnd(1), pix(5), bw(5)

go read them. iykyk. 📚

💜 AUTHOR 💜

BRL-CAD Team — absolute legends, fr fr. 🫶

This software is Copyright (c) 1989-2026 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

okay but like, if you find a bug, tell them nicely. they're doing their best. and they built a whole CAD system so honestly, respect. 💖

and that's the whole page, bestie! ✨ this one came to you from BRL-CAD in the MAC-PIX(1) manual — go forth and convert those MacPaint bitmaps, you gorgeous nerd you. 🧚💅🌸

📦 where this page comes from