TeXipedia

pspicture

Provides enhanced picture-drawing capabilities using PostScript commands for creating vector graphics and diagrams.

Overview

Offers an alternative to LaTeX's built-in picture environment by leveraging PostScript special commands for more flexible and precise drawing capabilities. While historically significant for creating vector graphics directly within LaTeX documents, the functionality has largely been superseded by more modern alternatives.

  • Enables creation of lines, curves, and geometric shapes with arbitrary slopes and positions
  • Supports direct PostScript commands for advanced drawing operations
  • Particularly useful for legacy documents and systems where PostScript integration is preferred
  • Compatible with traditional LaTeX picture syntax while extending its capabilities

Getting Started

To use pspicture, include it in your document preamble:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{pspicture}

This package is largely superseded by the pict2e package, which is recommended for new documents. The pspicture package uses PostScript specials, so your document must be processed with a PostScript-capable driver.

Examples

Creating a simple geometric drawing with pspicture.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{pstricks}
\begin{document}
\begin{pspicture}(0,0)(4,3)
  \psline(0,0)(4,3)
  \psline(0,3)(4,0)
  \pscircle(2,1.5){1}
\end{pspicture}
\end{document}

Drawing a labeled coordinate system with points.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{pstricks}
\usepackage{pst-plot}
\begin{document}
\begin{pspicture}(-1,-1)(5,5)
  % Draw axes
  \psline{->}(0,0)(5,0)
  \psline{->}(0,0)(0,5)
  
  % Label axes
  \rput(5.3,0){$x$}
  \rput(0,5.3){$y$}
  
  % Draw points and connect them
  \psdots(1,1)(2,4)(4,2)
  \psline(1,1)(2,4)(4,2)(1,1)
  
  % Label points
  \rput(0.7,1){$A$}
  \rput(2,4.3){$B$}
  \rput(4.3,2){$C$}
\end{pspicture}
\end{document}

Creating a flowchart with pspicture.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{pstricks}
\usepackage{pst-node}
\begin{document}
\begin{pspicture}(0,0)(6,8)
  % Boxes for flowchart
  \psframe(1,7)(5,8)\rput(3,7.5){Start}
  \psframe(1,5)(5,6)\rput(3,5.5){Input Data}
  \psframe(1,3)(5,4)\rput(3,3.5){Process Data}
  \psframe(1,1)(5,2)\rput(3,1.5){Output Results}
  
  % Arrows connecting boxes
  \psline{->}(3,7)(3,6)
  \psline{->}(3,5)(3,4)
  \psline{->}(3,3)(3,2)
  \psline{->}(3,1)(3,0.5)\rput(3,0.3){End}
\end{pspicture}
\end{document}