Escape sequences ??

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

InOverMyHead - 30 May 2007 06:21 GMT

How can I send escape sequences to a (PCL-5 LaserJet) printer. Maybe a
command-line entry?? or put into a batch file? [Didn't we used to embed
these things in Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheets to get the right orientation &
font? Wow - that was a long time ago.]

For example, to eject a page - <Esc>?&l0H

Is there any little utility program that will pass the common sequences to a
printer? Or is it a hex editor I need? If so, how do I enter the <Esc> ?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

<ESC>E<ESC>(s12HBob<ESC>E

Reply to this Message

Christoph Lindemann - 30 May 2007 13:12 GMT

You can use "Downloader 2006" from Cyrion Technologies. It is free, and has
all kinds of nifty PCL functionality.
http://www.cyrtech.de/progs/dl2006/dl2006.htm

Signature

Christoph Lindemann
Undocumented Printing
http://www.undocprint.org/

> How can I send escape sequences to a (PCL-5 LaserJet) printer. Maybe a
> command-line entry?? or put into a batch file? [Didn't we used to embed
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> <ESC>E<ESC>(s12HBob<ESC>E

Reply to this Message

Warren Block - 30 May 2007 14:43 GMT

> How can I send escape sequences to a (PCL-5 LaserJet) printer.

It depends on how the printer is connected and what you're trying to
achieve.

> Maybe a command-line entry??

Sure.

> or put into a batch file?

Yes.

> [Didn't we used to embed these things in Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheets to
> get the right orientation & font? Wow - that was a long time ago.]

Things have changed greatly since then. Many print jobs are now just
big bitmaps. Those that are character-based will try to initialize the
printer to a known state, overriding the escape sequences you've sent.
Which is often no loss, since the print job has been laid out so that
unexpected changes would break it anyway.

> For example, to eject a page - <Esc>?&l0H
>
> Is there any little utility program that will pass the common sequences to a
> printer?

Probably. It would depend on what operating system you use and how the
printer is connected.

Signature

Warren Block * Rapid City, South Dakota * USA

Reply to this Message