File Formats: Printer Command Language Format (PCL)/(PCL-XL)/(PLT)

The Printer Command Language (PCL) vector format was developed by Hewlett-Packard specifically to allow computers and printers to communicate with each other. The PCL files consist of commands. The HP printers parse and decode those commands. The PCL format also supports HPGL plotter files (PLT).

In the raster toolkits, PCL files are rasterized when loaded but cannot be saved. Loading and saving this format as vector files is provided in the LEADTOOLS Document Imaging toolkit. Support is unlocked when the Vector features are unlocked.

LEAD supports version 3.0, 5.0 and 6.0 of this file format.

The default extensions used by this format are: PRN, PRT, PCL and Pxl.

This format is used by Visual PCL, PCLTOOLS, redtitan EscapE and AutoVue.

This file format does not support layers or grouping, but it does support embedded raster objects.

The PCL filter provides support for:

Raster, text and rectangular area.
Macros.
Enhanced performance of the filter.
HPGL mode in PCL.
Raster fonts.
RTL Raster data.
All compression methods (RLE, TIFF, Delta, Adaptive and Unencoded).
Class 2 Run-Length encoding with line repetition.
Old versions of PCL v.3, besides v.5 and v.6.
Viewing PCL with POSTSCRIPT data (requires the PDF filter).
User-defined and pre-defined patterns.
Unicode symbols.
Detecting non-standard PCL/HPGL files that lack a correct header.
Truetype fonts for both PCL5 and PCL6 (windows based fonts and soft fonts).

HPGL plotter file (PLT) is the standard language for printing line drawings created by Hewlett-Packard. HPGL is supported by many CAD programs, charting programs and word processors. LEADTOOLS supports HPGL and HPGL/2.

File constants associated with this file format are:

Constant	Read Support	Write Support	Description
Pcl	Yes	Yes	Printer Command Language
Plt	Yes	Yes	HPGL plotter file
PclXl	Yes	No	PCL6 vector format

When PCL files are rasterized, they are 24 BPP. You can read and write vector PCL files at 24 BPP.

When PLT files are rasterized, they are 4 BPP.

The following table indicates which objects LEAD can load and which objects it can save:

Object:	PCL Load / PLT Load	PCL Save / PLT Save
Arc	Supported / Supported	Supported / Supported
Circle	Supported / Supported	Supported / Supported
Lines	Supported / Supported	Supported / Supported
Pie	Supported / Supported	Supported / Supported
Point	Supported / Not Supported	Supported / Not Supported
PolyBezier	Supported / Not Supported	Not Supported / Not Supported
PolyDraw	Supported / Supported	Not Supported / Not Supported
Polygons	Supported / Supported	Not Supported / Not Supported
Polyline	Supported / Supported	Not Supported / Not Supported
Raster	Supported / Not Supported	Supported / Not Supported
Rectangle	Supported / Supported	Supported / Supported
Text	Supported / Supported	Supported / Not Supported

Required DLL: Leadtools.Vector.dll and Leadtools.Codecs.Pcl.dll. For a listing of the exact DLLs needed, based on the toolkit version, refer to Files To Be Included With Your Application.

Platforms: .NET 2/3, .NET 4