Command Line Options and Resources

Command-line Options

Mode Settings

PRINT and EXPORT

Fonts or Colors, etc.

Size of Windows, etc.

Other Settings

X Resources

Mode Resources

PRINT and EXPORT

Fonts or Colors, etc.

Size of Windows, etc.

Other Resources

Resources for Internationalization

Environment Variables

Command-line Options

It is also possible to use X resources instead of, or in addition to command-line options. There are also some xfig-related environment variables.

Mode Settings

-allownegcoords (-allow)

Allow panning the canvas into the negative region. This is the default. Also, in this mode the user is not asked if he/she wants to shift the figure when reading in a file with objects that have negative coordinates.

-dontallownegcoords (-dontallow)

Don't allow panning the canvas into the negative region. Also, when in this mode the user is asked if he/she wants to shift the figure when reading in a file with objects that have negative coordinates.

-autorefresh

Make xfig look at the timestamp on the .fig file and automatically load it and display it every time it changes.

-dontshowaxislines (-dontshowa)

Don't draw the axis lines crossing through 0,0 on the canvas. The page border may still be drawn unless -dontshowpageborder is selected.

-freehand_resolution resolution (-free)

Set the resolution of the freehand drawing mode to resolution pixels. This is the number of pixels the mouse must move before xfig adds another point to the object being drawn.

-grid_unit unit (-grid_u)

Set the unit of the grid and rulers when in inches mode. If unit is "1/10", "ten", "tenth", "1/10" or "10", (e.g. -grid_unit ten) then the grid and point positioning is in decimal inches. Otherwise they are in 1/16 inch units (as before). When in this mode, the grid step sizes are 0.1, 0.2, 0.5 and 1 inch and the positioning steps are 0.05, 0.10, 0.2, 0.5, and 1.0 inch. The default is 1/16 inch.

-hiddentext (-hi)

Set the Hidden flag of TEXT FLAGS to ON. The default is off.

-inches (-inc, -imperial)

Make inches the unit of choice. This is the default. See also the -metric option and Set Units.

-landscape (-lan)

Start xfig in landscape (11inch x 8.5inch) mode. This is the default. See also the -portrait option.
It is also possible to change the orientation using the View/Portrait/Landscape menu entry after starting xfig. Fig files of version 3.0 and later contain the orientation information, and the mode will be changed as those files are loaded.

-latexfonts (-lat)

Select LaTeX fonts to start. Normally, PostScript fonts are selected.

-metric (-me, -centimeters)

Make centimeters the unit of choice. The default is inches. See also the -inches option and Set Units.

-portrait (-po)

Start xfig in portrait (8.5inch x 9inch) mode. The default is landscape mode. See also the -landscape option.

-rigidtext (-rigi)

Set the Rigid flag of TEXT FLAGS to ON. The default is off.

-rulerthick thick (-ru)

Set the thickness of top and side rulers in pixels. The default (and minimum) is 24.

-scale_factor scale (-scale_factor)

Scale all drawings read in by scale factor. This is useful in conjunction with the update -update option to do a batch scaling of figures.

-showaxislines (-showa)

Draw the axis lines crossing through 0,0 on the canvas. See also axislines option for the color of the zero lines.

-smallicons (-sma)

Use small button icons on mode panel.

-specialtext (-spec)

Set the TeX flag of TEXT FLAGS to ON. The default is off.

-startfontsize pointsize (-startfo)

Set the initial value of TEXT SIZE. The default is 12pt.

-startpsFont font (-startps)

Select the initial PostScript font as TEXT FONT. The default is Times-Roman.

-startlatexFont font (-startla)

Select the initial LaTeX font as TEXT FONT. This is effective only if -latexfonts option is given. The default is Default.

-starttextstep stepsize (-startt)

Set the initial value of TEXT STEP. The default is 1.2.

-startfillstyle stylenumber (-startfi)

Set the initial setting (-1 to 21) of FILL STYLE. The default is -1 (No fill).

-startgridmode modenumber (-startg)

Set the initial GRID MODE. Mode 0 is None. When unit is inches, mode 1 1/8 inch, mode 2 is 1/4 inch, mode 3 is 1/2 inch, and mode 4 is 1 inch. When unit is centimeters, mode 1 2mm, mode 2 is 5mm, mode 3 is 1cm, and mode 4 is 2cm. The default is mode 0 (no grid).

-startposnmode modenumber (-startpo)

Set the initial POINT POSITION. Mode 0 is Any. When unit is inches, mode 1 is 1/16 inch, mode 2 is 1/8 inch, mode 3 is 1/4 inch, mode 4 is 1/2 inch, and mode 5 is 1 inch. When unit is centimeters, mode 1 is 1mm, mode 2 is 2mm, mode 3 is 5mm, mode 4 is 1cm, and mode 5 is 2cm. The default is mode 1 (1/16inch or 1mm).

-startlinewidth width (-startli)

Set the initial value of LINE WIDTH. The default is 1.

-update file [ file ... ] (-up)

Run xfig in an "update" mode, where it will read each Fig file specified on the command line and write it out to the original file, in the current file format for the version of xfig being run. The original Fig file will be preserved with the suffix .bak attached to the name.
In this mode, xfig doesn't connect the X server, so no window is opened, and it exits when finished.

-userscale scale (-users)

Set the multiplier used when displaying dimensions. See also Set Units.

-userunit units (-useru)

Set the unit name used when displaying dimensions. See also Set Units.

-axislines color (-axisl)

Draw the axis lines crossing through 0,0 on the canvas in this color. The -showaxislines option must be on. The page border lines will overwrite the zero lines in the positive quadrant unless it is turned off.

-zoom zoomscale

Set the initial value of ZOOM SCALE. The default is 1.0.

PRINT and EXPORT Settings

-center (-cente)

Select Center as Justification when Exporting or Printing. This the the default.

-exportLanguage language (-exportL)

Set the initial export language when Exporting. Language may be one of the following:

Vector formats:
     box        LaTeX box (figure boundary)
     shape      ShapePar definition
     latex      LaTeX picture
     epic       LaTeX picture + epic macros
     eepic      LaTeX picture + eepic macros
     eepicemu   LaTeX picture + eepicemu macros
     tikz       LaTeX picture + tikz macros
     pict2e     LaTeX picture + pict2e macros
     pstricks   LaTeX + pstricks macros
     pictex     PiCTeX macros
     ibmgl      IBMGL (or HPGL)
     eps        Encapsulated PostScript
     ps         PostScript
     pspdf      EPS and PDF (two files)
     pdf        Portable Document Format
     pstex      Combined PS/LaTeX (both PS and LaTeX parts)
     pdftex     Combined PDF/LaTeX (both PDF and LaTeX parts)
     pspdftex   Combined PS/PDF/LaTeX (three files)
     textyl     Textyl \special commands
     tpic       TPIC
     pic        PIC
     html       HTML Image map
     mf         MF (MetaFont)
     mp         MP (MetaPost)
     cgm        CGM (Computer Graphics Metafile)
     emf        EMF (Enhanced Metafile Format)
     dxf        DXF (Drawing Interchange Format)
     gbx        GBX (Gerber, RS-247-X)
     tk         Tk (aka Tcl/Tk)
     ptk        Perl/Tk
Bitmap formats:
     gif        GIF
     jpg        JPEG (JFIF)
     pcx        PCX
     png        PNG (Portable Network Graphics)
     ppm        PPM (Portable Pixmap)
     sld        AutoCAD Slide format
     tiff       TIFF (no compression)
     xbm        X11 Bitmap
     xpm        X11 Pixmap (XPM3 package)

The default is eps.

-export_margin (-export_m)

Set the size of the border margin around the figure for exporting to bitmap, PostScript, Encapsulated PostScript, or HTML MAP formats. This is in units of pixels (1/80th inch). The default is 0.

-flushleft (-flu)

Select Flush Left as Justification when Exporting or Printing. The default is Centered.

-jpeg_quality quality (-j)

Set the quality used when Exporting to the JPEG (JFIF) image format.

-magnification mag (-mag)

Set Magnification when Exporting or Printing. mag is magnification in %. The default is 100%.

-multiple (-mu)

Set Pages to Multiple when Exporting or Printing. The default is Single.

-paper_size size (-pap)

Set the paper size when Exporting or Printing. size can be one of follows:

Paper	Size	Option name
Letter	8.5in x 11in	Letter
Legal	8.5in x 14in	Legal
Tabloid	17in x 11in	Tabloid
ANSI A	8.5in x 11in	A
ANSI B	11in x 17in	B
ANSI C	17in x 22in	C
ANSI D	22in x 34in	D
ANSI E	34in x 44in	E
ISO A9	37mm x 52mm	A9
ISO A8	52mm x 74mm	A8
ISO A7	74mm x 105mm	A7
ISO A6	105mm x 148mm	A6
ISO A5	148mm x 210mm	A5
ISO A4	210mm x 297mm	A4
ISO A3	297mm x 420mm	A3
ISO A2	420mm x 594mm	A2
ISO A1	594mm x 841mm	A1
ISO A0	841mm x 1189mm	A0
JIS B10	32mm x 45mm	B10
JIS B9	45mm x 64mm	B9
JIS B8	64mm x 91mm	B8
JIS B7	91mm x 128mm	B7
JIS B6	128mm x 182mm	B6
JIS B5	182mm x 257mm	B5
JIS B4	257mm x 364mm	B4
JIS B3	364mm x 515mm	B3
JIS B2	515mm x 728mm	B2
JIS B1	728mm x 1030mm	B1
JIS B0	1030mm x 1456mm	B0

-single (-si)

Set Pages to Single when Exporting or Printing. This is the default.

-transparent_color xfig color number (-tran)

Set the "transparent" color when Exporting to the GIF image format. This is one of the xfig colors, which are numbered from -3 (Background), -2 (None), -1 (Default), 0 (Black), 1 (Blue) etc. See Colors.

Setting of Fonts or Colors, etc.

-buttonFont font (-butt)

Set the font used to display labels of most buttons. The default is 6x13.

-cbg color

Set the background color of the canvas. If you want to set the background color of everything in xfig (menus, etc), use the general -bg option.

-cfg color

Set the default color of objects. If you want to set the foreground color of everything in xfig (menus, etc), use the general -fg option.

-correct_font_size

Normally, fig2dev uses 1/80 inch for font size increments (for historical reasons), instead of the more proper ``points'' (1/72 inch) that xfig uses. This option makes xfig call fig2dev with the -F option to make it use points (1/72 inch).

-depth (-dep)

Choose depth of visual desired.
Use xdpyinfo to see what visuals and depths are supported. See also -visual option.

-dontswitchcmap (-dontsw)

Normaly, xfig will switch to a private colormap when not enough colors are available in the default colormap, but this option will inhibit the switch. See also -max_image_colors.

-max_image_colors numcols (-max)

Limit the number of colors used for imported images to numcols. The default is 64. Xfig uses a The Kohonen neural network to map the colors in imported pictures to the limited set available to it.

-monochrome (-mo)

Use black and white only for display.

-normalFont font (-nor)

Set the font used in message windows, etc. The default is 6x13.

-noscalablefonts (-nos)

Disable use of the X11R5 or OpenWindows scalable fonts. You might want to use this for debugging.

-scalablefonts (-sc)

Allows use of the X11R5 or OpenWindows scalable fonts. This is the default. If the scalable fonts aren't available, xfig will automatically switch to non-scaling fonts.

-visual visualname

Use visualname as the visual. visualname is one of TrueColor, StaticColor, DirectColor, StaticGray, GrayScale, and PseudoColor. xfig uses the default visual unless this is specified.
Use the xdpyinfo command to see which visuals and depths are supported. See also -depth option.

Settings for the Size of Windows, etc.

-but_per_row number (-but_)

Specify how many buttons wide the mode panel should be. This option is not usually needed since xfig automatically adjusts the number of buttons per row in the mode panel to fit the canvas size chosen (see -pheight). The default is 2, but xfig will automatically increase this if necessary to fit on the user's screen, if this option is not explicitly specified. Also, xfig may be compiled to use smaller icons for the mode panel.

-geometry [WxH]+x+y (-geom)

Set the size and/or position of the xfig window. You may use this to set the size of the main xfig window, or you may instead set the size of the drawing canvas in inches or cm using the -pwidth and -pheight options.

-iconGeometry +x+y (-iconG)

Set the position for the xfig icon on the display.

-internalBW width

Set the width of lines between all buttons and panels. The default is 2.

-left (-le)

Put the drawing and editing mode panel on the left side of the canvas. This is the default.

-pheight height (-ph)

Set the height of the xfig canvas to height. height is either cm or inches, depending on the selected unit.

-pwidth width (-pw)

Set the width of xfig canvas to width. width is either cm or inches, depending on the selected unit.

-right (-righ)

Put the drawing and editing mode panel on the right of the canvas. The default is left.

-showallbuttons (-showa)

Always show all the attribute buttons instead of only those relevant to the current drawing or editing mode. This takes up more screen real estate, but allows the user to see all settable parameters. Normally, each attribute button will only appear when it is relevant to the current drawing mode.

Other Settings

-help (-h)

Print all command-line options for xfig and quit.

-balloon_delay msec (-bal)

Specify the delay time in milliseconds before the information balloons popup. The default is 500 milliseconds.

-debug (-deb)

Turn on debugging mode. Print various debugging messages such as font names, etc.

-flipvisualhints (-fli)

Flip left/right mouse indicator messages for mice whose buttons have been switched. The default is to not flip the messages.

-grid_color color (-grid)

Draw the grid on the canvas in this color (default light red).

-icon_view (-icon_)

Show the icon view of the library objects. This is the default. See also -list_view.

-image_editor (-ima)

Specify the program to be invoked when the Edit Image button on the Edit Panel for PICTURE object is clicked.

-inputStyle style

Set the input style when entering international text with input method. The style may be selected from OffTheSpot, OverTheSpot and Root. If this is set to None, input method will not used. This is effective only if internationalization facility is enabled.

-nointernational

Turn off internationalization facility. Xfig then only accesses latin-1 characters. Some text in the user interface may render better if this is set.

-keyFile compose-key-file (-k)

Use compose-key-file instead of CompKeyDB for compose key database. If there are no `/'s in the name, the file must reside in the xfig library directory $XFIGLIBDIR (normally /usr/local/lib/X11/xfig). If there are any `/'s in the name it is taken as is (not relative to $XFIGLIBDIR). If the name is start with `~/', it will replaced to the user's home directory.

-library_dir (-li)

Specify the directory where Fig object (drawing) directories are stored. See available libraries.

-library_icon_size size (-library_i)

Set the size of the library icons to size pixels square. See also -icon_view.

-list_view (-list_)

Show the list view of the library objects. The default is to show the icon view. See also -icon_view.

-nosplash

Don't show the startup screen on startup. The default is to show the splash screen

-nowrite_bak

-write_bak

When saving a drawing into an existing .fig file xfig will first rename that file by appending ".bak" to the name. These options turn on and off that feature.

-pageborder color (-pag)

Draw the page border on the canvas in this color (default light blue). The page border is turned on by the -showpageborder (resource Fig.showpageborder) option, and shows the edges of the current export paper size.

-showballoons (-showb)

-dontshowballoons (-dontshowb)

Popup/don't popup balloon messages when the cursor passes over buttons etc. The default is to show the balloons.

-showdepthmanager (-showd)

-dontshowdepthmanager (-dontshowd)

Show or hide the depth manager This will allow more room for the canvas. The default is to show the depth manager.

-showlengths (-showl)

-dontshowlengths (-dontshowl)

Makes xfig show the lengths of lines being drawn, in red text near the line itself. Also, when points are moved or added. In addition, imagine a triangle formed with the line segment being drawn as the hypotenuse, and a vertical and horizontal line forming the other two sides. These lines and their lengths are also drawn in red as the point is moved or added.

-shownums (-shown)

-dontshownums (-dontshown)

Makes xfig show the number of each vertex of objects on the canvas. For arcs, it also shows the center point. This is probably only useful for debugging of Fig files.

-showpageborder (-showp)

-dontshowpageborder (-dontshowp)

Show or don't show the border of the current paper size in the color specified by the -pageborder option (default light blue).

-spellcheckcommand spell-check-command (-spel)

Specify the external spell check program to use when checking spelling of text objects. The default is `spell'.

-spinner_delay msec (-spinner_d)

Specify the delay time in milliseconds before a spinner counts automatically, while the up- or down-arrow is being pressed. The default is 500 milliseconds.

-spinner_rate msec (-spinner_r)

Specify the rate in milliseconds at which a spinner counts automatically. The default is 100 milliseconds.

-tablet (-ta)

Specifies that xfig should use the input tablet instead of the mouse for drawing. You must have the XInputExtension in your X server and an input tablet for this to work, and xfig must be compiled with the TABLIB and USETAB variables set in the Imakefile for it to use the tablet.
Use xdpyinfo to see if your server supports the XInputExtension.

-track (-trac)

-notrack (-not)

Turn on or off cursor (mouse) tracking arrows. The default is to track the cursor position by displaying arrows on the top and side ruler.

X Resources

Mode Resources

allownegcoords (NegativeCoordinates)

Allow panning the canvas into the negative region. This is the default. If this is false the user is asked if he/she wants to shift the figure when reading in a file with objects that have negative coordinates.
Option: -allownegcoords, -dontallownegcoords
Default: on

autorefresh

Make xfig look at the timestamp on the .fig file and automatically load it and display it every time it changes.
Option: -autorefresh
Default: off

hiddentext (HiddenText)

Set initial value of the Hidden flag of the TEXT FLAGS.
Option: -hiddentext
Default: off

inches (Inches)

inches will be selected as the unit if this is set ON, cm otherwise.
Option: -inches (-imperial), -metric (-centimeters)
Default: on (inches)

landscape (Orientation)

landscape orientation will be selected if this is set ON, portrait mode otherwise.
Option: -landscape, -portrait
Default: on (landscape)

latexfonts (Latexfonts)

LaTeX fonts will be used initially if this is set ON. Otherwise PostScript fonts will be used.
Option: -latexfonts
Default: off

rigidtext (RigidText)

Set initial value of the Rigid flag of the TEXT FLAGS.
Option: -rigidtext
Default: off

specialtext (SpecialText)

Set initial value of the TeX flag of the TEXT FLAGS.
Option: -specialtext
Default: off

startpsFont (StartpsFont)

Select the specified PostScript font as the initial TEXT FONT.
Option: -startpsFont
Default: Times-Roman

startlatexFont (StartlatexFont)

Select the specified LaTeX font as the initial TEXT FONT.
Option: -startlatexFont
Default: Default

startfontsize (StartFontSize)

Set initial value of TEXT SIZE.
Option: -startfontsize
Default: 12

starttextstep (StartTextStep)

Set initial value of TEXT STEP.
Option: -starttextstep
Default: 1.2

startfillstyle (StartFillStyle)

Set the initial value (-1 to 21) of FILL STYLE.
Option: -startfillstyle
Default: -1 (None)

startgridmode (StartGridMode)

Set the initial value (0 to 4) of GRID MODE.
Option: -startgridmode
Default: 0 (None)

startposnmode (StartPosnMode)

Set the initial value (0 to 5) of POINT POSITION.
Option: -startposnmode
Default: 1 (1/16inch, or 1mm)

startlinewidth (StartLineWidth)

Set the initial value of LINE WIDTH.
Option: -startlinewidth
Default: 1

userscale (UserScale)

Set the multiplier used when displaying dimensions.
Option: -userscale
Default: 1.0

userunit (UserUnit)

Set the unit name used when displaying dimensions.
Option: -userunit
Default: in (or cm)

zoom (Zoom)

Set the initial value of ZOOM SCALE.
Option: -zoom
Default: 1.0

PRINT and EXPORT Resources

export_margin (Width)

Set the size of the border margin around the figure for exporting to bitmap, PostScript, Encapsulated PostScript, or HTML MAP formats. This is in units of pixels (1/80th inch).
Option: -export_margin
Default: 0

exportLanguage (ExportLanguage)

Set the initial export Language when Exporting.
Option: -exportLanguage
Default: eps (Encapsulated PostScript)

flushleft (FlushLeft)

Set the initial Justification when Exporting or Printing.
Option: -flushleft
Default: off (Centered)

jpeg_quality quality (Quality)

Set the quality used when Exporting to the JPEG (JFIF) image format.
Option: jpeg_quality
Default: 75

magnification (Magnification)

Set the initial Magnification when Exporting or Printing.
Option: -magnification
Default: 100

multiple (Multiple)

Set the initial selection of Pages when Exporting or Printing.
Option: -multiple
Default: off

paper_size (Papersize)

Set the initial Paper Size when Exporting or Printing. See paper sizes.

Option: -paper_size
Default: Letter (when unit is inches), or A4 (when unit is cm)

transparent xfig color number (Transparent)

Set the "transparent" color when Exporting to the GIF image format. This is one of the xfig colors, which are numbered from -3 (Background), -2 (None), -1 (Default), 0 (Black), 1 (Blue) etc. See Colors.
Option: -transparent_color
Default: -2 (None)

Resources for Fonts or Colors, etc.

buttonFont (Font)

Set the font to use for the labels of most buttons.
Option: -button
Default: 6x13

normalFont (Font)

Set the font used in message windows, etc.
Option: -normal
Default: 6x13

canvasbackground (Background)

Set the background color of the canvas.
Option: -cbg
Default: ivory

canvasforeground (Foreground)

Set the default color of objects.
Option: -cfg
Default: black

depth (Depth)

Set depth of the visual.
Option: -depth
Default: default screen depth

dontswitchcmap (Dontswitchcmap)

Setting this ON will inhibit switching to a private colormap even if not enough colors are available in the default colormap.
Option: -dontswitchcmap
Default: off

jpeg_quality quality (Quality)

Set the quality used when Exporting to the JPEG (JFIF) image format.
Option: jpeg_quality
Default: 75

monochrome (Monochrome)

Setting this ON will make xfig use black and white only for display.
Option: -monochrome
Default: off

visual (Visual)

Use visualname as visual.
Option: -visual
Default: default screen visual

Resources for the Size of Windows, etc.

but_per_row (But_per_row)

Specify the number of buttons wide the mode panel should be.
Option: -but_per_row
Default: 2

internalborderwidth (InternalBorderWidth)

Set the width of lines between all buttons and panels.
Option: -internalBW
Default: 2 (pixels)

justify (Justify)

If this is ON, drawing and editing mode panel will put to the right of the canvas.
Option: -left, -right
Default: off (left)

pheight (Height)

Set the height of the canvas.
Option: -pheight
Default: 8.5 (inches) (9 inches in portrait mode)

pwidth (Width)

Set the width of the canvas.
Option: -pwidth
Default: 11 (inches) (8.5 inches in portrait mode)

showallbuttons (ShowAllButtons)

If this is ON, xfig will always show all the attribute buttons instead of only those relevant to the current drawing mode.
Option: -showallbuttons
Default: off

smallicons (Icons)

Show the small icons in the mode panel.
Option: -smallicons
Default: off

rulerthick (RulerThick)

Set the thickness of top and side rulers.
Option: -rulerthick
Default: 24 (pixels)
Minimum: 24

Other Resources

balloon_delay (Balloon_Delay)

Specify the delay time in milliseconds before the information balloons popup.
Option: -balloon_delay
Default: 500 milliseconds

browser (Browser)

Specify the web browser to use to view the HTML help files.
Default: netscape -remote 'openFile(%f)' || netscape %f

debug (Debug)

Setting this ON will turn on debugging mode.
Option: -debug
Default: off

ghostscript name (Ghostscript)

The name of the ghostscript program (default gs).
Option: -ghostscript
Default: gs

flipvisualhints (Hints)

Setting this ON will flip the left/right mouse indicator messages for mice whose buttons have been switched.
Option: -flipvisualhints
Default: off

grid_color color (Color)

Draw the grid on the canvas in this color (default light red).
Option: -grid_color
Default: #FFCCCC

icon_view (View)

Show the icon view of the library objects. See also library_icon_size.
Option: -icon_view
Default: True

image_editor (ImageEditor)

Specify the program to be invoked when the Edit Image button on the Edit Panel for PICTURE object is clicked.
Option: -image_editor
Default: xdg-open

keyFile (KeyFile)

Specify the file to be used as the compose key (international characters) database.
Option: -keyFile
Default: $XFIGLIBDIR/CompKeyDB
              (where $XFIGLIBDIR is the variable in the Imakefile for xfig)

library_dir (libraryDirectory)

Specify the directory where Fig object directories are stored. When the Library button is pressed this path will be parsed for Fig files and sub-directories. Each sub-directory found will be used as an object library and will appear in the pull-down menu in the library popup panel.
Option: -library_dir
Default: ~/xfiglib

library_icon_size (Dimension)

Set the size of the library icons in pixels. See also icon_view.
Option: (-library_icon_size)
Default: 60

max_image_colors (Max_image_colors)

Limit the number of colors used for imported images.
Option: -max_image_colors
Default: 64

pageborder color (Color)

Draw the page border on the canvas in this color. The page border is turned on by the -showpageborder option (resource Fig.showpageborder), and shows the edges of the current export paper size.
Option: -pageborder
Default: light blue

pdfviewer (Viewer)

Specify the external program to use to view the PDF help files.
Default: xdg-open %f

showballoons (showBalloons)

Popup popup balloon messages when the cursor passes over buttons etc.
Option: -showballoons / -dontshowballoons
Default: on (show balloons)

showdepthmanager (Hints)

Show the depth manager to the right of the side ruler.
Option: -showdepthmanager / -dontshowdepthmanager
Default: on (show depth manager)

showlengths (Debug)

Makes xfig show the lengths of lines being drawn, in red text near the line itself. Also, when points are moved or added. In addition, imagine a triangle formed with the line segment as the hypotenuse, and a vertical and horizontal line forming the other two sides. These lines and their lengths are also drawn in red as the point is moved or added.
Option: -showlengths / -dontshowlengths
Default: off

shownums (Debug)

Makes xfig show the number of each vertex of objects on the canvas. This is probably only useful for debugging of Fig files.
Option: -shownums, -dontshownums
Default: off (don't show numbers)

showpageborder (Debug)

Makes xfig show the border of the current export paper size in the color specified by the -pageborder option (resource Fig.pageborder).
Option: -showpageborder
Default: on

spellcheckcommand (spellCheckCommand)

Specify the external spell check program to use when checking spelling of text objects.
Option: -spellcheckcommand
Default: spell

splash (View)

Show or don't show the startup screen on startup.
Option: -nosplash
Default: True

spinner_delay (spinnerDelay)

Specify the delay time in milliseconds before a spinner counts automatically, while the up- or down-arrow is being pressed.
Option: -spinner_delay
Default: 500 milliseconds

spinner_rate (spinnerRate)

Specify the rate in milliseconds at which a spinner counts automatically.
Option: -spinner_rate
Default: 100 milliseconds

trackCursor (Track)

Setting this ON will turn on cursor (mouse) tracking arrows.
Option: -track and -notrack
Default: on

Fig*browse_panel*mask*string

Set the initial value of Filename Mask of Browse Panel. There may be multiple wildcard strings separated by blanks or tabs
Default: *.gif* *.jpg* *.pcx* *.png* *.xpm* *.xbm* *.ps* *.eps*

Fig*file_panel*mask*string

Set the initial value of Filename Mask of File Panel. There may be multiple wildcard strings separated by blanks or tabs
Default: *.fig *.fig.gz *.fig.[Zz]
           (this will match compressed, gzipped and normal .fig files)

Fig*job_params*string

Set the initial value of Print Job Params of Print Panel. This resource may be used to set any options which should given to lpr (lp on System V system) when printing.
Default: ""

Fig*printer*string

Set the initial value of PostScript Printer of Print Panel. If this resource is not set and the environment variable $PRINTER is set, it is used as the initial value.
Default: ""

Resources for Internationalization

international (International)

Set if the internationalization facility should be enabled.
Option: -international
Default: on

fixedFontSet (FontSet)

Set the fontset used for displaying text in conversion or status when entering text with Off the Spot or Over the Spot. This is effective only if internationalization facility is enabled.
Default: -*-times-medium-r-normal--16-*-*-*-*-*-*-*, -*-*-medium-r-normal--16-*-*-*-*-*-*-*, -*-*-*-r-*--16-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

inputStyle

Set the input style when entering international text with input method. The style may be selected from OffTheSpot, OverTheSpot and Root. If this is set to None, input method will not used. This is effective only if internationalization facility is enabled.
Option: -inputStyle
Default: OffTheSpot

Environment Variables

XFIGTMPDIR

Specify the directory where temporary files should stored. If this is not set, the /tmp directory will be used.

FIG2DEV_DIR

Specify the path where the fig2dev executable resides. If this is not set, xfig relies on the user's normal command search path to run fig2dev.

PRINTER

Specify the default printer when printing figures with Print. If the Fig*printer*string resource is set, this variable will ignored.

LANG

Set the language to be used. For Japanese, a locale name like japanese or ja_JP.eucJP may be used.

XMODIFIERS

Specify the input method to be used for entering text. If this is not set, the default input method will be used.

FIG2DEV_LIBDIR

Specify the directory where the files needed by international-fig2dev (japanese.ps, etc.) are placed. If this is not set, the setting when compiling fig2dev will be used.