Table of Contents

• 1. currentrgbcolor
  • 1.1. Syntax
  • 1.2. Stack Effects
  • 1.3. Description
  • 1.4. PostScript Level
  • 1.5. Examples
  • 1.6. Common Use Cases
    • 1.6.1. Color State Preservation
    • 1.6.2. Color Modification
    • 1.6.3. Complementary Colors
    • 1.6.4. Color Component Access
  • 1.7. Common Pitfalls
  • 1.8. Error Conditions
  • 1.9. Implementation Notes
  • 1.10. Color Conversion
  • 1.11. RGB Color Model
  • 1.12. See Also

1. currentrgbcolor

Returns current color as RGB values.

1.1. Syntax

– currentrgbcolor → red green blue

1.2. Stack Effects

Table 1. Before

Level	Object
(empty)	–

Table 2. After

Level	Object
2	red (0.0 to 1.0)
1	green (0.0 to 1.0)
0	blue (0.0 to 1.0)

1.3. Description

currentrgbcolor returns the current color in the graphics state according to the red-green-blue color model.

• If the current color space is DeviceRGB, currentrgbcolor returns the color values most recently specified to setrgbcolor or [setcolor] (or transformed values specified to sethsbcolor) .

• If the current color space is DeviceGray or DeviceCMYK, currentrgbcolor converts the current color to RGB.

• For any other color space, currentrgbcolor returns 0.0 0.0 0.0 (black).

Each returned value is in the range 0.0 (no intensity) to 1.0 (full intensity).

1.4. PostScript Level

Level 1 and later

1.5. Examples

Querying current RGB color

1 0 0 setrgbcolor  % Red
currentrgbcolor
% Stack: 1.0 0.0 0.0

Saving and restoring color

currentrgbcolor           % Save current
/blue exch def
/green exch def
/red exch def

0.5 0.5 0 setrgbcolor     % Change to olive
drawShape

red green blue setrgbcolor % Restore

Converting from gray

0.5 setgray
currentrgbcolor
% Stack: 0.5 0.5 0.5

Color manipulation

currentrgbcolor
3 -1 roll              % Rotate R to top
0.5 mul                % Darken red
3 1 roll               % Rotate back
setrgbcolor

1.6. Common Use Cases

1.6.1. Color State Preservation

/SaveColor {
  currentrgbcolor
  /savedBlue exch def
  /savedGreen exch def
  /savedRed exch def
} def

/RestoreColor {
  savedRed savedGreen savedBlue setrgbcolor
} def

1.6.2. Color Modification

/DarkenColor {
  currentrgbcolor
  0.5 mul 3 1 roll
  0.5 mul 3 1 roll
  0.5 mul 3 1 roll
  setrgbcolor
} def

1.6.3. Complementary Colors

/SetComplementary {
  currentrgbcolor
  1 exch sub 3 1 roll
  1 exch sub 3 1 roll
  1 exch sub 3 1 roll
  setrgbcolor
} def

1.6.4. Color Component Access

/GetRedComponent {
  currentrgbcolor
  pop pop  % Remove green and blue
} def

/GetGreenComponent {
  currentrgbcolor
  3 1 roll pop pop  % Remove red and blue
} def

1.7. Common Pitfalls

Color Space Conversion - Converting from CMYK to RGB may not preserve exact colors.

0 1 1 0 setcmykcolor  % Cyan in CMYK
currentrgbcolor       % Converted to RGB
setrgbcolor           % Now in RGB space
% May not match original cyan exactly

Returns Black for Unknown Spaces - Pattern and other color spaces return 0 0 0.

/Pattern setcolorspace
myPattern setcolor
currentrgbcolor        % Returns 0 0 0

Stack Order - Remember RGB order: red at level 2, blue at level 0.

currentrgbcolor
% Stack (bottom to top): red green blue
% Pop order: blue, green, red

Use Array for Storage - Simplifies color management.

[ currentrgbcolor ] /myColor exch def
myColor aload pop setrgbcolor

1.8. Error Conditions

Error	Condition
[stackoverflow]	Fewer than 3 free stack positions

1.9. Implementation Notes

• Fast query operation

• No modification to graphics state

• Values always in range 0.0 to 1.0

• Conversion preserves visual appearance

• Widely supported (Level 1)

1.10. Color Conversion

When converting from other color spaces:

Gray to RGB

red = green = blue = grayValue

CMYK to RGB (simplified)

red   = (1 - cyan) × (1 - black)
green = (1 - magenta) × (1 - black)
blue  = (1 - yellow) × (1 - black)

HSB to RGB

(Internal conversion - HSB is just RGB entry method)

Other Spaces

red = green = blue = 0.0

1.11. RGB Color Model

The RGB color model is additive:

Red   + Green = Yellow
Red   + Blue  = Magenta
Green + Blue  = Cyan
R + G + B     = White
No components = Black

1.12. See Also

• setrgbcolor - Set RGB color

• currentgray - Get gray value

• currentcmykcolor - Get CMYK color (Level 2)

• currenthsbcolor - Get HSB color