Why "babel ... -o svg -xd -xP300" command is giving the "Option -d takes a parameter" error in Open Babel 2.4?

It seems to be another code bug in the "babel" command in Open Babel 2.4 release.

"-xd" option for "svg" output format should not require any parameters according the help document: "d - do not display molecule name."

If you use "-xd" option and follow by another option, the "babel -o svg" command will gives you an error.

fyicenter$ obabel -:CCCCCCC -O carbon-chain.sdf --gen2D
1 molecule converted

fyicenter$ babel carbon-chain.sdf  carbon-chain.svg -xd -xP300 
Option -d takes a parameter

The workaround is to put the "-xd" option at the end of the command line as shown below:

fyicenter$ babel carbon-chain.sdf carbon-chain.svg -xP300 -xd
1 molecule converted
20 audit log messages 

However, the "obabel -o svg -xd -xP300" works perfectly in Open Babel 2.4 release.

fyicenter$ obabel -:CCCCCC -o svg -O carbon-chain.svg -xd -xP300 
1 molecule converted

So we should use "obabel" instead of "babel", since "babel" is deprecated now and will be removed in a future release.

⇒ "-o svg -xd -d" Bug in Open Babel 3.1.1

⇐ "babel ... -o svg -xP300" Bug - width="px" height="px"

⇑ "babel ... -o svg" - Generating SVG Pictures

⇑⇑ Open Babel Tutorials