</pre>
</p>
- <h2><a name="outputtingalignmentfiles"></a>Outputting/converting alignment files and images (<code>--output</code>, <code>--format</code>, <code>--image</code>, <code>--type</code>, <code>--textrenderer</code>, <code>--scale</code>, <code>--backups</code>, <code>--overwrite</code>)</h2>
+ <h2><a name="outputtingalignmentfiles"></a>Outputting/converting alignment files and images (<code>--output</code>, <code>--format</code>, <code>--image</code>, <code>--structureimage</code>, <code>--type</code>, <code>--scale</code>, <code>--width</code>, <code>--height</code>, <code>--imagecolour</code>, <code>--bgcolour</code>, <code>--textrenderer</code>, <code>--overwrite</code>, <code>--backups</code>, <code>--mkdirs</code>)</h2>
<p>
You can save an alignment as an alignment file, or exported as an image, in different formats. Jalview's alignment output formats are:
</pre>
</p>
- <h3><a name="image"></a><code>--structureimage</code></h3>
+ <h3><a name="structureimage"></a><code>--structureimage</code></h3>
<p>
To export an open structure as an image, use the <code>--structureimage</code> argument, which will give an image of the structure as it appears (or would appear if not in <code>--headless</code> mode) in a Jmol window including colour scheme. <code>--structureimage</code> can currently only be used with structures opened with the <code>jmol</code> structureviewer (the default viewer).
</p>
These by default produce a PNG image of screen or webpage resolution, which you will probably want to improve upon. There are two ways of doing this with Jalview: increasing the scale of the PNG image, or using a vector based image format (EPS, SVG, HTML).
<p>
+ <h3><a name="type"></a><code>--type</code></h3>
+
+ <p>
+ To specify the type of image file to write (if using an unrecognised file extension) use the <code>--type</code> argument to specify a value (see above). A sub-value modifier on the <code>--image</code> and <code>--structureimage</code> value can also be used. Valid values are:
+ <br/>
+ <code>png</code> - A Portable Network Graphics image (bitmap, default),
+ <br/>
+ <code>svg</code> - A Scalable Vector Graphics image (vector),
+ <br/>
+ <code>eps</code> - An Encapsulated PostScript file (vector),
+ <br/>
+ <code>html</code> - An HTML rendition of the alignment with embedded source data (vector/web browser),
+ <br/>
+ <code>biojs</code> - An HTML rendition of the alignment with interactive MSA viewer <a href="biojsmsa.html">BioJS-MSA</a> (vector).
+ </p>
+
<h3><a name="bitmap"></a>Bitmap image types (<code>png</code>)</h3>
<p>
</pre>
</p>
- <h3><a name="height"></a><code>--imagecolour</code></h3>
+ <h3><a name="imagecolour"></a><code>--imagecolour</code></h3>
<p>
Specify a colour scheme to use just for this image using the <code>--imagecolour</code> argument:
</pre>
</p>
- <h3><a name="height"></a><code>--bgcolour</code></h3>
+ <h3><a name="bgcolour"></a><code>--bgcolour</code></h3>
<p>
<strong>Only applies to <code>--structureimage</code>.</strong> Specify a background colour for a structure image. The colour can be specified as a named colour recognised by Java (e.g. <code>"white"</code>, <code>"cyan"</code>) or as a #RRGGBB hash-6-digit-hex-string as used in web pages (e.g. <code>"#ffffff"</code>, <code>"#00ffff"</code>). Note that if you're using a hash in a bash-like shell then you should quote the string to avoid problems with it being interpreted as a comment character.
Next we look at vector image formats, which maintain detail at all resolutions.
</p>
- <h3><a name="vector"></a>Vector image export</h3>
+ <h3><a name="vector"></a>Vector image export (<code>svg</code>, <code>eps</code>, <code>html</code>, <code>biojs</code>)</h3>
<p>
Jalview can export an alignment in Encapsulated PostScript (<code>eps</code>), Scalable Vector Graphics (<code>svg</code>), HTML (<code>html</code>) or BioJSON -- another HTML format (<code>biojs</code>), by using, e.g.
</pre>
</p>
+ <h3><a name="outputbehaviour"></a>Output behaviour</h3>
+
+ <h3><a name="overwrite"></a><code>--overwrite</code></h3>
+
+ <p>
+ By default, Jalview will refuse to overwrite an output file (alignment or image) unless backups are in operation (alignment files only). To force overwriting files, use the <code>--overwrite</code> argument.
+ </p>
+
+ <h3><a name="backups"></a><code>--backups / --nobackups</code></h3>
+
+ <p>
+ Jalview should honour your preferences for backup files of output alignment files. Using <code>--backups</code> or <code>--nobackups</code> forces the behaviour. With no backups set, you will need to use <code>--overwrite</code> to overwrite an existing file. Note that Jalview does not make backup files of exported images.
+ </p>
+
+ <h3><a name="mkdirs"></a><code>--mkdirs</code></h3>
+
+ <p>
+ If you want to output a file into a folder that doesn't yet exist (this might happen particularly when using <code>{dirname}</code> substitutions -- see below), then Jalview will fail to write the file since the parent directory doesn't exist. You can use <code>--mkdirs</code> to tell Jalview to make the new directory (or directories, it will create several nested directories if necessary) before writing the file. <code>--mkdirs</code> is cautious and will generally refuse to make a new directory using a relative path with <code>..</code> in.
+ </p>
<h2><a name="filenamesubstitutionsandbatchprocessing"></a>Filename substitutions and batch processing (<code>--substitutions</code>, <code>--close</code>, <code>--all</code>)</h2>