Also:
The Simple Color (Esc*r#U) command, sometimes referred to as Set Planes Per Row, allows color selection from a fixed palette. CMY or RGB raster data must be transferred by plane (Esc*b#V) as well as by row (Esc*b#W). The pixel encoding mode is indexed planar. Simple Color Esc * r # U (also known as Set Planes Per Row) Creates a fixed-size palette whose color specification cannot be modified.
The absolute value of the value field indicates the number of planes per row of raster data to be sent. The number of entries in the new palette is 2n, with index values 0 to 2n -1. For example a 4-plane palette has 16 entries, with index numbers 0 to 15.
This command creates a new palette and overwrites the current palette. PCL commands that modify the palette (Esc*v#A, Esc*v#B, Esc*v#C, Esc*v#I) are locked out. When a Simple Color palette is popped from the stack (Esc*p#P), it cannot be modified; and pixel encoding mode reverts to indexed planar.
A value field of 1 creates a 2-entry black and white default LaserJet palette.
A value field of 3 creates an 8-entry Device RGB palette (compatible with a PCL Imaging Mode palette.) The colors are 0=Black, 1=Red, 2=Green, 3=Yellow, 4=Blue, 5=Magenta, 6=Cyan, 7=White
A value field of -3 creates an 8-entry palette in Device CMY (3 planes) color space. The colors are 0=White, 1=Cyan, 2=Magenta, 3=Blue, 4=Yellow, 5=Green, 6=Red, 7=Black
A value field of -4 supports 4-plane Device KCMY color. Plane 1 is the black pen, and planes 2, 3, and 4 respectively are the CMY planes.
A simple example to show how to print 3 lines of text each in a different color: ESC*p0P ESC*r3U ESC*v1STEST ESC*p1P ESC*v1S" The 1 in *v1S could be changed for other forground colors,
The following shows a simple 3 plane color graphics PCL file output that prints CMY colors, then blends them to produce BLACK, RED, GREEN and BLUE. Thanks to Roy Feague, you can down load this example as a binary file: bin3.pcl
PCL Codes HEX Data (Run Length Compression) Description ---------- --------------------------------------- ------------- <esc>E Reset printer <esc>*r-3U Simple color(3 plane) <esc>*r0A Start raster <esc>*b1M Compression method <esc>*b16V 08FF 0800 0800 0800 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b16V 0800 08FF 0800 0800 08FF 08FF 0800 08FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b16W 0800 0800 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF 08FF 0800 (Yellow data) <esc>*b16V 08FF 0800 0800 0800 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b16V 0800 08FF 0800 0800 08FF 08FF 0800 08FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b16W 0800 0800 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF 08FF 0800 (Yellow data) <esc>*b16V 08FF 0800 0800 0800 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b16V 0800 08FF 0800 0800 08FF 08FF 0800 08FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b16W 0800 0800 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF 08FF 0800 (Yellow data) <esc>*b16V 08FF 0800 0800 0800 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b16V 0800 08FF 0800 0800 08FF 08FF 0800 08FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b16W 0800 0800 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF 08FF 0800 (Yellow data) <esc>*b16V 08FF 0800 0800 0800 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b16V 0800 08FF 0800 0800 08FF 08FF 0800 08FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b16W 0800 0800 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF 08FF 0800 (Yellow data) <esc>*b16V 08FF 0800 0800 0800 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b16V 0800 08FF 0800 0800 08FF 08FF 0800 08FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b16W 0800 0800 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF 08FF 0800 (Yellow data) <esc>*b16V 08FF 0800 0800 0800 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b16V 0800 08FF 0800 0800 08FF 08FF 0800 08FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b16W 0800 0800 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF 08FF 0800 (Yellow data) <esc>*b16V 08FF 0800 0800 0800 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b16V 0800 08FF 0800 0800 08FF 08FF 0800 08FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b16W 0800 0800 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF 08FF 0800 (Yellow data) <esc>*b16V 08FF 0800 0800 0800 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b16V 0800 08FF 0800 0800 08FF 08FF 0800 08FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b16W 0800 0800 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF 08FF 0800 (Yellow data) <esc>*b16V 08FF 0800 0800 0800 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b16V 0800 08FF 0800 0800 08FF 08FF 0800 08FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b16W 0800 0800 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF 08FF 0800 (Yellow data) <esc>*rC End Raster <esc>E Reset printer
The following shows a simple test of some colored text using the KCMY space in a 4 color plane. Because the data is text rather than graphics, the *v#S command is used to pick colors from the palette.
E *r-4U *v1S This is a test of True Black" *v2S This is a test of Cyan" *v4S This is a test of Magenta" *v6S This is a test of Blue" *v8S This is a test of Yellow" *v10S This is a test of Green" *v12S This is a test of Red" *v14S This is a test of Process Black" E
The following shows a simple 4 plane color graphics PCL file output that prints KCMY colors, then blends them to produce BLACK, RED, GREEN and BLUE. Thanks to Roy Feague, you can down load this example as a binary file: FourPlane.pcl
Note: Not all color printers support this mode. The CLJ CP3505 does not.
PCL Codes HEX Data (Run Length Compression) Description ---------- -------------------------------------------- ------------- <esc>E Reset printer <esc>*r-4U Simple color(4 plane) <esc>*r0A Start raster <esc>*b1M Compression method <esc>*b18V 08FF 0800 0800 0800 0100 0800 0800 0800 0800 (Black data) <esc>*b18V 0800 08FF 0800 0800 0100 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b18V 0800 0800 08FF 0800 0100 08FF 08FF 0800 08FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b18W 0800 0800 0800 08FF 0100 08FF 08FF 08FF 0800 (Yellow data) <esc>*b18V 08FF 0800 0800 0800 0100 0800 0800 0800 0800 (Black data) <esc>*b18V 0800 08FF 0800 0800 0100 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b18V 0800 0800 08FF 0800 0100 08FF 08FF 0800 08FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b18W 0800 0800 0800 08FF 0100 08FF 08FF 08FF 0800 (Yellow data) <esc>*b18V 08FF 0800 0800 0800 0100 0800 0800 0800 0800 (Black data) <esc>*b18V 0800 08FF 0800 0800 0100 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b18V 0800 0800 08FF 0800 0100 08FF 08FF 0800 08FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b18W 0800 0800 0800 08FF 0100 08FF 08FF 08FF 0800 (Yellow data) <esc>*b18V 08FF 0800 0800 0800 0100 0800 0800 0800 0800 (Black data) <esc>*b18V 0800 08FF 0800 0800 0100 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b18V 0800 0800 08FF 0800 0100 08FF 08FF 0800 08FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b18W 0800 0800 0800 08FF 0100 08FF 08FF 08FF 0800 (Yellow data) <esc>*b18V 08FF 0800 0800 0800 0100 0800 0800 0800 0800 (Black data) <esc>*b18V 0800 08FF 0800 0800 0100 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b18V 0800 0800 08FF 0800 0100 08FF 08FF 0800 08FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b18W 0800 0800 0800 08FF 0100 08FF 08FF 08FF 0800 (Yellow data) <esc>*b18V 08FF 0800 0800 0800 0100 0800 0800 0800 0800 (Black data) <esc>*b18V 0800 08FF 0800 0800 0100 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b18V 0800 0800 08FF 0800 0100 08FF 08FF 0800 08FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b18W 0800 0800 0800 08FF 0100 08FF 08FF 08FF 0800 (Yellow data) <esc>*b18V 08FF 0800 0800 0800 0100 0800 0800 0800 0800 (Black data) <esc>*b18V 0800 08FF 0800 0800 0100 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b18V 0800 0800 08FF 0800 0100 08FF 08FF 0800 08FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b18W 0800 0800 0800 08FF 0100 08FF 08FF 08FF 0800 (Yellow data) <esc>*b18V 08FF 0800 0800 0800 0100 0800 0800 0800 0800 (Black data) <esc>*b18V 0800 08FF 0800 0800 0100 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b18V 0800 0800 08FF 0800 0100 08FF 08FF 0800 08FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b18W 0800 0800 0800 08FF 0100 08FF 08FF 08FF 0800 (Yellow data) <esc>*b18V 08FF 0800 0800 0800 0100 0800 0800 0800 0800 (Black data) <esc>*b18V 0800 08FF 0800 0800 0100 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b18V 0800 0800 08FF 0800 0100 08FF 08FF 0800 08FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b18W 0800 0800 0800 08FF 0100 08FF 08FF 08FF 0800 (Yellow data) <esc>*b18V 08FF 0800 0800 0800 0100 0800 0800 0800 0800 (Black data) <esc>*b18V 0800 08FF 0800 0800 0100 08FF 0800 08FF 08FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b18V 0800 0800 08FF 0800 0100 08FF 08FF 0800 08FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b18W 0800 0800 0800 08FF 0100 08FF 08FF 08FF 0800 (Yellow data) <esc>*rC End Raster <esc>E Reset printer
Configure Raster Data (CRD)
The following shows a simple CRD 4 plane color graphics PCL file output that prints KCMY colors, then blends them to produce BLACK, RED, GREEN and BLUE.
PCL Codes HEX Data (Run Length Compression) Description ---------- -------------------------------------------- ------------- <esc>E Reset printer <esc>*g26W 02 04 01 2C 01 2C 00 02 01 2C 01 2C 00 02 01 Config Raster Data 2C 01 2C 00 02 01 2C 01 2C 00 02 <esc>*r0A Start raster <esc>*b1M Compression method <esc>*b18V 24FF 2400 2400 2400 0100 2400 2400 2400 2400 (Black data) <esc>*b18V 2400 24FF 2400 2400 0100 24FF 2400 24FF 24FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b18V 2400 2400 24FF 2400 0100 24FF 24FF 2400 24FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b18W 2400 2400 2400 24FF 0100 24FF 24FF 24FF 2400 (Yellow data) <esc>*b18V 24FF 2400 2400 2400 0100 2400 2400 2400 2400 (Black data) <esc>*b18V 2400 24FF 2400 2400 0100 24FF 2400 24FF 24FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b18V 2400 2400 24FF 2400 0100 24FF 24FF 2400 24FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b18W 2400 2400 2400 24FF 0100 24FF 24FF 24FF 2400 (Yellow data) <esc>*b18V 24FF 2400 2400 2400 0100 2400 2400 2400 2400 (Black data) <esc>*b18V 2400 24FF 2400 2400 0100 24FF 2400 24FF 24FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b18V 2400 2400 24FF 2400 0100 24FF 24FF 2400 24FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b18W 2400 2400 2400 24FF 0100 24FF 24FF 24FF 2400 (Yellow data) <esc>*b18V 24FF 2400 2400 2400 0100 2400 2400 2400 2400 (Black data) <esc>*b18V 2400 24FF 2400 2400 0100 24FF 2400 24FF 24FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b18V 2400 2400 24FF 2400 0100 24FF 24FF 2400 24FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b18W 2400 2400 2400 24FF 0100 24FF 24FF 24FF 2400 (Yellow data) <esc>*b18V 24FF 2400 2400 2400 0100 2400 2400 2400 2400 (Black data) <esc>*b18V 2400 24FF 2400 2400 0100 24FF 2400 24FF 24FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b18V 2400 2400 24FF 2400 0100 24FF 24FF 2400 24FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b18W 2400 2400 2400 24FF 0100 24FF 24FF 24FF 2400 (Yellow data) <esc>*b18V 24FF 2400 2400 2400 0100 2400 2400 2400 2400 (Black data) <esc>*b18V 2400 24FF 2400 2400 0100 24FF 2400 24FF 24FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b18V 2400 2400 24FF 2400 0100 24FF 24FF 2400 24FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b18W 2400 2400 2400 24FF 0100 24FF 24FF 24FF 2400 (Yellow data) <esc>*b18V 24FF 2400 2400 2400 0100 2400 2400 2400 2400 (Black data) <esc>*b18V 2400 24FF 2400 2400 0100 24FF 2400 24FF 24FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b18V 2400 2400 24FF 2400 0100 24FF 24FF 2400 24FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b18W 2400 2400 2400 24FF 0100 24FF 24FF 24FF 2400 (Yellow data) <esc>*b18V 24FF 2400 2400 2400 0100 2400 2400 2400 2400 (Black data) <esc>*b18V 2400 24FF 2400 2400 0100 24FF 2400 24FF 24FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b18V 2400 2400 24FF 2400 0100 24FF 24FF 2400 24FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b18W 2400 2400 2400 24FF 0100 24FF 24FF 24FF 2400 (Yellow data) <esc>*b18V 24FF 2400 2400 2400 0100 2400 2400 2400 2400 (Black data) <esc>*b18V 2400 24FF 2400 2400 0100 24FF 2400 24FF 24FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b18V 2400 2400 24FF 2400 0100 24FF 24FF 2400 24FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b18W 2400 2400 2400 24FF 0100 24FF 24FF 24FF 2400 (Yellow data) <esc>*b18V 24FF 2400 2400 2400 0100 2400 2400 2400 2400 (Black data) <esc>*b18V 2400 24FF 2400 2400 0100 24FF 2400 24FF 24FF (Cyan data) <esc>*b18V 2400 2400 24FF 2400 0100 24FF 24FF 2400 24FF (Magenta data) <esc>*b18W 2400 2400 2400 24FF 0100 24FF 24FF 24FF 2400 (Yellow data) <esc>*rC End Raster <esc>E Reset printer
Questions:
Thanks James.. :) If you could, could you point me to some material where I may learn to set up a palette using PCLXL? I've been searching everywhere and can't seem to find one.. Thanks in advance! :)James Newton of Massmind replies: Check the PCL 6 page for a link to the HP technical reference on PCLXL.
Is there an equivalent for something like this in PCLXL? Or is it possible to use PCL5 passthrough in PCLXL for this? If so, how is it done and what other concerns could arise? Thanks..James Newton of Massmind replies: I do not believe it is possible to mix PCL6 (PCLXL) and PCL 5 on the same page.
What's the most straightforward way to convert these examples to a valid PCL file so I can send them to my printer? I've been manually reconstructing the file in a hex editor, which is very painful. Thanks!
Roy Feague
CEO, Satori Labs
James Newton replies: There is a hex to ASCII converter at the ASCII page, but I am not sure if it will manage the binary result. quickedit from movsd.com will allow you to paste in a block of hex and convert it to binary. When you get them done, if you email them to me I will host them here for the next user.
HI, I am working with an embedded cpu using 'C'. We currently have an HP Paint Jet and a HP Desk Jet that both print in color well. I now have a HP Laser Jet 2550 and I cannot get it to print in color. It looks like it is using planes but always prints in black. What command(s) am I missing? Also, I am using 4 planes. Is that correct?
James Newton replies: What commands are you sending to get color from the PCL4 printers?
Darin Weffenstette replies: I am also developing an embedded product. I have noticed a similar behavior with the HP Color LaserJet 2605dn. My code is using 3-layer CMY simple color mode. All other printers I've tried do the color fine. Does the 2605 not support CMY colors? That would be pretty weird. Mike, my code used to use 4-layer KCMY. This didn't work on many color laser printers, the 3-layer works much better.
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