[OS X TeX] Distiller

[Peter Dyballa]

Am 29.01.2006 um 14:47 schrieb Alain Matthes:

> i know that pdfTeX and pstricks are incompatible but with pst-pdf &  
> ps4pdf, we can work under pdflatex and we can use pstricks but i  
> would like to know exactly which tools i use.

What do you mean here? Are you looking for further recommendations?  
Or are you still configuring your work flow?

> if i have a look to ps4pdf it's ps2pdf which is used

That's the first step in conversion. Then pdfcrop is used to retrieve  
the original size.

>
> By default, the choice of Texshop is to use pdftex and latex (is it  
> correct?) also why not use Apple Distiller by default.
> Why do we need ghostscript? (pb of licence ?)

The LaTeX defaults suit a majority of users, I presume. The defaults  
are nothing that you cannot change, it's just like the seat and  
steering wheel positions of your car when you bought it -- are they  
still unchanged and the radio set to the 'default' station? Apple's  
distiller does not need to be used when you use pdfTeX. It only plays  
a role when you drop PS or EPS files on TeXShop. Then TeXShop  
converts them to PDF by the tool given in the distiller setting.

TeXShop uses the concept of 'engines' which are shell scripts that  
can process some steps. ps4pdf can be used as such an engine.  
simpdftex is kind of an external engine.

Ghostscript is useful for some process steps. Probably you can  
develop a work flow without Ghostscript. Just try and report! Outside  
Mac OS X there is practically no chance to do without it -- it's just  
the human indolence that these non-Mac scripts are used on Macs, too.

--
Greetings

   Pete

Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity is not thus handicapped.
-- Elbert Hubbard


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