dvips

DVIPS is a program in the TeX/LaTeX ecosystem that converts DVI (DeVice Independent) files into PostScript. It is used to produce PostScript documents suitable for printers or for further processing in PostScript workflows. The DVI format represents output from TeX or LaTeX in a device-independent way, and DVIPS translates that representation into a page description language that printers can interpret.

DVIPS reads DVI commands and resolves font references using TeX font metrics (tfm) and font files. It applies font mapping to substitute fonts as needed and handles graphics and special commands embedded in the DVI file. The converter outputs PostScript code that describes the page layout, fonts, graphics, and other content, including support for color, rotation, and various page manipulations through PostScript.

In practice, DVIPS is invoked on a DVI file to produce a PS file, typically specified with an output option. It can utilize printer description databases and font map files to control how fonts are rendered and how the output is structured. Many workflows also use Ghostscript in conjunction with DVIPS to convert the resulting PostScript into PDFs or raster images.

History and context: DVIPS is part of the original DVI-to-PostScript toolchain and remains widely available in TeX distributions such as TeX Live and MiKTeX. While modern TeX engines like pdfTeX, XeTeX, and LuaTeX can output PDF directly, DVIPS continues to be used for PostScript workflows, EPS graphics, and environments where PostScript output is preferred.