PUB98: Difference Between EPS Files and PostScript Print Files

If a Windows driver for a PostScript printer is installed, Microsoft Publisher is capable of creating both PostScript print files and encapsulated PostScript (EPS) graphic files. These options are useful for allowing a service bureau that does not have Publisher to print Publisher files for their customers.

In some cases, the service bureau may specify that an EPS image is to be created (this is often the case if the service bureau is running only Macintosh equipment). In other cases, the service bureau may specify that a PostScript print file is to be created. This article lists the major differences between PostScript print files and EPS graphic files.

1. EPS is a single-page file format. Although the Windows PostScript driver allows you to create a multi-page EPS file, that file may be unusable by other programs. A PostScript print file can contain as many pages as desired, but usually cannot be imported by a program's EPS import filter.
2. There are several differences between the file headers of EPS graphics and PostScript print files:
   
   
   1. The first line of an EPS file is similar to:
      %!PS-Adobe-3.0 EPSF-2.0
   2. The first line of a PostScript file is similar to:
      <CTRL+D>%!PS-Adobe-3.0
      In addition, because the EPS file format allows a tagged image file format (TIFF) or Windows metafile (WMF) image to be embedded in the PostScript header to provide a preview image when the file is imported into a document, a section beginning with:
      %%BeginProlog
      
      -or-
      
      %%BeginPreview
      followed by the preview image may be added to the header of the EPS file. PostScript print files will lack this section entirely.
3. EPS files are generally larger than straight PostScript files. The headers for the PostScript files have a line that begins with:
   %%Include Resource: ........
   which simply references the standard Windows PostScript dictionary. The equivalent line in the EPS file begins:
   %%Begin Resource:.........
   which INCLUDES the standard Windows PostScript dictionary.
4. PostScript files created by Windows usually begin and end with a binary "CTRL+D" character. This binary character serves to clear the printer's memory before downloading the new print job and to clear the printer's memory again after the print job has been completed. If the PostScript file is to be printed to a non-MS-DOS environment (UNIX or Macintosh for example), those binary characters need to be removed before dumping the file to the printer.

EPS files do not contain that "CTRL+D" character, as they are assumed to be part of another document, not a document in and of themselves.

"Encapsulated PostScript File Format," pages 1-5, (c) Adobe Systems, Inc. 1987

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: