diff -up graphviz-2.30.1/cmd/lefty/lefty.c.orig8 graphviz-2.30.1/cmd/lefty/lefty.c
--- graphviz-2.30.1/cmd/lefty/lefty.c.orig8	2013-02-14 14:27:39.000000000 +0100
+++ graphviz-2.30.1/cmd/lefty/lefty.c	2013-07-12 12:46:23.730664708 +0200
@@ -86,6 +86,8 @@ static void processargs (int, char **);
 static void processstr (char *);
 static void printusage (void);
 
+static char *cmd;
+
 #if defined(FEATURE_X11) || defined(FEATURE_NONE)
 
 int main (int argc, char **argv) {
@@ -100,6 +102,8 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv) {
     stime = time (NULL);
 #endif
 
+    cmd = argv[0];
+
     idlerunmode = 0;
     exprstr = NULL;
     fp = NULL;
@@ -393,6 +397,25 @@ static int processinput (int waitflag) {
     return rtn;
 }
 
+static char* usestr =
+"   acceptable options are:\n\
+    -x    - exit after processing the input file.\n\
+    -e E  - parse and execute expression E.\n\
+    -el N - set error reporting level. (0)\n\
+    -sd N - how much of the stack to show if error is printed. (2)\n\
+    -sb N - how much of each function in the stack show if error is printed. (2)\n\
+    -df S - set default font.\n\
+    -ps F - specify a default file name for postscript files.\n\
+    -?    - show help.\n\
+    -V    - print version.\n";
+
+static void usage(char *cmd, int eval)
+{
+    fprintf (stderr, "Usage: %s [options] [file]\n", cmd);
+    fputs (usestr, stderr);
+    exit (eval);
+}
+
 static void processstr (char *buf) {
     char *words[100];
     char *s, *s1;
@@ -441,11 +466,19 @@ static void processargs (int argc, char
             fprintf (stderr, "lefty version %s\n", LEFTYVERSION);
             fprintf (stderr, "graphviz version %s (%s)\n", VERSION, BUILDDATE);
 	}
+        else if (strcmp (argv[0], "-?") == 0)
+            usage(cmd, 0);
         else if (strcmp (argv[0], "-") == 0)
             fp = stdin;
+        else if (argv[0][0] == '-') {
+            fprintf (stderr, "option %s unrecognized - ignored\n", argv[0]);
+            usage (cmd, 1);
+        }
         else {
-            if ((fp = fopen (argv[0], "r")) == NULL)
-                panic1 (POS, "main", "cannot open input file: %s", argv[0]);
+            if ((fp = fopen (argv[0], "r")) == NULL) {
+                fprintf (stderr, "cannot open input file: %s", argv[0]);
+                exit(2);
+            }
         }
         argv++, argc--;
     }
diff -up graphviz-2.30.1/cmd/lefty/lefty.1.orig8 graphviz-2.30.1/cmd/lefty/lefty.1
--- graphviz-2.30.1/cmd/lefty/lefty.1.orig8	2013-02-14 14:27:39.000000000 +0100
+++ graphviz-2.30.1/cmd/lefty/lefty.1	2013-07-12 12:48:37.829553144 +0200
@@ -115,6 +115,9 @@ call. The default file name is
 .TP
 .B -V
 Prints the version.
+.TP
+.B -?
+Prints the usage and exits.
 .SH SEE ALSO
 .I lefty
 user guide.