# Changes in the most recent release of Ghostscript

This document is news about the most recent Ghostscript release. For earlier versions, see the history documents:

> History of Ghostscript versions 9.n
> History of Ghostscript versions 8.n
> History of Ghostscript versions 7.n
> History of Ghostscript versions 6.n
> History of Ghostscript versions 5.n
> History of Ghostscript versions 4.n
> History of Ghostscript versions 3.n
> History of Ghostscript versions 2.n
> History of Ghostscript versions 1.n

For other information, see the Ghostscript overview.

## Version 9.00 (2010-09-14)

This is the first release in the stable 9.x series.

This release includes a move to an ICC-based color rendering workflow. The design allows easy integration of 3rd party color management modules (CMMs) and management of DeviceN and spot source colors with ICC profiles as well as with non-ICC proprietary methods. The default CMM is the well known littleCMS. Postscript color objects and non-ICC CIE-based PDF color spaces are converted to equivalent ICC profiles enabling complete color management for all color spaces by an ICC-based CMM. New command line options enable the specification of gray, rgb and cmyk default ICC profiles as well as output device ICC profiles. The new work flow provides performance improvements in the rendering of images, shadings and transparencies. In addition, the color conversions are designed to work efficiently in multithreaded display list (c-list) rendering through the use of a shared link cache. Finally, proper ICC based rendering now occurs for ALL XPS objects including Named colors, N-Channel colors and images with internally embedded ICC profiles.

The second major change in this release is that glyph rendering for all font types except Type 3 is now handled by Freetype (via a much improved and enhanced Font API). The most obvious benefit of this is a complete, and proven implementation of the TrueType byte code interpreter (now unencumbered by patents).

Another major change is that the Postscript interpreter's graphics state now stores two separate colour space settings for stroking and filling, to better support the stroke and fill colours required by the PDF interpreter.

Finally, support for optional content has been added to the PDF interpreter.

This release also includes a number of improvements to the pdfwrite device to improve reliability and quality with PCL and XPS input. Many improvements to the support of JPX images in PDF files, PDF annotation rendering and the usual number of general bug and robustness fixes.

For security reasons, Ghostscript no longer searches the current directory by default. Use -P option to revert to old behavior.

For a list of open issues, or to report problems, please visit bugs.ghostscript.com.

### Incompatible changes

No recorded incompatible changes.

### Changelog

See the history file for complete log of changes.

Copyright © 2005-2010 Artifex Software, Inc. All rights reserved.

This software is provided AS-IS with no warranty, either express or implied. This software is distributed under license and may not be copied, modified or distributed except as expressly authorized under the terms of that license. Refer to licensing information at http://www.artifex.com/ or contact Artifex Software, Inc., 7 Mt. Lassen Drive - Suite A-134, San Rafael, CA 94903, U.S.A., +1(415)492-9861, for further information.

Ghostscript version 9.00, 14 September 2010