Insert EPS and/or PS in PDF

[rouvq]

Hello everyone,

I would like to insert an Encapsulated Postscript image or/and postscript inside a pdf.

From what I read, PDF is an extension of postscript, I was wondering if we could write raw postscript inside a pdf or if it needed to go through some transformation? (in case of EPS, to a specific image format?)

Thanks in advance

[Test Screen Name]

No, PDF is not an extension of PostScript. No, you cannot include EPS. There is a 1:1 conversion of PostScript graphics to PDF, Acrobat can do that. Then Acrobat can use that as a stamp. 

[Joel Geraci]

The PDF Specification does have something called PostScript XObjects. If you have created a PDF file with one or more PostScript XObjects, if printing to a PostScript printer via a driver that supports PostScript passthrough (on Windows, that must be a Version 3 driver such as the official PSCRIPT5.DLL-based drivers) and if you set the Advanced Print Setup to Emit PS Form Objects, in theory this should work though I have never actually tested it. However, there is no way of creating PostScript XObjects with any Adobe application software (including Acrobat). Also, these objects don't display on the page, they just get "passed through" to the printer. So... while you can... you probably don't want to.

[Test Screen Name]

I think that PostScript XObjects are about the only part of PDF that was declared obsolete, and I'm pretty sure that Acrobat no longer even tries to print them.

[Joel Geraci]

The option is still in the print dialog but I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't actually do anything or has even been tested in current versions. That's why I bolded "theory".

[Joel Geraci]

I've been corrected. Support for pass through was dropped in Acrobat 6.

[Dov Isaacs · Accepted solution]

There is no direct method of “inserting” PostScript or EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) into PDF.

However, you can follow the follow this procedure to do the equivalent:

(1)  Create PDF from PostScript or EPS via Acrobat Distiller. Make sure you use .joboptions that assure that all fonts referenced are embedded in the resultant PDF.

(2)  Open the resultant PDF in Acrobat to assure that you have what you actually expect and make any adjustments available via Acrobat. If you do any adjustments, save the PDF file. Close the PDF file.

(3)  Open the target PDF file (the one you wanted to insert PostScript or PDF into). Open the Layers palette from the left side options. Then select the Import as Layer… option.

(4)  You then are presented with a dialog that lets you choose the PDF file to include, the new layer name, and numerous options for sizing and positioning the PDF file you are importing. After completing this step, press OK. You can then optionally merge layers.

(5) You should then save the resultant PDF file. And you are now done!

Note that there is a major advantage of this approach. Watermarks are not an integral part of the base PDF file. The content added via this method is fully integrated into the final PDF file.

                - Dov

[rouvq]

Thank you very much for all of your answers.
Have a nice day