Acumen Training

Resources

Here are some links of use to people interested in PostScript and Acrobat. Many of these are links to resources we refer to in class or to sample files for the Acumen Journal.

This page mutates frequently, so you may want to check it at reasonably short intervals.


Software

Each Acumen Training class uses one of three specialized text editors to let students work with sample files and do the hands-on exercises:


- TextPS is used in the PostScript classes.


- TextPDF is used in the PDF classes.


- TextXPS is used in the XPS classes.

These programs may be freely downloaded here for personal use.

 


Acrobat and PDF Resources
Click here to go to PostScript resources

Links

Link Description
Adobe Systems The source of it all. For the Acrobat user, This site provides lots of tech notes and links to other sites with plug-ins, etc.
Planet PDF PlanetPDF provides links to plug-in companies, informative papers, etc. They also have a very useful e-newsletter on what’s happening in the industry and remarkably active dicussion groups. I visit them often.

 

Documents

Document Description
Acumen Journal Here is Acumen Training’s own monthly. Two articles a month, one each on PostScript programming and Acrobat use.
Adobe Systems Developer Connection This is the source for a wide array of documents on all of Adobe's software and technology. Particularly useful here is the Acrobat JavaScript Reference and Programmers’ Guide.
Design Tools Monthly This monthly, paid newletter is full of interesting tips on the use of many software packages, including Acrobat. Worth a regular perusal.

 

Peachpit.com Sample Files

File Description
Auto-calculate.zip
April 27, 2011
385 k
This is the "Ring, Ring" invoice form we use in the article "Creating Auto-calculating Form Fields."
MakingLinks.zip
April 11, 2011
2.2 M
This is the sample file for the article "Adding Links to an Acrobat Page."
PDFMovie.zip
June 20, 2011
3.1 MB
This is the sample file for the article on placing movies on a PDF page.
TypewriterTool.zip
March 7, 2011
262 k
This is the sample file for the article on filling out paper forms.

 

Acrobat Samples

File Description
Acrimony.zip
Journal July 2002
28k
This sample form from the July 2002 Acumen Journal demonstrates how to embed data in a PDF file using a JavaScript.
AcrobatDotCom.zip
Journal August 2008
192k
This is the PDF form used as the demonstration in the August 2008 Journal article about Acrobat.com.
All of the above.zip
Journal January 2006
420k
This file demonstrates the implementation of an All-of-the-above and None-of-the-above checkboxes.
Axolotlville.zip
Journal November 2002
This is the sample form for the November 2002 article on implementing roll-over help.
BlinkingBtn.zip
Journal May 2003
This is the sample form for the May 2003 article on implementing a blinking button in JavaScript.
CounterUpper.zip
Journal December 2003
920k
This file contains two forms, each with a different example of how to use the Acrobat 6 Thermometer object.
DateObject.pdf
Journal May 2012
188k
This file is used in the article on the JavaScript Date object. Note that there is no JavaScript in this file; that's intended as an Exercise for the Student.
ExportToSpread.zip
Journal January 2005
444k
This file contains the form and the exported csv file used as an example in the January 2005 Journal.
FlattenedFood.zip
Journal December 2002
This is the sample form for the December 2002 article on implementing roll-over help with JavaScript.
FlattenPages.zip
Journal June 2005
1.7M
This file contains sample forms demonstrating how to flatten a PDF file using the JavaScript flattenPages method.
Global.zip
Journal August 2004
1.2M
This is the sample form for the August 2004 article on the Acrobat global object.
Nag_1.zip
Journal September 2004
331k
This is the sample Acrobat form used in the Sept. 2004 Journal article on writing a Nagware Document.
Nag_2.zip
Journal November 2004
780k
This is the sample Acrobat form used in the November 2004 Journal article on writing a Nagware Document.
Portfolio.zip
Journal November 2008
3.6M
This file contains the sample Portfolio used for illustration in the November 2008 Journal. Note that you will need Adobe Reader 9 or Acrobat 9 to view this properly.
Preflight.zip
Journal February 2004
64k
This file contains the preflight profiles described in the February 2004 Acumen Journal. Also included are instructions on how to import them into Acrobat.
PreflightAJ.zip
Journal March 2004
64k
This file contains the preflight profile described in the March 2004 Acumen Journal. Also included are instructions on how to import it into Acrobat.
Print-Only.js
Journal September 2007
This JavaScript demonstrates the construction of a Print-Only Document.
Prologues.zip
Journal January 2002
32k
This zip file contains a series of Distiller prologue.ps files that fix the Acrobat 5 too-thick hairline problem for a variety of source applications. (See the Journal article if that was confusing.)
Resampling.zip
Journal April 2005
764k
This zip file contains the images used as an example in the discussion of image resampling.
RunFile.ps
Journal April 2002
This program demonstrates how to combine several PostScript files into a single Acrobat file. Read the April 2002 Acrobat User article for details.
SignedDoc.zip
Journal November 2001
This is the sample file for the November 2001 Journal article on Acrobat Signatures. It contains a simple signed document and a user certificate file.
Spelling Demo.pdf
Journal March 2003
228k
This is the sample file for the March 2003 Journal article on Acrobat Spell Checking. It contains a form with a button you can turn into a “Check Spelling” button, following the article’s directions.
StampFiles.zip
Journal June 2001
26k
This file contains is the sample files from the June 2001 Acrobat User. This is the artwork and PDF files for an “Emoticon” rubber stamp.

 


PostScript Resources
Click here to go to Acrobat resources

Links

Link Description
Adobe Systems The source of it all. For the PostScript programmer, Adobe’s web site provides lots of tech notes.
Don Lancaster's PostScript Shelf Don has a web page devoted to tools written in PostScript. He has an interest in PostScript purely as a programming language. Interesting place to browse. His GuruGrams are particularly useful, I think.
Global Graphics: Jaws Global Graphics’ Jaws is a highly configurable PostScript RIP of unusual versatility.
Internet Resources for PostScript and GhostScript Jim Land has put together an extensive collection of links, software, and information for people who use PostScript. Whatever you're looking for, start here.
Prepressure.com A site with a lot of good reference material on PostScript, Acrobat, etc.

 

Documents

Document Description
Acumen Journal Here is Acumen Training’s own monthly. Two articles a month, one each on PostScript programming and Acrobat use. The Journal also has the current class schedules.
Adobe Systems PostScript Documents Adobe's technical documentation is consistently clear and complete. An excellent source of information.

 

Sample Files

File Description
AcumenErrorhandler.zip
40k
The Acumen Errorhandler provides extended information about PostScript errors, including the contents of the Operand, Dictionary, and Execution stacks.
AddCharToFont.ps Journal July 2001 This program adds a character to a Type 1 font. It adds a “square” character to Times-Roman. This is the sample code for the July newsletter's PostScript tip.
AlignedText.zip
Journal July 2003
This file contains four PostScript programs demonstrating different flavors of aligned text. This is the sample code for the July 2003 Acumen Journal.
arcshow.ps
Journal November 2002
This file defines a procedure that prints text along a circular arc, as in the November 2002 Journal. It also contains the “improved” version of the proc.
BasicErrorHandler.zip
Journal April 2005
This file contains a simple redefinition of handleerror for the article on Handling PostScript Errors.
CaseStatement.zip
Journal April 2001
This is the PostScript sample code from Acumen Journal, April 2001. This demonstrates how to do the equivalent of a case statement in PostScript using dictionaries as your search mechanism.
ColorKeyMasking.zip
Journal August 2004
723k
This contains a set of PostScript files used in the Journal article on Color Key Masked Images.
ColoringImages.zip
Journal September 2004
This contains a set of PostScript files used in the Journal article Colorizing Images With Separation and DeviceN.
CompositeFont.ps
Journal May 2002
This PostScript code defines a composite font that contains all of the fonts in the Helvetica family.
ConcatStrings.zip
Journal December 2003
This file contains three different implementations of a ConcatStrings procedure, described in the December 2003 Journal.
CountOps.ps
Journal May 2003
This file defines a header that, when pasted in front of other PostScript code, counts the number of times each PostScript operator is executed.
DecodeFilteredStream This file converts encoded PDF stream data back to its original form. This file is referred to in the PDF 1: File Content and Structure class.
DeepCopy.zip

Journal Aug 2013
These PostScript files demonstrate how to do a deep copy of composite objects.
ErrorHandler2.zip
Journal April & June 2005
This file contains a set of PostScript files that implements a PostScript Error Handler. This file will accommodate both April and June 2005.
ExtractText.ps
Journal December 2006
This file contains a set of PostScript files that implements a PostScript Error Handler. This file will accommodate both April and June 2005.
FractalTrees.zip
Journal June 2003
This file contains a set of PostScript files that draw a series of increasingly realistic fractal trees. Also included is the file Factorial.ps.
HelveticaFixed.ps
Journal September 2001
This PostScript code from the September 2001 Acumen Journal demonstrates how to override font character metrics using a Metrics dictionary. It creates a fixed-pitch version of Helvetica.
IdiomSet.ps
Journal August 2008
This PostScript code from the August 2008 Acumen Journal creates an IdiomSet resource and then uses it to automatically replace a procedure definition.
ImageForm1.zip
Journal December 2002
548k
This sample code demonstrates how to use an image in a PostScript form by saving the data on the RIP's hard disk. There are four files in this zip archive.
ImageForm2.zip
Journal January 2003
533k
This sample code demonstrates how to use an image in a PostScript form using the ReusableStreamDecode filter. There are three files in this zip archive.
ImageForm3.zip
Journal February 2003
184k
This sample code demonstrates how to use an image in a PostScript form using an array of strings. There is a single file in this zip archive.
Imagemask.ps
Journal September 2007
184k
This sample code demonstrates how to use the imagemask operator.
InsertChar.ps
Journal June 2001
This is the sample code for the June 2001 PostScript Tech article. This PostScript program inserts a “Smiley Face” character into Helvetica.
LondonMasked.zip
Journal October 2006
616k
This PostScript code demonstrates how to print an explicitly masked image.
Outline Font.zip
Journal April 2002
This PostScript code demonstrates how to create outline versions of a Type 1 font.
PFB2PS.c
Journal September 2002
This ANSI C program extracts the PostScript font definition from a windows-style font file (suffixed .pfb). This is the sample file for the September 2002 Acumen Journal.
PrintParagraph.zip
Journal January 2006
This zip archive contains two files that demonstrate how to set a paragraph of text in PostScript.
PS Encryptor.c
Journal May 2001
This is an ANSI C program that converts a PostScript file to an encrypted PostScript file, demonstrating the eexec encryption algorithm.
QuickSort.ps This file demonstrates how to do a QuickSort procedure in PostScript. It defines a QSortArray procedure that takes an array of strings or numbers and returns it, sorted.
ReencodeFonts.zip
Journal December 2001
This is the PostScript code for the article on reencoding fonts. This has the reencodefont procedure sample code as well as the Mac and Windows Encoding arrays.
setlinewidth.zip
Journal January 2005
This file contains two redefinitions of setlinewidth that impose a minimum linewidth on that operator.
SimpleMaskedImgs.ps
Journal June 2006
This file demonstrates the use of explicitly masked images. This is from the June 2006 Acumen Journal.
SubFileDecode.zip
Journal July 2002
These three files demonstrate the use of the SubFileDecode filter in trapping errors.
TasteSmoothShading.ps
Journal November 2000
This program presents a simple demonstration of PostScript LanguageLevel 3 smooth shading. Very pretty when handed to Acrobat 4 or later.
TextBlock.zip
Journal June 2013
This program presents a demonstration of object-oriented programming in PostScript by implementing a TextBlock object.
TransferFcn.zip
Journal August 2003
(440k)
This zip file contains five programs demonstrating various special effects implemented with a transfer function.
Transparent.ps
Journal November 2011
This program draws a series of transparent rectangles when sent to Acrobat Distiller. It will not work unless you have done some editing of the Distiller settings file. (See the Journal article for details.)
VariableData.zip
Journal November 2008
This zip file contains three programs demonstrating various approaches to variable data printing.
WriteToDisk.ps This program demonstrates how to write PostScript code or other data to a printer’s hard disk. As a bonus, the code or data may be written to disk through a compression or other filter.
WriteToFile.ps
Journal January 2002
This PostScript code demonstrates how to write PostScript to a RIP’s hard disk. See also WriteToDisk.ps, above, which is a somewhat more sophisticated version.