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<title>ImageMagick: Command-line Tools: Import</title>
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<p class="text-center"><a href="import.html#usage">Example Usage</a> • <a href="import.html#options">Option Summary</a></p>
<p class="lead magick-description">Use the <code>import</code> program to capture some or all of an X server screen and save the image to a file. See <a href="command-line-processing.html">Command Line Processing</a> for advice on how to structure your <code>import</code> command or see below for example usages of the command.</p>
<h2 class="magick-header"><a id="usage"></a>Example Usage</h2>
<p>We list a few examples of the <code>import</code> command here to illustrate its usefulness and ease of use. To get started, lets import an image in the JPEG format:</p>
<pre>
import rose.jpg
</pre>
<p>To capture the entire X server screen in the Postscript image format:</p>
<pre>
import -window root screen.ps
</pre>
<p>You can find additional examples of using <code>import</code> in <a href="http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/library/l-graf/?ca=dnt-428">Graphics from the Command Line</a>. Further discussion is available in <a href="http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/library/l-graf2/?ca=dgr-lnxw15GraphicsLine">More Graphics from the Command Line</a> and <a href="http://www.imagemagick.org/Usage/">Examples of ImageMagick Usage</a>.</p>
<h2 class="magick-header"><a id="options"></a>Option Summary</h2>
<p>The <code>import</code> command recognizes these options. Click on an option to get more details about how that option works.</p>
<table class="table table-condensed table-striped">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th align="left">Option</th>
<th align="left">Description</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#adjoin">-adjoin</a></td>
<td>join images into a single multi-image file</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#annotate">-annotate <var>geometry text</var></a></td>
<td>annotate the image with text</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#border">-border</a></td>
<td>include window border in the output image</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#channel">-channel <var>type</var></a></td>
<td>apply option to select image channels</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#colors">-colors <var>value</var></a></td>
<td>preferred number of colors in the image</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#colorspace">-colorspace <var>type</var></a></td>
<td>set image colorspace</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#comment">-comment <var>string</var></a></td>
<td>annotate image with comment</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#compress">-compress <var>type</var></a></td>
<td>image compression type</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#contrast">-contrast</a></td>
<td>enhance or reduce the image contrast</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#crop">-crop <var>geometry</var></a></td>
<td>preferred size and location of the cropped image</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#debug">-debug <var>events</var></a></td>
<td>import copious debugging information</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#define">-define <var>format:option</var></a></td>
<td>define one or more image format options</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#delay">-delay <var>value</var></a></td>
<td>import the next image after pausing</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#density">-density <var>geometry</var></a></td>
<td>horizontal and vertical density of the image</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#depth">-depth <var>value</var></a></td>
<td>image depth</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#despeckle">-descend</a></td>
<td>obtain image by descending window hierarchy</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#display">-display <var>server</var></a></td>
<td>get image or font from this X server</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#dispose">-dispose <var>method</var></a></td>
<td>layer disposal method</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#dither">-dither <var>method</var></a></td>
<td>apply error diffusion to image</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#encipher">-encipher <var>filename</var></a></td>
<td>convert plain pixels to cipher pixels</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#encoding">-encoding <var>type</var></a></td>
<td>text encoding type</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#endian">-endian <var>type</var></a></td>
<td>endianness (MSB or LSB) of the image</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#filter">-filter <var>type</var></a></td>
<td>use this filter when resizing an image</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#frame">-frame</a></td>
<td>include window manager frame</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#geometry">-geometry <var>geometry</var></a></td>
<td>preferred size or location of the image</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#gravity">-gravity <var>type</var></a></td>
<td>horizontal and vertical text placement</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#help">-help</a></td>
<td>print program options</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#identify">-identify</a></td>
<td>identify the format and characteristics of the image</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#interlace">-interlace <var>type</var></a></td>
<td>type of image interlacing scheme</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#interpolate">-interpolate <var>method</var></a></td>
<td>pixel color interpolation method</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#label">-label <var>name</var></a></td>
<td>assign a label to an image</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#limit">-limit <var>type value</var></a></td>
<td>pixel cache resource limit</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#log">-log <var>format</var></a></td>
<td>format of debugging information</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#monitor">-monitor</a></td>
<td>monitor progress</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#monochrome">-monochrome</a></td>
<td>transform image to black and white</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#negate">-negate</a></td>
<td>replace each pixel with its complementary color </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#page">-page <var>geometry</var></a></td>
<td>size and location of an image canvas (setting)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#pause">-pause <var>seconds</var></a></td>
<td>seconds delay between snapshots</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#quality">-quality <var>value</var></a></td>
<td>JPEG/MIFF/PNG compression level</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#quantize">-quantize <var>colorspace</var></a></td>
<td>reduce image colors in this colorspace</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#quiet">-quiet</a></td>
<td>suppress all warning messages</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#quiet">-quiet</a></td>
<td>suppress all warning messages</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#regard-warnings">-regard-warnings</a></td>
<td>pay attention to warning messages.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#repage">-repage <var>geometry</var></a></td>
<td>size and location of an image canvas</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#resize">-resize <var>geometry</var></a></td>
<td>resize the image</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#respect-parentheses">-respect-parentheses</a></td>
<td>settings remain in effect until parenthesis boundary.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#rotate">-rotate <var>degrees</var></a></td>
<td>apply Paeth rotation to the image</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#sampling-factor">-sampling-factor <var>geometry</var></a></td>
<td>horizontal and vertical sampling factor</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#scene">-scene <var>value</var></a></td>
<td>image scene number</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#screen">-screen</a></td>
<td>select image from root window</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#seed">-seed <var>value</var></a></td>
<td>seed a new sequence of pseudo-random numbers</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#set">-set <var>attribute value</var></a></td>
<td>set an image attribute</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#sharpen">-silent</a></td>
<td>operate silently, i.e. don't ring any bells</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#strip">-strip</a></td>
<td>strip image of all profiles and comments</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#synchronize">-synchronize</a></td>
<td>synchronize image to storage device</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#taint">-taint</a></td>
<td>mark the image as modified</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#transparent-color">-transparent-color <var>color</var></a></td>
<td>transparent color</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#trim">-trim</a></td>
<td>trim image edges</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#update">-type <var>type</var></a></td>
<td>image type</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#verbose">-verbose</a></td>
<td>print detailed information about the image</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#version">-version</a></td>
<td>print version information</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#virtual-pixel">-virtual-pixel <var>method</var></a></td>
<td>access method for pixels outside the boundaries of the image</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="command-line-options.html#write">-window <var>id</var></a></td>
<td>select window with this id or name</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
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