Importing Postscript Code in FrameMaker

Purdue Engineering Computer Network

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You can embed PostScript code in a text frame to create special effects. Unlike when you use an EPSI file, you don't see a representation of the printed image on the screen. However, when you print the file, FrameMaker prints the image that the PostScript code describes instead of printing the code as text in the frame.

The process for embedding PostScript is as follows:

1. Draw a text column to hold the PostScript code.
   (Use the Text Column tool on the Tools palette found under Graphics->Tools...)

2. Type, paste, or import the PostScript code into the text column.

3. Choose Customize Layout->Customize Text Frame... from the Format Menu.

4. In the Customize Text Frame dialog box, turn off Autoconnect, and turn on PostScript Code.

5. Click Set.

Editing the PostScript Code

To edit the code in a PostScript code column, you must first use the Customize Text Frame dialog box to turn off PostScript Code. After you edit the code, turn PostScript Code back on.

Referring to External PostScript Files

You can refer to external PostScript files in a column of PostScript code. To do this, place the following command at the beginning of a line in a PostScript code column:

	#include "filename" 

You must type a full pathname to ensure that FrameMaker can find the include file, unless the file is in the directory from which you started FrameMaker.

How FrameMaker Prints the PostScript Code

When you print the document, FrameMaker initializes the PostScript stack for the code in the column. It pushes the column's lower-left page-relative coordinates, width, and height onto the PostScript stack before the embedded PostScript code is stored in the PostScript file. FrameMaker also resets the origin (0,0) to the lower-left corner of the column. The PostScript code must control its own scaling and clipping.

To see how FrameMaker initializes the stack before it executes the code, use the Print command to print the document to a file by changing the destination to PostScript File. You can then examine the PostScript code for the entire document.

If the PostScript code column contains a PostScript error, the rest of the document doesn't print.

Additional Information:
More on Graphics in FrameMaker
More on Postscript