Syntax of convert command

[PaulAThompson]

I am learning ImageMagick to do a number of tasks. In working with the convert command, I am a little stymied. I find a lot of examples of how to do things, but I have found few discussions of the command which explain the operations systematically (YMMV). Clearly the command is extremely complex, with many options, and many of the options having options of their own. The basic issue is that I wish to stack up a bunch of operations in a single convert command, and I continue to find wrinkles in what I am trying to do with stacking up the operations.

The basic question I have is

1) What are OPERATIONS and what are MODIFICATIONS of operations?
2) Can I force a specific sequence to occur to "clear the operations stack" to allow a new operation to occur on the working image?

I find the many examples helpful, but would like to see the command structure in a more structured manner, I suppose.

[snibgo]

A while ago, in these forums, someone attempted a formal description of the language.[*] It had a few major holes but wasn't a bad attempt. IM syntax has grown organically and resists a formal definition.

http://www.imagemagick.org/script/comma ... essing.php lists "Image Settings", "Image Operators", and "Image Sequence Operators".

2) Can I force a specific sequence to occur to "clear the operations stack" to allow a new operation to occur on the working image?

I'm not sure what you mean. Operations aren't stacked, but are executed as they appear on the command line. It is images that are stacked, somewhat like Reverse Polish Notation, or post-fix arithmetic.

[*]EDIT: found it: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=22726&p=94941