Converting PostScript/EPS to PDF is straightforward until you hit layout shifts, missing fonts/images, or slow exports. This guide shows how to diagnose and fix the most common issues in Aspose.Page for .NET and includes a complete, compilable C# example you can drop into your toolchain.

Key Takeaways

  • Start safe: enable SuppressErrors to continue past non‑fatal PS issues and inspect Exceptions after save.
  • Stabilize visuals: tune PdfSaveOptions (e.g., JpegQualityLevel) and prefer embedding fonts to avoid reflow.
  • Resource hygiene: ensure fonts/images are reachable from your process; use absolute paths when in doubt.
  • Performance: pre‑optimize sources (flatten heavy images, remove unused resources) and avoid excessive quality settings when not needed.

Typical Problems & Fixes

1) Formatting discrepancies (text shifts, line breaks)

  • Prefer embedded fonts in the source PS/EPS where possible.
  • Use consistent font availability on servers; avoid last‑minute substitution.

2) Missing images or fonts

  • Check that referenced resources exist and are readable by the process account.
  • Convert remote/relative references to absolute paths when running as a service.

3) Slow or memory‑heavy conversion

  • Reduce image quality settings where acceptable (e.g., JpegQualityLevel).
  • Split very large EPS files or flatten transparency in authoring tools.

4) Non‑fatal PS errors during parsing

  • Set PsLoadOptions.SuppressErrors = true to collect exceptions without aborting; review PsLoadOptions.Exceptions after saving.

Complete, Compilable Example (C#)

using System;
using System.IO;
using Aspose.Page.EPS;            // PsDocument, PsLoadOptions
using Aspose.Page.EPS.Device;     // PdfDevice

namespace PsToPdfTroubleshooting
{
    internal static class Program
    {
        // How to run:
        // 1) dotnet new console -n PsToPdfTroubleshooting
        // 2) cd PsToPdfTroubleshooting
        // 3) dotnet add package Aspose.Page
        // 4) Replace Program.cs with this file's contents
        // 5) dotnet run -- "path-to-input.ps"     (or .eps)
        private static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            if (args.Length == 0)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("Usage: dotnet run -- <path-to-input.ps|.eps>");
                return;
            }

            string inputPath = Path.GetFullPath(args[0]);
            if (!File.Exists(inputPath))
            {
                Console.WriteLine($"File not found: {inputPath}");
                return;
            }

            string baseName = Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(inputPath);
            string outPdf   = Path.Combine(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory(), baseName + ".pdf");

            // 1) Load PostScript/EPS with tolerant parsing
            var psOptions = new PsLoadOptions
            {
                SuppressErrors = true
            };

            using (var psStream = File.OpenRead(inputPath))
            using (var pdfStream = File.Create(outPdf))
            {
                var document = new PsDocument(psStream, psOptions);

                // 2) Configure PDF save options
                var pdfOptions = new PdfSaveOptions
                {
                    // Tweak if output size is large / quality too low on photos
                    JpegQualityLevel = 90
                };

                // 3) Create PDF device and save
                var device = new PdfDevice(pdfStream);
                document.Save(device, pdfOptions);
            }

            Console.WriteLine($"Saved: {outPdf}");

            // 4) Review non-fatal parsing/rendering issues
            if (psOptions.Exceptions != null && psOptions.Exceptions.Count > 0)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("Warnings during conversion:");
                foreach (var ex in psOptions.Exceptions)
                {
                    Console.WriteLine(" - " + ex.Message);
                }
            }
            else
            {
                Console.WriteLine("No warnings reported.");
            }
        }
    }
}

What this code does

  • Loads a PS/EPS file with tolerant parsing to collect non‑fatal issues.
  • Configures PdfSaveOptions (e.g., JPEG quality for raster content inside the PDF).
  • Converts via PdfDevice and writes to disk.
  • Prints any warnings captured during parsing or rendering.

Step‑by‑Step Troubleshooting

  1. Identify the symptom: formatting drift, missing resources, or slowness.
  2. Validate inputs: inspect the PS/EPS with a viewer; remove unsupported constructs if possible.
  3. Confirm resource paths: make font/image locations absolute for headless/server runs.
  4. Tune output: adjust JpegQualityLevel; consider reducing image dimensions upstream.
  5. Inspect warnings: enable SuppressErrors and review Exceptions for actionable clues.

FAQ

Q1. How do I capture non‑fatal errors without stopping the conversion? Set PsLoadOptions.SuppressErrors = true and inspect PsLoadOptions.Exceptions after saving.

Q2. My PDF text looks different from the PS—why? Likely font substitution. Ensure fonts used in the PS are available on the server or embedded in the source.

Q3. Conversion is slow—what can I tweak first? Reduce image quality (JpegQualityLevel), remove unused resources, and avoid extremely large page sizes.

Q4. Why are some images missing in the output? Referenced images may be missing or unreachable. Verify paths and permissions; prefer absolute paths in server scenarios.

Q5. Can I convert EPS files as well? Yes. EPS is a PostScript variant; the same pipeline works with .eps inputs.

How to Run PS to PDDF Conversion

  1. Create a console app:

    dotnet new console -n PsToPdfTroubleshooting
cd PsToPdfTroubleshooting

  2. Add the package:

    dotnet add package Aspose.Page

  3. Replace Program.cs with the Complete Example above.

  4. Run the converter:

    dotnet run -- ../path/to/input.ps
# or
dotnet run -- ../path/to/input.eps

Conclusion

Most PostScript → PDF problems boil down to fonts, resource paths, or over‑aggressive quality settings. Start with tolerant parsing and clear diagnostics, verify resources, then tune output quality and size to balance clarity with performance. With a predictable pipeline in place, batch conversions become reliable and fast.

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