GXL2GV,GV2GXL(1) General Commands Manual GXL2GV,GV2GXL(1)

# [NAME](#NAME)

gxl2gv,gv2gxl - GXL-GV converters

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

**gxl2gv** \[ **-gd?** ] \[ **-ooutfile** ] \[ *files* ]  
**gv2gxl** \[ **-gd?** ] \[ **-ooutfile** ] \[ *files* ]

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

**gxl2gv** converts between graphs represented in GXL and in the GV language. Unless a conversion type is specified using a flag, **gxl2gv** will deduce the type of conversion from the suffix of the input file, a ".gv" suffix causing a conversion from GV to GXL, and a ".gxl" suffix causing a conversion from GXL to GV. If no suffix is available, e.g. when the input is from a pipe, and no flags are used then **gxl2gv** assumes the type of the input file from its executable name so that **gxl2gv** converts from GXL to GV, and **gv2gxl** converts from GV to GXL.

GXL supports a much richer graph model than GV. **gxl2gv** will attempt to map GXL constructs into the analogous GV construct when this is possible. If not, the GXL information is stored as an attribute. The intention is that applying **gxl2gv|gv2gxl** is semantically equivalent to the identity operator.

# [OPTIONS](#OPTIONS)

The following options are supported:

[**-g**](#g)

The command name and input file extensions are ignored, the input is taken as a GV file and a GXL file is generated.

[**-d**](#d)

The command name and input file extensions are ignored, the input is taken as a GXL file and a GV file is generated.

**-?**

Prints usage information and exits.

[**-o outfile**](#o)

If specified, the output will be written into the file *outfile*. Otherwise, output is written to standard out.

# [OPERANDS](#OPERANDS)

The following operand is supported:

[*files*](#files)

Names of files containing 1 or more graphs in GXL or GV. If no *files* operand is specified, the standard input will be used.

# [RETURN CODES](#RETURN_CODES)

Both **gxl2gv** and **gv2gxl** return **0** if there were no problems during conversion; and non-zero if any error occurred.

# [BUGS](#BUGS)

**gxl2gv** will only convert in one direction even if given multiple files with varying suffixes.

The conversion can only handle one graph per GXL file.

There are some GXL constructs which **gxl2gv** cannot handle.

# [AUTHORS](#AUTHORS)

Krishnam Pericherla <kp@research.att.com>  
Emden R. Gansner <erg@research.att.com>

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

[dot(1)](/man/os/graphviz/dot.1), [neato(1)](/man/os/graphviz/neato.1), [twopi(1)](/man/os/graphviz/twopi.1)

20 December 2002

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Document: gxl2gv(1) from graphviz 16.1.0-r0 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://gitlab.com/graphviz/graphviz