After managing to set up OE-QuoteFix on his new PC, Ed reads a message
from dstare said:
Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately, it didn't work. I attempted
to insert an .eps file and I got text in the box that said the file
was saved in Illustrator 8.0 without a preview and would only print
to a postscript printer.
To fully understand this message you need to know a little about PostScript
files.
EPS stands for Encapsulated PostScript. This is a type of PostScript file.
PostScript is a language originally used for sending data to printers. A
PostScript file is merely a capture of the information send to a printer in
PostScript mode.
To render (create an image of) a PostScript file would be inefficient and
very difficult for more complex files, so in the most part, when you insert
a PostScript file, you get a little information about the file, and details
on why you aren't seeing an image.
Of course, when this file is passed to a printer, the PostScript data is
passed with it, and a PostScript printer will correctly interpret the
instructions, and print the data in its immaculate glory. If the printer is
non-PostScript, then this all falls apart.
Some types of PostScript file include a low-resolution preview image, that
is used to represent the file on-screen in Publisher and other programs,
instead of the file information. This allows for easier placing in the
file, and easier identification when arranging lots of files.
In short, you will need to have a PostScript printer to print the file
properly.
Many printers have a PostScript option - this may be in the form of a
different driver (you may have do download one with -PS on the end, for
example). Some drivers support both PostScript and another standard - in
which case you will have to change your printer options to PostScript to get
the file to print correctly.
Some printers don't support PostScript at all. In this case, a good
workaround is to print to a PDF file. Creating a PDF file is done through a
PostScript printer to a local file on the hard drive (the Acrobat Distiller,
in the case of Adobe Acrobat). The complete set of PostScript data
(including all your publication, and the PostScript file imported therein)
is then processed into a different form, the PDF file, that can be printed
using Acrobat Reader to any printer.
Hope this helps.
