n67786@lehtori.tut.fi (Nieminen Tero) (12/17/90)
It wouldn't be much of a problem if there were a good standard describing what drawing primitives a re allowed in this particular format. But since Post Script is a programming language and EPS can contain any valid Post Script code, only possible tool to interpret EPS files is a Post Script interpreter, like the one in laser printers. Post Script has vast amount of features not used in Adobe Illustrator documents, and therefore Illustarator cannot interpret, not to mention, edit any arbitrary EPS file. EPS files differ from arbitrary Post Script files in that the image contained in them in a "one page" image. EPS has nothing more to do with Adobe Illustrator files, contrary to common belief. PS. I would also be happy to see such an editable EPS file standard to appear, but so far it seems to be somewhat a long shot to hope for one. -- Tero Nieminen Tampere University of Technology n67786@cc.tut.fi Tampere, Finland, Europe
aberno@questor.wimsey.bc.ca (Anthony Berno) (12/18/90)
I have heard on this board that EPS files are non-editable. As my NeXT has not arrived yet, I haven't seen this for myself, but I find it rather difficult to believe. After all, isn't PostScript just a bunch of primitive drawing commands, like "draw a filled rectangle"? As such, it seems to me that if a laser printer or Display PostScript can interpret these, so can a program to translate EPS into something editable. Has anyone done this? Has anyone tried? Just musing, Anthony Berno.
philip@pescadero.Stanford.EDU (Philip Machanick) (12/18/90)
In article <VRXBu3w163w@questor.wimsey.bc.ca>, aberno@questor.wimsey.bc.ca (Anthony Berno) writes: |> I have heard on this board that EPS files are non-editable. As my NeXT |> has not arrived yet, I haven't seen this for myself, but I find it |> rather difficult to believe. After all, isn't PostScript just a bunch |> of primitive drawing commands, like "draw a filled rectangle"? No, it's not that simple - PostScript is a fully-fledged programming language, complete with data structures, loops, procedures etc. It just so happens that its major purpose is placing marks on a page (or screen). -- Philip Machanick philip@pescadero.stanford.edu
mikec@wam.umd.edu (Michael D. Callaghan) (12/18/90)
In article <N67786.90Dec17115520@lehtori.tut.fi> n67786@lehtori.tut.fi (Nieminen Tero) writes: > >EPS files differ from arbitrary Post Script files in that the image >contained in them in a "one page" image. EPS has nothing more to do with >Adobe Illustrator files, contrary to common belief. > For what it's worth, I've accomplished what I have set out to do. I placed all my Mac EPS files into one folder. Then, one by one, I read them into MS Word 4.0 Using the "Open Any File" Command (Shift-Open) or (Shift F6). Then, using SAVE AS, I saved them as Text only files back to their original names (this took over five hours). Finally, using Kermit, I sent them over a 19200bps serial line to the Cube. Using preview, I tested almost all of them, and they all worked great! The only way I can think of editing them now, however, is actually opening the files in Edit, and changing something directly, checking it in Preview, opening it in Edit, etc... BTW, MacKermit has the ability to send just the Data fork of a Mac File. Plus, it has the ability to send "All files in this folder." Had I been aware of these two wonderful abilities, I would have saved a good five or six hours! Moral: Read the instructions that come with your software. MikeC PS: I don't know if I've helped anyone, but at least I feel better ;-) -- ___________________________________________________ Michael D. Callaghan,MDC Designs, University of Merryland mikec@wam.umd.edu
glenn@heaven.woodside.ca.us (Glenn Reid) (12/19/90)
In article <VRXBu3w163w@questor.wimsey.bc.ca> aberno@questor.wimsey.bc.ca (Anthony Berno) writes: >I have heard on this board that EPS files are non-editable. As my NeXT >has not arrived yet, I haven't seen this for myself, but I find it >rather difficult to believe. After all, isn't PostScript just a bunch >of primitive drawing commands, like "draw a filled rectangle"? No. PostScript is a programming language. It has "for" loops. It has "ifelse" statements. It has file I/O commands. It is Turing complete. You can write a translator, but it becomes a PostScript language interpreter. This issue is not unique to NeXT; it is inherent in the PostScript language upon which the NeXT is based. EPS files on a Mac or PC, by contrast, aren't even DISPLAYABLE, let alone editable. You have to have an extra bitmap picture of the same thing in order to see it on the screen. -- Glenn Reid RightBrain Software glenn@heaven.woodside.ca.us PostScript/NeXT developers ..{adobe,next}!heaven!glenn 415-851-1785
gessel@ilium.cs.swarthmore.edu (Daniel Mark Gessel) (12/22/90)
EPS is editable. No doubt about that. I've opened up EPS files in Edit and YAP many a time. Created a few in fact. PS is editable too. No problem there. YAP does quit nicely for both. WYSIWYG (acronyms |-b ) too. It's just that there doesn't exist any draw - like (illustrator like) that reads postscript in and lets you do "mouse-on" editing. Visual Programming languages is a current topic, which is basically what it comes down to. But EPS and PS are definately editable (YAPable too!). Dan -- Daniel Mark Gessel Independent Software Consultant Internet: gessel@cs.swarthmore.edu and Developer I do not represent Swarthmore College (thank God).