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PCL fonts
- Thread starter RNTH
- Start date
The {esc}(s#T sequence is part of a full primary font selection sequence.
Such a sequence can only select what is there; it does not create a font if it is not resident on the printer; if an exact match cannot be found, the printer substitutes the closest match, according to a predefined set of selection precedence rules.
As far as I am aware, none of the standard LaserJet models includes either the Kosmo or ArialBlack typefaces within the built-in resident set, so you could only use these if you do one of the following:
(1) Purchase a font cartridge (DIMM) holding the required fonts, and plug this into a spare slot on the device. Disadvantage is that cartridge can only be used on one device at a time.
(2) Purchase downloadable PCL format soft font equivalents of the PC-based fonts; these could be in bitmap format (i.e. single size) or scalable (either Intellifont (PCLEO) or TrueType (PCLETTO) encapsulated formats). Advantage is they could be downloaded to multiple devices.
(3) If you have the Windows TrueType versions of these fonts, some applications (e.g. Word) in conjunction with the printer driver, will generate an on-the-fly encapsulated PCL font (or rather, just a subset of this containing the characters to be printed from the document) and download this within the output print stream.
Such a sequence can only select what is there; it does not create a font if it is not resident on the printer; if an exact match cannot be found, the printer substitutes the closest match, according to a predefined set of selection precedence rules.
As far as I am aware, none of the standard LaserJet models includes either the Kosmo or ArialBlack typefaces within the built-in resident set, so you could only use these if you do one of the following:
(1) Purchase a font cartridge (DIMM) holding the required fonts, and plug this into a spare slot on the device. Disadvantage is that cartridge can only be used on one device at a time.
(2) Purchase downloadable PCL format soft font equivalents of the PC-based fonts; these could be in bitmap format (i.e. single size) or scalable (either Intellifont (PCLEO) or TrueType (PCLETTO) encapsulated formats). Advantage is they could be downloaded to multiple devices.
(3) If you have the Windows TrueType versions of these fonts, some applications (e.g. Word) in conjunction with the printer driver, will generate an on-the-fly encapsulated PCL font (or rather, just a subset of this containing the characters to be printed from the document) and download this within the output print stream.
Ec(s4T
should come close to Arial. As far as Black that depends
on your color setting although you can specify an amount of
boldness with (s#b i.e. Ec(s0b4T for example.
I don't have a clue about the other font because I'm not familiar with it.
You can create fonts (at least with the laserjets) but it's
rather involved. If you are using a laserjet, you might consider a soft font as Dan suggested.
should come close to Arial. As far as Black that depends
on your color setting although you can specify an amount of
boldness with (s#b i.e. Ec(s0b4T for example.
I don't have a clue about the other font because I'm not familiar with it.
You can create fonts (at least with the laserjets) but it's
rather involved. If you are using a laserjet, you might consider a soft font as Dan suggested.
- Thread starter
- #4
I don't know off-hand what the typeface ID values are for Kosmo or ArialBlack fonts.
In any case, there might be different values depending on the source of the font (e.g. original Courier was ID=3, but Courier on most modern LaserJet devices is ID=4099).
If you purchase a DIMM, or a soft font file, the vendors of the product should provide documentation which includes the full font selection sequence(s) for the included font(s).
As for the comment:
"you can specify an amount of boldness with (s#b i.e. Ec(s0b4T for example"
this again will only select what if already there; you can't force the printer to create (for example) an extra-bold, or demi-light, font if all that is printer-resident is a normal weight and a bold weight variant of that font.
In fact, with the font selection priority rules, selecting an extra-bold weight might cause the printer to use (as a closest match) an entirely different typeface (as this latter element is the least important in the priority list)
In any case, there might be different values depending on the source of the font (e.g. original Courier was ID=3, but Courier on most modern LaserJet devices is ID=4099).
If you purchase a DIMM, or a soft font file, the vendors of the product should provide documentation which includes the full font selection sequence(s) for the included font(s).
As for the comment:
"you can specify an amount of boldness with (s#b i.e. Ec(s0b4T for example"
this again will only select what if already there; you can't force the printer to create (for example) an extra-bold, or demi-light, font if all that is printer-resident is a normal weight and a bold weight variant of that font.
In fact, with the font selection priority rules, selecting an extra-bold weight might cause the printer to use (as a closest match) an entirely different typeface (as this latter element is the least important in the priority list)
As far as the arial typeface, 4T comes close from what I've seen and i've been using it for 20 years approx on laserjets, and you can always work around a bolder font by
reprinting the text with a small offset don't you think ?
(at least a little bolder).
Of course a lighter font as you pointed out is another story.
reprinting the text with a small offset don't you think ?
(at least a little bolder).
Of course a lighter font as you pointed out is another story.
There are several methods of achieving extra boldness:
(1) Use PCL6 (aka PCL XL) which provides various character enhancement features: boldness, skew (horizontal and/or vertical) and shear (horizontal and/or vertical). But this language is much more difficult to manipulate, and it is difficult to obtain documentation.
(2) Use a downloaded PCLETTO (PCL Encapulated TrueType Outline) font which includes a CE (Character Enhancement) segment (most don't).
(3) As buff1 points out, reprint the text with a small offset; this is the easiest to implement.
As regards typeface identifiers:
Family code=218 represents Arial; most modern LaserJet and clone devices include a variant of this font licensed from Monotype Corporation (vendor code=4), giving a typeface ID of (4*4096)+218 = 16602.
Selecting ID=218 will still select this typeface if there is not one present with ID=218 (and there usually isn't).
Arial was a substitute for Helvetica, to get over early licensing restrictions.
Family code=4 represents Helvetica; most modern LaserJet and clone devices now include a variant of this font licensed from one of the font vendors (not sure which, with vendor code=6), giving a typeface ID of (6*4096)+4 = 24580.
Selecting ID=4 will usually select this typeface if there is not one present with ID=4 (and there usually isn't; print off a PCL typeface list from the printer to check).
(1) Use PCL6 (aka PCL XL) which provides various character enhancement features: boldness, skew (horizontal and/or vertical) and shear (horizontal and/or vertical). But this language is much more difficult to manipulate, and it is difficult to obtain documentation.
(2) Use a downloaded PCLETTO (PCL Encapulated TrueType Outline) font which includes a CE (Character Enhancement) segment (most don't).
(3) As buff1 points out, reprint the text with a small offset; this is the easiest to implement.
As regards typeface identifiers:
Family code=218 represents Arial; most modern LaserJet and clone devices include a variant of this font licensed from Monotype Corporation (vendor code=4), giving a typeface ID of (4*4096)+218 = 16602.
Selecting ID=218 will still select this typeface if there is not one present with ID=218 (and there usually isn't).
Arial was a substitute for Helvetica, to get over early licensing restrictions.
Family code=4 represents Helvetica; most modern LaserJet and clone devices now include a variant of this font licensed from one of the font vendors (not sure which, with vendor code=6), giving a typeface ID of (6*4096)+4 = 24580.
Selecting ID=4 will usually select this typeface if there is not one present with ID=4 (and there usually isn't; print off a PCL typeface list from the printer to check).
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