PAGEMAKER TECHNICAL NOTE - POSTSCRIPT FILES Updated: 9-3-87 MAC/PC "Converting a PostScript File to EPS Format" PostScript files must be converted to Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) format before they can be placed in PageMaker. The EPS format enhances a PostScript file so it can be used by PageMaker. Many graphics applications save in EPS format. If your application does not save in EPS format, contact the application vendor to make sure you have the most recent version. To convert a PostScript file to EPS format, you must edit the file using a text editor or word processor to define the file as an EPS-format file. When you place the EPS-formatted file into PageMaker, you'll see a gray box on the page instead of the image. However, when you print the publication, the image is printed on the page. The gray box, or "bounding box," shows how much space the PostScript image occupies when printed. You specify the dimensions of the bounding box when you convert the PostScript file to EPS format. You can crop, stretch, and compress the bounding box after placing it in PageMaker as you would any other placed image. However, you won't be able to see the results of your work until you print the page. If the image does not print satisfactorily, you may need to change the bounding box dimensions. You can change the dimensions as many times as necessary by editing the converted PostScript file. If changing the bounding box dimensions still does not produce the results you want, the PostScript file may need further editing. This requires an understanding of the PostScript Page Description Language (PDL). If you are interested in learning how to further edit your PostScript files, you may read books and articles about programming in PostScript. These books are available at most bookstores: Understanding PostScript Programming by David A. Holzgang PostScript Language Tutorial and Cookbook by Adobe Systems Incorporated, Addison Wesley Publishing PostScript Language Reference Manual by Adobe Systems Incorporated, Addison Wesley Publishing To convert a PostScript file to EPS format: 1. Using any downloader, print the PostScript file by downloading it to a LaserWriter. Note: If the PostScript image does not print when you download it, it may not print once you have converted it to EPS format and placed it in PageMaker. 2. Create a "bounding box" by lightly drawing a box around the image that includes the entire image while minimizing white space. This ensures that the image will be placed without any, or at least a minimum of, white space - depending on how exact your bounding box measurements are. You can always change the bounding box dimensions and place the image again. You may want to leave a small amount of white space around the image as a precautionary measure against minor printing problems, such as paper stretching and paper skewing. 3. Measure the distance from the lower left corner of the image to the left edge of the paper. Write the measurement in points. If your ruler does not show points, calculate the total number of points: 1 inch = 72 points, and 1 pica = 12 points. Designate this measurement as "measurement a." 4. Measure the distance from the lower left corner of the image to the bottom edge of the paper. Designate this measurement in points as "measurement b." 5. Measure the distance from the upper right corner of the image to the left edge of the paper. Designate this measurement in points as "measurement c." 6. Measure the distance from the distance from the upper right corner of the image to the bottom edge of the paper. Designate this measurement in points as "measurement d." 7. Using any text editor (for example, Word or QUED), open the PostScript file. You'll see several lines of text. These lines are the PostScript description of the image. The lines at the top of the file are the header. 8. Add these lines to, or modify existing lines in, the header (the first group of lines in any PostScript file): %!Adobe-2.0 EPSF %%Creator: name %%CreationDate: date %%Title: filename %%BoundingBox: a b c d Note: Make sure that the first line in the file is "%!Adobe- 2.0 EPSF." Also, do not separate the header lines with a blank line space. The first blank line that PostScript encounters tells it that the the next line begins the body of the program. For "name," type your name or initials. For "date," type today's date using any format (for example, MM-DD-YY, MM/DD/YY, July 5, 1987, and so on). For "filename," type the name of the PostScript file. After "BoundingBox: ," type the measurements you took in steps 3, 4, 5, and 6, separating each with a space: "a" is the measurement from Step 3, "b" is the measurement from Step 4, "c" is the measurement from Step 5, and "d" is the measurement from Step 6. 9. Save the file in text-only format. When you place the converted PostScript file in PageMaker, you'll see a gray box on the page instead of the image. However, when you print the page, you'll see the image. The gray box shows the Title, Creator, and CreationDate you typed in the header. The dimensions of the box reflect the measurements you typed for the BoundingBox. You can crop, stretch, or compress the gray box as you would any other graphic placed in PageMaker. However, you won't be able to see the results of the changes until you print the page. Note: If after completing this procedure, you still are not able to place the EPS-format file, the PostScript code may contain "dangerous operators" that prevent PageMaker from placing the file. To see if the EPS-formatted file has any dangerous operators, open the file using any word processor and search for these operators: grestoreall initgraphics initmatrix initclip erasepage banddevice framedevice nulldevice renderbands setpageparams note exitserver If the file contains any of these operators, contact the graphics application vendor for assistance. If the file contains the operator, "exitserver," you will not be able to place the file in PageMaker.