Lists of difference between EPS files and PostScript print files (212663)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Publisher 2000
This article was previously published under Q212663
For a Microsoft Publisher 98 version of this article, see 178901.

SUMMARY

If a Windows driver for a PostScript printer is installed, Microsoft Publisher is capable of creating both PostScript print files and encapsulated PostScript (EPS) graphic files. These options are useful to you when the service bureau does not have Publisher to print Publisher files for you.

In some cases, the service bureau may specify that you need to create an EPS image (this is often the case if the service bureau is running only Macintosh equipment). In other cases, the service bureau may specify that you create a PostScript print file. This article lists the major differences between PostScript print files and EPS graphic files.

MORE INFORMATION

EPS is a single-page file format. Although the Windows PostScript driver allows you to create a multi-page EPS file, that file may be unusable by other programs. A PostScript print file can contain as many pages as you want, but it usually cannot be imported by a program's EPS import filter.

There are several differences between the file headers of EPS graphics and PostScript print files:
  • The first line of an EPS file is similar to: 
          %!PS-Adobe-3.0 EPSF-2.0
  • The first line of a PostScript file is similar to: 
          <CTRL+D>%!PS-Adobe-3.0
Because the EPS file format allows a tagged image file format (TIFF) or Windows metafile (WMF) image to be embedded in the PostScript header to provide a preview image when the file is imported into a document, a section beginning with: 

      %%BeginProlog

or 

      %%BeginPreview

followed by the preview image may be added to the header of the EPS file. PostScript print files will lack this section entirely.
EPS files are generally larger than straight PostScript files. The headers for the PostScript files have a line that begins with: 
    %%Include Resource: ........
which simply references the standard Windows PostScript dictionary. The equivalent line in the EPS file begins: 
    %%Begin Resource:.........
which includes the standard Windows PostScript dictionary.

PostScript files created by Windows usually begin and end with a binary "CTRL+D" character. This binary character serves to clear the printer's memory before it downloads the new print job and to clear the printer's memory again after the print job completes. If the PostScript file is to be printed to a non-MS-DOS environment (UNIX or Macintosh), those binary characters need to be removed before the file is sent to the printer.

EPS files do not contain the "CTRL+D" character, as they are assumed to be part of another document, not a single document.

REFERENCES

"Encapsulated PostScript File Format," pages 1-5, (c) Adobe Systems, Inc. 1987

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

163641 PPT: Can't Create EPS File if Using Windows NT PostScript Driver

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:10/8/2004
Keywords:kbhowto kbformat kbgraphic kbinfo kbPostScript kbprepress kbprint KB212663
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