New to PCL so very simple quick question 1

[Kooch]

I have a laserjet 6P connected to an old DOS machine printing reports. Is there a way to tell the printer to always print in landscape mode without having to place a PCL command at the end of each report printed?

The problem is I'm not sure of the exact method of sending PCL to the printer. I've run EDIT and used:

<-&l1O (where <- is received by hitting CTRL P then the escape key)

Then I've saved that and sent it to the printer with:

copy test.txt LPT1:

Nothing actually prints from the printer although the light blinks as if it is receiving data. Then when I print out the next report it still comes out portrait. Does this have to be changed on a report-to-report basis or can I permanently fix this setting? I realize it's probably something very simple but this is the first and probably last time I'll ever have to forage into PCL programming so if someone could point me in the right direction I'd appreciate it.

Thanks.

 

[jlasman]

I don't think the 6P has a control panel where you can set the default orientation.

Start your print job with...

<esc>E<esc>&l2a1o8c3e45F

Those commands reset the printer, select letter size(2a), landscape(1o), 6 lpi(8c), 3 line top margin(3e), and 45 print lines(45F).

Your print job should end with <esc>E as it began.

Enter the <esc> as you have.

Note that the orientation command must appear BEFORE any printable data appears.

Use copy /b test.txt LPT1:

to force a binary copy to the printer

Jim Asman

http://www.spectracolorservices.com

 

[Kooch]

No it definitely doesn't have a control panel. When you print out the configuration page though it does have a line that says ORIENTATION = P (Portrait) so that information is stored in the printer somewhere.

I don't know the program well enough to insert PCL code into the reports it generates which is why I was asking about changing the default setting.

Any other thoughts? Can I change the default font size for every print job?

Thanks anyways though.

 

[jlasman]

Try the following link to the 6p remote control panel. Maybe it will let you set defaults.

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsuppor...en&cc=us&swItem=lj810ee&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN

Jim Asman

http://www.spectracolorservices.com

 

[Kooch]

That's perfect. Exactly what I needed. Thanks a ton!

 

[Buff1]

when copying a file to the printer containing pcl code,
be sure and use the /b option (binary) !! as jlasman stated.

using
copy my.text lpt1:
will have different results than
copy my.text /b lpt1:
when pcl is involved (or any control codes for a printer)