Postscript Language Reference Manual

PostScript, a revolutionary, device-independent page description language, is quickly becoming the industry standard for printing high-quality integrated text and graphics. It is a powerful, flexible language that has the ability to describe efficiently the appearance of text, images, and graphic material on the printed page. Already PostScript has been incorporated into some of the today's most innovative printers, including LaserWriter from Apple Computer, Inc.

Now from Adobe Systems Incorporated, the company that invented PostScript, here is the definitive reference to this exciting language. Written for programmers who are interested in interfacing existing applications programs to generate PostScript files, or in creating applications in the PostScript language itself, the Postscript Language Reference Manual is an essential, comprehensive handbook.

The PostScript Language Reference Manual begins with a discussion of the basic ideas that underlie PostScript, followed by comprehensive presentations of the language, its graphics, and its font facilities. An additional chapter contains the semantics of every PostScript operator, organized in a convenient dictionary format. The manual concludes with four useful appendices, including one that provides detailed programming information for the Apple LaserWriter. Here is the most thorough and well-organized guide to PostScript language, fully cross-referenced and indexed for the professional programmer and more sophisticated user.

Also available is a companion volume, the PostScript Language Tutorial and Cookbook by Adobe Systems Incorporated, a practical and accessible introduction to the language and its capabilities.

1. Introduction
1. About the PostScript Langauge
2. About This Manual
2. Basic Ideas
1. Introduction
2. Raster Output Devices
3. Scan Conversion
4. Page Description Languages
5. Using PostScript
3. Language
1. Introduction
2. Interpreter
3. Syntax
4. Data Types and Objects
5. Stacks
6. Execution
7. Virtual Memory
8. Operator Overview
4. Graphics
1. Introduction
2. Imaging Model
3. Graphics State
4. Coordinate Systems and Transformations
5. Path Construction
6. Painting
7. Images
8. Colors and Halftones
9. Device Setup and Output
5. Fonts
1. Introduction
2. Organization and Use of Fonts
3. Font Dictionaries
4. Character Encoding
5. Font Metric Information
6. Font Cache
7. User-defined Fonts
6. Operators
1. Introduction
2. Operator Summary
3. Operator Details

1. Standard Fonts
2. Implementation Limits
3. Structuring Conventions
4. Apple LaserWriter
1. Introduction
2. Basic Operation
3. Communication
4. Details of Server Operation
5. Other Operating Modes
6. System Parameters
7. Known Problems

A little known fact is that Postscript is a full programming language. If you're interested, this is a good buy together with its companion volumes.