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What is PSTools

PSTools is a set of command-line tools designed to pipe postscript files before sending them to a printer or another postscript device. Five tools are included in this package:

Running PSTools

The Following describes the command line syntax for each of the five tools:

txt2ps:

This program converts plain text files into PostScript so they can be sendt on a postscript interpreter or filtered by another pstool

  SYNOPSIS:
   txt2ps [-l] [-o <filename1>] [<filename2>}

   -l specifies landscape mode (default is portrait)
   -o specifies an outout file (default is stdout)

   If  <filename2> is omitted, reads from stdin.

  WISH LIST
   -d enable page decoration such as page numbering and header
   containing file name.

dps:

This program filters postscript files such that each page is printed side by side two pages on one page. Works best on A4 pages, but works reasonably also on US Letter format.

  SYNOPSIS
   dps [-b] [<filename>]
   
   -b makes dps insert a blank page first.
   
   If <filename> is omitted, eads from stdin.
   The result is written to stdout.

  WISH LIST
  -o <filename> option

preps:

Prints EPS files. Not all EPS file can be viewn direcrly to a postscript interpreter, either because the coordinate space is outside the range of the paper, or the EPS file does not contain a "showpage" command (which is not required in EPS files). preps encapsulates an eps file into an ordinary postscript file which is guaranteed to be printable on any postscript device.

  SYNOPSIS
   preps [-l] [-p] [-o <filename1>] [-c <n>] [<filename2>]

   -l  rotate picture and print in landscape mode
   -p  use portrait format (default)
   -o  write output to <filename1> (default is stdout)
   -c  print <n> copies

   If <filename2> is omitted, reads from stdin.

psdebug:

Adds a debugging dictionary to the postcript file, so if an error occurs during printing, the error is printed on the device.

  SYNOPSIS
    psdebug [<filename>]

    If <filename> is omitted, reads from stdin

  WISH LIST
    -o <filename> option

pslevel:

Generates a postscript file which, when sendt to a postscript interpreter will print a message which determines which postscript language level the device supports

  SYNOPSIS
    pslevel 

  WISH LIST
    -o option

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