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. 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.

LEADTOOLS supports loading this format as a raster image, vector image, or SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) document.

This format is used by Visual PCL, PCLTOOLS, RedTitan EscapeE 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:

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:

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.