I've had major problems using this "feature": many of my project are too complex for preview and I get a freeze when I accidently open a "generic" eps in preview.

Also you cannot control the quaility of the PDF made. I expect this process uses the same options as the "Print to PDF" feature of the print dialog box. These PDF are generally not suitable for sending to a commercial printer for use on a printing press.

Given these couple limitations, I think this is a GREAT way to convert those raw PS and EPS files to a useful format.

Apple's ps/eps convertion can also be done via the CLI using pstopdf. This should not be confused with the various GhoseScript convertions utilities also avalable via the CLI such as ps2pdf etc.

As previously noted pstopdf has problems with some PostScript commands, but when used in conjunction with epstool is very efficent. The latter most probably due to Apple optermising pstopdf.

Also you cannot control the quaility of the PDF made.

This is an old feature of Mac OS X, I think it existed since 10.2.

Converting Postscript or Encapsulated Postscript files to PDF usually requires the use of Illustrator or Acrobat Distiller.

Or you can just grab ps2pdf from Fink. I actually prefer this method over Preview because it's faster and more convenient when you're on the command line.

Faster than grabbing Fink...use the conversion tool that comes with Tiger (or Panther):

/usr/bin/pstopdf

To maintain bounding boxes for EPS files, Fink helps though:

/sw/bin/epstopdf

From my experience with working with Quark PS files to create PDFs Preview doesn't create an acceptable PDF for a Professional Printer to use. They reject the PDF as being corrupt because their software can't open it without error.

So Preview is just good for previewing these high quality high res images

Since Panther, MacOS's preview containt an Adobe Normaliser like we found in the professional RIP (used in pre-press DTP, like Heildelberg's PrintReady or CREO's Printenergy as an EOM solution). The role of this Normaliser is to… normalise (sic) a PostScript file (eps and ai who are just an kind of) before convert the file into pdf one.

As I know one professional pdf producer use it : Enfocus Instant PDF 3. The Apple documentation about this Normaliser is very poor and it's a shame because it could be a usefull solution for a lot of litle DTP software, espacialy as Tiger introduce the PDF/X standart in the printing API...

It'll even help you download Ghostscript separately if you don't have/want fink.

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