Preview App on macOS Ventura Drops Support for PostScript Files

[SFjohn]

Anyone know of another vector based file type that will still open in Ventura?

 

[Tagbert]

Anyone know of another vector based file type that will still open in Ventura?

SVG is generally equivalent to EPS and probably does not have the security concerns, but while SVG files to show a preview in the file icon, the Preview.app will not open them in either Ventura or Monterey. Not sure that it ever did. I use SVGviewer to view them.

This may be a situation where, while you can still work with EPS files, to view them in the file system you may need a helper app like the one mentioned in an earlier post.

 

[SFjohn]

SVG is generally equivalent to EPS and probably does not have the security concerns, but while SVG files to show a preview in the file icon, the Preview.app will not open them in either Ventura or Monterey. Not sure that it ever did. I use SVGviewer to view them.

This may be a situation where, while you can still work with EPS files, to view them in the file system you may need a helper app like the one mentioned in an earlier post.

Thanks, it’s beyond frustrating that Apple isn’t backing a vector graphics file type. Apple has always advertised their design chops, and vector graphics are at the core of a lot of design. I can understand they want to lock their systems down from malware. Could Apple invent their own? I don’t know, but I’d like to see them try.

 

[benwiggy]

Thanks, it’s beyond frustrating that Apple isn’t backing a vector graphics file type. Apple has always advertised their design chops, and vector graphics are at the core of a lot of design.

They are. It's called PDF. If you look at the contents of most apps, you'll se that many image resources for the screen are now PDF.

 

[SFjohn]

They are. It's called PDF. If you look at the contents of most apps, you'll se that many image resources for the screen are now PDF.

I get it, but can a PDF file be all vector formatted, infinitely resizable, and have a clear background? If so, then I’m all in. Please send me a link on how to create one of those... Thanks!

 

[chrfr]

I get it, but can a PDF file be all vector formatted, infinitely resizable, and have a clear background? If so, then I’m all in. Please send me a link on how to create one of those... Thanks!

Adobe Illustrator can do it.

 

[benwiggy]

can a PDF file be all vector formatted, infinitely resizable, and have a clear background?

Of course it can. PDF is "optimized, tokenised PostScript" (putting it simply). It can contain vector data and bitmap data.
It can handle transparency layers, and other features, which PS can't.

Any vector artwork editor -- Inkscape (which is actually quite good now), Affinity Designer, Illustrator, etc, can produce vector artwork as PDF, which you can drop into InDesign, Affinity Publisher, Scribus, etc.

 

[SFjohn]

Of course it can. PDF is "optimized, tokenised PostScript" (putting it simply). It can contain vector data and bitmap data.
It can handle transparency, and other features, which PS can't.

Any vector artwork editor -- Inkscape (which is actually quite good now), Affinity Designer, Illustrator, etc, can produce vector artwork as PDF, which you can drop into InDesign, Affinity Publisher, Scribus, etc.

Thanks so much, I’ll look into it!

 

[Tagbert]

In the meantime, while this change does mean that you cannot preview EPS images in the finder, I see nothing that prevents apps that consume EPS files from continuing to do so.

 

[SFjohn]

In the meantime, while this change does mean that you cannot preview EPS images in the finder, I see nothing that prevents apps that consume EPS files from continuing to do so.

I’m just concerned about not being able to put our EPS logo file into Pages in Ventura. It works great in Monterey.

 

[Tagbert]

I’m just concerned about not being able to put our EPS logo file into Pages in Ventura. It works great in Monterey.

With Ventura 13.0, I just generated an image of a blue asterisk in both EPS and PDF and placed them in a Pages document with a colored bar behind them to show transparency. Both were equivalent. In Finder, the PDF shows the blue image as a preview. The EPS file only shows the Affinity Designer icon as that is what created it.

short story, I see no problem with you continuing to use EPS images in Pages with the exception of getting image previews. Perhaps that eps viewer app mentioned earlier would fix that problem?

 

[benwiggy]

I’m just concerned about not being able to put our EPS logo file into Pages in Ventura. It works great in Monterey.

As Tagbert said: it will continue to work fine; and he also shows that a PDF version of your logo works equally well.

It's worth mentioning that Apple removed EPS QuickLook support in Monterey; they've now removed support for PS within Preview app itself.

Thankfully, the CoreGraphics APIs for converting PostScript, such as CGPSConverter, are still functioning, and not marked as deprecated.

Also: there used to be DTP software called Ventura, so I had trouble reading that sentence for a bit!

 

[brunerd]

I made a Shortcut to convert .ps and .eps files to PDF using /usr/bin/pstopdf which still exists on the command line, attached as a pic and a zip, depending on your trust level 😁

Just select a bunch of files in Finder, right click, go to Quick Actions and find PS to PDF

 

[susis51]

I'm generally curious how, as I haven't seen or touched a .eps file for maybe 20 years.

I would say 99% of pro graphic designers still have to use eps every day as most archived artwork contains them . Also many top image libraries ie istock/getty still only download vector files as EPS. Ive just bought/downloaded over 60 images to use and edit in illustrator - without preview I have to open each one to check/view contents to use, whereas previous I skimmed through them in seconds in my finder window using preview. Many people in forums accuse others of being out or date but many international brands clients still suply EPS logo artwork. I just downloaded the latest facebook brand artwork - guess what - eps files!

 

[susis51]

Still use this for EPS files frequently. Shortens my workflow. Bring it back, Apple, bring it back.

totally agree! I would say 99% of pro graphic designers still have to use eps every day as most archived artwork contains them . Also many top image libraries ie istock/getty still only download vector files as EPS. Ive just bought/downloaded over 60 images to use and edit in illustrator - without preview I have to open each one to check/view contents to use, whereas previous I skimmed through them in seconds in my finder window using preview. Many people in these forums accuse others of being out or date but many international brands clients still suply EPS logo artwork. I just downloaded the latest facebook brand artwork - guess what - eps files!

 

[benwiggy]

Just discovered that Sonoma has removed pstopdf and the entire PSNormalizer framework. People have reported that lpr doesn't work for PS files, but it seems to work for my Xerox.

PostScript is dead. 🥲 (Well, you'll have to use GhostScript or third-party apps that support it.)