HP PCL/PJL reference (PCL 5 Color) - Technical Reference Manual
7-14 Color Vector Graphics (HP-GL/2) EN
PC (Pen Color) 
This command changes the pen color in a palette created by the IN or 
CID command (
?*v#W). The PC command defaults the colors of all 
pens as indicated in the table below. 
PC [pen [,primary1, primary2, primary3;]]
or
PC [pen;]
or
PC[;]
• pen — specifies the number of the pen whose color is being 
defined. An out-of-range pen parameter sets error 3 and the 
command is ignored. (The range for the pen parameter is 
determined by the size of the current color palette.)
• primary1, primary2, primary3 — specifies the primary 
component values which are to be associated with that pen. 
See the CR command description for the range associated 
with the values. If a primary color is outside of the color range 
defined in the CR command, the value is clamped to the color 
range limits (the CR command is not supported by the 
HP Color LaserJet 4500 or 8500 printers).
Parameter Format Functional
Range
Parameter
Default
pen integer determined by NP see table
primary1, 
primary2, 
primary3
clamped real 0 to 255 (for those 
printers supporting 
the CR command, 
the CR command 
determines the 
range)
see table










