pcb-rnd is typically run by invoking it from the shell after installation
-pcb-rnd [main options]
+pcb-rnd [options]
+or
+
+pcb-rnd [options] path
+
+
+When a path is provided, it is either a board file or a subcircuit which +will be automatically opened for editing. When invoked with a path referring +to a non-existing file, pcb-rnd assumes a new board is to be created and +saved using the file name provided as path. This makes it very easy to +make new boards from the command line. -
-At invocation, the user can learn about pcb-rnd
+The list of available options can be acquired by running +
pcb-rnd --help
-And at this time, choose alternative guis (Gtk, lesstif, remote)
+The most commonly used option is to export a file:
+
+pcb-rnd -x format [format_options] path
+
+
+For example a photo-realistic png export pwr.png from the board saved
+in pwr.lht can be exported as:
+
+pcb-rnd --export png --dpi 600 --photo-mode pwr.lht
+
+
+Listing exporter-specific options is possible running pcb-rnd --help
+exporter, e.g.:
+
+pcb-rnd --help png
+
+
+Another typical application of options is to select the user interface to +start pcb-rnd with (as pcb-rnd normally comes with multiple UIs compiled in): +
+
+pcb-rnd --gui=batch
+pcb-rnd --gui=gtk2_gdk
+pcb-rnd --gui=gtk2_gl
+pcb-rnd --gui=lesstif
+
+
++The most notable UI is the batch UI: it reads the standard input for +action commands, executes them and quits on EOF. This allows pcb-rnd to be +run as a UNIX filter (just like a sed, awk or perl), loading, manipulating +and saving boards, without starting a GUI. +