Intermec EasyCoder PL3 User manual

EasyCoder PL-Series
Printer
Programmer's
Reference Manual

ii EasyCoder PL-Series Printer Programmer’s Reference Manual
Intermec Technologies Corporation
Corporate Headquarters
6001 36th Ave. W.
Everett, WA 98203
U.S.A.
www.intermec.com
The information contained herein is proprietary and is provided solely for the purpose of allowing customers
to operate and service Intermec-manufactured equipment and is not to be released, reproduced, or used for
any other purpose without written permission of Intermec.
Information and specifications contained in this document are subject to change without prior notice and do
not represent a commitment on the part of Intermec Technologies Corporation.
2003 by Intermec Technologies Corporation. All rights reserved.
The word Intermec, the Intermec logo, Norand, ArciTech, CrossBar, Data Collection Browser, dcBrowser,
Duratherm, EasyCoder, EasyLAN, Enterprise Wireless LAN, EZBuilder, Fingerprint, i-gistics, INCA (under
license), InterDriver, Intermec Printer Network Manager, IRL, JANUS, LabelShop, Mobile Framework,
MobileLAN, Nor*Ware, Pen*Key, Precision Print, PrintSet, RoutePower, TE 2000, Trakker Antares, UAP,
Universal Access Point, and Virtual Wedge are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Intermec
Technologies Corporation.
Throughout this manual, trademarked names may be used. Rather than put a trademark (or ) symbol in
every occurrence of a trademarked name, we state that we are using the names only in an editorial fashion,
and to the benefit of the trademark owner, with no intention of infringement.
There are U.S. and foreign patents pending.
Bluetooth is a trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc., U.S.A.

EasyCoder PL-Series Printer Programmer’s Reference Manual iii
Document Change Record
This page records changes to this document. The document was originally released as version 001.
Version Date Description of Change
002 6/03 Changed Bluetooth information in Chapter 13.

iv EasyCoder PL-Series Printer Programmer’s Reference Manual

Contents
EasyCoder PL-Series Printer Programmer’s Reference Manual v
Contents
Before You Begin................................................................................................................xv
Safety Summary.....................................................................................................xv
Safety Icons .......................................................................................................... xvi
Global Services and Support.................................................................................xvi
Who Should Read This Document? ....................................................................xvii
Related Documents .............................................................................................xvii
Programming Introduction................................................................................................... 1
Manual Conventions ........................................................................................................... 2
Getting Printer Information ................................................................................................ 2
Communications Diagnostic Mode ..................................................................................... 5
Label Coordinate System ..................................................................................................... 6
Intermec PLUS.................................................................................................................... 7
Printer Commands ..................................................................................................................... 9
Command Start Line ......................................................................................................... 10
Printer Commands ............................................................................................................ 10
Print Command ................................................................................................................ 11
Form Command................................................................................................................ 11
Journal Command............................................................................................................. 12
Units Commands .............................................................................................................. 12
Using Comments............................................................................................................... 13
Text.................................................................................................................................................... 15
Resident Font Samples....................................................................................................... 16
Text Commands................................................................................................................ 18
Font-Group Command ..................................................................................................... 19
Text Concatenation Commands........................................................................................ 20
Multiline Commands ........................................................................................................ 22
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Count Command .............................................................................................................. 23
Setmag Command ............................................................................................................. 24
Scalable Text................................................................................................................................ 27
What is Scalable Text? ....................................................................................................... 28
Scale-Text Commands....................................................................................................... 28
Scale-To-Fit Commands.................................................................................................... 29
Scalable Concatenation Commands................................................................................... 30
Rotate Commands............................................................................................................. 31
Linear Bar Codes........................................................................................................................ 33
Bar Code Standards ........................................................................................................... 34
Resident Linear Bar Code Samples .................................................................................... 35
UPC and EAN/JAN Bar Codes ......................................................................................... 36
UPC/EAN Specifications ..................................................................................... 38
Code 39 or Code 3 of 9 Bar Codes.................................................................................... 38
Code 39 (3 of 9) Specifications............................................................................. 39
Code 93 or Code 9 of 3 Bar Codes.................................................................................... 40
Interleaved 2 of 5 Bar Codes.............................................................................................. 40
Interleaved 2 of 5 Specifications............................................................................ 41
Code 128 and the UCC-128 Shipping Standard ............................................................... 41
Code 128/UCC-128 Specifications ...................................................................... 42
Codabar............................................................................................................................. 42
Codabar Specifications ......................................................................................... 43
MSI Plessey Bar Codes ...................................................................................................... 43
MSI Plessey Specifications .................................................................................... 43
Postnet and Facing Identification Marks............................................................................ 43
Postnet and FIM Specifications ............................................................................ 44
Bar Code Commands ........................................................................................................ 44
Bar Code Command............................................................................................. 45
Standard Bar Codes................................................................................. 45
Bar Code Text Command .................................................................................... 46
Count Command ................................................................................................. 47
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EasyCoder PL-Series Printer Programmer’s Reference Manual vii
Two-Dimensional Bar Codes .............................................................................................. 49
What is a Two-Dimensional Bar Code?............................................................................. 50
PDF417............................................................................................................................. 50
MaxiCode.......................................................................................................................... 50
Two-Dimensional Bar Code Commands........................................................................... 51
PDF417 (Portable Data File)................................................................................ 51
MaxiCode............................................................................................................. 52
Graphics.......................................................................................................................................... 57
Box Command .................................................................................................................. 58
Line Commands ................................................................................................................ 59
Inverse-Line Commands.................................................................................................... 60
Pattern Command ............................................................................................................. 61
Graphics Commands ......................................................................................................... 62
PCX Command................................................................................................................. 63
Advanced Commands ............................................................................................................ 67
Contrast Command........................................................................................................... 68
Tone Command ................................................................................................................ 68
Justification Commands .................................................................................................... 69
Page-Width Command...................................................................................................... 69
Pace Command ................................................................................................................. 70
Auto-Pace Command ........................................................................................................ 71
No-Pace Command ........................................................................................................... 72
Wait Command................................................................................................................. 72
Speed Command ............................................................................................................... 73
SETSP Command ............................................................................................................. 73
On-Out-Of-Paper Command............................................................................................ 74
On-Feed Command .......................................................................................................... 74
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viii EasyCoder PL-Series Printer Programmer’s Reference Manual
Prefeed Command............................................................................................................. 76
Postfeed Command ........................................................................................................... 77
Present-At Command ........................................................................................................ 77
Country/Code Page Command ......................................................................................... 78
Using Format Files ............................................................................................................ 79
Beep Command................................................................................................................. 80
Line Print Mode.......................................................................................................................... 83
What is Line Print Mode?.................................................................................................. 84
Special Commands Using the Utility Function.................................................................. 84
Units Commands .............................................................................................................. 85
SETLP Command............................................................................................................. 85
SETLF Command ............................................................................................................. 86
Moving With X and Y Coordinates ................................................................................... 87
LMARGIN Command...................................................................................................... 87
SETBOLD Command ...................................................................................................... 87
SETSP Command ............................................................................................................. 88
Page-Width and Page-Height Commands ......................................................................... 88
Special ASCII Characters................................................................................................... 89
Form Feed ............................................................................................................ 89
Backspace ............................................................................................................. 89
SETFF Command ............................................................................................................. 89
SET-TOF Command ........................................................................................................ 90
Tearing the Paper .............................................................................................................. 90
Bar Codes and Graphics .................................................................................................... 91
Bar Codes............................................................................................................. 91
Graphics............................................................................................................... 91
SETLP-Timeout Command .............................................................................................. 91
Designing a Receipt........................................................................................................... 92
Receipt Examples.................................................................................................. 92
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EasyCoder PL-Series Printer Programmer’s Reference Manual ix
Advanced Utilities .................................................................................................................... 95
What are the Advanced Utilities? ....................................................................................... 96
Version Utility................................................................................................................... 96
Checksum Utility .............................................................................................................. 97
DEL Utility ....................................................................................................................... 97
DIR Utility........................................................................................................................ 97
Define-File (DF) Utility .................................................................................................... 98
Type Utility....................................................................................................................... 98
Baud Utility....................................................................................................................... 99
Country/Code Page Utility................................................................................................ 99
Timeout Utility ............................................................................................................... 101
Beep Command............................................................................................................... 102
LT Command ................................................................................................................. 102
Printer Escape Commands................................................................................................. 105
Set and Read Code Command......................................................................................... 106
Status/Information .......................................................................................................... 106
Get Printer Status ............................................................................................... 107
Acknowledge Printer Reset ................................................................................. 107
Get Printer Information (GPI.LBL) ................................................................... 107
Get Extended Printer Status ............................................................................... 108
User Label Count ............................................................................................................ 108
Get User Label Count (GULC.LBL) .................................................................. 108
Reset User Label Count (RULC.LBL) ................................................................ 108
Power Off Command ...................................................................................................... 109
LCD Programming for PL-Series .................................................................................... 111
Using the Information in This Chapter ........................................................................... 112
Example 1........................................................................................................................ 112
Example 2:....................................................................................................................... 114
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xEasyCoder PL-Series Printer Programmer’s Reference Manual
Configuration/Control Commands .............................................................................. 117
What are the Commands in This Chapter?...................................................................... 118
Printing Parameter Values ............................................................................................... 118
Command Format........................................................................................................... 119
getvar Command ................................................................................................ 119
setvar Command ................................................................................................ 119
do Command ..................................................................................................... 120
Commands and Parameters ............................................................................................. 120
Application Parameters ....................................................................................... 120
appl.date................................................................................................ 120
appl.name.............................................................................................. 121
appl.version ........................................................................................... 121
Bluetooth Parameters.......................................................................................... 121
bluetooth.address................................................................................... 121
bluetooth.authentication........................................................................ 122
bluetooth.bluetooth_pin........................................................................ 122
bluetooth.date........................................................................................ 123
bluetooth.discoverable ........................................................................... 123
bluetooth.friendly_name........................................................................ 123
bluetooth.local_name ............................................................................ 124
bluetooth.version................................................................................... 124
Communications Port Parameters ...................................................................... 124
comm.parity .......................................................................................... 124
comm.baud ........................................................................................... 125
comm.stop_bits ..................................................................................... 125
Device Parameters .............................................................................................. 126
device.friendly_name............................................................................. 126
device.reset ............................................................................................ 126
device.restore_defaults ........................................................................... 126
head.latch .............................................................................................. 127
Display Parameters ............................................................................................. 127
display.contrast...................................................................................... 127
display.backlight.................................................................................... 127
display.text ............................................................................................ 128
File Parameters ................................................................................................... 128
file.delete ............................................................................................... 128
file.dir.................................................................................................... 128
file.print ................................................................................................ 129
file.rename............................................................................................. 129
file.run................................................................................................... 129
file.type.................................................................................................. 129
Input Parameter.................................................................................................. 130
input.capture ......................................................................................... 130
Media Parameters ............................................................................................... 131
media.sense_mode ................................................................................. 131
media.status........................................................................................... 131
media.tof ............................................................................................... 131
media.type............................................................................................. 132
Memory Parameters............................................................................................ 132
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