» PostScript Viewers
» PostScript Editors
» Graphics and PostScript File Converters
» Other Software

PostScript Viewers

If you want to print PS files from Windows, these products costs less than buying a printer with built-in PS capability.» Lincoln & Co. has viewering and converting software for PS, PCL, and HPGL documents, searches for text, and prints to any MS Windows printer.

» Preview – PS for WindowsPreview is a level-2 PS interpreter that lets you view and print PS files and convert them to Windows MetaFile (.WMF) format. Works with your web browser to view PS files on the Web.A very economical way to add PS viewing and printing to MS Windows.

» PostScript Viewer can be used to open a PostScript image, PostScript drawing or a PostScript document. Works both as a standalone Windows program or as a web browser application. Free trial.

An even cheaper way to view and print PS is Ghostscript.Mac users: Try using Preview, Mac’s built-in graphics viewer. If you have OS X 10.3 or better, you should be able to view and print PS and EPS files.

PostScript Editors

» Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw and Mayura Draw can create and edit PostScript.

» Solvero, a PS EditorSolvero can read, validate, display, and interactively edit text, graphics, and images in PostScript, EPS, and PDF files from any source. (Win2000/2003/XP)

» Psalter, a PS Programming Tool PSAlter helps you debug your PS program by executing it one step at a time, while displaying the graphics state, the contents of stacks, and comprehensive error messages. Converts PS to TIFF, BMP, and EPS. If you’re writing PS programs, you’ll be interested in this tool; it’s the finest available. (MSWin) 

Graphics and PostScript File Converters

» e-PDF Converter converts Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio etc. files to Postscript and EPS (MSWin)

» IMAGE ALCHEMY, a graphics-file converter Converts any of 90 image formats to PS. Image Alchemy PS includes a PS level 2 interpreter to convert any of 90 image formats to and from PS, EPS, and PDF. (Available for many OS’s) Free on-line demo.

» KONVERTERConverts PS and PDF to and from 609 graphics formats.(MSWin) Free demo

» Lincoln & Co.‘s software converts level-2 PS, EPS, PCL, and HPGL to TIFF, PCX/DX, and bitmap formats. (MS Windows, Unix, Linux) Free demo.

» ReaConverter Pro let you do file conversions such as PDF > EPS, AI > EPS, EPS > AI, PS > PDF, PDF > PS and EPS > PDF. All jobs can be done in batch mode and conversions can be done in up to 30 different file formats.(MS Windows) Free demo.

» TRANSVERTER PRO, a PDF, PS and EPS file conversion utility. Contains a level-3 PS interpreter for viewing, converting, RIPping (rasterizing) PDF, EPS, and PS files. Output formats include EPS, GIF, JPEG, TIFF, WMF, EMF Illustrator and others. Hot Folders and Batch Conversion for workflow automation. (Win2000/XP & Mac OSX) (US Dollars)(Free demo) Also, PS plug-ins available for Freehand, Photoshop, Quark and others (the product has been discontinued as of April 1, 2008).

» VISUAL INTEGRITYConverts PS/EPS/PDF files to vector formats (WMF, CGM, MIF, EMF, HPGL, EPS, SVG, DXF), to bitmap image formats (TIFF, GIF, EPSI, EPSF, JPEG, PNG) and extracts ASCII text. Available in desktop, server (batch) and developer (API) versions. (Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP, Unix HP/IBM/Sun/Linux) (US dollars) (free demo, free test file conversion)

Other Software

» POSTERSHOP PS, a poster maker Software for printing PS files on inkjet printers and large-format inkjet plotters. It lets you view, enlarge/reduce, crop, rotate, tile, and color-correct images. (MSWin2000/2003/xp). If you don’t need all these features, you might be interested in Poster.

» PREVIEW SDK and PSI, Windows developers will be interested in these kits which let you read PS and PDF documents into their applications.

» Fly SDK, this PS interpreter allows developers to integrate PS capability into their Win and Unix applications.

» JAWS and HARLEQUIN RIPs are available from Global Graphics

» STYLESCRIPT was discontinued in January 2001

RIP stands for “Raster Image Processor”, meaning that it accepts PS (vector format) and produces output for a printer (raster format). The difference between vector and raster formats is illustrated here.

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