Question

I have just begun learning PostScript in order to produce graphics for LaTeX and I have no idea how to combine a path with itself so the stroke only affect the outer border of the drawn shape. My code is as follows:

/black { 0 0 0 1 setcmykcolor } def
/gold { 0.02 0.17 0.72 0.05 setcmykcolor } def
newpath
  % the center is 1/2w and 1/2h
  /cx { 1200 2.0 div } def % center-x
  /cy {  600 2.0 div } def % center-y
  /r  {  600 9.0 div
               4 mul
             2.0 div } def % star's radius
  cx r   0 cos mul add
  cy r   0 sin mul add moveto
  cx r 144 cos mul add
  cy r 144 sin mul add lineto
  cx r 288 cos mul add
  cy r 288 sin mul add lineto
  cx r  72 cos mul add
  cy r  72 sin mul add lineto
  cx r 216 cos mul add
  cy r 216 sin mul add lineto
closepath
gsave
gold fill
grestore
1 setlinewidth
black stroke

When the stroke is drawn, the lines crossing the shape are drawn. I would like to know if there is a way to only have the outer border of the shape stricken and not the inner lines. i would rather not have to calculate where the lines forming the star intersect, i.e. keep 5 lines instead of getting 10 smaller ones.

Note also, that I am learning PS as-is and am not wanting to use external programs (read Illustrator and the like). The purpose of this question is to built up my knowledge of PostScript.

Answer 1

Simplest would be to do the stroke first and then the fill. You may want to double your linewidth as doing this effectively cuts the lines in half.

%...
closepath
gsave
  2 setlinewidth
  black stroke
grestore
gold fill