Conversion between Postscript and PDF

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How do I convert files between Postscript (*.ps) and PDF (*.pdf) formats?

PDF to PS conversion and converting A4 page size to U.S. Letter:

  1. acroread -toPostScript file.pdf (command line convert pdf to ps)
  2. acroread -toPostScript -size letter file.pdf (command line convert pdf to ps and FORCE the output paper size to letter)
  3. psresize -pletter orig-ps-file.ps new-ps-file.ps (forces output to letter sized)

PS to PDF:

  1. /usr/local/bin/convert myfile.ps myfile.pdf
    /usr/local/bin/convert -help for more options and info
  2. - or -

  3. /usr/local/bin/distill myfile.ps
    /usr/local/bin/distill -help for more options and info


Department of Computer Science • Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-4400 • 631-632-8470 or 631-632-8471