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Adobe PostScript

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Adobe PostScript
NamePostScript
ParadigmStack-oriented, Page description language
DesignerJohn Warnock, Charles Geschke
DeveloperAdobe Inc.
Latest release versionPostScript 3
Latest release date1997
InfluencedPDF, Display PostScript, SVG

Adobe PostScript. It is a dynamically typed, concatenative page description language and programming language used primarily in electronic publishing and desktop publishing. Developed by Adobe Inc., it describes the appearance of text, graphical shapes, and sampled images on printed pages or display screens. Its introduction revolutionized the printing and publishing industries by enabling device-independent, high-quality document reproduction.

History and development

The language was created at Adobe Systems by founders John Warnock and Charles Geschke, building upon concepts from Warnock's earlier work at Xerox PARC on the Interpress language. The first commercial implementation was released in 1984, driving the launch of the Apple LaserWriter in 1985. This partnership with Apple Inc. was pivotal for the desktop publishing revolution. Subsequent major versions included PostScript Level 2 in 1990, which added improved color handling and compression, and PostScript 3 in 1997, which enhanced web printing and supported more advanced graphics.

Language overview

It is a stack-oriented programming language, using Reverse Polish notation for its operations. Fundamental graphics operators construct paths from lines, curves, and arcs, which can be stroked or filled. It treats text as graphical shapes using Adobe Type 1 or OpenType fonts, ensuring precise rendering. The language supports full programming constructs like loops, conditionals, and procedures, allowing for highly dynamic page generation. Its device-independent nature relies on a coordinate system measured in points and the use of PostScript fonts.

PostScript printers and interpreters

A key innovation was embedding a RIP inside printers, such as those in the LaserWriter series and many models from HP LaserJet and Linotype. These interpreters executed the code to produce a raster image for the print engine. Software interpreters, like the one in Adobe Acrobat, allowed for on-screen display. The language also formed the basis for Display PostScript, used in NeXTSTEP and some versions of Sun Microsystems workstations. Competitors included HP-GL and PCL from Hewlett-Packard.

Use in desktop publishing

It became the de facto standard for professional typesetting and publishing, seamlessly integrating with early desktop publishing software. Applications like Adobe PageMaker, QuarkXPress, and later Adobe InDesign generated output for imagesetters and platesetters from companies like Linotype-Hell and Agfa-Gevaert. This workflow enabled the production of camera-ready artwork for offset printing. The WYSIWYG screen display in these applications was often a preview of the final code that would be sent to a high-resolution raster image processor.

Technical specifications

The language defines a virtual machine model with multiple stacks for operands, dictionary, and execution. It uses an imaging model based on the painter's algorithm, where each new mark is composited over the existing page. Color models include DeviceGray, DeviceRGB, DeviceCMYK, and CIELAB. PostScript Level 2 introduced forms, pattern dictionaries, and improved data compression filters like LZW and RLE. PostScript 3 added direct support for web colors in hexadecimal, smoother shading, and better PDF compatibility.

Impact and legacy

Its success established Adobe Systems as a major software company and set a high-quality standard for digital printing. The language's imaging model directly influenced the development of the Portable Document Format, which eventually superseded it for document exchange. It also impacted other graphics standards like Scalable Vector Graphics and modern printer command languages. The technology earned John Warnock and Charles Geschke the IEEE Computer Society Computer Entrepreneur Award. Its role was critical in the transition from traditional phototypesetting to fully digital prepress workflows.

Category:Page description languages Category:Adobe software Category:Desktop publishing Category:Programming languages