# Install dpic with Homebrew, apt, Nix, zypper Implementation of the GNU pic "little language". Version 2025.08.01 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:dpic ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install dpic ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install dpic ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: dpic from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#dpic ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/dp/dpic/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install dpic ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: dpic from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:dpic - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 2025.08.01 - **Source summary:** Implementation of the GNU pic "little language" - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** BSD-2-Clause - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - dpic (cli) - dpic (alias) ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 2025.08.01 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://ece.uwaterloo.ca/~aplevich/dpic/ - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage dpic is J. D. Aplevich's implementation of the pic little language for line drawings and technical illustrations, with output backends for TeX-adjacent and graphics formats. ### Project history The official README describes dpic as an implementation of pic for creating line drawings and illustrations for documents, web pages, and other uses. The official distribution page points to source downloads and a GitLab repository, with the 2025.08.01 source date visible on the page. The CHANGES file shows a major 2019 source-distribution shift: the previous distribution included compilable C code together with original Pascal source, while the newer package includes C source only with parsing automated by GNU bison. The note says the Pascal had been translated to C with p2c and that the change was intended to keep correct-input behavior functionally identical. ### Adoption history dpic's adoption is specialized: it serves users of pic-style diagram source who want output for LaTeX picture, pict2e, TikZ-pgf, PSTricks, MetaPost, SVG, xfig, PDF, and PostScript workflows. Its packaging in Homebrew, Debian/Ubuntu, Nix, and openSUSE reflects a small but durable technical-documentation niche. ### How it is used Users pass an input file to dpic and redirect the selected output format, for example dpic -p quick.pic > quick.tex for PSTricks or dpic -g quick.pic > quick.tex for TikZ-pgf. The -z safe mode disables sh and copy behavior. ### Why package nerds care dpic is package-nerd significant because it keeps an old Unix documentation language useful in modern TeX and web-output pipelines. It is also a nice example of a tiny compiler-like tool whose packaging value is mostly compatibility: if a document build expects pic-derived diagrams, the right dpic backend matters more than novelty. ### Timeline - 2018: GitLab project metadata records the dpic repository creation. - 2019: Major source-distribution change moved to C-only source with parsing automated by GNU bison. - 2020-2024: CHANGES records portability, SVG, robustness, arrowhead, and text-offset fixes. - 2025: Official distribution page lists source downloads for 2025.08.01. ### Related projects - dpic is related to GNU pic/gpic, TeX and LaTeX picture workflows, pict2e, TikZ-pgf, PSTricks, mfpic, MetaPost, SVG, xfig, GNU bison, and the older p2c translation path mentioned in CHANGES. ### Sources - - - - ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** dpic - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - dpic - 2023.06.01-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: dpic from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | pic-language converter to LaTeX-compatible and other formats | https://ece.uwaterloo.ca/~aplevich/dpic/ - Nix - dpic: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/dp/dpic/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - dpic - 2023.06.01-1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: dpic from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | pic-language converter to LaTeX-compatible and other formats | https://ece.uwaterloo.ca/~aplevich/dpic/ - zypper - dpic - 2025.08.01-1.1: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: dpic from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Pic language processor | https://ece.uwaterloo.ca/~aplevich/dpic/ - zypper - dpic-doc - 2025.08.01-1.1: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: dpic-doc from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Documentation for dpic | https://ece.uwaterloo.ca/~aplevich/dpic/ ## Related links - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Text processing packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/text-processing-tools/) - Matched text, document, or structured-data processing metadata. - [Developer build packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/developer-build-tools/) - Matched build, compiler, generator, or developer workflow metadata. - [Language runtime packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/language-runtime-packages/) - Matched language runtime, compiler, or interpreter metadata. - [clang-uml](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/clang-uml/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, diagramming. - [diagram](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/diagram/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, diagramming. - [likec4](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/likec4/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, diagramming. - [msc-generator](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/msc-generator/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, diagramming. - [sdedit](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/sdedit/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, diagramming. - [svgbob](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/svgbob/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, diagramming. - [umlet](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/umlet/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, diagramming. - [d2](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/d2/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, diagramming. - [surfer](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/surfer/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, developer, developer-tools, language. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/dpic.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/dpic.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph