[net.micro.mac] Printerdrivers producing Postscript

bhyde@inmet.UUCP (04/02/86)

Postscript is a programming language.  Like any useful programming
language it is extensible.

Any application that generates a spooling file for a postscript printer
will extended the postscript language.  Typically this will include
adding routines to generate images that are unique to that
application's needs; for example rounded rectangles with rounded
corners.

Postscript programs, or spooling files, are usually represented as
printable ascci text.  The application's extentions are usually
placed in the prolog of the spooling file.  

The MacIntosh print driver for the laser writer extends the postscript
language with a set of Mac specific functions.  These are kept in the
file Laser Prep, which is usually found in the system folder.  If you
want to take Mac output to another company's postscript printer then
you need to stuff a copy of Laser Prep into the beginning of your
spooled laser printer output.

PageMaker uses a different "Prep" file from the Mac's usual one.  Most
sophisticated postscript application can be expected to do so, but other
applications may hide the existance of the "Prep" inside the application.