Mathematical graphics

The MSRI Summer School - Reed College, July 13 - July 26, 2003

Lecture 1 on PostScript

If you are producing an image of high quality for output to paper, then either PostScript or another program producing PostScript is your best choice. If you use another program to write the PostScript, you want precise control of output.

Examples of PostScript

Introduction to PostScript (Chapters 1, 3, 5 and Appendices 1, 3, 4)

A first drawing
- Example 1 (src)
- Example 1
%!
Default coordinate system - (0,0) at lower left, unit = 1/72"
The graphics state
- Example 2 (src)
- Example 2
Elementary coordinate changes
- Example 3 (src)
- Example 3
The stack
- RPN (Reverse Polish Notation) - arguments, then the command
- Usual arithmetic operations - add, etc.
Variables
- Example 4 (src)
- Example 4
Simple use of procedures
- Example 5 (src)
- Example 5
Loops, page management and text placement
- Example 6 (src)
- Example 6
The bounding box and a potential error
- Example 7 (src)
- Example 7