🚀 go-pugleaf

An Encapsulated PostScript file (EPSF) is a standard format for importing and
exporting PostScript language files in all environments. It is usually a
single page PostScript language program that describes an illustration. The
purpose of the EPS file is to be included as an illustration in other
PostScript language page descriptions. The EPS file can contain any
combination of text, graphics, and images. An EPS file is the same as any
other PostScript language page description, with some restrictions.

EPS files can optionally contain a bitmapped image preview, so that systems
that can't render PostScript directly can at least display a crude 
representation of what the graphic will look like.  There are three 
preview formats: Mac (PICT), IBM (tiff), and a platform independent preview
called EPSI.

An EPS file must be a conforming file, that is, it must conform to the 
document structuring conventions (DSC). At a minimum, it must include a
header comment, %!PS-Adobe-3.0 EPSF-3.0, and a bounding box comment,
%%BoundingBox: llx lly urx ury, that describes the bounds of the illustration.

Optional comments include font usage (%%DocumentFonts: or 
%%DocumentNeededResources: font), EPSI preview comments (%%Begin(End)Preview:)
extensions (%%Extensions:) and language level (%%LanguageLevel:).

There are some operators that should not be used within an EPS file:
	banddevice	cleardictstack	copypage	erasepage
	exitserver	framedevice	grestoreall	initclip
	initgraphics	initmatrix	quit		renderbands
	setglobal	setpagedevice	setshared	startjob
These also include operators from statusdict and userdict operators like
legal, letter, a4, b5, etc.

There are some operators that should be carefully used:
	nulldevice	setgstate	sethalftone	setmatrix
	setscreen	settransfer	undefinefont
In Appendix I of the new red book, 'Guidelines for Specific Operators', there
is a more in-depth discussion of these operators.

--- CONVERTING PostScript TO EPSF ---

There is a PostScript program available on our mail server called 'epsfinfo'
that should do what you want.  You tack it onto the head of your PS file 
and then send it down to the printer using SendPS or LaserTalk.  You will 
then get back the bounding box and font usage info for your PS file.  If
you then change the top of your file to read:
	%!PS-Adobe-3.0 EPSF-3.0
	%%BoundingBox: <llx> <lly> <urx> <ury>
	%%DocumentFonts: <font1> <font2> <font3> ...
you should then have an EPS file (w/o a preview). <llx>, <lly>, <urx>, and
<ury> are the bounding box values sent back by the epsfinfo program (make
sure that these are integer values). <font1>, <font2>, <font3>, etc.
are the names of the fonts used by your file (e.g. Times-Roman).

Note that there are some PS operators that should not be used in an
EPS file.  The epsfinfo program will notify you if your PS file uses
these operators.  See Appendix I of the new red book for more info.

Hope this helps, Carl 8-)

P.S. The file you want from the server is Programs/epsfinfo.ps

----------- Server Access Information -----------
The PS-File-Server is an automatic mail-response program. That means you
mail it a request, and it mails back the response. It is not accessible 
via anonymous FTP.

To get in touch with the server, send a message to the appropriate address,
either:
	uucp: {sun,decwrl}!adobe!ps-file-server OR
	internet: ps-file-server@adobe.COM
containing the word "help" in either the Subject: field or the message body.
It will reply with a message on how to use the available services.

There are many items available from the server; Documents (as PostScript
files), program sources, Adobe Font Metrics files, PostScript Printer
Description files, and other itmes.

You might send a separate message containing the word "index" to save some
time once you get the help message.

The file server does not respond to requests from users named "root",
"system", "daemon", or "mailer". This is to prevent mail loops from bounced
messages.

Note: If you do not receive help from the server within a day or so, it is
probably because the server's mail to you has bounced. You can try again
and use the "path" command within your message specifying a known return
path that the server should use. For example:
	path pyramid!rutgers!zakkaroo!jj
(substitute whatever address is appropriate)

If you have any problems contacting the server, or you have any suggestions,
please send a message to the moderator (ps-file-person@adobe.COM).

Carl 8-)