(dvipng.info)Introduction

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1 Introduction
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This program makes PNG and/or GIF graphics from DVI files as obtained
from TeX and its relatives.

   If GIF support is enabled, GIF output is chosen by using the 'dvigif'
binary or with the '--gif' option.

   It is intended to produce anti-aliased screen-resolution images as
fast as is possible.  The target audience is people who need to generate
and regenerate many images again and again.  The primary target is the
preview-latex (X)Emacs package, a package to preview formulas from
within (X)Emacs.  Yes, you get to see your formulas in the (X)Emacs
buffer, see <http://www.gnu.org/software/auctex/preview-latex.html>.

   Another example is WeBWorK, an internet-based method for delivering
homework problems to students over the internet, giving students instant
feedback as to whether or not their answers are correct, see
<http://webwork.math.rochester.edu>.

   A more recent addition to the dvipng-using applications out there is
MediaWiki, the software behind Wikipedia and many other wikis out there.
Dvipng is used to render mathematical formulae from version 1.8.0 of
MediaWiki, see <http://www.mediawiki.org>.

   Other applications may also benefit, like web applications as
latex2html and WYSIWYG editors like LyX.

   The benefits of 'dvipng'/'dvigif' include

   * Speed.  It is a very fast bitmap-rendering code for DVI files,
     which makes it suitable for generating large amounts of images
     on-the-fly, as needed in preview-latex, WeBWorK and others.

   * It does not read the postamble, so it can be started before TeX
     finishes.  There is a '--follow' switch that makes dvipng wait at
     end-of-file for further output, unless it finds the POST marker
     that indicates the end of the DVI.

   * Interactive query of options.  dvipng can read options
     interactively through stdin, and all options are usable.  It is
     even possible to change the input file through this interface.

   * Supports PK, VF, PostScript Type1, and TrueType fonts, subfonts
     (i.e., as used in CJK-LaTeX), color specials, and inclusion of
     PostScript, PNG, JPEG or GIF images.

   * and more...