Talk:PostScript

ps edit

What tools are available to edit postscript files? To downsample or remove embedded images? -69.87.200.8 23:56, 21 September 2007 (UTC)

I always used vi. Gah4 (talk) 23:26, 9 September 2019 (UTC)

Mention of Units

Previously there was a more accurate description of the unit of length before a lot of the technical detail on postscript was removed from the article.

Given that this material was removed, is the mention of the units of length even relevant?

Also, as cited by the PLRM (the all important and accurate red book):

"Note: The default unit size (1/72 inch) is approximately the same as a "point," a unit widely used in the printing industry. It is not exactly the same as a point, however; there is no universal definition of a point." (Pg 183, Postscript Language Reference Manual, 3/e)

ergo: claiming the unit is typographical points is inaccurate. Akunokuroneko (talk) 04:35, 5 December 2008 (UTC)

I thought of the same thing, and now I can see, someone else already mentioned this. Yes, indeed, the PostScript document specifically says that 1/72 inch isn't a point. I believe this should probably be fixed in this article, although I am not sure the best wording to use. --Zzo38 (talk) 05:38, 10 August 2020 (UTC)

%!PS

As far as I know, %! is supposed to be enough for a PostScript printer to know its input is PS. It seems, though, that many HP printers just check the %. Print a plain text file starting with %, and nothing comes out. Gah4 (talk) 01:07, 12 July 2019 (UTC)

Did you try adding a form feed? Does still nothing come out? --Zzo38 (talk) 05:38, 10 August 2020 (UTC)

Current (2021) Use Status

Do all currently-available laser printers implement PostScript?

I think the answer is "no", in which case it would useful to give some idea of what fraction of printers implement it in a standard way, and possibly, some kind of table indicating policies of different manufacturers in this regard.

It would be very nice if all printer manufacturers implemented standard PostScript. Then nobody would need a printer driver. No CD-ROMs would need to be shipped with printers. However, most (all?) laser printers do come with a CD-ROM, so I suppose that the standard is not 100% adhered to. This is very relevant to an article about PostScript and I hope someone can add information to the article. Insulation2 (talk) 19:35, 12 November 2021 (UTC)

As far as I know, many implement a clone of PS, to avoid license fees. But also, many low-end printers don't have a fast enough processor to do a good job of it. That is especially true for inkjet, often at the lowest price point. For photographic prints, PS isn't especially a good choice. When you say fraction, do you mean of models or actual devices. The low end printers might be produced in larger numbers. Gah4 (talk) 22:31, 12 November 2021 (UTC)

If the printer does not implement PostScript, you can run the PostScript code on the computer (e.g. using Ghostscript) and then send the result to the printer. --Zzo38 (talk) 07:44, 5 February 2023 (UTC)

PDF

The article indicates that conversion can be done to/from PDF, but also that PDF lacks the general programming model. So, PS pages that use the general programming model can't be converted. Gah4 (talk) 10:33, 26 August 2022 (UTC)

The graphical output of a PostScript program can be stored in PDF format. --Zzo38 (talk) 07:43, 5 February 2023 (UTC)

Warnoch and Geschke left...

"Warnock left with Chuck Geschke and founded Adobe Systems in December 1982...." Okay, but what firm did they leave? The article doesn't establish this, but simply says that Warnock was working with Gaffney (at Evans & Southerland) on a 3D harbor visualization project, with no mention at all of where Geschke came from. 2001:9E8:AD8:2700:1D4C:786F:8A67:6D78 (talk) 06:12, 26 August 2023 (UTC)