While pdfLaTeX has a number of nice features, its primary shortcoming relative to standard LaTeX+dvips is that it is unable to read ordinary Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) files, the most common graphics format in the LaTeX world. Purifyeps converts EPS files into a ‘purified’ form that can be read by both LaTeX+dvips and pdfLaTeX. The trick is that the standard LaTeX2e graphics packages can parse MetaPost-produced EPS directly. Hence, purifyeps need only convert an arbitrary EPS file into the same stylized format that MetaPost outputs.

The author is Scott Pakin. The package is Copyright © 2009 Scott Pakin.