PS Files
the PostScript format
for Graphics and Text

PS is a data directory which contains examples of PS or PostScript files. PostScript is primarily designed to present publication-quality text. A PostScript file consists of a set of images of pages. These pages can include graphics, or in fact consist entirely of graphics.

As a graphic language, PostScript is basically vector-based rather than bit-mapped. Thus, it's easy to draw a square or a star, or even a filled polygonal region. But it's rather unnatural, in PostScript, to define a rectangular region in which every pixel has an assigned color. If a highly detailed bit-map image is needed, it is often computed in another format, such as GIF, and then "imported" into the PostScript file.

PS File Characteristics:

• ASCII (although they can sometimes be set up to include binary data!);
• Color or black and white;
• 2D;
• No compression;
• Based on vectors (descriptions of points, lines and regions) rather than bit maps;
• multiple images (pages).

Licensing:

The computer code and data files described and made available on this web page are distributed under the GNU LGPL license.

Related Data and Programs:

EPS, a data directory which contains examples of the Encapsulated PostScript format.

Reference:

1. Adobe Systems,
   PostScript Language Reference Manual,
   Third Edition, 1999.
2. Henry McGilton, Mary Campione,
   PostScript by Example,
   Addison Wesley, 1992,
   LC: QA76.73.P67M34.

Sample Files:

• bell_206.ps, a helicopter (sideways);
• bell_206.png, a PNG version.
• cells.ps;
• cells.png, a PNG version;
• collaps1.ps;
• collaps1.png, a PNG version;
• collaps2.ps;
• collaps2.png, a PNG version;
• cregion.ps;
• cregion.png, a PNG version;
• frieze.ps;
• frieze.png, a PNG version;
• missed.ps;
• missed.png, a PNG version;
• pattern.ps;
• pattern.png, a PNG version;
• policy.ps, a two-page text file;
• region.ps;
• region.png, a PNG version;
• steps.ps;
• steps.png, a PNG version;

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