#pragma region kyopro_template
#define Nyaan_template
#include <immintrin.h>
#include <bits/stdc++.h>
#define pb push_back
#define eb emplace_back
#define fi first
#define se second
#define each(x, v) for (auto &x : v)
#define all(v) (v).begin(), (v).end()
#define sz(v) ((int)(v).size())
#define mem(a, val) memset(a, val, sizeof(a))
#define ini(...)   \
  int __VA_ARGS__; \
  in(__VA_ARGS__)
#define inl(...)         \
  long long __VA_ARGS__; \
  in(__VA_ARGS__)
#define ins(...)      \
  string __VA_ARGS__; \
  in(__VA_ARGS__)
#define inc(...)    \
  char __VA_ARGS__; \
  in(__VA_ARGS__)
#define in2(s, t)                           \
  for (int i = 0; i < (int)s.size(); i++) { \
    in(s[i], t[i]);                         \
  }
#define in3(s, t, u)                        \
  for (int i = 0; i < (int)s.size(); i++) { \
    in(s[i], t[i], u[i]);                   \
  }
#define in4(s, t, u, v)                     \
  for (int i = 0; i < (int)s.size(); i++) { \
    in(s[i], t[i], u[i], v[i]);             \
  }
#define rep(i, N) for (long long i = 0; i < (long long)(N); i++)
#define repr(i, N) for (long long i = (long long)(N)-1; i >= 0; i--)
#define rep1(i, N) for (long long i = 1; i <= (long long)(N); i++)
#define repr1(i, N) for (long long i = (N); (long long)(i) > 0; i--)
#define reg(i, a, b) for (long long i = (a); i < (b); i++)
#define die(...)      \
  do {                \
    out(__VA_ARGS__); \
    return;           \
  } while (0)
using namespace std;
using ll = long long;
template <class T>
using V = vector<T>;
using vi = vector<int>;
using vl = vector<long long>;
using vvi = vector<vector<int>>;
using vd = V<double>;
using vs = V<string>;
using vvl = vector<vector<long long>>;
using P = pair<long long, long long>;
using vp = vector<P>;
using pii = pair<int, int>;
using vpi = vector<pair<int, int>>;
constexpr int inf = 1001001001;
constexpr long long infLL = (1LL << 61) - 1;
template <typename T, typename U>
inline bool amin(T &x, U y) {
  return (y < x) ? (x = y, true) : false;
}
template <typename T, typename U>
inline bool amax(T &x, U y) {
  return (x < y) ? (x = y, true) : false;
}
template <typename T, typename U>
ostream &operator<<(ostream &os, const pair<T, U> &p) {
  os << p.first << " " << p.second;
  return os;
}
template <typename T, typename U>
istream &operator>>(istream &is, pair<T, U> &p) {
  is >> p.first >> p.second;
  return is;
}
template <typename T>
ostream &operator<<(ostream &os, const vector<T> &v) {
  int s = (int)v.size();
  for (int i = 0; i < s; i++) os << (i ? " " : "") << v[i];
  return os;
}
template <typename T>
istream &operator>>(istream &is, vector<T> &v) {
  for (auto &x : v) is >> x;
  return is;
}
void in() {}
template <typename T, class... U>
void in(T &t, U &... u) {
  cin >> t;
  in(u...);
}
void out() { cout << "\n"; }
template <typename T, class... U>
void out(const T &t, const U &... u) {
  cout << t;
  if (sizeof...(u)) cout << " ";
  out(u...);
}

#ifdef NyaanDebug
#define trc(...)                   \
  do {                             \
    cerr << #__VA_ARGS__ << " = "; \
    dbg_out(__VA_ARGS__);          \
  } while (0)
#define trca(v, N)       \
  do {                   \
    cerr << #v << " = "; \
    array_out(v, N);     \
  } while (0)
#define trcc(v)                             \
  do {                                      \
    cerr << #v << " = {";                   \
    each(x, v) { cerr << " " << x << ","; } \
    cerr << "}" << endl;                    \
  } while (0)
template <typename T>
void _cout(const T &c) {
  cerr << c;
}
void _cout(const int &c) {
  if (c == 1001001001)
    cerr << "inf";
  else if (c == -1001001001)
    cerr << "-inf";
  else
    cerr << c;
}
void _cout(const unsigned int &c) {
  if (c == 1001001001)
    cerr << "inf";
  else
    cerr << c;
}
void _cout(const long long &c) {
  if (c == 1001001001 || c == (1LL << 61) - 1)
    cerr << "inf";
  else if (c == -1001001001 || c == -((1LL << 61) - 1))
    cerr << "-inf";
  else
    cerr << c;
}
void _cout(const unsigned long long &c) {
  if (c == 1001001001 || c == (1LL << 61) - 1)
    cerr << "inf";
  else
    cerr << c;
}
template <typename T, typename U>
void _cout(const pair<T, U> &p) {
  cerr << "{ ";
  _cout(p.fi);
  cerr << ", ";
  _cout(p.se);
  cerr << " } ";
}
template <typename T>
void _cout(const vector<T> &v) {
  int s = v.size();
  cerr << "{ ";
  for (int i = 0; i < s; i++) {
    cerr << (i ? ", " : "");
    _cout(v[i]);
  }
  cerr << " } ";
}
template <typename T>
void _cout(const vector<vector<T>> &v) {
  cerr << "[ ";
  for (const auto &x : v) {
    cerr << endl;
    _cout(x);
    cerr << ", ";
  }
  cerr << endl << " ] ";
}
void dbg_out() { cerr << endl; }
template <typename T, class... U>
void dbg_out(const T &t, const U &... u) {
  _cout(t);
  if (sizeof...(u)) cerr << ", ";
  dbg_out(u...);
}
template <typename T>
void array_out(const T &v, int s) {
  cerr << "{ ";
  for (int i = 0; i < s; i++) {
    cerr << (i ? ", " : "");
    _cout(v[i]);
  }
  cerr << " } " << endl;
}
template <typename T>
void array_out(const T &v, int H, int W) {
  cerr << "[ ";
  for (int i = 0; i < H; i++) {
    cerr << (i ? ", " : "");
    array_out(v[i], W);
  }
  cerr << " ] " << endl;
}
#else
#define trc(...)
#define trca(...)
#define trcc(...)
#endif

inline int popcnt(unsigned long long a) { return __builtin_popcountll(a); }
inline int lsb(unsigned long long a) { return __builtin_ctzll(a); }
inline int msb(unsigned long long a) { return 63 - __builtin_clzll(a); }
template <typename T>
inline int getbit(T a, int i) {
  return (a >> i) & 1;
}
template <typename T>
inline void setbit(T &a, int i) {
  a |= (1LL << i);
}
template <typename T>
inline void delbit(T &a, int i) {
  a &= ~(1LL << i);
}
template <typename T>
int lb(const vector<T> &v, const T &a) {
  return lower_bound(begin(v), end(v), a) - begin(v);
}
template <typename T>
int ub(const vector<T> &v, const T &a) {
  return upper_bound(begin(v), end(v), a) - begin(v);
}
template <typename T>
int btw(T a, T x, T b) {
  return a <= x && x < b;
}
template <typename T, typename U>
T ceil(T a, U b) {
  return (a + b - 1) / b;
}
constexpr long long TEN(int n) {
  long long ret = 1, x = 10;
  while (n) {
    if (n & 1) ret *= x;
    x *= x;
    n >>= 1;
  }
  return ret;
}
template <typename T>
vector<T> mkrui(const vector<T> &v) {
  vector<T> ret(v.size() + 1);
  for (int i = 0; i < int(v.size()); i++) ret[i + 1] = ret[i] + v[i];
  return ret;
};
template <typename T>
vector<T> mkuni(const vector<T> &v) {
  vector<T> ret(v);
  sort(ret.begin(), ret.end());
  ret.erase(unique(ret.begin(), ret.end()), ret.end());
  return ret;
}
template <typename F>
vector<int> mkord(int N, F f) {
  vector<int> ord(N);
  iota(begin(ord), end(ord), 0);
  sort(begin(ord), end(ord), f);
  return ord;
}
template <typename T = int>
vector<T> mkiota(int N) {
  vector<T> ret(N);
  iota(begin(ret), end(ret), 0);
  return ret;
}
template <typename T>
vector<int> mkinv(vector<T> &v) {
  vector<int> inv(v.size());
  for (int i = 0; i < (int)v.size(); i++) inv[v[i]] = i;
  return inv;
}

struct IoSetupNya {
  IoSetupNya() {
    cin.tie(nullptr);
    ios::sync_with_stdio(false);
    cout << fixed << setprecision(15);
    cerr << fixed << setprecision(7);
  }
} iosetupnya;

void solve();
int main() { solve(); }

#pragma endregion
using namespace std;


namespace atcoder {

namespace internal {

template <class T>
struct simple_queue {
  std::vector<T> payload;
  int pos = 0;
  void reserve(int n) { payload.reserve(n); }
  int size() const { return int(payload.size()) - pos; }
  bool empty() const { return pos == int(payload.size()); }
  void push(const T& t) { payload.push_back(t); }
  T& front() { return payload[pos]; }
  void clear() {
    payload.clear();
    pos = 0;
  }
  void pop() { pos++; }
};

}  // namespace internal

}  // namespace atcoder

namespace atcoder {

template <class Cap>
struct mf_graph {
 public:
  mf_graph() : _n(0) {}
  mf_graph(int n) : _n(n), g(n) {}

  virtual int add_edge(int from, int to, Cap cap) {
    assert(0 <= from && from < _n);
    assert(0 <= to && to < _n);
    assert(0 <= cap);
    int m = int(pos.size());
    pos.push_back({from, int(g[from].size())});
    g[from].push_back(_edge{to, int(g[to].size()), cap});
    g[to].push_back(_edge{from, int(g[from].size()) - 1, 0});
    return m;
  }

  struct edge {
    int from, to;
    Cap cap, flow;
  };

  edge get_edge(int i) {
    int m = int(pos.size());
    assert(0 <= i && i < m);
    auto _e = g[pos[i].first][pos[i].second];
    auto _re = g[_e.to][_e.rev];
    return edge{pos[i].first, _e.to, _e.cap + _re.cap, _re.cap};
  }

  std::vector<edge> edges() {
    int m = int(pos.size());
    std::vector<edge> result;
    for (int i = 0; i < m; i++) {
      result.push_back(get_edge(i));
    }
    return result;
  }

  void change_edge(int i, Cap new_cap, Cap new_flow) {
    int m = int(pos.size());
    assert(0 <= i && i < m);
    assert(0 <= new_flow && new_flow <= new_cap);
    auto& _e = g[pos[i].first][pos[i].second];
    auto& _re = g[_e.to][_e.rev];
    _e.cap = new_cap - new_flow;
    _re.cap = new_flow;
  }

  Cap flow(int s, int t) { return flow(s, t, std::numeric_limits<Cap>::max()); }
  Cap flow(int s, int t, Cap flow_limit) {
    assert(0 <= s && s < _n);
    assert(0 <= t && t < _n);

    std::vector<int> level(_n), iter(_n);
    internal::simple_queue<int> que;

    auto bfs = [&]() {
      std::fill(level.begin(), level.end(), -1);
      level[s] = 0;
      que.clear();
      que.push(s);
      while (!que.empty()) {
        int v = que.front();
        que.pop();
        for (auto &e : g[v]) {
          if (e.cap == 0 || level[e.to] >= 0) continue;
          level[e.to] = level[v] + 1;
          if (e.to == t) return;
          que.push(e.to);
        }
      }
    };
    auto dfs = [&](auto self, int v, Cap up) {
      if (v == s) return up;
      Cap res = 0;
      int level_v = level[v];
      for (int& i = iter[v]; i < int(g[v].size()); i++) {
        _edge& e = g[v][i];
        if (level_v <= level[e.to] || g[e.to][e.rev].cap == 0) continue;
        Cap d = self(self, e.to, std::min(up - res, g[e.to][e.rev].cap));
        if (d <= 0) continue;
        g[v][i].cap += d;
        g[e.to][e.rev].cap -= d;
        res += d;
        if (res == up) break;
      }
      return res;
    };

    Cap flow = 0;
    while (flow < flow_limit) {
      bfs();
      if (level[t] == -1) break;
      std::fill(iter.begin(), iter.end(), 0);
      while (flow < flow_limit) {
        Cap f = dfs(dfs, t, flow_limit - flow);
        if (!f) break;
        flow += f;
      }
    }
    return flow;
  }

  std::vector<bool> min_cut(int s) {
    std::vector<bool> visited(_n);
    internal::simple_queue<int> que;
    que.push(s);
    while (!que.empty()) {
      int p = que.front();
      que.pop();
      visited[p] = true;
      for (auto e : g[p]) {
        if (e.cap && !visited[e.to]) {
          visited[e.to] = true;
          que.push(e.to);
        }
      }
    }
    return visited;
  }

 private:
  int _n;
  struct _edge {
    int to, rev;
    Cap cap;
  };
  std::vector<std::pair<int, int>> pos;
  std::vector<std::vector<_edge>> g;
};

}  // namespace atcoder

using namespace atcoder;

namespace BipartiteGraph {
using namespace atcoder;
template <typename Cap>
struct Matching : mf_graph<Cap> {
  int L, R, s, t;

  explicit Matching(int N, int M)
      : mf_graph<Cap>(N + M + 2), L(N), R(M), s(N + M), t(N + M + 1) {
    for (int i = 0; i < L; i++) mf_graph<Cap>::add_edge(s, i, 1);
    for (int i = 0; i < R; i++) mf_graph<Cap>::add_edge(i + L, t, 1);
  }

  int add_edge(int n, int m, int cap = 1) override {
    assert(0 <= n && n < L);
    assert(0 <= m && m < R);
    return mf_graph<Cap>::add_edge(n, m + L, cap);
  }

  Cap flow() { return mf_graph<Cap>::flow(s, t); }

  vector<pair<int, int>> edges() {
    auto es = mf_graph<Cap>::edges();
    vector<pair<int, int>> ret;
    for (auto &e : es) {
      if (e.flow > 0 && e.from != s && e.to != t) {
        ret.emplace_back(e.from, e.to - L);
      }
    }
    return ret;
  }
};

}  // namespace BipartiteGraph


void solve() {
  ini(N, M);
  vs g(N);
  in(g);

  BipartiteGraph::Matching<int> graph(N * M, N * M);

  for (int i = 0; i < N; i++) {
    for (int j = 0; j < M; j++) {
      int p = (i + j) & 1;
      if (g[i][j] == '#') continue;
      if (i && g[i - 1][j] != '#') {
        if (p)
          graph.add_edge((i - 1) * M + j, i * M + j);
        else
          graph.add_edge(i * M + j, (i - 1) * M + j);
      }
      if (j && g[i][j - 1] != '#') {
        if (p)
          graph.add_edge(i * M + j - 1, i * M + j);
        else
          graph.add_edge(i * M + j, i * M + j - 1);
      }
    }
  }

  int ps = graph.flow();
  out(ps);

  auto es = graph.edges();

  for (auto [u, v] : es) {
    if (u > v) swap(u, v);
    int i1 = u / M, j1 = u % M;
    int i2 = v / M, j2 = v % M;
    if (i1 == i2) {
      g[i1][j1] = '>';
      g[i2][j2] = '<';
    } else {
      assert(j1 == j2);
      g[i1][j1] = 'v';
      g[i2][j2] = '^';
    }
  }
  each(x, g) out(x);
}

Measured memory_bytes: 6900