PostScript Languange Printer Commands

Chapter 1

Overview

Printer commands for Adobe PostScript 3 provide a way for you to communicate with the printer to perform certain tasks.

This document provides programming information about Adobe PostScript 3 and contains most of the PostScript commands. It is written for people who are familiar with the command structure of the PostScript language. Most software applications do not require you to enter printer commands. However, if needed, you should refer to your software documentation for information about how to enter printer commands.

This document also describes the particular PostScript interpreter parameters and resources implemented for the printer. The printer has features and capabilities that might not be present in other PostScript printers and that are not documented elsewhere.

The following documents are generally relevant to the operation and programming of PostScript printers.

PostScript Language Reference Manual, Third Edition (Addison-Wesley), (hereafter referred to as the Reference Manual), describes the programming language used to tell printers what and how to print. It describes features of the

language available in all PostScript interpreters.

The PostScript Language Reference Manual Level 3 Version 3010 and 3011 Supplement (Adobe), (hereafter referred to as the Supplement), provides an up-to- date catalog of standard page device, user, system, and device parameters. It includes parameters that have changed since their original description in the PostScript Language Reference Manual, Third Edition.

PostScript Language Tutorial and Cookbook (Addison-Wesley) contains explanatory and tutorial material to improve users’ understanding of the PostScript page description language. It introduces the PostScript language at a basic level.

PostScript Language Program Design (Addison-Wesley) teaches programming principles unique to the PostScript language with many usable samples. It is for programmers interested in the effective and efficient design of PostScript language programs and printer drivers.

PostScript Printer Description File Format Specification (Adobe) describes the PostScript Printer Description (or PPD) file format which provides information in a machine-readable form about printer-specific features and about the fonts built

into the printer.

PostScript Printer Description File for the Printer, available from the Adobe Developers Association, provides a device-independent way of invoking device-dependent features. It is needed by some drivers to offer complete device functionality to the user.

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