Selecting PCL Fonts
PCL printer commands for selecting fonts can be found on the PCL
Font List which can be printed from the HP LaserJet Device
Configuration (Windows) or the HP LaserJet utility (Macintosh). A
sample section is shown below. Notice the two variable boxes for
symbol set and point size:
These variables must be filled in or the printer will use defaults. For
example, if you want a symbol set that contains line-draw characters,
select the 10U (PC-8) or 12U (PC-850) symbol set. Other common
symbol set codes are listed in the Common PCL Printer Commands
table.
Note
Fonts are either “fixed” or “proportional” in spacing. The printer contains
both fixed fonts (Courier, Letter Gothic, and Lineprinter) and
proportional fonts (CG Times, Arial
, Times New Roman
, and others).
Fixed-spaced fonts are generally used in applications such as
spreadsheets and databases, where it is important for columns to line
up vertically. Proportional-spaced fonts are generally used in text and
word processing applications.
Common PCL Printer Commands
Function
Command Options (#)
Job Control Commands
Reset
?E
n/a
Number of Copies
?&l #X
1 to 999
152 Appendix D Printer Commands
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Page Control Commands
Paper Source
?&l #H
0 = prints or ejects current page
1 = Tray 2
2 = manual feed, paper
3 = manual feed, envelope
4 = Tray 1
5 = Tray 3
7 = auto select
Paper Size
?&l #A
1 = Executive
2 = Letter
3 = Legal
4 = A5
5 = A4
6 = B5-JIS
8 = 8.5 X 13
9 = B5 (ISO)
71 = Postcard (single size)
72 = Postcard (round trip)
80 = Monarch
81 = Commercial 10
90 = DL
91 = International C5
100 = B5
101 = Custom
Orientation
?&l #O
0 = Portrait
1 = Landscape
2 = Reverse Portrait
3 = Reverse Landscape
Top Margin
?&l #E
# = number of lines
Text Length (bottom margin)
?&l #F
# = number of lines from top margin
Left Margin
?&a #L
# = column number
Right Margin
?&a #M
# = column number from left margin
Horizontal Motion Index
?&k#H
1/120-inch increments (compresses print horizontally)
Common PCL Printer Commands (continued)
Function
Command Options (#)
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Appendix D Printer Commands 153
Vertical Motion Index
?&l #C
1/48-inch increments (compresses print vertically)
Line Spacing
?&l #D
# = lines per inch (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 12, 16, 24, 48)
Perforation Skip
?&l #L
0 = disable
1 = enable
Cursor Positioning
Vertical Position (Rows)
?&a#R
# = row number
Vertical Position (Dots)
?*p#Y
# = dot number (300 dots = 1 inch)
Vertical Position (Decipoints)
?&a#V
# = decipoint number (720 decipoints = 1 inch)
Horizontal Position
(Columns)
?&a#C
# = column number
Horizontal Position (Dots)
?*p#X
# = dot number (300 dots = 1 inch)
Horizontal Position
(Decipoints)
?&a#H
# = decipoint number (720 decipoints = 1 inch)
Programming Hints
End of Line Wrap
?&s#C
0 = Enable
1 = Disable
Display Functions On
?Y
n/a
Display Functions Off
?Z
n/a
Common PCL Printer Commands (continued)
Function
Command Options (#)
154 Appendix D Printer Commands
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Language Selection
Enter PCL Mode
?%#A
0 = Use previous PCL cursor position
1 = Use current HP-GL/2 pen position
Enter HP-GL/2 Mode
?%#B
0 = Use previous HP-GL/2 pen position
1 = Use current PCL cursor position
Font Selection
Symbol Sets
?(#
8U = HP Roman-8 Symbol Set
10U = IBM Layout (PC-8) (code page 437) Default
Symbol Set
12U = IBM Layout for Europe (PC-850) (code page
850)
8M = Math-8
19U = Windows 3.1 Latin 1
9E = Windows 3.1 Latin 2 (commonly used in Eastern
Europe)
5T = Windows 3.1 Latin 5 (commonly used in Turkey)
579L = Wingdings Font
Primary Spacing
?(s#P
0 = fixed
1 = proportional
Primary Pitch
?(s#H
# = characters/inch
Set Pitch Mode
a
?&k#S
0 = 10
4 = 12 (elite)
2 = 16.5 - 16.7 (compressed)
Primary Height
?(s#V
# = points
Primary Style
?(s#S
0 = upright (solid)
1 = italic
4 = condensed
5 = condensed italic
Common PCL Printer Commands (continued)
Function
Command Options (#)
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Appendix D Printer Commands 155
Primary Stroke Wt.
?(s#B
0 = medium (book or text)
1 = semi bold
3 = bold
4 = extra bold
Typeface
a
?(s#T
Print a PCL font list to view the command for each
internal font.
a. The preferred method is to use the primary pitch command.
Common PCL Printer Commands (continued)
Function
Command Options (#)
156 Appendix D Printer Commands
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