Adobe PostScript Language Reference

Operator Types

Operand Stack Manipulation	Miscellaneous Operators
Arithmetic and Math Operators	Graphics State Operators
Array Operators	Coordinate System and Matrix
Dictionary Operators	Path Construction Operators
String Operators	Painting Operators
Relational, Boolean, and Bitwise	Device Setup and Output
Control Operators	Character and Font Operators
Type, Attribute, and Conversion	Font Cache Operators
File Operators	Errors
Virtual Memory Operators	PostScript Level 2

Operand Stack Manipulation Operators

Operator Syntax	Description
any pop	Discard top element.
any1 any2 exch	Exchange top two elements.
any dup	Duplicate top element.
any1..anyn n copy	Duplicate top n elements.
anyn any0 n index	Duplicate arbitrary element.
an-1..a0 n j roll	Roll n elements up j times.
any1..anyn clear	Discard all elements.
any1..anyn count	Count elements on stack.
mark	Push mark on stack.
mark obj1..objn cleartomark	Discard elements down through mark.
mark obj1..objn counttomark	Count elements down to mark.

Arithmetic and Math Operators

Operator Syntax	Description
num1 num2 add	num1 plus num2.
num1 num2 div	num1 divided by num2.
int1 int2 idiv	Integer divide.
int1 int2 mod	int1 mod int2.
num1 num2 mul	num1 times num2.
num1 num2 sub	num1 minus num2.
num1 abs	Absolute value of a num1.
num1 neg	Negative of num1.
num1 ceiling	Ceiling of num1.
num1 floor	Floor of num1.
num1 round	Round num1 to nearest integer.
num1 truncate	Remove fractional part of num1.
num sqrt	Square root of num.
num den atan	Arctangent of num/den in degrees.
angle cos	Cosine of angle (degrees).
angle sin	Sine of angle (degrees).
base exponent exp	Raise base to exponent power.
num ln	Natural logarithm (base e).
num log	Logarithm (base 10).
rand	Generate pseudo-random integer.
int srand	Set random number seed.
rrand	Return random number seed.

Array Operators

Operator Syntax	Description
int array	Create array of length int.
[	Start array construction.
mark obj0..objn-1 ]	End array construction.
array length	Number of elements in array.
array index get	Get array element indexed by index.
array index any put	Put any into array at index.
array index count getinterval	Subarray of array starting at index for count.
array1 index array2 putinterval	Replace subarray of array1 starting at index by array2.
array aload	Push all elements of array on stack.
any0..anyn-1 array astore	Pop elements from stack into array.
array1 array2 copy	Copy elements of array1 to initial subarray of array2.
array proc forall	Execute proc for each element of array.

Dictionary Operators

Operator Syntax	Description
int dict	Create dictionary with capacity for int.
dict length	Number of key-value pairs in dict.
dict maxlenth	Capacity of dict.
dict begin	Push dict on dict stack.
end	Pop dict stack.
key value def	Associate key and value in current dict.
key load	Search dict stack for key and return associated value.
key value store	Replace topmost definition of key.
dict key get	Get value associated with key in dict.
dict key value put	Associate key with value in dict.
dict key known	Test whether key is in dict.
key where	Find dict in which key is defined.
dict1 dict2 copy	Copy contents of dict1 to dict2.
dict proc forall	Execute proc for each element of dict.
errordict	Push errordict on operand stack.
systemdict	Push systemdict on operand stack.
userdict	Push userdict on operand stack.
currentdict	Push current dict on operand stack.
countdictstack	Count elements on dict stack.
array dictstack	Copy dict stack into array.

String Operators

Operator Syntax	Description
int string	Create string of length int.
string length	Number of elements in string.
string index get	Get string element indexed by index.
string index int put	Put int into string at index.
string index count getinterval	Substring of string starting at index for count elements.
string1 index string2 putinterval	Replace substring of string1 starting at index by string2.
string1 string2 copy	Copy elements of string1 to initial substring of string2.
string proc forall	Execute proc for each element of string.
string seek anchorsearch	Determine if seek is initial substring of string.
string seek search	Search for seek in string.
string token	Read token from start of string.

Relational, Boolean, and Bitwise Operators

Operator Syntax	Description
any1 any2 eq	Test equal.
any1 any2 ne	Test not equal.
num1\|str1 num2\|str2 ge	Test greater or equal.
num1\|str1 num2\|str2 gt	Test greater than.
num1\|str1 num2\|str2 le	Test less or equal.
num1\|str1 num2\|str2 lt	Test less than.
bool1\|int1 bool2\|int2 and	Logical \| bitwise and.
bool1\|int1 not	Logical \| bitwise not.
bool1\|int1 bool2\|int2 or	Logical \| bitwise inclusive or.
bool1\|int1 bool2\|int2 xor	Logical \| bitwise exclusive or.
true	Push boolean value true.
false	Push boolean value false.
int1 shift bitshift	Bitwise shift of int1.

Control Operators

Operator Syntax	Description
any exec	Execute arbitrary object.
bool proc if	Execute proc if bool is true.
bool proc1 proc2 ifelse	Execute proc1 if bool is true, proc2 if bool is false.
init incr limit proc for	Execute proc with values from init by steps of incr to limit.
int proc repeat	Execute proc int times
proc loop	Execute proc an indefinite number of times.
exit	Exit innermost active loop.
stop	Terminate stopped context.
any stopped	Establish context for catching stop.
countexecstack	Count elements on exec stack.
array execstack	Copy exec stack into array.
quit	Terminate interpreter.
start	Executed at interpreter startup.

Type, Attribute, and Conversion Operators

Operator Syntax	Description
any type	Return name identifying any's type.
any cvlit	Make object be literal.
any cvx	Make object be executable.
any xcheck	Test executable attribute.
array\|file\|string executeonly	Reduce access to execute-only.
array\|dict\|file\|string noaccess	Disallow any access.
array\|dict\|file\|string readonly	Reduce access to read-only.
array\|dict\|file\|string rcheck	Test read access.
array\|dict\|file\|string wcheck	Test write access.
num\|string cvi	Convert to integer.
string cvn	Convert to name.
num\|string cvr	Convert to real.
num radix string cvrs	Convert to string with radix.
any string cvs	Convert to string.

File Operators

Operator Syntax	Description
string1 string2 file	Open file identified by string1 with access string2.
file closefile	Close File.
file read	Read one Character from file.
file int write	Write one Character to file.
file string readhexstring	Read hex from file into string.
file string writehexstring	Write string to file as hex.
file string readstring	Read string from file.
file string writestring	Write characters of string to file.
file string readline	Read line from file into string.
file token	Read token from file.
file bytesavailable	Number of bytes available to read.
flush	Send buffered data to standard output file.
file flushfile	Send buffered data or read to EOF.
file resetfile	Discard buffered characters.
file status	Return status of file.
string run	Execute contents of named file.
currentfile	Return file currently being executed.
string print	Write characters of string to standard output file.
any =	Write text representation of any to standard output file.
any1...anyn stack	Print stack nondestructively using =.
any ==	Write syntactic representation of any to standard output file.
any1...anyn pstack	Print stack nondestructively using ==.
prompt	Executed when ready for interactive input.
bool echo	Turn on/off echoing.

Virtual Memory Operators

Operator Syntax	Description
save	Create VM snapshot.
save restore	Restore VM snapshot.
vmstatus	Level used maximum.

Miscellaneous Operators

Operator Syntax	Description
proc Bindbind	Replace operator names in proc by operators.
null	Push null on operand stack.
usertime	Return time in milliseconds.
version	Interpreter version.

Graphics State Operators

Operator Syntax	Description
gsave	Save graphics state.
grestore	Restore graphics state.
grestoreall	Restore to bottommost graphics state.
initgraphics	Reset graphics state parameters.
num setlinewidth	Set line width.
currentlinewidth	Return current line width.
int setlinecap	Set shape of line ends for stroke.
currentlinecap	Return current line cap.
int setlinejoin	Set shape of corners for stroke.
currentlinejoin	Return current line join.
num setmiterlimit	Set miter length limit.
currentmiterlimit	Return current miter limit.
array offset setdash	Set dash pattern for stroking.
currentdash	Return current dash pattern.
num setflat	Set flatness tolerance.
currentflat	Return current flatness.
num setgray	Set color to gray value from 0 (black) to 1 (white).
currentgray	Return current gray.
hue sat brt sethsbcolor	Set color given hue, saturation, brightness.
currenthsbcolor	Return current color hue, saturation, brightness.
red green blue setrgbcolor	Set color given red, green, blue.
currentrgbcolor	Return current color red, green, blue.
freq angle proc setscreen	Set halftone screen.
currentscreen	Return current halftone screen.
proc settransfer	Set gray transfer function.
currenttransfer	Return current transfer function.

Coordinate System and Matrix Operators

Operator Syntax	Description
matrix	Create identity matrix.
initmatrix	Set CTM to device default.
matrix identmatrix	Fill matrix with identity transform.
matrix defaultmatrix	Fill matrix with device default matrix.
matrix currentmatrix	Fill matrix with CTM.
matrix setmatrix	Replace CTM by matrix.
tx ty translate	Translate user space by (tx, ty).
tx ty matrix translate	Define translation by (tx, ty).
sx sy scale	Scale user space by sx and sy.
sx sy matrix scale	Define Scalingscaling by sx and sy.
angle rotate	Rotate user space by angle degrees.
angle matrix rotate	Define rotation by angle degrees.
matrix concat	Replace CTM by matrix X CTM.
matrix1 matrix2 matrix3 concatmatrix	Fill matrix3 with matrix1 X matrix2.
x y transform	Transform (x, y) by CTM.
x y matrix transform	Transform (x, y) by matrix.
dx dy dtransform	Transform distance (dx, dy) by CTM.
dx dy matrix dtransform	Transform distance (dx, dy) by matrix.
x' y' itransform	Inverse transform (x', y') by CTM.
x' y' matrix itransform	Inverse transform (x', y') by matrix.
dx' dy' idtransform	Inverse transform distance (dx', dy') by CTM.
dx' dy' matrix idtransform	Inverse transform distance (dx', dy') by matrix.
matrix1 matrix2 invertmatrix	Fill matrix2 with inverse of matrix1.

Path Construction Operators

Operator Syntax	Description
newpath	Initialize current path to be empty.
currentpoint	Return current point coordinate.
x y moveto	Set current point to (x, y).
dx dy rmoveto	Relative moveto.
x y lineto	Append straightline to (x, y).
dx dy rlineto	Relative lineto.
x y r ang1 ang2 arc	Append counterclockwise arc.
x y r ang1 ang2 arcn	Append clockwise arc.
x1 y1 x2 y2 r arcto	Append tangent arc.
x1 y1 x2 y2 x3 y3 curveto	Append Bezier cubic section
dx1 dy1 dx2 dy2 dx3 dy3 rcurveto	Relative curveto.
closepath	Connect subpath back to its starting point.
flattenpath	Convert curves to sequences of straight lines.
reversepath	Reverse direction of current path.
strokepath	Compute outline of stroked path.
string bool charpath	Append Character outline to current path.
clippath	Set current path to Clippingclipping path.
pathbox	Return Bounding Boxbounding of current path.
move line curve close pathforall	Enumerate current path.
initclip	Set clip path to device default.
clip	Establish new Clippingclipping path.
eoclip	Clip using even-odd inside rule.

Painting Operators

Operator Syntax	Description
erasepage	Paint current page white.
fill	Fill current path with current color.
eofill	Fill using even-odd rule.
stroke	Draw line along current path.
width height bits/sample matrix proc image	Render sampled image onto current page.
width height invert matrix proc imagemask	Render mask onto current page.

Device Setup and Output Operators

Operator Syntax	Description
showpage	Output and reset current page.
copypage	Output current page.
matrix width height proc banddevice	Install Bandband Bufferbuffer device.
matrix width height proc framedevice	Install frame Bufferbuffer device.
nulldevice	Install no-output device.
proc renderbands	Enumerate bands for output to device.

Character and Font Operators

Operator Syntax	Description
key Font definefont	Register Font as a font dictionary.
key findfont	Return Font dict identified by key.
Font scale scalefont	Scale Font by scale to produce new font'.
Font matrix makefont	Transform Font by matrix to produce new font'.
Font setfont	Set Font dictionary.
currentfont	Return current Font dictionary.
string show	Print characters of string on page.
ax ay string ashow	Add (ax, ay) to width of each char while showing string.
cx cy char string widthshow	Add (cx, cy) to width of char while showing string.
cx cy char ax ay string awidthshow	Combined effect of ashow and widthshow.
proc string kshow	Execute proc between characters show from string.
string stringwidth	Width of string in current Font.
FontDirectory	Dictionary of Font dictionaries.
StandardEncoding	Standard Font encoding vector.

Font Cache Operators

Operator Syntax	Description
cachestatus	Return cache status and paramaters.
wx wy llx lly urx ury setcachedevice	Declare cached Character metrics.
wx wy setcharwidth	Declare uncached Character metrics.
num setcachelimit	Set max bytes in cached Character.

Errors

Error	Description
dictfull	No more room in dictionary.
dictstackoverflow	To many begins.
dictstackunderflow	Too many ends.
execstackoverflow	Exec nesting too deep.
handleerror	Called to report error information.
interrupt	External interrupt request.
invalidaccess	Attempt to violate access attribute.
invalidexit	Exit not in loop.
invalidfileaccess	Unacceptable access string.
invalidfont	Invalid Font name or dict.
invalidrestore	Improper restore.
ioerror	Input/output error occurred.
limitcheck	Implementation limit exceeded.
nocurrentpoint	Current point is undefined.
rangecheck	Operand out of bounds.
stackoverflow	Operand stack overflow.
stackunderflow	Oper stack underflow.
syntaxerror	Syntax error in PostScriptpostscript program text.
Timeouttimeout	Time limit exceeded.
typecheck	Operand of wrong type.
undefined	Name not known.
undefinedfilename	File not found.
undefinedresult	Over/underflow or meaningless result.
unmatchedmark	Expected mark not on stack.
unregistered	Internal error.
VMerror	VM exhausted.