Encapsulated PostScript
File Format Specification
The encapsulated PostScript file (EPSF)
format is a standard format for importing and
exporting PostScript language files among
applications in a variety of heterogeneous
environments. This appendix details the The
The encapsulated PostScript file (EPSF) format is a standard format for
importing and exporting PostScript language files among applications in a
variety of heterogeneous environments. This appendix details the format
and contains specific information about the Macintosh
®
and MS-DOS
®
environments. The EPSF format is based on and conforms to the document
structuring conventions (DSC) detailed in the
PostScript Document Structuring
Conventions Specification
available from the Adobe Systems Developers
Association. Proper use of the document structuring conventions is required
when creating a PostScript language file that conforms to the EPSF format.
The main topics of this appendix include creating encapsulated PostScript
(EPS) files, importing EPS files into other PostScript language files, and
optional screen preview images for EPS files. Finally, a detailed example
illustrates the concepts presented throughout this appendix.
1
Introduction
An encapsulated PostScript file is a PostScript language program describing
the appearance of a single page. Typically, the purpose of the EPS file is to
be included, or “encapsulated,” in another PostScript language page descrip-
tion. The EPS file can contain any combination of text, graphics, and images,
and it is the same as any other PostScript language page description with only
a few restrictions. Figure 1 conceptually shows how an EPS file can be
included in another PostScript language document.
5