Why convert PS to DXF?
The only practical reason to convert PostScript to DXF is when the .ps file contains technical drawings - engineering diagrams or schematics produced by plotting software - that need to be brought into a CAD application. .dxf is the standard interchange format for 2D CAD, while PostScript is a full page-description language that can contain any mix of text, vectors, gradients, and raster content.
How to convert PS to DXF
pstoedit FREE
Run pstoedit -f dxf input.ps output.dxf in a terminal (requires Ghostscript installed). Use -f dxf_14 for AutoCAD-compatible output.
Inkscape OPEN-SOURCE
File > Open the .ps file in Inkscape (imports vectors via Ghostscript); then File > Save a Copy and choose DXF (Desktop Cutting Plotter R14). Set the output unit to match your CAD project.
Programs that convert PS
About these formats
.PS
PostScript (page-description program)
A PS file is a PostScript document - a text program that a printer or viewer renders into pages of text and vector graphics. To view one, install Ghostscript and open it in GSview or…
Open .PS details →
.DXF
Drawing Exchange Format (AutoCAD DXF)
A DXF file is a CAD drawing in Autodesk's Drawing Exchange Format, introduced in 1982 so drawings could move between AutoCAD and other programs. To view one free, upload it to Autodesk…
Open .DXF details →Quality & what to watch
- Only simple line art converts usefully; PostScript can describe any mix of text, vectors, gradients, and raster images, and only vector paths translate to DXF geometry.
- Inkscape's DXF output is basic - splines may be approximated as polylines; pstoedit generally produces more precise output for technical drawings.
- Multi-page PostScript files are problematic: pstoedit processes only the first page by default, and Inkscape imports one page at a time.
Frequently asked questions
Will text in the PS file appear in the DXF?
What is pstoedit?
Can Adobe Illustrator convert PS to DXF?
.ps file and use File > Export As > DXF/DWG.
