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- From: jgm@cs.brown.edu (Jonathan Monsarrat)
- Subject: PostScript monthly FAQ v2.1 05-21-93 [05-06 of 11]
- Message-ID: <JGM.93Aug26102927@vegas.cs.brown.edu>
- Followup-To: poster
- Summary: Useful facts about the PostScript graphics programming language
- Sender: news@cs.brown.edu
- Supersedes: <JGM.93Apr16124333@vegas.cs.brown.edu>
- Reply-To: jgm@cs.brown.edu (PostScript FAQ comments address)
- Organization: Brown University Department of Computer Science
- Date: Thu, 26 Aug 1993 15:29:27 GMT
- Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.Edu
- Expires: Mon, 27 Sep 1993 00:00:00 GMT
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- Xref: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu comp.lang.postscript:20191 comp.answers:1746 news.answers:11811
-
- Archive-name: postscript/faq/part5-6
- Last-modified: 1993/05/21
- Version: 2.1
-
- -- PostScript --
-
- Answers to Questions
-
- (the comp.lang.postscript FAQ v2.1)
-
- Jon Monsarrat
-
- jgm@cs.brown.edu
-
-
-
-
-
-
- This FAQ is formatted as a digest.
-
- Most news readers can skip from one question
-
- to the next by pressing control-G.
-
-
- Changes since the last version are marked with a '|' in the table
- of contents and in the sections in the text-only format of the FAQ.
-
- Please help fix the FAQ! All comments should be mailed to
- jgm@cs.brown.edu. My favorite way to receive a change suggestion is
- when it is accompanied by a section of the FAQ that is edited and
- mailed to me verbatim as an example. If you would like to
- contribute, please read the section ``about the FAQ'' first. Thank
- you!
-
- Books and programs are referred to by name only. See the book
- sections for book information, and the comp.sources.postscript FAQ
- for a full list of all PostScript related programs. I have
- archived a number of the small utilities in
- wilma.cs.brown.edu:pub/postscript. You can get the
- comp.sources.postscript FAQ from
- wilma.cs.brown.edu:pub/comp.sources.postscript.
-
- Subject: 5 Books
-
- There are many good books on PostScript language programming.
- Descriptions of all known books are listed below. A listing of
- publisher information follows.
-
- The most commonly known books are the ``blue book'', ``big red
- book'', and ``green book'' from Adobe, to be read in that order.
- They are nicknamed according for their jacket colors.
-
- Other books recommended to me include Thinking in PostScript,
- which allows its examples to be freely distributed, and PostScript
- by Example.
-
-
- Subject: 5.1 Books
-
-
-
- Adobe Accurate Screens
- explains in detail all the issues and specifically covers Adobe
- Accurate Screens -- Adobes' own screening technology. Peter Fink
- is an expert on the subject of halftone screens as they relate to
- color issues.
-
- Author: Peter Fink
- Publisher: Adobe Press, 1992.
- ISBN 0-672-48544-3
- Library Call # ???
-
-
- Adobe Illustrator - The Expert Advisor Series
-
- Author: Diane Burns, S. Venit, David Smith
- Publisher: Addison-Wesley, 1989
- ISBN: 0-201-14397-6
- Cost: $ 22.95
-
-
- Adobe Illustrator 3 Complete
-
- Author: Sharyn Venit
- Publisher: Addison-Wesley, 1991
- ISBN: 0-201-57756-9
- Cost: $ 24.95
-
-
- Adobe Illustrator 3.0 - The Official Handbook for Designers
-
- Author: Frederic Davis, Tony Bove, Cheryl Rhodes
- Publisher: Bantam Books, 1991
- ISBN: 0-553-35385-3
- Cost: $ 26.95
-
-
- The Adobe Illustrator 3.2 Designer's Guide
-
- Author: David Holzgang
- Publisher: Sybex, Inc., 1992
- ISBN: 0-7821-1002-9
- Cost: $ 24.95
-
-
- Adobe Type 1 Font Format, ``the black book''
-
- This is the specification for the Type 1 font format. Type 1
- fonts are the standard outline format found in Adobe PostScript
- printers, implementations of the Display PostScript system, and
- available as downloadable fonts from the Adobe Type Library. This
- document describes the syntax of the Adobe Type 1 font format,
- including complete information regarding hints, encoding of
- character outlines, and the charstring and eexec encryption
- algorithms.
-
- Author: Adobe Systems Inc
- Publisher: Addison-Wesley, 1990.
- ISBN: 0-201-57044-0
-
-
- Build Your Own PostScript Laser Printer & Save a Bundle
-
- Author: Horace LaBadie Publisher: T A B Books, 1991
- ISBN: 0-8306-3738-9
- Cost: $ 16.95
-
-
- Creating Special Effects on the Macintosh
-
- Author: David Holzgang
- Publisher: Addison-Wesley, 1992
- ISBN 0-201-57779-8
-
-
- Design Essentials with Adobe Illustrator & Adobe Photoshop
-
- Author: Adobe Press Staff
- Publisher: Hayden, 1992.
- ISBN: 0-672-48538-9
- Cost: $ 39.95
-
-
- Design Techniques with Adobe Illustrator
-
- Author: Linda Miles, Betty Wilson
- Publisher: Sams, 1992
- ISBN: 0-672-30205-5 Cost: $ 39.95
-
-
- Display PostScript Programming
-
- Author: David A. Holzgang
- Publisher: Addison Wesley, 1990
- ISBN: 0-201-51814-7
- Cost: $ 24.95
-
-
- Encapsulated PostScript: Application Guide for the Macintosh and
- the PC
- has its focus is EPS. However, it is an excellent book full of
- actual real life PostScript and Encapsulated PostScript
- applications on Macs, PCs, Unix, IBM mainframe, and other
- computer systems.
-
- Author: Peter Vollenweider
- Publisher: Prentice Hall 1990
- ISBN: 0-13-275-843-1
- Cost: $ 34.67
-
-
- Graphic Design With PostScript
-
- Author: Gerard Kunkel
- Publisher: Scott, Foresman and Company, 1990
- ISBN 0-673-38794-1
- Library Call # Z286.D47K87
-
-
- Halftoning with Adobe Accurate Screens
-
- Author: Peter Fink
- Publisher: Hayden, 1992
- Cost: $ 29.95
-
-
- Hands On PostScript
-
- This is an introduction to PostScript for the novice or casual
- user. PostScript programming principles are introduced in the
- context of useful projects (e.g. greeting cards, letterhead,
- multi-page posters). The book includes five PostScript driver
- projects in Basic, Pascal, and C. A 3.5" DOS formatted diskette
- is included with all the source code. It does not cover
- PostScript level 2.
-
- Author: Michael Spring and David Dubin
- Publisher: Hayden Books, 1992
- ISBN 0-672-30185-7
- Library Call # 92-71207 Cost: $ 29.95.
-
-
- Inside the Apple LaserWriter
-
- Author: Roger Hart
- Publisher: Scott, Foresman, 1989
- ISBN 0-673-38064-5
- Library Call # : TK7887.7.H38
-
-
- Inside PostScript
- essentially takes one on a tour of the standard internal
- PostScript code in most printers. The author has worked
- extensively with an interpreter. (in PostScript terms, no
- low-level hardware stuff here like cexec and internaldict).
-
- Author: Frank Merritt Braswell
- Publisher: Systems of Merritt & Peachpit Press 1989
- ISBN 0-938151-10-X
- Library Call # QA76.73.P67 B73 1989
- Cost: about $ 40.
-
-
- Laserwriter Reference
-
- Author: Apple Computer
- Publisher: Addison-Wesley, 1988
- ISBN: 0-201-19258-6
- Cost: $ 19.95
-
-
- Learning PostScript, A Visual Approach
- is a tutorial on the PostScript language. It is very appealing,
- very easy to follow and filled with examples. Each example
- occupies two pages. A brief explanation and source code is on the
- left page, and the resultant print-out is on the facing right
- page. The book starts off very simply for beginners, and covers a
- lot of material at the end for experts. It was written before
- level 2 PostScript.
-
- In the later half of the book, a few examples can executed only
- if an additional disk is purchased.
-
- The code for LPAVA is $ 20 from Smith Consultants, 834 Third St.,
- Suite B, Santa Rosa, CA 95404, U.S.A. fax number: 415-524-9775
-
- Author: Ross Smith
- Publisher: Peachpit Press, 1990 ISBN 0-938151-12-6
- Library Call # QA76.73.P67S55
- Cost: $ 22.95
-
-
- Linotronic Imaging Handbook
-
- Author: James Cavuoto, Stephen Beale
- Publisher: Micro Publishing Press, 1990
- ISBN 0-941845-06-0
- Cost: $ 27.95
-
-
- Mastering Adobe Illustrator
- ???
-
- Author: David A. Holzgang Publisher: Addison Wesley, 1988 ISBN
- ???
-
- Library Call # ???
-
-
- Mastering Adobe Illustrator 88
-
- Author: Deke McClelland and Craig Danuloff
- Publisher: Publishing Resources Inc.-Dow Jones Irwin 1988
- ISBN: 1-55623-157-1
- Cost: $ 27.95
-
-
- Official Adobe Photoshop Handbook
-
- Author: David Biedny
- Publisher: Bantam Books, 1991
- ISBN: 0-553-34876-0
- Cost: $ 27.95
-
-
- PostScript by Example
- is a tutorial for PostScript people at all levels. It covers
- level 2 PostScript. The book starts at novice level and works
- through to Level Two composite fonts, patterns, forms, color,
- halftones, Display PostScript rectangle operators and text
- operators. It contains a chapter on practical issues of
- downloading fonts, talking to printers, and error handling. 640
- pages containing over 500 fragments of PostScript code and over
- 750 illustrations. A long-awaited ``upgrade'' to the Blue Book.
-
- Henry McGilton can be reached by email as henry@trilithon.com.
- Mary Campione can be reached by email as mem@taranis.com.
-
- A disk containing 13,000 lines of PostScript code from the book
- can be ordered separately for $ 20 from: Trilithon Software, Two
- Ohlone, Portola Valley, CA 94028, U.S.A.
-
- Or, send email to info@trilithon.mpk.ca.us.
-
- Authors: Henry McGilton and Mary Campione
- Publisher: Addison Wesley, 1992.
- ISBN 0-201-63228-4
- Library Call # QA76.73.P67M34
-
-
- A PostScript Cookbook
-
- Author: Barry Thomas
- Publisher: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1989.
- ISBN: 0-442-23686-7
- Cost: $ 9.98
-
-
- Programming the Display PostScript System with Next Step
-
- Author: Adobe Systems Inc.
- Publisher: Addison-Wesley, 1991
- ISBN: 0-201-58135-3
- Cost: $ 26.95
-
-
- Programming the Display PostScript System with X
- is written specifically for developers using the X Window System.
- It is intended to help X application developers improve quality,
- optimize performance, and minimize development cost. Featuring a
- Programming Guide with advice on how to write robust, efficient
- Display PostScript applications, the book also contains a new
- Toolkit manual and the standard Display PostScript reference
- manuals.
-
- Author: Adobe Systems Inc.
- Publisher: Addison-Wesley
- Cost: $ 26.95
-
-
- PostScript Font Handbook - A Directory of Type 1 Fonts
-
- Author: Jonathan Grosvenor
- Publisher: Addison-Wesley, 1992.
- ISBN: 0-201-56893-4
- Cost: $ 24.95
-
-
- PostScript fuer Workstations
-
- Dieses Buch ist in Deutsche geschrieben. Es beschreibt PostScript
- fuer Workstations, mit Display PostScript, PostScript 2, und
- Farben.
-
- This book is written in German. It describes using PostScript on
- workstations. It covers Display PostScript, PostScript Level 2,
- and colors.
-
- Author: Peter Vollenweider (rzuvo@rzu.unizh.ch)
-
- Publisher: Addison-Wesley, 1992.
-
- ISBN 3-89319-459-2
-
-
- PostScript Language Program Design, ``the green book''
- is intended to teach the fundamentals of designing PostScript
- language programs and to show how the language works, so the your
- programs will be fast, well-behaved, easy to understand, and
- portable.
-
- Code Examples: $ 15 from the developer support hotline. Free from
- the Adobe mail server (see Section 6, ``About Adobe'').
-
- Author: Glenn Reid, Adobe Systems
- Publisher: Addison Wesley 1988
- ISBN 0-201-14396-8
- Library Call # QA76.73.P67R45 1988
- Cost: $ 22.95
-
-
- PostScript Language Reference Manual (2nd ed), ``the big red book''
- is the book that defines the PostScript language. The second
- edition not only defines Level 1 PostScript, but also encompasses
- the color, composite font, file system, and DPS extensions and
- the PostScript language Level 2.
-
- Author: Adobe Systems Incorporated
- Publisher: Addison Wesley 1985, 1990
- ISBN 0-201-18127-4
- Library Call # QA76.73.P67P67 1990
- Cost: $ 28.95
-
-
- PostScript Language Reference Manual (1st ed), ``the old red book''
- is the first edition of the reference manual. It describes
- PostScript level 1 only. It is a subset of the PostScript level 2
- book, but is still more common and costs less.
-
- Author: Adobe Systems Inc.
- Publisher: Addison-Wesley, 1985.
- ISBN 0-201-10174-2
- Library Call # ???
-
-
- PostScript Language Tutorial and Cookbook, ``the blue book''
- is the most common tutorial book on PostScript. It provides an
- easy, informal introduction to the PostScript language and
- graphics primitives. The cookbook is a collection of programs
- that are offered as examples of PostScript usage. These samples
- have been chosen both as illustrations of the functional range of
- PostScript and as useful ingredients for inclusion in application
- packages.
-
- Code Examples: $ 15 from the developer support hotline. Free from
- the Adobe mail server (see Section 6, ``About Adobe'').
-
- Author: Adobe Systems Incorporated
-
- Publisher: Addison Wesley 1985, 1990
- ISBN 0-201-10179-3
- Library Call # : QA76.73.P67P67 1985
- Cost: $ 16.75
-
-
- PostSCript Programmer's Reference Guide
- is an authoritative guidance for programmers, developers, or
- anyone who wants to get the most out of PostScript. It offers
- clear instructions, a complete language reference section, and a
- cookbook of hands-on sample routines. (avail for $ 20 extra on
- disk) ... It includes complete information on PhoenixPage/PS,
- Phoenix Technologies' fully PostScript-compatible language.
-
- Author: David Holzgang
- Publisher: Scott, Foresman & Co
- ISBN 0-673-38574-4
- Library Call # QA76.73.P67H64
- Cost: $ 24.95
-
-
- Programming the Display PostScript System with NeXTstep, ``The
- Purple Book''
- is written for the NeXT programming environment; however, much of
- the information it contains applies to all Display PostScript
- developers. The book explains the language extensions commonly
- used within applications, describes many of the key aspects of
- the PostScript language imaging model, and provides a framework
- for creating Display PostScript language applications.
-
- Author: Adobe Systems, Inc (principal author: Ken Fromm)
- Publisher: Addison-Wesley
- ISBN 0-201-58135-3
- Library Call # QA76.73.P67P76
- Cost: $ 26.95
-
-
- Programming the LaserWriter
-
- Author: David Holzgang
- Publisher: Addison-Wesley, 1991
- ISBN: 0-201-57068-8
- Library Call # TK7887.7.H65
- Cost: $ 24.95
-
-
- Rapid Reference Guide To System 7, The Laserwriter Family,
- Hypercard
-
- Author: Michael Fraase
- Publisher: DOWI, 1992
- ISBN: 1556239025
- Cost: $ 24.95
-
-
- Real World PostScript: Techniques from PostScript professionals -
- ``The Orange Book''
- is a collection of articles dealing with ``real world''
- PostScript language issues and specific applications such as font
- creation, color separation, kerning, halftoning, various other
- topics.
-
- It contains a text formatter written in PostScript, and
- concentrates on doing very sophisticated things with fonts and
- dictionaries.
-
- Short overview of chapters:
-
- PostScript As A Design Tool; PostScript As A Programming
- Language; Writing Device Independent PostScript; Kerning,
- Tracking And Letterspacing, Precise Character Bounding Boxes;
- Building Fonts; Building Smart Fonts; Font Encoding Vector
- Compatibility; Building A PostScript Typeface; PostScript Color
- Operations; PostScript Color Separations; A Spread From Graphic
- Perspective; A PostScript Four-Color Poster; Graphing And
- Typesetting With PostScript; The Evolution Of A Complex Geometric
- Logo
-
- Author: Stephen F. Roth, editor.
- Publisher: Addison Wesley, 1988.
- ISBN: 0-201-06663-7
- Library Call # Z286.D47R4 1988
- Cost: $ 22.95
-
-
- Running PostScript from MS-DOS, 5.1
- provides a good and brief introduction to PostScript and has lots
- of useful information on printing PostScript from PCs.
-
- Author: Gary Glover
- Publisher: T A B Books, 1989.
- ISBN: 0-8306-0135-X
- Library Call # : QA76.73.P67G56
- Cost: $ 24.95
-
-
- Taking Advantage of PostScript
- is very graphically and visually oriented and includes a section
- on PostScript Level 2.
-
- Author: John F. Sherman
- Publisher: Wm. C. Brown Publishers, 1991.
- ISBN: 0-697-14032-6
-
-
- Thinking in PostScript
- is a guide to developing programming techniques and to learning
- how to use the PostScript tool kit. In this book you can find
- some useful techniques even if you think of yourself as an expert
- PS programmer. It overlaps very little with existing material.
- You can find there numerous practical examples in all areas of PS
- language programming, including the Display PS system. In this
- volume you will also find: (a) never-before-published information
- on the PS language (b) useful algorithms for loops, conditionals,
- and I/O (c) detailed coverage of files, strings, and dictionaries
- (d) simple and elegant programming techniques
-
- The books comes recommended by many. There are also exercises
- after each Chapter with the results at the end of the book. You
- can really find examples how to define new useful operators or
- procedures which you cannot find in the Adobe books.
-
- To get the examples from the book for free, send email to the
- author, glenn@rightbrain.com.
-
- Author: Glenn C. Reid
-
- Publisher: Addison-Wesley, 1989
- ISBN 0-201-52372-8
- Library Call # : QA76.73.P67R46 Cost: $ 22.95
-
-
- Understanding PostScript, 3rd edition
-
- Author: David A. Holzgang
- Publisher: Sybex, 1992
- ISBN: 0-7821-1059-2
- Cost: $ 29.95
-
-
- Understanding PostScript Programming, Second Edition
- ???
-
- Author: David Holzgang
- Publisher: Sybex, 1988.
- ISBN 0-89588-566-2
- Library Call # : ???
-
-
- The Verbum Book of PostScript Illustration
-
- Authors: Michael Gosney, Janet Ashford, and Linnea Dayton
- Publisher: M & T Books, 1990.
- ISBN 1-55851-089-3
- Library Call # : QA76.73.P67G57
- Cost: $ 29.95
-
-
- Subject: 5.2 Publishers
-
- Most of the above books should be available in any big bookstore
- that has a computer section. Or contact the publishers:
-
-
-
- Addison-Wesley,
- Retail Sales Group, Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc., One
- Jacob Way, Reading, MA 01867, U.S.A. Phone 800-447-2226 or
- 617-944-3700, Fax 617-942-1117.
-
- Addison-Wesley Publishing Company,
- 2200 Powell Street, Emeryville, California 94608 U.S.A. Phone
- (510) 601-4000
-
- Adobe Press
- ???
-
- Bantam Computer Books
- New York, NY, U.S.A.
-
- Wm. C. Brown, Publishers
- Dubuque, IA, U.S.A.
-
- Hayden Books,
- 11711 N. College Ave., Carmel, IN 46032.
-
- Micro Publishing Press
- 21150 Hawthorne Boulevard, Suite 104, Torrance, California 90503
- U.S.A.
-
- Peachpit Press,
- 1085 Keith Ave., Berkeley, CA 94708, U.S.A. 800-283-9444, or
- 415-527-8555.
-
- Prentice Hall
- Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey 07632
-
- Scott, Foresman and Company
- 1900 East Lake Avenue, Glenview, IL 60025
-
- Publishing Resources Inc.-Dow Jones Irwin
- ???
-
- Sams
- Carmel, IN, U.S.A.
-
- Sybex
- 2021 Challenger Drive, # 100, Alameda, California 94501.
-
- T A B Books
- Blue Ridge Summit, PA, U.S.A.
-
- Windcrest Books
- Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania 17294-0850
-
- Van Nostrand Reinhold
- New York, NY, U.S.A.
-
- You can purchase the red, blue, green, and black books from Adobe
- Systems by calling 800-83-FONTS.
-
-
- Subject: 6 About Adobe
-
- PostScript was created by Adobe Systems Incorporated, which offers
- information and sells programs pertaining to PostScript.
-
- Currently the only large PostScript company that I have information
- on is Adobe. I would be happy to include information about others.
-
-
- Subject: 6.1 How do I get in touch with Adobe?
-
-
- Adobe Systems Incorporated Main phone: +1-415-961-4400
- 1585 Charleston Road Main FAX: +1-415-961-3769
- P.O. Box 7900
- Mountain View, CA 94039-7900
-
-
- If you want technical help using Adobe retail products (e.g. ATM,
- Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Fonts): Adobe forum on CompuServe, call
- 1-408-986-6500 (for Macintosh) or 1-408-986-6530 (for Windows,
- Unix) Also use this number to report bugs in retail products. Adobe
- also has an automated tech support line, which will fax technical
- notes and product literature to you, and attempt to answer common
- questions via a menu-driven system. That number is 1-800-235-0078.
-
- For sales information on Adobe retail products (prices, catalogues,
- etc.), call +1-800-235-0078 (fax-back brochures) or +1-800-833-6687
- (applications sales)
-
- The Developer's Hotline is +1-415-961-4111 (Voicemail) (note:
- members have priority, but they'll take questions from general
- public.) Also use this number for information about the ADA or
- Adobe SDK's.
-
- To suggest product enhancements, write or fax to ``Product Manger,
- product name' at address above.
-
- In Europe: Adobe Systems BV, Europlaza, Hoogoorddreef 51a, 1101 BE
- Amsterdam Z-O, NETHERLANDS. TEL +31-20-65-11-200. FAX
- +31-20-65-11-300.
-
- In the eastern United States: Adobe Sys. Inc., 24 New England
- Executive Park, Burlington MA 01803. TEL +1-617-273-2120. FAX
- +1-617-273-2336.
-
- In Japan: Adobe Systems Japan, Swiss Bank House, 4-1-8 Toranomon,
- Minato ku, Tokyo 105 JAPAN. TEL +81-3-3437-8950. FAX
- +81-3-3437-8968.
-
-
- Subject: 6.2 What can Adobe do for me?
-
- Adobe is just one of many companies producing products for
- PostScript, but it does produce a lot of the best.
-
- Adobe offers two resources for software developers.
-
- 1. Membership in the Adobe Developers Association (ADA) ( $
- 195/year)
-
- 2. PostScript Language Software Development Kit (SDK) ( $ 500, $ 250
- for ADA)
-
- The Developer's Association is Adobe's way of knowing who has a
- serious interest in technical information. Membership includes
- monthly technical newsletter, phone technical support, discounts on
- software and hardware. Membership is $ 195/year for each
- individual.
-
- The PostScript Language Software Development Kits collect all
- Adobe's technical literature for a given platform into a single
- package. There are four versions, for the Mac, MS-DOS/Windows,
- NeXTStep, and X/Windows. Each SDK is $ 500 list, $ 250 for ADA
- members.
-
- A selection of technical documents is available from Adobe's file
- server, including the aforementioned EPS specification. Programs
- are also available, including level 1 emulations for the level 2
- color operators. For more information on this, send the one-word
- message ``help'' to ps-file-server@adobe.com. Or you can ftp to
- ftp.adobe.com. These documents are also available by mail; call the
- Developers Line and ask for the documents catalog.
-
- The ps-file-server contains some specs, tech notes, sample
- programs, plus a large collection of AFM files and PPD files. Send
- a message containing ``help'' to ps-file-server@adobe.com for more
- information. You can get these files for free with email.
-
-