PCL 5 drivers

PCL 5 printers use escape sequences to select fonts. The escape sequences are not the same for all printer models, so you must make sure to use the correct escape sequences for your printer model.

As long as you use the correct driver for your printer, all fonts entries defined in the *.drs file for this driver have the correct escape sequences. This means that if all fonts you are using are defined in the *.drs file you do not need to edit any font entries.

If you are using a font that is not defined in the *.drs file you must create a custom driver for the printer and add a new entry for this font to this *.drs file. Since the escape sequences are driver specific settings this also applies if you are using Type Manager.

Note:

You cannot use a font substitution table to add font entries with escape sequences or other driver specific settings.

You can use Windows Driver Tool to create new font entries. Before you create font entries you must use the printer menu to print a list of all PCL fonts installed on the printer. This list includes the escape sequences for the fonts.

The escape sequence for a proportional font may include <esc>(s1pv0s0b16602T. If you want to add the font as a readfont, you must replace <esc> with <1B> and divide the sequence into one SelectPrefix and one SelectPostfix section:

SelectPrefix "<1B>(s1p" SelectPostfix "v0s0b16602T"

Example 51

Readfont entry for the TTF font Century

Font "Arial" ReadFont "arial.ttf" 
SelectPrefix "<1B>(s1p" SelectPostfix "v0s0b16602T" 
Codepage "Ansi"

 

The escape sequence for a monospaced font may include <esc>(s0p16.67h15v0s0b3T. If you want to add the font as a width table font you must replace <esc> with <1B> and specify the size and CPI for each font size entry:

Size NN SelectPrefix "<1B>(s0p10h10v0s0b3T" CPI NN

Example 52

Width table font entries for the TTF font Courier

Font "Courier" WidthTable 8
Size 10 SelectPrefix "<1B>(s0p12h12v0s0b3T" CPI 12
Size 12 SelectPrefix "<1B>(s0p10h10v0s0b3T" CPI 10

 

To add font entries

1	Create the font entries in Windows Driver Tool.

2	Open the temporary *.drs file and copy the font entries.

3	Paste the entries to the *.drs file of the custom PCL 5 driver. For example:

Font "Arial" ReadFont "arial.ttf" 
SelectPrefix "Arial" Codepage "Ansi"

4	Replace the SelectPrefix entries with the modified escape sequences. For example:

Font "Arial" ReadFont "arial.ttf" 
SelectPrefix "<1B>(s1p" SelectPostfix "v0s0b16602T" 
Codepage "Ansi"

To add mapfont entries

1	Open the font substitution table or driver file.

2	Add the mapfont entries. For example:

mapfont "Times_New_Roman_bold_underline" "Arial_bold"