Page description language
Encyclopedia
A page description language (PDL) is a language that describes the appearance of a printed page in a higher level than an actual output bitmap
. An overlapping term is printer control language, but it should not be confused as referring solely to Hewlett-Packard's PCL. PostScript
, one of the most noted page description languages, is a fully fledged programming language
, but many PDLs are not complete enough to be considered a programming language. The markup language
adaption of the PDL is the page description markup language
.
Page description languages are textual or binary data streams. In principle, the same data stream could be rendered multiple times to generate multiple copies of the same image. They are distinct from graphics APIs
such as GDI
and OpenGL
that can be called by software to generate graphical output.
Some of these languages are or have been made open standards. There are also other proprietary languages whose details are not publicly disclosed.
Bitmap
In computer graphics, a bitmap or pixmap is a type of memory organization or image file format used to store digital images. The term bitmap comes from the computer programming terminology, meaning just a map of bits, a spatially mapped array of bits. Now, along with pixmap, it commonly refers to...
. An overlapping term is printer control language, but it should not be confused as referring solely to Hewlett-Packard's PCL. PostScript
PostScript
PostScript is a dynamically typed concatenative programming language created by John Warnock and Charles Geschke in 1982. It is best known for its use as a page description language in the electronic and desktop publishing areas. Adobe PostScript 3 is also the worldwide printing and imaging...
, one of the most noted page description languages, is a fully fledged programming language
Programming language
A programming language is an artificial language designed to communicate instructions to a machine, particularly a computer. Programming languages can be used to create programs that control the behavior of a machine and/or to express algorithms precisely....
, but many PDLs are not complete enough to be considered a programming language. The markup language
Markup language
A markup language is a modern system for annotating a text in a way that is syntactically distinguishable from that text. The idea and terminology evolved from the "marking up" of manuscripts, i.e. the revision instructions by editors, traditionally written with a blue pencil on authors' manuscripts...
adaption of the PDL is the page description markup language
Page description markup language
A page description markup language is a type of markup language that is used to describe the appearance of a printed page. It is a markup adaption of the Page description language , and is often created using XML....
.
Page description languages are textual or binary data streams. In principle, the same data stream could be rendered multiple times to generate multiple copies of the same image. They are distinct from graphics APIs
Application programming interface
An application programming interface is a source code based specification intended to be used as an interface by software components to communicate with each other...
such as GDI
Graphics Device Interface
The Graphics Device Interface is a Microsoft Windows application programming interface and core operating system component responsible for representing graphical objects and transmitting them to output devices such as monitors and printers....
and OpenGL
OpenGL
OpenGL is a standard specification defining a cross-language, cross-platform API for writing applications that produce 2D and 3D computer graphics. The interface consists of over 250 different function calls which can be used to draw complex three-dimensional scenes from simple primitives. OpenGL...
that can be called by software to generate graphical output.
List
Various page description languages exist:- AFPAdvanced Function PresentationAdvanced Function Presentation is a presentation architecture and family of associated printer software and hardware that provides for document and information presentation independent of specific applications and devices....
, Advanced Function Presentation (IBM) - CPCL, Comtec Printer Control Language (Zebra, Comtec)
- Diablo
- DPL, Datamax Printer Language
- DTPL, Datamax Ticket Printer Language
- DVI, Device Independent
- EPLEltron Programming LanguageEltron Programming Language is a printer control language used to produce printed paper labels for various Eltron model printers.Newer printers support also the Zebra Programming Language ....
, Eltron Programming Language - ESC/PESC/PESC/P is a command language developed by Epson to control computer printers. It was mainly used in dot matrix printers and some inkjet printers. During the era of dot matrix printers, it was also used by other manufacturers , sometimes in modified form...
, Epson Standard Code for Printers, simple language mainly used in dot matrix printerDot matrix printerA dot matrix printer or impact matrix printer is a type of computer printer with a print head that runs back and forth, or in an up and down motion, on the page and prints by impact, striking an ink-soaked cloth ribbon against the paper, much like the print mechanism on a typewriter...
s - ESC/P2, an expanded version of ESC/P
- HP-GL and HP-GL/2, geometric language introduced by Hewlett-PackardHewlett-PackardHewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...
for pen plotters, still in use today for technical drawings - InterPressInterPressInterPress is a page description language developed at Xerox PARC, based on the Forth programming language and an earlier graphics language called JaM...
- IPDSIPDSIntelligent Printer Data Stream is InfoPrint Solution Company's Systems Application Architecture host-to-printer data stream for Advanced Function Presentation subsystems...
, Intelligent Printer Data Stream (by IBMIBMInternational Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
) - KPDL, KyoceraKyocerais a multinational manufacturer based in Kyoto, Japan. It was founded as in 1959 by Kazuo Inamori and renamed in 1982. The company has diversified its founding technology in ceramic materials through internal development as well as strategic mergers and acquisitions...
Page Description Language - LCDS/Metacode, a XeroxXeroxXerox Corporation is an American multinational document management corporation that produced and sells a range of color and black-and-white printers, multifunction systems, photo copiers, digital production printing presses, and related consulting services and supplies...
print stream format used in their older high-speed printers - MODCAMODCAMO:DCA is an IBM compound document format for text and graphics elements in a document. The 'Mixed Object' moniker refers to the fact that a MO:DCA file can contain multiple types of objects, including text, images, vector graphics, and even objects marked as 'barcodes'...
(IBM) - MTPL, Mannesmann Tally Printer Language
- PCLPrinter Command LanguagePrinter Command Language, more commonly referred to as PCL, is a page description language developed by Hewlett-Packard as a printer protocol and has become a de facto industry standard. Originally developed for early inkjet printers in 1984, PCL has been released in varying levels for thermal,...
, Printer Command Language (Hewlett-PackardHewlett-PackardHewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...
) - PDFPortable Document FormatPortable Document Format is an open standard for document exchange. This file format, created by Adobe Systems in 1993, is used for representing documents in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems....
, Portable Document Format (Adobe SystemsAdobe SystemsAdobe Systems Incorporated is an American computer software company founded in 1982 and headquartered in San Jose, California, United States...
) - PostScriptPostScriptPostScript is a dynamically typed concatenative programming language created by John Warnock and Charles Geschke in 1982. It is best known for its use as a page description language in the electronic and desktop publishing areas. Adobe PostScript 3 is also the worldwide printing and imaging...
(Adobe SystemsAdobe SystemsAdobe Systems Incorporated is an American computer software company founded in 1982 and headquartered in San Jose, California, United States...
) - PPDS, Personal Printer Data Stream by IBMIBMInternational Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
- RPCSRefined Printing Command StreamRefined Printing Command Stream, also known as RPCS, is a vector-based printing/duplicating control protocol, designed for communication between Microsoft Windows PC clients, and several lines of Ricoh copiers...
, Refined Printing Command Stream by RicohRicohor Ricoh, is a Japanese company that was established in 1936 on February 6th, as , a company in the RIKEN zaibatsu. Its headquarters is located in Ricoh Building in Chūō, Tokyo.... - SPL, Samsung Printer Language, specifications are available at http://splix.ap2c.org/
- SVGScalable Vector GraphicsScalable Vector Graphics is a family of specifications of an XML-based file format for describing two-dimensional vector graphics, both static and dynamic . The SVG specification is an open standard that has been under development by the World Wide Web Consortium since 1999.SVG images and their...
, an XML-based graphics description language primarily developed for the World Wide WebWorld Wide WebThe World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet... - XPSXML Paper SpecificationOpen XML Paper Specification , is an open specification for a page description language and a fixed-document format originally developed by Microsoft as XML Paper Specification that was later standardized by Ecma International as international standard ECMA-388...
, XML Paper Specification introduced in Windows Vista - ZJS, Zenographics ZjStream Page Description Language
- ZPLZebra (programming language)The Zebra Programming Language is a Printer description language. It is used primarily for labeling applications. The original ZPL was advanced to ZPL II, but a full compatibility with the older version is not given...
, Zebra Programming Language
Some of these languages are or have been made open standards. There are also other proprietary languages whose details are not publicly disclosed.