gregory@icad.COM (Jack Gregory) (02/08/90)
This is a common problem that is often mentioned in various forms by various people dealing with specific cases. I have tried to state the general problem below. I follow that with my experiences on specific cases. Problem: What method should be used to transform a "conforming" (to the Adobe Document Structuring Conventions) PostScript program into a valid EPSF form for inclusion as a graphic image in a Mac application? The goal is to not have a bitmap picture, but one that will do the right PS thing when it gets printed. Example 1: We have a program which generates PostScript files for printing. User wants to take that file and put it into a PowerPoint slide presentation. As is, the file is not acceptable to PowerPoint. Example 2: User takes the same PostScript file and tries to read it into Adobe Illustrator as "artwork". Apparently, Illustrator only wants files that conform to its particular format. It won't accept any valid Postscript Program. Even editing the file to conform with the Adobe Illustrator document format as published by Adobe (thanks for the File Server, Adobe!) does not create an acceptable file. However, opening the file into WriteNow as "Text" and saving it out, also as "Text" somehow tricks Illustrator into accepting it. This is not considered a solution, because editing the file to agree with the Illustrator format spec is non trivial. Example 3: SmartArt was mentioned as a program which could do read a PostScript file and create a pastable graphic image. It does read the PS file without error, but does not generate the bitmap image, which is necessary for proper pasting and positioning. This was SmartArt I. I would like to hear a general answer, but will accept specific advice on any of the above examples. --J Gregory