diff --git a/aaae.rb b/aaae.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4175490
--- /dev/null
+++ b/aaae.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,226 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env ruby -w
+
+#
+# apple ascii art encoder.
+#
+
+require 'optparse'
+
+
+# 
+# read stdin
+# --trim -> trim trailing whitespace
+# --dle -> compress > 2 spaces into a dle
+# --indent=# -> indent it by # spaces
+# --width=# -> console width (default = 80)
+# --center  -> center block assuming width
+# --target=x -> target language (c, orca, mpw, etc)
+
+#
+# todo -- expand tabs? (--ts=8)
+# todo -- left/right/center slign block?
+#
+
+
+# 
+# output char name[] = { 0x01, 0x02, ... };
+#
+def output_bytes(name, data)
+	tmp = data.join('')
+	index = 0
+
+	if name
+		puts "char #{name}[] = {"
+	else
+		puts "{"
+	end
+	tmp.each_byte {|b|
+		print "    " if index == 0
+
+		printf("%02x, ", b)
+
+		index = index + 1
+		if index == 16
+			print "\n"
+			index = 0
+		end
+	}
+	print "\n" if index > 0
+	puts "};"
+end
+
+# 
+# output char name[] = { "bleh\r","bleh\r" };
+#
+def output_strings(name, data)
+
+	map = {
+		0x0d => "\\r",
+		0x0a => "\\n",
+	}
+
+	if name
+		puts "char #{name}[] = "
+	end
+
+	data.each {|x|
+
+		# escape \
+		x = x.gsub(/\\/, '\\')
+
+		# escape "
+		x = x.gsub(/"/, '\"')
+
+		# escape chars...
+		# unfortunately, \x doesn't have a length limit so
+		# it can't be used.  octal sucks but it's limited 
+		# to 3 characters.
+		x = x.gsub(/([\x00-\x1f\x7f])/) {|m|
+			c = m.getbyte(0)
+			next map[c] if map[c]
+			sprintf("\\%03o", c)
+		}
+		printf("    \"%s\"\n", x)
+	}
+	puts ";"
+
+end
+
+
+data = []
+options = {
+	:trim => true,
+	:dle => false,
+	:indent => 0,
+	:width => 80,
+	:center => false,
+	:dry_run => false,
+	:name => nil,
+	:format => :string
+}
+
+OptionParser.new do |opts|
+	opts.banner = "Usage: aaae.rb [options] [input file]"
+
+	opts.on("--[no-]trim", "Trim trailing white space from input.") do |x|
+		options[:trim] = x
+	end
+
+	opts.on("--[no-]dle", "Use DLE to compress spaces.") do |x|
+		options[:dle] = x
+	end
+
+	opts.on("--width N", Integer, "Set screen width. Default = 80.") do |x|
+		options[:width] = x
+	end
+
+	opts.on("--indent N", Integer, "Indent N spaces.") do |x|
+		options[:indent] = x
+	end
+
+
+	opts.on("--name N", String, "Set variable name.") do |x|
+		if x.match(/^[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*$/)
+			options[:name] = x
+		else
+			$stderr.puts "Invalid name -- #{x}"
+		end
+	end
+
+	opts.on("-f", "--format FORMAT", [:string, :bytes], "Set output format (string, bytes)") do |x|
+		options[:format] = x
+	end
+
+	opts.on("--[no-]center", "Center output.") do |x|
+		options[:center] = x
+	end
+
+	opts.on("--dry-run", "Simulated output.") do
+		options[:dry_run] = true
+	end
+
+	opts.on_tail("-h", "--help", "Show this message") do
+		puts opts
+		exit
+	end
+
+	opts.on_tail("--version", "Show version") do
+		puts "aaae.rb 0.1"
+		exit
+	end
+
+end.parse!
+
+
+ARGF.each_line {|x|
+	x.chomp!
+	x.rstrip! if options[:trim]
+	data.push(x)
+}
+
+# option to strip leading space?
+if (options[:trim])
+
+end
+
+# get the width of the block.
+bw = data.reduce(0) {|akku, x|
+	next x.length if x.length > akku
+	next akku 
+}
+
+
+if options[:indent] > 0
+	space = ' ' * options[:indent]
+	data = data.map {|x| space + x }
+end
+
+if options[:center]
+
+	indent = (options[:width] - bw) / 2
+	space = ' ' * indent
+	data = data.map {|x| space + x }
+end
+
+# todo -- check if any lines > screen width...
+
+if options[:dry_run]
+	width = options[:width]
+
+    print "+", "-" * width, "+\n" 
+	#print "|", " " * width, "|\n"
+	data.each {|x|
+
+		printf("|%-*s|\n", width, x)
+	}
+	#print "|", " " * width, "|\n"
+    print "+", "-" * width, "+\n" 
+
+	exit 0
+end
+
+# dle!
+
+if options[:dle]
+
+	data = data.map {|x|
+		x.gsub(/( {3,})/) {|m|
+			size = m.length
+			next "\x10" + (size + 32).chr
+		}
+	}
+end
+
+
+# now add r/n
+data = data.map {|x| x + "\r" }
+
+# now output
+# should have flag for text vs bytes, asm, etc.
+
+case options[:format]
+when :string
+	output_strings(options[:name], data)
+when :bytes	
+	output_bytes(options[:name], data)
+end