Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!apple!agate!ucbvax!SDD.HP.COM!andrea
From: andrea@SDD.HP.COM (Andrea K. Frankel)
Newsgroups: comp.laser-printers
Subject: Re: PCL-5 graphics specs wanted
Keywords: HP LJ III, PCL5
Message-ID: <9103191530.AA20285@crayola.cs.UMD.EDU>
Date: 19 Mar 91 00:03:11 GMT
References: <9103181601.AA11447@crayola.cs.UMD.EDU>
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, San Diego Technical Graphics Division
Lines: 49
Approved: laser-lovers@brillig.umd.edu

In article <9103181601.AA11447@crayola.cs.UMD.EDU> woo@PIONEER.ARC.NASA.GOV (Alex Woo RAA) writes:
>
>Rumor has it that PCL-5 not only includes scalable fonts but
>rudimentary graphics commands, such as move and draw.
>Can someone send me the format of these commands?
>How about a gnuplot driver?  

Ahem.  PCL-5 contains the complete kernel and dual context extension of
the vector-oriented graphics language, HP-GL/2.  

Far from rudimentary, it includes the ability to fill arbitrary polygons
(concave, with islands, self intersecting - whatever) with both hatch
and raster (and user-defined raster) fills with specifiable anchor
corner.  There are commands to set line thickness, type of line cap and
join, miter limit, linetype, user-defined linetype.  There are built-in
arcs and circles, wedges and rectangles.  There are many text attributes
to control labelling in addition to the fonts, giving you just about
everything except PostScript's ability to label along an arbitrary
curve (nice for fancy DTP effects, but not usually needed by most
applications I've seen).

The reference book is available at technical bookstores (and some large
general-purpose bookstores as well):

	The HP-GL/2 Reference Guide:
		a Handbook for Program Developers
	Addison-Wesley Publishing Co./Hewlett-Packard Press
	ISBN 0-201-56308-8

You can also find documentation on command formats in the 

	LaserJet III Technical Reference Manual
	Hewlett-Packard part# 33449-90903

As far as a GnuPlot driver, I think you're probably on your own, but I
will forward a copy of this post to the project manager in charge of
driver connectivity.

Thanks for your interest!  and happy plotting...


Andrea Frankel, Hewlett Packard, San Diego Technical Graphics Div., R&D Lab
	"wake now!  Discover that you are the song that the morning brings..."
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