[OS X TeX] Distiller

[Peter Dyballa]

Am 28.01.2006 um 08:51 schrieb Alain Matthes:

> Hello
>
> a) I would like to know the differences between Apple distiller and
> ghostscript distiller and
> why use ghostscript distiller  instead of Apple distiller ?

Ghostscript can convert some PS files which Apple's pstopdf cannot.  
With Ghostscript you can choose to create PDF-1.2, PDF-1.3, or  
PDF-1.4 output, while pstopdf produces the system's PDF version.

>
> b) In Texshop, how to recognize the use of Apple Distiller or
> ghostscript distiller. Which is the name of Apple distiller ?

I think the preferences show this only ... Apple's distiller is /usr/ 
bin/pstopdf. It has a man page.

>
> c) With Texniscope, in the prefs we have :
>
> 1) External dvi distiller : /usr/local/bin/dvipdf
> 2) Postscript distiller /usr/local/bin/ps2pdf
>
> but if i use pdflatex, i do not need dvipdf ; Is this correct?

Yes.

> . If i include a file.eps then i need a postscript distiller; Is this
> correct?

Not when you use pdfTeX, because pdfTeX cannot handle EPS, so the EPS  
content is converted either during conversion (epstopdf package) or  
before.

>   in that case, is the apple or ghostscript distiller ?

This depends on your preferences, you decide which programme does the  
job. But this is a guess, I do not use TeXniscope to view PDF  
(TeXShop is my choice). Besides, when you pass a DVI file to  
TeXniscope it's dvipdfmx that converts DVI to PDF. Its config file  
sets Ghostscript to be the distiller, but of course you can change  
this and use for example Frank Siegert's pstill ...

>
> d) and now if i use  pdflatex , pst-pdf  and pstricks . I need what?

I think: nothing else. You have PDF output and TeXniscope just  
displays this. I never saw something different.

>
> e) Finally, how to use Apple distiller with the Terminal or with an
> other soft than Texshop ?

There is the command 'man pstopdf' to inform you exactly about this.  
Usually it's OK to invoke 'pstopdf <PS file>'.

--
Greetings

   Pete

IMBECILITY, n.  A kind of divine inspiration, or sacred fire affecting
censorious critics of this dictionary.
-- Ambrose Bierce: _The Devil's Dictionary_


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