PUB: Can't Create EPS File From Windows NT (163642)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Publisher 97
  • Microsoft Publisher for Windows 3.0
  • Microsoft Publisher 2.0
  • Microsoft Publisher 2.0a
  • Microsoft Word for Windows 6.0
  • the operating system: Microsoft Windows NT 3.5
  • the operating system: Microsoft Windows NT 3.51
  • the operating system: Microsoft Windows NT 4.0
This article was previously published under Q163642

SYMPTOMS

You cannot create Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) files from Microsoft Publisher if you are using the Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.51 or 4.0 PostScript printer driver. In contrast, if you run the versions of Publisher listed at the beginning of this article on Windows 95 or Microsoft Publisher 2.0 on a computer running Microsoft Windows 3.1, you can create EPS files using the Windows PostScript printer driver.

CAUSE

The Windows NT PostScript printer drivers send the output directly to the PostScript printer. They cannot be configured to print to EPS files. This functionality is different from the Windows 95 and Windows 3.1 PostScript printer drivers which can be configured to print to EPS files instead of directly to the PostScript printer.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, create a PostScript print file (also called PostScript dump or PS file) from Windows NT. In many cases, you can use a PostScript print file instead of an EPS file. To do this, click to select the Print To File check box in the Print dialog box (File menu).

If you cannot use a PostScript dump or PS file, you can print an EPS file from a computer running Windows 95 (or Windows 3.1 if you are using Publisher 2.0).

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Windows NT Workstation, versions 3.51 and 4.0.

MORE INFORMATION

PostScript is a page description language which is used by a large number of printers, including most image-setters and large format color printers.

A PostScript file is a file that contains a collection of PostScript commands necessary to print one or more pages to a device that uses the PostScript page description language. To use a PostScript file, you simply copy the file to the device. PostScript files are not designed to be placed or imported into other programs.

An EPS file, on the other hand, contains additional information. EPS files are designed to be opened in a graphics program or placed in a word processing or desktop publishing program and printed from there. Unlike a PostScript file, an EPS file can only contain the information needed to print a single page. To use a PostScript file, you should insert it into a document created in another program and print it from that program. EPS files are not designed to be copied directly to a PostScript device.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:8/17/2005
Keywords:kbprb kbprint KB163642
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