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I have long been overly enameled with the PostScript Language from Adobe Systems. While an amazingly flexible and totally general purpose computer language, PostScript excells at world class fonts and typography.

But little appreciated is PostScript's ability to handle most any technical math or engineering illustrations task, as well as being able to be taught to read or write most any disk file in any language.

PostScript works best in a non-interactive batch processing mode. It is easily and flexibly extensible but is presently limited to 32 bit math. And is often not WYSIWYG. It is extremely easy to edit, while its final .pdf results may not be.

The preferred method of running a PostScript program is to convert it to a Acrobat .pdf file. This is normally done by sending a .psl file ( aka a "Lancaster-PostScript" standard ASCII textfile ) to Acrobat Distiller by way of a command line instruction of //acrodist /F. Use of the /F is especially important if the code is to read or write any disk file.

Note that a .psl file will usually come up in an editor of your choice, while a .ps file will usually directly execute in Distiller. PostScript also has a .log file output capability from which most any text can be created. Besides being a superb debugging tool. This is especially useful when outputting code for a different computer language.

PostScript is also exceptionally adept at modifying bitmaps. As our Architect's Perspective and Auto-Vignetting Backgrounder routines shown below. And their many examples you can find here.

Acrobat and its included Distiller are available as a stand alone program or can be rented as part of the Adobe Cloud Program.

It is also possible to use free GhostScript or Google Drive for a relatively small subset of PostScript programs. But there may be issues with images versus pdf, log files, "run" includes, reading and writing disk files, and several others. So, I strongly recommend "real" Postscript via Distiller.

Some demos of PostScript programs tested suitable for full Google Drive compatibility can be found below. Please note that the first four characters sent to Google Drive must be %!PS if their Artifex PostScript clone is to be used.

My  PostScript
Resources
Introduction to PostScript video
PostScript Language Reference Manual
Gonzo PostScipt Utilities
Gonzo PostScript Tutorial
PostScript Show and Tell
PostScript Secrets
PostScript Beginner Projects
PostScript Beginner Projects Links
Full Guru's Lair File Directory
PostScript .psl Guru's Lair File Directory
Architect's Perspective Correction
Auto Vignetting Backgrounder
Perspective and Backgrounder Examples
Logfile Analyzer Code ( and log demo )
Fun with Fields and More Fun with Fields
Bitmap Typewriter
Web Friendly PostScript & CSS Colors
Nonlinear Graphics
Partial Older .psl files needing rework
Empty Development Shell ( and demo )
Master Font Name List
Hundreds of Imageproc examples
Array to Image Conversion ( and demo )
Extending PS Numeric Accuracy ( and demo )
PS Imaging Editing Tools ( and demo )
PostScript Heap Sort ( and demo )
Improved Bubble Sort (!)
PS Post Document Editing ( and tutorial )
PS Post Document Tools ( and tutorial )
PS Pixel Interpolation Utilities ( and tutorial )
False Color and Rainbows ( and tutorial )
PostScript Proc Diversion ( and tutorial )
PostScript Pico Justification
PS Strings Integers Arrays Dicts ( and tutorial )
Disk Tool Utilities

PostScript
Projects  
Marbelous Pancakes
Fibonacci Sunflowers
Fractal Ferns ( and demo )
Sierpinski Triangles ( and demo )
Spirograph Ultimate Bagel ( and demo )
Flutterwumpers and More and More
Cubic Spline Library
PowerPoint Emulator and samples
Magic Sinewaves ( and calculator )
Poison Ivy in a Spray Can ( and demo )
Unbelievable Ultimate Brick Hack ( and demo )
New Fat Tail Arrow Utilities ( and demo )
Meowrrr Puss De Resistance
Font Name Snooper ( and demo )
Smooth Step Polynomials ( and demo )
Simplified Step and Repeat ( and demo )
Lagrange Bezier through 4 points ( and demo )
Real Time Acrobat Animation ( and demo )
Word Frequency Analysis
Solving Puzzles With PostScript ( and tutorial )
Gonzo Log Log Graphing ( and tutorial )
Bezier Catenary Approximation ( and tutorial )
Hyperbolic Spline Curve Fitting
Custom Logfile Analysis Utilities ( and tutorial )
Fitting a parabola to 3 points
Drawing Semilog Plots

Classic  Columns
Written  in  PostScript
Modern Electronics
Hardware Hacker
Tech Musings
Blatant Opportunist
PostScript Secrets
GuruGrams
Resource Bin
---
Hardware Hacker Archive I
Hardware Hacker Archive II
Hardware Hacker Archive III
Hardware Hacker Archive IV
Resource Bin Archive I
Resource Bin Archive II
PostScript Secrets Archive
Blatant Opportunist Archive 1-5
Case Against Patents Archive
Ask the Guru Archive I
Ask the Guru Archive II
Ask the Guru Archive III
All Guru's web files
All Guru's web .psl files

.psl sourcecode is available for many of these columns. Just substitute .psl for the .pdf file extension to find out when and if it is available.

Hanging Canal Stuff
Written  in  PostScript
JFA Preprint ( and demo )
Prehistoric Bajada Hanging Canals ( and demo )
Prehistoric Canal Engineering ( and demo )
Prehistoric Hanging Canals ( and demo )
Hanging Canal Image Tour ( and demo )
Hanging Canal Summary ( and demo )
Hanging Canal Update III ( and demo )
Hanging Canal Lecture ( and demo )

PostScript  Dated
or  Lesser  Resources
Distiller as General Purpo PS comp & ( demo )
Two way PDF and SHTML linking
PostScript Speedup Secrets
PostScript Startup Secrets
JPG to PDF File Conversions
PostScript Insider Secrets & ( demo )
SigForth Intro to PostScript & ( demo )
PS Runtime Speedup Tricks & ( tutorial )
Computer Pioneers Photo
Original PostScript Library Page
4x4 Linear Equation Solver
Utilities for HTML Revalidation & ( tutorial )
Book Cover Layout Utility & ( tutorial )
Book Scanning Gutter Math & ( tutorial )
Exploring PostScript Possibilities & ( tutorial )
Why I Like PostScript
Six Clicks to Display PostScript
PostScript "alpha" Transparency!
Logfile 404 Error Extractor & ( demo )
Duplex Collated Addressed Catalog
Installing Older Fonts in ATM
Convert Strings Integers Arrays
Fast and Efficient Sorts & ( demo )
Copyright Symbols and ISO Encoding
Palatino and Pathforall Workarounds
Acrobat Security Flaws
PostScript as Language
Spot Color
Fast and Efficient Sorts
A "colorizer" for PostScript
Adding Logfile Historic Stats & ( tutorial )
PDF Gallery Slaves & ( tutorial )
Grab Refs Tutorial
URL Grabber
URL Auto Entry and Tracking & ( tutorial )
Pre-Embedding Acrobat Source URL's

Very few PostScript programs are Google Drive compatible. Issues include images versus .pdf, log files, reading and writing disk files, and more. But those programs that do give acceptable results can be fast and free.

These .psl files have been verified as Google Drive compatible. Check out the brick wall below for the unquestionably ultimate PostScript hack anytime, any place, ever. Yup. Gotcha.

Google  Drive  and
GhostScript Compatible
PS Writes SHTML! ( and demo )
Marbelous 333! ( and demo )
The Ultimate Bagel ( and demo )
Rope-a-dope! ( and demo )
Spherical Transforms ( and demo )
Poison Ivy in a Spray Can ( and demo )
2D Perspective Cube ( and demo )
Fractal Fern ( and demo )
URL Linking! ( and demo )
Print Diverter ( and demo )
PS Error Reporter ( and demo )
Dictionary Snooper ( and demo )
Marbelous Pancakes ( and demo )
Meowrrr Pussycat ( available module list )
PS Accuracy Improve! ( and demo )
Cubic Spline Length ( and demo )
"Lite" Gonzo Shell ( and demo )
Constant Cubic Spline ( and demo )
Avuncular Sleezoids ( available module list )
Tuna Can! ( and demo )
Font Reporter ( and demo )
Brick Wall! ( and demo ! )
Scribble ( and demo)
Fat Tail Arrows ( and demo )

Third  Party
Tools  and   Info  
Adobe Systems
GhostScript
Google Drive
PostScript Reference Manual
Wikipedia PostScript
PDFMark Reference Manual
PDF Reference Manual
Acrobat Distiller Parameters
PostScript Tutorial and Cookbook (BLUE)
PostScript Language Prog Design (GREEN)
CDF Final Resources
Type I File Format
Wikibooks PostScript FAQ
Thinking in PostScript
Artifex Software
PostScript Tutorial
PostScript Format Family
Frequently Asked PostScript Questions
Chrome PostScript Viewer and Compiler
Hacking PostScript Printers
AutoCad and PostScript
PostScript Text Extraction
Direct Use of PostScript
Stack Overflow PostScript Questions
A History of PostScript
Mathematical Illustrations
Adobe Font Technical Notes
Planet PDF
Sourceforge PS Resources

Adobe  PostScript Technical  Notes  
 #PS3010 PS Language Ref Supplement
 #5001 Document Structuring Conventions
 #5002 Encapsulated PostScript File Format
 #5003 Printer Description File Format
 #5004 Font Metrics File Format
 #5005 Type I Font Format Supplement
 #5006 Binary Screen Font Files
 #5007 Adobe Illustrator File Format
 #5009 Serial and Parallel Comm Protocol
 #5010 SCSI Input Protocol Specification
 #5011 PSFT Specification
 #5012 Type 42 Font Format Spec
 #5013 Standard Cyrillic Font Spec
 #5014 Cmap and Cid Font File Spec
 #5015 Type I Font Format Spec
 #5040 Supporting Downloadable Fonts
 #5041 PostScript Text Setting Calculations
 #5042 PostScript Printer Driver Optimization
 #5044 Color Separation Conventions
 #5048 Font Switching Optimizations
 #5056 Display PostScript Image Consistency
 #5056 Display PostScript Image Consistency
 #5074 Display Font Metrics File Format
 #5075 Supporting PostScript Fonts
 #5078 Japan 1-6 Character Collection
 #5079 Adobe GB1-5 Character Collection
 #5080 Adobe CNS1-5 Character Collection
 #5082 Select Binary Comm protocol
 #5087 Multiple Master Fonts for Macintosh
 #5088 Font Naming Issues
 #5091 Designing Multiple Master Typefaces
 #5092 CID Font Overview
 #5093 CJKV Information Processing
 #5094 CMaps for CID Fonts
 #5095 JPEG Source Vendor List
 #5096 Bar Code Font Vendor List
 #5097 Japan2-0 CID Character Collection
 #5099 Developing CMap Resources for CID
 #5110 Supporting Level 2 Functionality
 #5112 Emulation of makepattern & setpattern
 #5113 Emulation of execform operator
 #5114 Advanced Path Construction Methods
 #5115 Supporting Level 2 Data Compression
 #5116 Supporting Level 2 DCT Filters
 #5117 Supporting Device Features
 #5118 Generic Text Interface Overview
 #5119 Level 2 setscreen & currentscreen
 #5120 Timing Techniques
 #5121 Image Color Lookup Tables
 #5122 Managing RGB Monitors & Printers
 #5123 Rectclip, rectfill and rectstroke
 #5126 Rectangle Code Optimization
 #5129 Using save outside the server loop
 #5132 Japanese Font File Organization
 #5133 Tips for writing a print spooler
 #5134 Tips for Macintosh PostScript Driver
 #5136 Fast Text Rendering
 #5139 Interface to Get Communications
 #5144 Using EPS Files in Forms
 #5145 PostScript Overprint Mode
 #5148 SING Glyphlet Production Techniques
 #5149 OpenType CFF-CJK Font Tutorial
 #5150 PDFMark Reference Manual
 #5151 Acrobat Distiller Parameters
 #5160 Weblink API Reference
 #5176 Compact File Format Specification
 #5177 Type 2 Charstring Format
 #5178 Building PFM Files for CJK Fonts
 #5180 Macintosh CID sfnt File Format
 #5189 PDF Library Overview
 #5190 Acrobat Core API Overview
 #5191 Acrobat Core API Reference
 #5194 FDF Toolkit Overview
 #5407 Transparency in PDF
 #5408 Distiller Font Management
 #5409 PDF Changes from 1.3 to 1.4
 #5410 Acrobat Consultant and Accessibility
 #5411 ToUnicode Mapping File Tutorial
 #5412 Widths-Only CID Font Tutorial
 #5413 Recording Color Output Intension
 #5414 Acrobat API Supplement
 #5600 PS3 Smooth Shading
 #5601 PS3 Masked Images
 #5602 PS3 Halftones and Screens
 #5603 PS3 Filters and Reusable Streams
 #5604 PS3 Device N Color Model
 #5606 PS3 Printer Based Separations
 #5607 PS3 Clipsave and Cliprestore
 #5608 PS3 Copypage Operator
 #5609 PS3 Core Font Set Overview
 #5620 PS3 Portable Job Ticket Format
 #5622 PS3 Extensions for Trapping
 #5640 CJK Font Applications
 #5641 Enabling CID-Keyed Font Embedding
 #5642 Type Manager API for Windows
 #5643 PPD 4.3 Specification Update
 #5644 Page Layout Comment Extensions

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