Dialog Box: Direct Postscript Output [ File menu]
--- Linux only ---------
PostScript printing is standard in Linux, so for non-3D output, including diffraction diagrams, printing is routed to this dialog, not the Print command in the File menu. Output can be directly to the printer or to an EPS file, as for Windows (below).
---- Windows only ----
This option can be used to write Encapsulated Postscript (EPS) files for transmission of graphics to other software, as well as for direct output to a Postscript printer. This direct output is generally superior to, as well as faster than, the output from the normal Print command in the File menu if your printer is PostScript. The Destination option sends output either directly to a printer or to a file in standard EPS (Encapsulated Postscript V3.0) format.
Screen Preview. Most word-processing and publishing software cannot display an EPS file on the screen unless the file has a special bitmap attached, called the screen preview. This is actually a sub-file in the TIFF format. The pixel depth of this file can be set in the PostScript Settings dialog (Settings button). The pixel depth of the preview is set to that of the screen, and the pattern series is set to fine (see Raster Files).
---- Macintosh only ----
This option can only be used to write Encapsulated Postscript (EPS) files for transmission of graphics to other software. For direct output to a Postscript printer, use the Print option.
Screen Preview. Most word-processing and publishing software cannot display an EPS file on the screen unless the file has a special attachment, called the screen preview. This is actually a PICT in the resource fork of the file.
---- End Linux/Windows/Macintosh only ----
In 3D Display modes, SHAPE always writes data (or sends it to the printer) in the form of a bitmap (or "image" in PostScript terminology). Because of the facts that PostScript files must be ASCII (text), and that efficient data-compression schemes (other than the copyrighted LZW) are not supported in PostScript level 2, PostScript files for 3D drawings tend to be much larger than the best Raster formats, especially PNG. Thus the PNG Raster format is generally preferable for all 3D Display mode drawings.
The Maximum memory setting limits the amount of memory used for bitmap buffers when in the 3D Drawing Modes - see the Raster section for further details. The number of pixels on each raster line must be divisible by four - the image width will be increased if necessary to achieve this. Settings button (calls PostScript Settingsdialog). On or before first using the Direct PostScript Output command, you should set or verify the settings in this dialog, especially the port to which the printer is attached.
See Frames for details of the frame and frame units.