Printer Protocol Interpreter (PPI) DGL™ Programmer’s Reference Manual for DGL, a Datamax® DPL™ Printer Protocol Interpreter Thermal Series Printers
Printer Protocol Interpreter (PPI) DGL Programmer’s Reference Manual for DGL, a Datamax DPL Printer Protocol Interpreter Thermal Series Printers
Trademark Acknowledgments DPL is a trademark and Datamax is a registered trademark of Datamax Technologies Corporation. PPI is a trademark of Printronix, Inc. Printronix and PSA are registered trademarks of Printronix, Inc. COPYRIGHT © 2006 PRINTRONIX, INC. All rights reserved.
Table of Contents 1 Introduction ......................................................... 11 About This Manual............................................................................... 11 Coax/Twinax Interface Requirements ........................................... 11 PPI/DGL SETUP Menu........................................................................ 12 PPI/DGL SETUP Submenu........................................................... 13 Active ..................................................
Table of Contents STX I - Input Image Data ........................................................ 18 STX i - Downloading Scalable Fonts ...................................... 18 STX K - Extended-System Commands .................................. 18 STX KE - Character Encoding ................................................ 18 STX k - Test RS-232 Port ....................................................... 18 STX L - Enter Label-Formatting Command ............................
Table of Contents n Set Inch Mode (Imperial) ..................................................... 23 P Set Print Speed ................................................................... 23 Q Set Quantity Of Labels To Print .......................................... 23 R Set Row Offset Amount....................................................... 23 r Recall Stored Label Format.................................................. 23 S Set Slew Rate.............................................................
Table of Contents STX Kx - Delete Configuration File......................................... 29 STX Kb - Backfeed Time Delay .............................................. 30 STX K- - Top of Form, Offset Distance................................... 30 STX KD Database Configuration ............................................ 30 STX KI - GPIO Input ............................................................... 30 STX KM - Configure Internal Memory Module Size................ 30 STX KO - GPIO Output........
Table of Contents Bi-Directional Communications............................................... 41 Cutter Commands................................................................... 41 Emulations .............................................................................. 42 Printer Configuration............................................................... 42 Command Reference.............................................................. 42 A Configuration Setting Compatibility.....................
Table of Contents
1 Introduction About This Manual This manual explains the differences between the Printer Protocol Interpreter Datamax Graphic Language (DGL) Utility and the Datamax® DPL™ language. Use this manual with your SL500r/T5000r User’s Manual for complete printerprotocol operation. NOTE: When substituting a Datamax printer with an SL5000r/T5000r printer, refer to DGL Menu Conversions on page 45.
Chapter 1 PPI/DGL SETUP Menu PPI/DGL SETUP Menu PPI/DGL SETUP Active Character Set Yes* No PC-8 CP437* Roman 8 Spanish Swedish English Ascii Win3.0 Latin 1 Win3.1 Latin 1 Win3.1 Latin 2 8859-2 Latin 2 Win3.1 Latin 5 8859-5 Latin 5 Italian Euro Character 128* (0..255) Control Codes Standard* CC: 1 1* (0..255) CC: 1 2* (0..255) CC: 1 13* (0..255) CC: 1 27* (0..
PPI/DGL SETUP Submenu PPI/DGL SETUP Con’t Notes: * = Factory Default. 1 These menus are only present when ‘User Defined’ is selected in the ‘Control Codes’ menu. 2 These menus are only present when ‘Admin User’ is set to ‘Enable’ in the ‘PRINTER CONTROL’ menu. 0* (0-99.99 Inch Row Offset Column Offset 0* (0-99.99 inch Format Attrib. XOR* Error Handling Off* Vert.
Chapter 1 PPI/DGL SETUP Menu Euro Character Allows the operator to select the position of the Euro character in the code page. Control Codes Allows the operator to change the prefix of the software commands interpreted by the printer.
PPI/DGL SETUP Submenu Row Offset Shifts the vertical start of the print position. This is the user setting for row adjustment. • 0 (0 to 99.99 Inch or 999.9 mm) The default is 0. NOTE: The Label Formatting command [R] only temporarily overrides this setting; it reverts back to this setting after the current label format is finished. Column Offset Shifts the horizontal, left-justified start of the print position to the right without shifting the Label Width termination point to the right.
Chapter 1 PPI/DGL SETUP Menu Vertical DPI Adjust This option fine adjusts the resolution used to scale the page elements/ coordinates. In cases where the printed label length is incorrect, the vertical resolution value DGL uses for calculations can be fine adjusted by this menu between -100 and +100. Negative values result in a lower DPI value and thus a longer label. Positive values result in a higher DPI value, and thus a shorter label.
2 Fully Supported Commands System-Level Command Functions STX A - Set Time and Date This command sets the time and date. The initial setting of the date will be stored in the printer’s internal memory. This date can be verified by printing a configuration label. STX a - Enable Feedback Characters This command enables the feedback ASCII HEX characters 07, 1E, and 1F to be returned from the printer following specific events.
Chapter 2 STX F - Form Feed This commands the printer to form feed one label. STX G - Print Last Label Format This command prints a previously formatted label and restarts a canceled batch job after the last processed label. This is used when there is a label format in the print buffer. The E command is used to enter the quantity. STX I - Input Image Data This command must precede image data downloading from a host computer to the printer.
System-Level Command Functions terminated with E, s, or X, (see Label-Formatting Commands for additional information.) STX m - Set Printer To Metric This command sets the printer to interpret measurements as metric values (e.g., c0100 will equal 10.0mm). See n. STX n - Set Printer to Imperial (Inches) This command sets the printer to interpret measurements as Imperial values (e.g., c0100 will equal 1.00 inch). See m.
Chapter 2 STX V - Software Settings Printer options are set by entering selections through the menu. The software setting command allows two of these option settings to be modified without returning to the menu. Choosing the appropriate values allow the option(s) to be turned ‘On’ or ‘Off’. Each has a corresponding bit whose value is 1 when enabled. Enabling the Cutter bit selects ‘Cut’ Media Handling, and the Present bit selects ‘Tear-Off’.
Label Formatting Command Functions strip of labels. Between 1 and 9999 labels may be printed before a cut is made. The amount must be smaller than the quantity of labels printed. + (>) Make Last Field Entered Increment Numeric (Alphanumeric) The printer is capable of automatically incrementing fields on each label of a batch. This command is useful to print labels numbered in sequence. The data in the field will increment by the value after the + sign, each time a label is printed.
Chapter 2 the pre-printed data.) The ‘C’ command instructs the printer to print label formats nnnn units to the right of the position that the format specifies. c - Set Cut By Amount This command is the same as the ‘:’ command except only a two-digit value can be entered. This command allows a predetermined number of labels to be printed before a cut is made. 1 to 99 labels may be printed before a cut is made.
Label Formatting Command Functions beginning with register A, ending at register P, and incrementing with each instance of the G command use. H - Enter Heat Setting This command changes the “on time” of elements of the printhead. (The default setting can be changed through the keypad). An increase or decrease in this value results in a change of heat applied by the printhead to the media, lightening or darkening the print contrast accordingly.
Chapter 2 S Set Slew Rate This command sets the rate for the printer to feed non-printed areas of the label through the printer. The slew rate remains unchanged unless another slew rate command is sent, the printer is reset or a new rate is set via the menu. s Store Label Format In Module This command stores a label format in a specified module. Supplying memory module name A, B, or D will store the label to that module.
Font Loading Command Functions STX S Recall Global Data And Place In Field Once a global register has been defined, its contents can be used as data in other fields. When the printer receives the command Sn in a format record data field, it will place data from the specified global register into the data field, (see Label-Formatting Command G). Global registers contain the data in the first A through P format record data fields.
Chapter 2 F(1): EAN-13 G(1): EAN-8 H(1): Health Industry Barcode (HBIC) (Code 39 barcode with a modulo 43 checksum) I(1): Codabar J(1): Interleaved 2 of 5 with a modulo 10 checksum K(1): Plessey (See Partially Supported Commands) L(1): Interleaved 2 of 5 with a modulo 10 checksum and shipping bearer bars M(1): 2-digit UPC addendum N(1): 5-digit UPC addendum O(1): Code 93 P: Postnet Q(1): UCC/EAN Code 128 (See Partially Supported Commands) R(1): UCC/EAN Code128 K-MART NON EDI barcode.
3 Command Enhancements And Differences For more information on SOH command functionality, refer to the BiDirectional Communications section on page 41. SOH # - Reset This command resets the printer. Resetting the printer returns all settings to default and clears both the communications and printing buffers. The command also clears the internal RAM memory. (Not supported.) SOH *- Reset This command resets the printer.
Chapter 3 SOH E - Send Batch Quantity This command causes the printer to send back a 4-digit number indicating the quantity of labels left to print in the current batch, followed by a carriage return. Communications latency may cause this value to be higher than actual on some printers. (Not supported.
power-up the printer while pressing the PAUSE and CANCEL keys; or, 3) via the printer’s menu system entry System Settings / Set Factory Defaults. (Not supported.) STX KF - Select Factory Defaults This command restores the printer’s configuration to the “factory default” settings. These factory default values may be either the Datamax default settings or the configuration file previously specified in the Kd command. (Not supported.
Chapter 3 STX Kb - Backfeed Time Delay (Obsolete Extended System Command). STX K- - Top of Form, Offset Distance (Obsolete Extended System Command). STX KD Database Configuration (Obsolete Extended System Command). STX KI - GPIO Input (Obsolete Extended System Command). STX KM - Configure Internal Memory Module Size (Obsolete Extended System Command). STX KO - GPIO Output (Obsolete Extended System Command). STX KR - Reset Memory Configuration (Obsolete Extended System Command).
STX P - Character (HEX) Dump Mode This command instructs the printer to enter the Character Hex Dump Mode (ASCII Dump / “monitor mode”). All data sent to the printer following this command will be printed in the raw ASCII format. Labels must be at least four inches (102mm) long and as wide as the maximum print width. This command has the same effect as turning the printer ‘On’ while pressing the FEED button; in this case however, a Configuration and Test label will be printed.
Chapter 3 received, the printer will respond with the internal A-D sensor values, see table below. To repeat the display of values, send the printer a ‘SPACE’ (20 hexadecimal). Send to terminate the function. (Not supported.) STX Z - Print Internal Information This command prints the configuration. To capture all printed information, use labels as wide as the print width and at least 4 inches (102mm) long. (Not supported.
f - Set Present Speed (Not supported.) M - Select Mirror Mode This command instructs the printer to “mirror” all subsequent print field records. This command toggles the mirroring mode. Mirrored fields are transposed visually, as if the object is viewed in a Printed Result. (Not supported.) p - Set Label Backup Speed This command is used for the “Peel and Present” and “Cut Label Operations”.
Chapter 3 Fonts See the tables below for the different types of fonts that will be available. All Single-Byte fonts will be supported, and will be available in DGL by default. Double-Byte support has not been planned.
Internal Bitmapped Non-Proportional fonts: Description Type DPI Height Width Spacing Point Size Agfa Typeface (b) 0 96-character alphanumeric font, uppercase and lowercase. 203 7 5 1 2.5 300 10 7 1 2.4 1 145-character uppercase and lowercase alphanumeric font that includes desenders and ascenders. 203 13 7 2 4.6 300 19 10 3 4.6 2 138-character alphanumeric upper and lowercase font. 203 18 10 2 6.4 300 27 15 3 6.5 3 62-character alphanumeric uppercase font. 203 27 14 2 9.6 300 40 21 3 9.
Chapter 3 ISmooth, Scalable and Downloaded fonts: Size field (eee) A04 – A72(1) 000 - 010(1) S00 S01 SA0 SA1 SA2 SA3 U40 u40 UC0 uC0 UH0 uH0 100 - 999 S50 - S5z... S90 - S9z U50 -U5z... U90 -U9z u50 -u5z...
Codepages Resident Bitmap Fonts The Resident Bitmap fonts don’t use different codepages; the characters are mapped at predefined positions, defined in the table below. See the print samples in Appendix C in the ‘Class Series Programmers Manual’ for the reference characters.
Chapter 3 Downloading Bitmap Fonts The Font-loading commands are used to download bitmap-fonts in the PCL-4 (HP LaserJet II) format. Downloading Scalable Fonts Two types of Scalable fonts can be downloaded to the printer with i command: ·IntelliFont (.CDI) Not Supported. ·TrueType (.TTF) Advanced Format Attributes Advanced Format Attributes can be used to manipulate the font / string attributes. They can even affect partial strings by embedding them in the text data stream.
UCC/EAN Code 128 DGL follows the UCC standards, and requires the amount of data that is defined for the provided AI (Application Identifier). For example, with barcode ‘Q’ the required amount of data is 19 according to the Datamax manual. An AI of ‘00’ requires 19 databytes, however, Datamax also prints the barcode when 19 databytes are provided with another AI. DGL does not; the amount of data required is based only on the provided AI.
Chapter 3 Images Images can be downloaded to the printer to be stored in Flash or DRAM in the following formats using the I Command. Image Formats: ID F B b I I P P Format 7-bit Datamax image load file .BMP 8-bit format (image will be flipped) black & white .BMP 8-bit format (save image as received) black & white .IMG 8-bit format (image will be flipped) black & white .IMG 8-bit format (save image as received) black & white .PCX 8-bit format (image will be flipped) black & white .
Module Operations: Cmd x q Q z W X w t Kp Description File delete from module Module clear Modules, clear all Module, compress Module, directory request Module, set default Module, FLASH memory Test Module, RAM memory Test Module Protection Comment Supported Supported Supported Not Supported Partially Supported Supported Do the stutus report, always oke Do the stutus report, always oke Not Supported DGL will emulate 2 different Modules: Ram and Flash.
Chapter 3 The Media Handling menu setting can be set up through the Software Switch Setting command V. Enabling the Cutter bit selects ‘Cut’ Media Handling, and the Present bit selects ‘Tear-Off’. Disabling cutter or present bit selects media handling setting ‘Continuous’. The V command can be ignored by setting the DGL Advanced-User menu ‘Soft. Switch (V)’ to Ignore.
Y Output Sensor Values DataMax Values do not correspond with PTX values. D Memory Dump (Test Mode Only) d Set Printer to double buffer mode s Set Printer to single buffer mode This only affects the internal processing of dynamic fields, cannot be changed in DGL, which always prints using display list.
Chapter 3 KO GPIO Output PTX has its own GPIO configuration methods KS Configure Scalable Font Cache Size PTX Font cache is configured in PRINTER CONTROL Menu P Enter Character Dump Mode HexDump Mode is available in DIAGNOSTICS Menu T Printhead Dot Pattern Test Label Z Print Configuration and Dot Pattern Labels DIAGNOSTICS -> Printer Tests J Set Pause for each label p Controlled Pause These commands can be supported by using PAA to filter out the commands, and h
A Configuration Setting Compatibility The tables below list the Datamax configuration setting along with a description of its behaviour on Datamax printers, and the corresponding Printronix menu setting. Table 1. Media Settings menu Datamax Setting Description PTX Setting MEDIA TYPE Selects the printing method. DIRECT THERMAL, *THERMAL TRANSFER MEDIA-CONTROL → Print Mode Direct, *Transfer SENSOR TYPE Selects the top-of-form (TOF) sensingmethod for the media.
Appendix A Table 1. Media Settings menu Datamax Setting Description PTX Setting LABEL WIDTH Sets the maximum limit for the printable surface width. Objects extending beyond this limit will NOT print. *04.10, 06.61 or 08.52 (0 08.52) MEDIA-CONTROL → Label Width *04.1, 06.6 or 08.5 (00.1 to 08.5 inches) SENSOR CALIBRATION Adjusts the printer to sense your media. CALIBRATE CTRL Table 2. Print Control Menu Datamax Setting Description PTX Setting HEAT Controls the ‘burn-time’ of the printhead.
Table 2. Print Control Menu Datamax Setting CUSTOM ADJUSTMENTS Description For finetuning the following settings: DARKNESS XX (1-64) PRESENT ADJUST XXX DOTS (0-128) ROW ADJUST XXX DOTS (100 to100) COLUMN ADJUST XXX DOTS (0-128) PTX Setting N/A N/A MEDIA-CONTROL → Ver Image Shift and Hor Image Shift (-1.00 to 1.00 inch) Table 3. Printer Options Menu Datamax Setting Description PTX Setting MODULES Memory available for user storage of graphics, fonts and label formats.
Appendix A Table 3. Printer Options Menu Datamax Setting Description PTX Setting CUTTER Used to cut media into separate labels. ENABLED, *DISABLED, NOT INSTALLED MEDIA CONTROL → Media HandlingCut SCANNER Used to check the bar codes on the labels. VALIDATOR menu GPIO PORT Model dependant option used to interface the printer to an external controlling device. GPIO CONTROL menu and GPIO Manager Table 4.
Table 4. System Settings Menu Datamax Setting Description PTX Setting SCALEABLE FONT CACHE Sets the number of 1K blocks allocated for the scaleable font engine. *312 KB PRINTER CONTROL → Max Cache Memory 900 KBytes* (50 to 900 KBytes*) SINGLE BYTE SYMBOLS Selects the code page used to print single byte fonts unless otherwise specified in DPL.
Appendix A Table 4. System Settings Menu Datamax Setting Description PTX Setting FORMAT ATTRIBUTES Affects the manner in which overlapping text and graphics are treated as the label is printed. TRANSPARENT, *XOR, OPAQUE PPI/DGL SETUP → Format Attrib TRANSPARENT, *XOR, OPAQUE IMAGING MODE Instructs the printer whether to pre-image the label format. N/A PAUSE MODE When enabled, suspends printing between each label until the PAUSE Key is pressed.
Table 4. System Settings Menu Datamax Setting Description PTX Setting BACK AFTER PRINT When the present distance is set with the cutter, present sensor or GPIO option enabled, this setting determines the timing of the label back up. ENABLED, *DISABLED N/A MENU LANGUAGE Selects the language in which the menu system messages and configuration label are shown. PRINTER CONTROL → Display Language FAULT HANDLING LEVEL *1 2 VOID DISTANCE *0.25in (0-2.
Appendix A Table 5. Communications Menu Datamax Setting Description PTX Setting CONTROL CODES Allows the operator to change the prefix of the software commands interpreted by the printer. *STANDARD CODES ALTERNATE CODES ALTERNATE CODES 2 ALTERNATE CODES 3 PPI/DGL SETUP → Control Codes *Standard, Alternate1, Alternate2, User-defined FEEDBACK CHARACTERS Returns a Hex 1E, [RS], after each label successfully prints, and a Hex 1F, [US], after each batch of labels is printed.
B Contact Information Printronix Customer Support Center IMPORTANT Please have the following information available prior to calling the Printronix Customer Support Center: • • • • Model number Serial number (located on the back of the printer) Installed options (i.e., interface and host type if applicable to the problem) Configuration printout: Thermal Printer See “Printing A Configuration” in the Quick Setup Guide. Line Matrix Printer Press PRT CONFIG on the control panel, then press Enter.
Appendix B Corporate Offices Corporate Offices Printronix, Inc. 14600 Myford Road P.O. Box 19559 Irvine, CA 92623-9559 Phone: (714) 368-2300 Fax: (714) 368-2600 Printronix, Inc. Nederland BV P.O. Box 163, Nieuweweg 283 NL-6600 Ad Wijchen The Netherlands Phone: (31) 24 6489489 Fax: (31) 24 6489499 Printronix Schweiz GmbH 42 Changi South Street 1 Changi South Industrial Estate Singapore 486763 Phone: (65) 6542 0110 Fax: (65) 6546 1588 Visit the Printronix web site at www.printronix.
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