The PCL Imaging Formatter is a superset of the PCL Formatter.
As such, the PCL Formatter (see "PCL" chapter) will drive a device
that supports the imaging extensions of PCL (but with reduced performance).
However, the PCL Imaging Formatter will not drive a device that
supports straight PCL with no imaging capabilities.
Note that the PCL Imaging Formatter takes advantage of the
inherent image processing capabilities of the newer generation of
hardcopy devices such as the Color LaserJet. Because of the added
image processing capabilities of the PCL Imaging Formatter, you
should use it instead of the PCL Formatter described in Chapter 3 “Printer Command Language Formatter”.
Read the chapter on "Storing Retrieving, and Printer Images"
in the Starbase Graphics Techniques manual
before reading this chapter.
The PCL Imaging Formatter permits hard copies from bitmaps
or a Starbase bitmap file to a color or monochromatic printer that
supports the imaging extension of PCL. If a device supports the
imaging extensions of PCL, it is able to process the raw bitmap
and raw color map data internally, creating the fully processed
image without the help of the host computer. Devices that do not
support these capabilities rely on the host computer to perform
all the image processing, treating the printer as a dumb PCL device.
These imaging extensions give an increase in performance, image
quality, and image processing options.
You can create hard copies using this formatter in the following
ways.
The HP-UX command pcltrans (see the Starbase
Reference manual for options) is used to print a previously
created Starbase bitmap file. Starbase bitmap files are created
using the Starbase Function bitmap_to_file,
dcbitmap_to_file,
or intbitmap_to_file.
The HP-UX command screenpr
(see the Starbase Reference manual for options)
is used to print a currently displayed bitmap. This command reads
only the display's image planes and current hardware color map.
Note that in X windows applications, the overlay planes will not
be printed.
The screenpr
command is supported on all Series 700 graphics displays.
Both the pcltrans
and screenpr
commands are capable of using or not using the PCL Imaging Formatter.
If you wish to use the PCL Imaging Formatter, as opposed to the
PCL Formatter (see PCL Formatter chapter), you must pass in a special
option that states the device you are using supports the imaging
extensions of PCL.
Currently, the PCL Imaging Formatter is not available through
the Starbase functions bitmap_print
and file_print.
If you invoke either of these functions while running a Starbase
Program, the image will be processed entirely by the host computer,
not by the device's image processing software.
Key Points of the PCL Imaging Formatter |
 |
The following devices work in conjunction with the PCL Imaging
Formatter:
PaintJet XL-300 in PCL5 mode
DeskJet 500C, 550C, 560C, 1200C
You can print in gray scale, monochromatic (black
and white), primary (red, green, blue, cyan, yellow, magenta, black
and white), or in color using the following color algorithms:
Prints can be sized using non-integer pixel scaling.
The default size is the entire size of the paper used in the printer.
Print size can also be determined by specifying destination dimensions
in inches.
Prints can be gamma-corrected by selecting one of
the printer's built-in gamma correction curves.
The PCL Imaging Formatter is not a Starbase driver
— you do not do moves, draws, etc. to the printer. Instead,
you process currently displayed bitmaps or previously created Starbase
bitmap files for output to the printer.
Printable version
