PostScript
for Support Engineers
(5 Days, hands-on)
Printable
course description (PDF)
PostScript for Support Engineers (PSSE) is a course in the PostScript language for people who work with PostScript output files. It is devoted to understanding and fixing the problems common to PostScript output.
Students who have taken PostScript for Support Engineers will handle PostScript-related support questions more quickly and with more assurance. Because they can answer a broader range of questions, they less often need to hand support calls up to a higher-level engineer. They are able to present a knowledgeable, competent face to customers and, thus, better represent their company to the outside world.
The class consists of two parts:
- PostScript Short Course, teaching the student the basics of the PostScript language
- Real Life PostScript, which discusses PostScript as it is actually used by applications and drivers.
Objective
Teach the student to understand the content of PostScript output files and to correctly diagnose and fix PostScript problems.
PostScript
Short Course
(3-days, hands-on)
This is a three-day introduction to the PostScript language. It teaches the student basic PostScript programming and discusses many of the low-lying mechanisms of the PostScript language. The topics emphasize those parts of the PostScript language that either contribute regularly to problems in PostScript output or are needed for understanding or fixing such problems.
Topics
| - Drawing operators | - Execution stack |
| - Font and text operations | - Bezier curves |
| - Conditional execution | - Files & filters |
| - Coordinate systems | - Color in LanguageLevel 2 & 3 |
| - Specifying color and grayscale | - Font types |
| - Stack operators | - Font structure |
| - Variables and procedures | - Font reencoding |
| - Loops | - Dictionaries |
| - Clipping | - Memory management |
| - Bind and load | - PostScript error handling |
Real-World
PostScript
(2-days, hands-on)
The final two days of the course examine PostScript as it actually is used in printing and publishing systems. The class discusses how drivers manage fonts, the structure of PostScript output files, how to debug PostScript output, what tools are available for working with PostScript output, and what to do about specific common PostScript problems. The students do hands-on work with PostScript output from a variety of popular PostScript-generating applications.
Topics
| - What happens when you print? | - Creating PostScript output files |
| - PostScript drivers | - Driver PostScript settings |
| - PostScript output format | - Application PostScript settings |
| - DSC | - setpagedevice |
| - Drivers & font management | - PPD files |
| - Fonts: Type 1, Type 3, TrueType | - Advanced error handlers |
| - Common font problems | - Debugging techniques |
| - Encapsulated PostScript format | - Common PostScript errors |
| - Common EPS problems |
Prerequisites
| PostScript Short Course |
There are no prerequisites for the class; however, since the course delves into many of the inner workings of the PostScript language, a technical background is advised. |
| Real-life PostScript | Completion of the PostScript Short Course or PostScript Foundations. |
Audience
PostScript for Support Engineers is intended for everyone who regularly works with PostScript output in problem-solving situations. It is particularly valuable for people who support PostScript output devices or software that generates PostScript. This includes technical support and QA engineers, customer service personnel, and service bureau operators.
Pricing & Availability
See class
schedule for a list of locations, dates and class cost.
This class can also be taught on-site; click here
for details.
Register for class
Please fill out the following form for online class registration
