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.netgraphicscolorsvector-graphicseps

Create or manipulate EPS files using .NET

I have to create thousands of individual EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) files. These files will be printed by a company that uses a Roland printer and software. The printer software only accepts eps files.

So this is the procedure I've implemented using a custom vector graphics library:

  1. Create an individual bitmap (this works)
  2. Draw a rectangle around the bitmap in a certain named color (the color must be named "CutContour" YMCK (0, 0.9, 0, 0). The color itself isn't important, but the name must be set to "CutContour".
  3. Save the graphics in the EPS format

Now, using some custom library I was able to do all the steps I've described, but the library apparently doesn't support color names (spot colors?).

Another strategy I tried in my desperation: I've created a working example file in EPS using CorelDraw (I even did it with Adobe Illustrator).

Using a hex editor I extracted the first part of the file until the bitmap information and the bottom part after the bitmap. Using both parts I was able to "inject" the individual bitmap and created new "Frankenstein" eps files just by concatenating the parts.

I could open these files in CorelDraw, but they must be somehow corrupt, because the company that prints the images can't open them on their machines. Also, I have some other issues with that files. I guess there is some binary information at the end of the file that's somehow related to the bitmap.

  1. Does anybody know some other library or clever way to get the desired result?
  2. Does anybody know who I could manipulate the created eps file in order to draw the rectangle using the "CutContour" color name? (It's not obvous looking at the file I've created using CorelDraw and AI)

Thanks for reading!

Solution

  • Answering my own question if someone else has to deal with the same problem.

    In the end I came up with a pragmatic solution. Now I'm generating only the PNG files in my .NET program and use a CorelDraw macro I recorded and adapted to convert the content of a whole folder to .eps files.

    A small, but important detail: In order to assign the "CutContour" spot color from the color palette, you have to create a new "Graphics Style" in CorelDraw and assign that style to the rectangle.