Print to PCL6

[Reggie Freedman BS]

I posted about HP's PCL6 language a while back. I looked back in my 'saved 
stuff' - See thread copied below . . .

Reggie


----- Original Message -----
From: rdfreedman BellSouth <rdfreedman at bellsouth.net>
To: Filepro List <filepro-list at celestial.com>
Sent: 7/23/2018 4:12:26 PM
Subject: Re: Printer problem solution (kind of)




PCL6 or PCL6-XL is not backward compatible with PCL5...  Totally different languages… found on the web... 

Language
While HP considers both PCL5 and PCL6 to be printer command language drivers, each software uses different languages to deliver data to the printers. PCL5 and previous versions of the HP drivers use ASCII code to send the data and commands from the computer application to the printer. PCL6 compiles the pages from the computer application into a binary format before sending the package to the printer. The new binary language is more compact and offers additional features.
Functions
Up to PCL5, printer drivers have limited functionality. These drivers give commands such as for a new page or new paragraph and identify the fonts for the document. The resolution is usually fixed and limited to 300 dpi. Under PCL6, the driver can also address the requirements of images and graphics. It translates vector diagrams as well as bit maps, and can handle higher resolutions. Since they process complex graphics commands directly, the PCL6 drivers operate more quickly and generate less traffic.
Operation
The PCL drivers up to PCL5 use special characters to initiate commands, and send the text of the document to be printed as normal text. Printers respond to the special characters, usually prefaced by the character represented as "Esc" on a keyboard, by carrying out simple actions such as starting a new line. PCL6 is oriented toward printing color graphics as well as text. Such printing requires more complex commands, and plain text becomes less important. PCL6 takes commands from the operating system graphical user interface and translates them into commands for the printer. As a result, the printout more closely matches what the application shows on the computer screen.
Compatibility
HP includes all the commands from previous versions of PCL in the new PCL version. PCL5 is completely backward-compatible. PCL6 has a modular structure and, as such, doesn't 
include the older commands the same way. Instead, HP added a module called PCL6 
Standard to ensure backward compatibility. Because of the new structure, this 
compatibility is not seamless, and HP recommends addressing compatibility 
problems with PCL6 by replacing the driver with the latest PCL5 version.
HP Support sites:
https://support.hp.com/us-en/product/HP-Universal-Print-Driver-Series-for-
Windows/503548/model/503519
https://www8.hp.com/us/en/solutions/business-
solutions/printingsolutions/UPD.html?jumpid=af_s73wr2vct6

HP's site notes their Universal Print Driver (UPD)… Their "UPD 6.1.0 is the last release of UPD to include PCL5."
https://www8.hp.com/us/en/search/search-results.html?ajaxpage=1#/page=1&/qt=UPD%206.1.0

A while back, I used an HP UPD in Windows 10). Seems I had to set it up in windows on an LPTx port, shared it, pointed filePro to the shared LPT port and it worked. If the computer has a hardware LPTx port, it has to be disabled in the bios before you do the above, otherwise it will 'loop' forever to itself.

I fail to understand why HP would use PCL6 as most would think of it as an update to their PCL5 language, which it is not.

Reggie


----- Original Message -----
From: Henry Melancon via Filepro-list <filepro-list at lists.celestial.com>
Reply-To: Henry Melancon <hemelancon at gifinc.com>
To: Filepro List <filepro-list at celestial.com>
Sent: 7/23/2018 2:41:09 PM
Subject: RE: Printer problem solution (kind of)
________________________________________________________________________________

Fortunately for me, the large Ricoh copier/printer/scanners are still PCL5 compatible and our FilePro prints to them with no problems.

Henry W. Melancon
Documentation Supervisor
Quality Control
Gulf Island Fabrication

-----Original Message-----
From: Filepro-list [mailto:filepro-list-bounces+hemelancon=gifinc.com at lists.celestial.com] On Behalf Of Richard Hane via Filepro-list
Sent: Monday, July 23, 2018 1:23 PM
To: Filepro List <filepro-list at celestial.com>
Subject: Printer problem solution (kind of)

We have 9 HP printers used on our network.  Only 4 of them need filePro to print to them.  He switched the (2) HP402DN printers for HP1606DN printers which have always worked with fp.  Problem solved until we have to replace other old HP1606DN printers.
I would like to hear from the list which HP printers you use and like.  I prefer HP printers as they have always been good to me.
BTW I heard from a couple of users that they had the same problem with this model HP402DN and replaced them.
Thanks for all that responded.  Now maybe I can go back to being retired and work of my model trains.Rick Hane
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmailman.celestial.com%2Fpipermail%2Ffilepro-list%2Fattachments%2F20180723%2Fd2ed6423%2Fattachment.html&data=02%7C01%7Chemelancon%40gifinc.com%7Cef067fece68346301a0708d5f0c97ceb%7Ca3e66affd7674dabad3755c96bce6af7%7C0%7C1%7C636679670541170543&sdata=KM45ZJgIDnK%2FySR%2BEJj0Pbd8oe2vK8EKQCaeI5k%2Bo6Q%3D&reserved=0>
_______________________________________________
Filepro-list mailing list
Filepro-list at lists.celestial.com
Subscribe/Unsubscribe/Subscription Changes
https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmailman.celestial.com%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Ffilepro-list&data=02%7C01%7Chemelancon%40gifinc.com%7Cef067fece68346301a0708d5f0c97ceb%7Ca3e66affd7674dabad3755c96bce6af7%7C0%7C1%7C636679670541170543&sdata=y%2Bu6rGaU%2FnUW2%2BAJro83LpokIi7iEOePDmybGw4YZXI%3D&reserved=0
_______________________________________________
Filepro-list mailing list
Filepro-list at lists.celestial.com
Subscribe/Unsubscribe/Subscription Changes
http://mailman.celestial.com/mailman/listinfo/filepro-list
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.celestial.com/pipermail/filepro-list/attachments/20190725/24b63e5c/attachment.html>