# Chapter 4 - HTMLDOC from the Command-Line

This chapter describes how to use HTMLDOC from the command-line to convert web pages and generate books.

Note: The free version of HTMLDOC for Windows does not include the command-line program.

## Converting Web Pages

To convert a single web page type:

    % htmldoc --webpage -f output.pdf filename.html ENTER
    % htmldoc --webpage -f output.ps filename.html ENTER

To convert more than one web page with page breaks between each HTML file, type:

    % htmldoc --webpage -f output.pdf file1.html ... fileN.html ENTER
    % htmldoc --webpage -f output.ps file1.html ... fileN.html ENTER

The `--webpage` option tells HTMLDOC that you want to convert web pages or other unstructured HTML files. You can also use `--continuous` to convert multiple HTML files without page breaks between files and `--book` to convert structured HTML files with headings into a book with a table of contents. The default document type is `--book`.

The `-f` option tells HTMLDOC the file to generate. If you don't specify an output file, a PDF file is sent to the standard output. The `output.pdf` and `output.ps` arguments are the names of the output files you want to generate. The `.pdf` extension specifies that you want to generate a PDF file, while the `.ps` extension specifies PostScript output.

The `filename.html`, `file1.html`, and `fileN.html` arguments are the input HTML files you want to convert. The HTML files can also be URLs, for example:

    % htmldoc --webpage -f output.pdf http://slashdot.org/ ENTER
    % htmldoc --webpage -f output.ps http://freshmeat.net/ http://easysw.com/ ENTER

## Generating Books

Type one of the following commands to generate a book from one or more HTML files:

    % htmldoc --book -f output.html file1.html ... fileN.html ENTER
    % htmldoc --book -f output.pdf file1.html ... fileN.html ENTER
    % htmldoc --book -f output.ps file1.html ... fileN.html ENTER

where `output.html`, `output.pdf`, and `output.ps` are the names of the files you want to generate, and `file1.html` to `fileN.html` are the HTML files you want to use for the book.

The `--book` option tells HTMLDOC that you want to generate a book from the HTML file(s) you specified.

The `-f` option tells HTMLDOC what file to generate. If you don't specify an output file then a PDF file is sent to the standard output.

HTMLDOC will build a table of contents for the book using the heading elements (`H1`, `H2`, etc.) in your HTML files. It will also add a title page using the document `TITLE` text and other `META` information you supply in your HTML files. See Chapter 6 - HTML Reference for more information on the `META` variables that are supported.

Note: When using book mode, HTMLDOC starts rendering with the first `H1` element. Any text, images, tables, and other viewable elements that precede the first `H1` element are silently ignored. Because of this, make sure you have an `H1` element in your HTML file, otherwise HTMLDOC will not convert anything!

## Setting the Title File

The `--titlefile` option sets the HTML file or image to use on the title page:

    % htmldoc --titlefile filename.bmp ... ENTER
    % htmldoc --titlefile filename.gif ... ENTER
    % htmldoc --titlefile filename.jpg ... ENTER
    % htmldoc --titlefile filename.png ... ENTER
    % htmldoc --titlefile filename.html ... ENTER

HTMLDOC supports BMP, GIF, JPEG, and PNG images, as well as generic HTML text you supply for the title page(s).