32 Line Matrix Printer PCL II Programmer's Reference Manual

Bar Codes

Printing Bar Codes

Generally, sending bar code information to the printer is performed in two

steps:

Step 1: Selecting the bar code printing specifications; bar code type, height,

and header control information.

Step 2: Moving the cursor to the desired label location and sending the bar

code data.

Step 1.

Before positioning and printing the bar code data, the type of code, height of

the label, and header placement may be specified. Once this is done, the

succeeding labels will be printed using these specifications until a new type,

height, or header control is specified. In other words, the bar code print

specifications can be sent once and need not be sent again unless the printer

is reset or new print specifications are desired. The following example

specifies the print specifications for bar codes that are 0.5 inches in height,

have a header above the label, and are printed in the UPC A code.

ESC*z8v5h1Q

ESC*z8v Select UPC A code

5h Label is to be .5 inches high

1Q Places header above bar code

Notice that the last letter in the escape sequence (Q) is upper-case while the

other letters in the sequence (v and h) are lower-case. (See “Escape

Sequences” on page 15 for more information concerning combining two or

more sequences.)

Step 2.

To print a bar code label, the cursor must be placed in the desired position

and the bar code data must be sent. The following escape sequence moves

the cursor to column 25, sends the data “1234567” to the printer, and initiates

printing.

ESC*z25c<1234567>Z

ESC*z25c Places start of label at column 25

< Indicates start of bar code data

1234567 Bar code data

> Signals end of bar code data

Z Upper case Z initiates printing *

*Note that an upper-case “Z” terminator results in the bar code being printed

and an automatic carriage return (CR) being executed.