EPS Files
Encapsulated PostScript Files

EPS files are "Encapsulated PostScript" files. They are a special kind of PostScript file, restricted to describing a single page. They are thus suitable for use as an included graphic inside a document. TeX files, for instance, can use a special environment called EPSFIG to include a graphic figure stored in an EPS file.

EPS File Characteristics:

• ASCII (although they can sometimes be set up to include binary data!);
• Color or Black and White;
• 2D;
• No compression;
• Based on vectors (descriptions of points, lines and regions) rather than bit maps;
• contain 1 image only (this is the main fact distinguishing an EPS file from a regular PS file!).

Reference:

1. Adobe Systems, Inc,
   PostScript Language Reference Manual,
   Third Edition,
   Addison Wesley, 1999,
   ISBN: 0201379228,
   LC: QA76.73.P67P67.
2. Henry McGilton, Mary Campione,
   PostScript by Example,
   Addison-Wesley, 1992,
   ISBN: 0-201-63228-4,
   LC: QA76.73.P67M34.

Programs to create an EPS file:

• The gnuplot command "set terminal postscript eps".
• the mathematica command DISPLAY;
• matlab
• fig2dev can convert a FIG file to EPS format.
• GRAPH_PAPER contains routines that can create EPS files of various styles of graph paper.

Programs to view an EPS file:

• The AVS module read_any_image can display an EPS file;
• ghostscript can display an EPS file;
• ghostview can display an EPS file;
• Microsoft WORD can display an EPS file;

Programs to convert an EPS file to another format:

• Adobe Acrobat Professional can read an EPS file and convert it to PDF format.
• The ImageMagick, program convert can convert an EPS file to BMP, CGM, FIG, FITS, GIF, JPG, PBM, PDF, PGM, PNG, PNM, PPM, PS, RGB, TIF, XBM or XPM format.
• ghostscript can convert an EPS file to a variety of formats (but I always have to read the manual first!)

Programs to write an EPS file:

• MATHEMATICA includes an Export[filename,object] command that can save a graphics object as an EPS file.

Programs to convert a file to EPS format:

• The ImageMagick, program convert can convert a BMP, CGM, FIG, FITS, GIF, JPG, PBM, PDF, PGM, PNG, PNM, PPM, PS, RGB, TIF, XBM or XPM file to EPS format.
• fig2dev can convert a FIG file to an EPS file by a command like

              fig2dev -L eps input.fig > output.eps
            

• grf_to_eps converts a GRF file, containing an embedding of a 2D abstract graph, into an EPS file.

Sample EPS files:

• circle.eps, a circle;
• heawood.eps, an image of the Heawood graph, converted by GRF_TO_EPS.
• knightstour.eps, an image of the knight's tour graph, converted by GRF_TO_EPS.
• mathematica.eps, a simple graph;
• petersen.eps, an image of the Petersen graph, converted by GRF_TO_EPS.
• scs_logo.eps, the logo for the School of Computational Science.
• triangular_1.eps, one of the sheets of graph paper created by GRAPH_PAPER.
• tutte.eps, an image of the Tutte graph, converted by GRF_TO_EPS.

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