new to pcl language, any tips?

[Hemo]

I'm quite fresh at this pcl language.

I currently have a perl script that parses data and outputs to postscript before sending to a printer. I realize that if I could get that output into PCL code, the printing would be much faster and I could utilize less expensive printers.

Any tips for programming pcl to draw lines and arcs, etc place text and choose fonts? Are there some decent resources available on the web? I'm not coming up with any hits that give examples or explain things.

Any books worth buying? I'm not afraid of spending money and doing my homework.

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Hemo

 

[jlasman]

You should be able to find the PCL5 Technical Reference Manual on the web. Also PCL5 Color Reference and PJL Reference.

Google for "PCL5 Techinical Reference" and I think you will find the PDF.


Jim Asman

 

[DansDadUK]

The following link provides a brief history of the PCL language, and links to the PCL Technical Reference manual, and also to other PCL5 & PJL manuals:

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?objectID=bpl04568

 

[DansDadUK]

In order to draw arcs, etc within PCL5, you'll have to drop down into the HP-GL/2 vector langauge (which is embedded within PCL5) unless you want to render them as raster areas yourself.

If you instead use PCL6 (a totally different language to PCL5), this contains native operators for arcs, etc.; but HP seem to have removed details of PCL6 (PCL XL) technical manuals from public view.