In
digital printing, a page description language (PDL) is a computer language that describes the appearance of a printed page in a higher level than an actual output
bitmap (or generally
raster graphics). An overlapping term is printer control language, which includes Hewlett-Packard's
Printer Command Language (PCL).
PostScript is one of the most noted page description languages. The
markup language
A markup language is a Encoding, text-encoding system which specifies the structure and formatting of a document and potentially the relationships among its parts. Markup can control the display of a document or enrich its content to facilitate au ...
adaptation of the PDL is the page description markup language.
Page description languages are text (human-readable) or binary data streams, usually intermixed with text or graphics to be printed. They are distinct from graphics
application programming interface
An application programming interface (API) is a connection between computers or between computer programs. It is a type of software Interface (computing), interface, offering a service to other pieces of software. A document or standard that des ...
s (APIs) such as
GDI and
OpenGL
OpenGL (Open Graphics Library) is a Language-independent specification, cross-language, cross-platform application programming interface (API) for rendering 2D computer graphics, 2D and 3D computer graphics, 3D vector graphics. The API is typic ...
that can be called by software to generate graphical output.
Notable examples
Various page description languages exist:
*
AFP, Advanced Function Presentation (
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation (using the trademark IBM), nicknamed Big Blue, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational technology company headquartered in Armonk, New York, and present in over 175 countries. It is ...
)
* Apple Raster, formerly known as URF, used by the
AirPrint protocol.
*
Canon GARO, Graphic Arts language with Raster Operations (for large format printers), based on
Hewlett-Packard
The Hewlett-Packard Company, commonly shortened to Hewlett-Packard ( ) or HP, was an American multinational information technology company. It was founded by Bill Hewlett and David Packard in 1939 in a one-car garage in Palo Alto, California ...
PCL3GUI / RTL and CPCA job description language.
* Common Ground page definition language
* CPCL, Comtec Printer Control Language (now Zebra)
*
DjVu, a mixed raster content (MRC) format supporting OCR-based scanned documents (
AT&T Labs)
* DPL, Datamax Printer Language (now
Honeywell)
* DTPL, Datamax Ticket Printer Language
*
DVI, Device Independent, output from
TeX
Tex, TeX, TEX, may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Tex (nickname), a list of people and fictional characters with the nickname
* Tex Earnhardt (1930–2020), U.S. businessman
* Joe Tex (1933–1982), stage name of American soul singer ...
* E411, Emulation 411, for Ticketing and Flight Strip (ATC) systems (IER)
* EPL, Eltron Programming Language (now Zebra)
*
Envoy page description language (
WordPerfect)
*
ESC/P,
Epson Standard Code for Printers, simple language mainly used in
dot matrix printers
* ESC/P2, an expanded version of ESC/P
*
ESC/Page, Epson Standard Code for Page Printer, a page description language (distinct from ESC/P) used in a number of Epson laser printers, especially Japanese models
*
ESC/POS,
Epson Standard Code for
POS printers
* FGL, Friendly Ghost Language (Boca Systems) printers
* Fingerprint, a programming language, Direct Protocol is subset of Fingerprint (
Intermec)
*
HP-GL and HP-GL/2, geometric language introduced by
Hewlett-Packard
The Hewlett-Packard Company, commonly shortened to Hewlett-Packard ( ) or HP, was an American multinational information technology company. It was founded by Bill Hewlett and David Packard in 1939 in a one-car garage in Palo Alto, California ...
for pen plotters, still in use today for technical drawings
*
Interpress (
Xerox
Xerox Holdings Corporation (, ) is an American corporation that sells print and electronic document, digital document products and services in more than 160 countries. Xerox was the pioneer of the photocopier market, beginning with the introduc ...
)
*
IJPDS, Ink Jet Printer Data Stream (
Kodak)
*
IPDS, Intelligent Printer Data Stream (IBM)
* IGP/PGL,
Printronix Graphics Language
* IPL, Intermec Printer Language, a programming language for
Intermec printers (now a subsidiary of
Honeywell)
* KPDL,
Kyocera Page Description Language
* LCDS/Metacode, a print stream format used in older high-speed printers (
Xerox
Xerox Holdings Corporation (, ) is an American corporation that sells print and electronic document, digital document products and services in more than 160 countries. Xerox was the pioneer of the photocopier market, beginning with the introduc ...
)
*
MODCA, Mixed Object Document Content Architecture (IBM)
* MTPL, Mannesmann Tally Printer Language
*
PCL, Printer Command Language (
Hewlett-Packard
The Hewlett-Packard Company, commonly shortened to Hewlett-Packard ( ) or HP, was an American multinational information technology company. It was founded by Bill Hewlett and David Packard in 1939 in a one-car garage in Palo Alto, California ...
)
*
PDF, Portable Document Format (
Adobe Systems
Adobe Inc. ( ), formerly Adobe Systems Incorporated, is an American software, computer software company based in San Jose, California. It offers a wide range of programs from web design tools, photo manipulation and vector creation, through to ...
), now ISO 32000
*
PostScript (
Adobe Systems
Adobe Inc. ( ), formerly Adobe Systems Incorporated, is an American software, computer software company based in San Jose, California. It offers a wide range of programs from web design tools, photo manipulation and vector creation, through to ...
)
*
PPDS, Personal Printer Data Stream
*
RPCS, Refined Printing Command Stream (
Ricoh)
* RTL (Raster Transfer Language, also known as PCL3GUI). Raster graphic command subset of Hewlett-Packard HP-GL/2, similar to PCL.
* Star Line Mode, variant of ESC/POS used by
Star Micronics printers
*
SPL, Samsung Printer Language
*
SVG, an XML-based graphics description language primarily developed for the
World Wide Web
* Canon SG Raster (Swift Graphics Raster for large format printers), based on Hewlett-Packard PCL3GUI / RTL and IVEC (XML formatted job description language)
* TSPL/TSPL2, Taiwan Semiconductor Printing/Programming Language (
TSMC)
* TTP, print language by Swecoin for kiosk printers (now Zebra)
* UFR (Ultra Fast Rendering), a proprietary language (Canon)
* XES,
Xerox Escape Sequence
*
XPS, XML Paper Specification introduced in Windows Vista (
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company, technology conglomerate headquartered in Redmond, Washington. Founded in 1975, the company became influential in the History of personal computers#The ear ...
)
* ZJS, ZjStream Page Description Language (Zenographics)
*
ZPL,
Zebra Programming Language
See also
*
List of vector graphics markup languages
*
Markup language
A markup language is a Encoding, text-encoding system which specifies the structure and formatting of a document and potentially the relationships among its parts. Markup can control the display of a document or enrich its content to facilitate au ...
*
Printer Job Language
References
{{Reflist
External links
Undocumented PrintingPrinter MIB Interpreters Language Families
��— contains example for PPDS
PPDS Escape codes
Computer printers
Computer printing