Dvips: Difference between revisions

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{{lowercase|title=dvips}}

'''dvips''' is a [[softwarecomputer program]] that converts the [[DVI file format|Device Independent file format (DVI)]] format output of [[TeX]] [[typography]] into a printable or otherwise presentable form. <tt>{{mono|dvips</tt>}} was written by [[Tomas Rokicki]] to produce printable [[PostScript]] files from DVI input, and is now commonly used for general DVI conversion.

The TeX typesetting system outputs DVI files which are intended to be [[device independent|independent of the output device]]. In particular, they are not understood by [[computer printer|printer]]s and lack information such as [[font]] shapes. Thus, a converter (i.e., a [[Front and back ends|backend]]) is needed to translate from a DVI file to a printer language. Although other DVI backends such as [[dvilj]] exist, {{mono|dvips}} is one of the most common ways of printing DVI files. Another, more recent solution is the use of [[pdfTeX]] to directly generate [[Portable Document Format|PDF]] files, which have readers for most platforms. Given its importance, {{mono|dvips}} is a standard part of most TeX distributions, such as [[teTeX]], and [[TeX Live]].

By using TeX <code>\special</code> commands, it is possible to directly insert "literal PostScript" into the DVI file and have such snippets of PostScript appear in the final file generated by <tt>{{mono|dvips</tt>}}. This flexibility allows the user to include, say, watermarks on his document (especially via the use of proper packages<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ctan.org/tex-archive/macros/latex/contrib/eso-pic/|title=CTAN: /tex-archive/macros/latex/contrib/eso-pic|website=Ctan.org|accessdate=9 October 2018}}</ref>) or further postprocess the PostScript file<ref><tt>[[pstricks]]</tt></ref>.

Although other DVI backends such as [[dvilj]] exist, <tt>dvips</tt> is, as stated earlier, one of the most common ways of printing DVI files. Another, more recent solution is the use of [[pdfTeX]] to directly generate [[Portable Document Format|PDF]] files, which have readers for most platforms. Given its importance, <tt>dvips</tt> is a standard part of most TeX [[Software distribution|distributions]], such as [[teTeX]], and [[TeX Live]].

When producing postscript files, dvips embeds fonts inside the file. Most recent distributions will normally embed scalable fonts, also known as [[Type 1 font]]s. Files generated with older distributions, however, may embed raster fonts. To substitute raster for scalable fonts in a postscript file in a situation where the original dvi file is unavailable use a utility called [[pkfix]].

By using TeX <code>\special</code> commands, it is possible to directly insert "literal PostScript" into the DVI file and have such snippets of PostScript appear in the final file generated by <tt>dvips</tt>. This flexibility allows the user to include, say, watermarks on his document (especially via the use of proper packages<ref>http://www.ctan.org/tex-archive/macros/latex/contrib/eso-pic/</ref>) or further postprocess the PostScript file<ref><tt>[[pstricks]]</tt></ref>.

When producing postscript files, dvips embeds fonts inside the file. Most recent distributions will normally embed scalable fonts. Files generated with older distributions, however, may embed raster fonts. To substitute raster for scalable fonts in a postscript file in a situation where the original dvi file is unavailable use a utility called [[pkfix]].

==References==

{{reflistReflist}}

==External links==

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[[Category:PostScript]]

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[[Category:Digital typography]]

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