How do I run this poster template?

Question

I found a really nice example here that I would like to get going with as a template. There are some instructions but I found that errors in my document from what I can follow.

I downloaded a0poster.cls and a0header.ps (I have no idea what these are) and I put them in the file where I would like my .tex file to go (this location was a guess).
I downloaded a0size.sty and did the same with that.
The website says that I also need multicol, pstricks and pst-grad packages.

I ignored this for the time-being and downloaded the poster.tex file (as well as gklogo.eps and poster.bib) just to see what happened first. I got a lot of errors!

The error at the top of the list is "Undefined control sequence. \c@lor@to@ps \background {1.1.1.}{1.1.1.}{0.5}"

I'm clearly out of my depth but I can't stand going back to PowerPoint, where can I start in getting this template to work?

"Undefined control sequence. \c@lor@to@ps should be read as you are using pdflatex and you need to use latex — David Carlisle, Mar 15 '13 at 21:43
@DavidCarlisle I'm using TeXMaker. If I change to 'compile LaTeX' I get no errors but nothing loads. — User 17670, Mar 15 '13 at 21:52
nothing loads where? latex should make a dvi file then you need to run dvips to get a postscript file then ps2pdf to get a pdf, — David Carlisle, Mar 15 '13 at 21:54
Wow. It actually worked it in one attempt, this is new for me — User 17670, Mar 15 '13 at 21:56
@DavidCarlisle Is there a way to automate the LaTeX DVI-PS PS-PSF View PDF process? — User 17670, Mar 15 '13 at 22:56
yes lots, your texmaker ide may have something built in (I wouldn't know) or several tools latexmk, arara, rubber, ... I'll ping the author of arara who's lurking in the chat room.... — David Carlisle, Mar 15 '13 at 23:02
@User17670 To configure arara,what's your OS and TeX distribution (TeXlive or MiKTeX)? meanwhile you can go through arara screenshot guide,page 33. BTW Paulo is author of arara — texenthusiast, Mar 15 '13 at 23:26
I am using Texmaker on Win7. I've just gone Options > Configure Texmaker > Quick Build then I selected LaTeX + dvips + ps2pdf + View PDF from the list, so now I just press F1 and I get full compilation and output! — User 17670, Mar 15 '13 at 23:48
@User17670 Yes TeXmaker has that advantages,there are many ways to do this using latex automation tools, feel free to ask questions on TeX.SX — texenthusiast, Mar 16 '13 at 03:36

score 5 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 15 '13 at 22:00

pstricks requires a PostScript interpreter at some point in the document production (there is a hint in the name) so while there are packages to give access to parts of its functionality from pdflatex (by executing external programs in the background) its natural workflow is latex-dvips-ps2pdf. The \c@lor@to@ps error commonly occurs when the dvips back end of the color package has not been loaded (because pdftex has been detected).

How do I run this poster template?

1 Answers1