SCS and PCL Coordinate System Differences

SCS and PCL use different page coordinate systems. These differences must be taken into consideration when using GDI Mode. PCL uses a coordinate system with an origin of 0,0 which is located at the intersection of the left edge of the logical page and the PCL top margin (usually below the top edge of the logical and physical page).

Numbering increases down and to the right from the origin. SCS, on the other hand, considers the logical page to be a grid of rows and columns. The origin cell is row 1, column 1, and is located at the upper left corner of the physical page.

NOTE:Generally it is easier to design a document using one command set exclusively. Mixing SCS and PCL commands is supported but can lead to unexpected results, because of differences in the two coordinate systems.

Font Support within Transparency PCL Blocks

PCL enables you to select the characteristics for a desired font by sending a series of commands that specify each of the characteristics. For instance, to select as the primary PCL font, a non-proportional, bold, 12-point Courier font with 10-character-per-inch pitch, upright style, using the normal Roman-8 character set, you would send the sequence:

[ESC](8U[ESC](s0P[ESC](s10H[ESC](s12v[ESC](s0S[ESC](s3B[ESC](s3T

Table 84

PCL Characteristics	Description
[ESC](8U	specifies the Roman-8 symbol set
[ESC](s0P	specifies fixed spacing
[ESC](s10H	specifies 10 characters per inch
[ESC](s12v	specifies 12-point height
[ESC](s0S	specifies upright style
[ESC](s3B	specifies bold weight
[ESC](s3T	specifies the Courier typeface family

NOTE:PCL will accept a partial font description; the omitted portions are carried over from the previous font selection. THIS CAN LEAD TO UNEXPECTED RESULTS AND IS NOT RECOMMENDED. As a rule, you should specify all of the characteristics when selecting a new font.