Conversion Tools ⇒ Converting from PS to PDF.

[porky_pig_jr]

Hello,

I still have an old MikTeX distribution (pre-pdfTeX), and my normal workflow is to convert tex to dvi to ps, which I print, but sometime I need to generate pdf, so I simply convert ps to pdf. Since I use lots of pstricks (so I have an embedded postscript inside dvi), that's the most simplest way for me.

Now if I can get a hold on Acrobat Pro, so I can use distiller to convert ps to pdf, this gives the superb result, no complains. With gsview/ghostscript conversion is OK but worse than with distiller. Since I don't have Acrobat Pro available all the time (only when I'm on university computing system), I'm looking for something close in quality to distiller, but less expensive, or may be even freeware.

I've tried several freeware tools which work by installing a virtual pdf printer, and didn't like any of them. I'd like to hear from anyone who knows of the good quality converter.

My second question is regarding the alternative way: converting dvi directly to pdf, with either dvi-to-pdf or may be I should just install the latest MiKTeX with pdfTeX. Do you think it will give the high quality PDF output, comparable with ps->distiller->pdf? I know pdfTeX has lots of pdf-specific features, so may be I can get something which looks even better than pdf produced with distiller (?). (Note: I'm aware of the pstrick workaround for pdfTeX, that will take some source code changes but, hey, whatever it takes to get a high quality pdf document).

TIA.

[kaiserkarl13]

MikTeX should come with a program called ps2pdf that converts PostScript to PDF without the expense of Acrobat Distiller. It may not be in your path, but if you look around for it you should find it. In Windows, you can create a link to the ps2pdf executable and simply drag-and-drop your .ps file onto the icon to create a PDF.

I think ps2pdf is actually part of Ghostscript, which is free and is typically installed along with MikTeX. If not, you can download and install it for free as well.

There should also be a utility called dvipdf or dvipdfm that is included with MikTeX that will convert DVI to PDF for you. I'm not sure how this works with pstricks, as I've never used that, but if you have trouble use dvips+ps2pdf.

[simo]

Is there a way i can compile a tex file to pdf in miktex using batch file ?

[frabjous]

Yeah, ps2pdf is part of ghostscript.

I'm surprised to hear that you're unhappy with the results. The results I get from it seem to me to be at least as good as what I've gotten with Distiller. What in particular are you unhappy with?

In any case, there are lots of free alternatives to Acrobat Distiller. For Windows, try, for example, PDF Creator, which is Open Source free software, and creates a PDF virtual printer just like Acrobat Distiller does.

And yes, you can certainly compile to PDF using a batch file, though most likely it would call ps2pdf, which you're unhappy with.

Also, is there a reason you can't upgrade for using pdflatex rather than latex to compile? For pstricks, check out auto-pst-pdf, epstopdf and similar packages.

[simo]

Pliz check on my latest post about Latex to pdf on Thursday 24th Feb. 2010
It works perfectly

[frabjous]

Pliz check on my latest post about Latex to pdf on Thursday 24th Feb. 2010
It works perfectly

But your batch script uses ps2pdf from ghostscript (doesn't it?), so how would that be any better?

[Drkazmer]

Hi!

Could you please help me how to set up my LaTeX => PS => PDF profile in TeXnicCenter (I use Win 7 64 bit). I've tried both MikTeX ps2pdf and the stand-alone GS to use, but I think I fail to use the appropriate command, hence no PDF output is generated (the PS file is OK). I'm pretty dissatisfied using Distiller manually each time to creat PDF, but my document is needed to be converted into PS first.
Any help is highly appreciated!

K

[localghost]

Hi!

Could you please help me how to set up my LaTeX => PS => PDF profile in TeXnicCenter (I use Win 7 64 bit). I've tried both MikTeX ps2pdf and the stand-alone GS to use, but I think I fail to use the appropriate command, hence no PDF output is generated (the PS file is OK). I'm pretty dissatisfied using Distiller manually each time to creat PDF, but my document is needed to be converted into PS first.
Any help is highly appreciated!

K

Install Ghostscript (perhaps together with GSview) and start the wizard anew (lower left corner in your screen capture) to rebuild the output profiles.


Thorsten

[Drkazmer]

Dear Thorsten,

Thank you for your kind and quick help. I suppose that you misunderstood my question, but hopefully after many days of Googling I found the answer. The wizard unfortunately doesn't create the LaTeX=>PS=>PDF profile. But I installed the GhostScript 9.02, and it works!
For other's information (who are not so talented, just like me), I write here how did I manage to create the right profile:

1. Install GhostScript 9.02 (somehow the MikTeX 2.9 ps2pdf doesn't close the document, so each time I would have had to do it manually)
2. Copy the LaTeX=>PS profile, and on the Postprocessor tab add a new one (after DviPs), call it GhostScript, or whatever you want
3. At the Executable field add the path of the GS executable (in my case ...\gs9.02\bin\gswin64c.exe)
4. At the Argument field add the following command (I would be happy if someone could give me some explanation concerning these parameters):
   -sPAPERSIZE=a4 -dSAFER -dBATCH -dNOPAUSE -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -dPDFSETTINGS=/printer -dMaxSubsetPct=100 -dSubsetFonts=true -dEmbedAllFonts=true -sOutputFile="%bm.pdf" -c save pop -f "%bm.ps"
5. On the Viewer tab add the path of your PDF viewer. I use Acrobat 10, so in my case select DDE command, and you should fill the View project's output and Forward Search with the following:
   • Command: [DocOpen("%bm.pdf")][FileOpen("%bm.pdf")]
   • Server: AcroViewA10
   • Topic: Control
   Please note that previous Acrobat versions used the AcroView server, and starting from Acrobat 10, the Reader uses AcroViewR10, Acrobat uses AcroViewA10.
6. At Close document before running (La)TeX use the following:
   • Command: [DocClose("%bm.pdf")]
   • Server: AcroViewA10
   • Topic: Control

[simo]

I would have just replied the same way as Localghost unless there is an detailed explanation of what is needed.

The procedure given is the same the configured one on TeXnicCenter 1.0 I use.