standalone_verbatim.tex is parametrized tex template, that genrates cropped pdf containing given text verbatim of given file in monospace. Just compile below, or get some ascii art penguin into penguin.txt (e.g. from: http://chris.com/ascii/index.php?art=logos%20and%20insignias/linux ) and run: $ pdflatex '\def\txtfile{penguin.txt} \input{standa…

standalone_verbatim.tex

% Following standalone configuration: http://tex.stackexchange.com/a/94395/7128
\documentclass[varwidth=\maxdimen]{standalone}
% Usage: pdflatex '\def\txtfile{input.txt} \input{this_document_template.tex}'
% Example pdflatex '\def\txtfile{penguin.txt} \input{standalone_verbatim.tex}'
\usepackage{verbatim}
\begin{document}
% following http://tex.stackexchange.com/a/1495/7128
\ifdefined\txtfile
%
%Specified file: \txtfile
%
\verbatiminput{\txtfile}

\else
\begin{verbatim}
     /\
    /  \
   /    \
  /      \
 /        \
|          |
| Please   |
| define   |
| txtfile  |
|          |
|__________|

Usage: pdflatex '\def\txtfile{input.txt} \input{this_document_template.tex}'
example: pdflatex '\def\txtfile{penguin.txt} \input{standalone_verbatim.tex}'
 _
/ \
\_/
\end{verbatim}
\fi
\end{document}