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Format

Encapsulated PostScript File Format

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Summary

Name
Encapsulated PostScript File Format
Version
1.2
Identifiers
  • MIME: application/postscript
  • Apple Uniform Type Identifier: com.adobe.encapsulated-postscript
  • PUID: fmt/122
Format type
Page Description
Disclosure
Full
Description
Encapsulated Postscript (EPS) is a page description format, developed by Adobe Systems Incorporated. Version 1.2, the first version of the format, was developed in 1987. An EPS file comprises a header section followed by a PostScript document. An EPS can optionally include a preview raster image, in which case a binary header is prepended to the header.
Release date
12 Mar 1987
Format encoding
Text
File extensions
eps, epsf
Submitted by
Digital Preservation Department / The National Archives
Developed by
Adobe Systems Incorporated

Relationships

Has lower priority than
Has priority over
Is previous version of

Internal signatures

EPS 1.2

Description
Absolute from beginning of file, magic bytes: %!PS-Adobe-2.0 EPSF-1.2(.|..)
Provenance
08/2023 (v.113) - Description of magic bytes for signature added. Researched internally.

Byte sequences

Min Frag Length
Absolute from BOF
Offset
0
Max offset
None
Byte Sequence
252150532D41646F62652D322E3020455053462D312E32(0D|0A|0D0A|0A0D)
Endianness
None

EPS 1.2 Preview

Description
Absolute from beginning of file, magic bytes: ÅÐÓÆ Variable, magic bytes: %!PS-Adobe-2.0 EPSF-1.2(.|..)
Provenance
08/2023 (v.113) - Description of magic bytes for signature added. Researched internally.

Byte sequences

Min Frag Length
Absolute from BOF
Offset
0
Max offset
None
Byte Sequence
C5D0D3C6
Endianness
None
Min Frag Length
Variable
Offset
None
Max offset
None
Byte Sequence
252150532D41646F62652D322E3020455053462D312E32(0D|0A|0D0A|0A0D)
Endianness
None

Changelog

  • V114

    Release date
    22 August 2023

    • Updated

      Encapsulated PostScript File Format 1.2: Added description of magic bytes. Submitted by Digital Preservation Department, The National Archives (UK).

  • V49

    Release date
    5 April 2011

    • Updated

      Encapsulated PostScript File Format 1.2: Priority information changed to avoid potential clash with Cascading Style Sheet and EndNote Import File identifications.

The National Archives is not responsible for the contents available at the following links

Library Of Congress