Brother PT-H500 Raster Command Reference

Software Developer's Manual

Raster Command Reference PT-H500/P700/E500

Version 1.10

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IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

Note

This documentation (“Documentation”) provides information that will assist you in controlling your Printer PT-XXXX (where “XXXX” is the model name). You may use the Documentation only if you first agree to the following conditions. If you do not agree to the following conditions, you may not use the Documentation.

Condition of Use

You may use and reproduce the Documentation to the extent necessary for your own use of your Printer Model (“Purpose”). Unless expressly permitted in the Documentation, you may not; (i) copy or reproduce the Documentation for any purpose other than the Purpose,

(ii) modify, translate or adapt the Documentation, and/or redistribute it to any third party, (iii) rent or lease the Documentation to any third party, or, (iv) remove or alter any copyright notices or proprietary rights legends included within the Documentation.

No Warranty

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discretion of Brother. Brother may not respond to any request or inquiry about the Documentation.

b. THIS DOCUMENTATION IS PROVIDED TO YOU "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND,

WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. BROTHER DOES NOT REPRESENT OR WARRANT THAT THIS DOCUMENTATION IS FREE FROM ERRORS OR DEFECTS.

c. IN NO EVENT SHALL BROTHER BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL,

SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, ARISING OUT OF THE USE, INABILITY TO USE, OR THE RESULTS OF USE OF THE DOCUMENTATION OR ANY SOFTWARE PROGRAM OR APPLICATION YOU DEVELOPED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DOCUMENTATION.

Raster Command Reference

Contents

Introduction ······························································································ 1 About Raster Commands ············································································ 2

1. Printing Using Raster Commands ································ ····························· 3

2. Print Data ······························································································ 5

2.1 Print data overview ························································································ 5

2.2 Sample (analyzing the print data of the test page) ················································ 7

2.2.1 Preparation ........................................................................................................... 7

2.2.2 Checking the print data ......................................................................................... 7

2.2.3 Explanation of print data for the test page .......................................................... 10

2.3 Page data details·························································································· 13

2.3.1 Resolution .......................................................................................................... 13

2.3.2 Page size ............................................................................................................ 14

2.3.3 Feed amount ...................................................................................................... 17

2.3.4 Maximum and minimum lengths ......................................................................... 18

2.3.5 Raster line .......................................................................................................... 19

3. Print Command List ··············································································· 22

4. Printing Command Details ······································································ 23

NULL Invalidate ................................................................................................... 23

ESC @ Initialize ...................................................................................................... 23

ESC i S Status information request ......................................................................... 23

ESC i a Switch dynamic command mode ............................................................... 31

ESC i z Print information command ........................................................................ 32

ESC i M Various mode settings ............................................................................... 33

ESC i K Advanced mode settings ........................................................................ 33

ESC i d Specify margin amount (feed amount) ....................................................... 34

M Select compression mode ......................................................................... 35

g Raster graphics transfer ............................................................................ 37

Z Zero raster graphics ................................................................................... 37

FF Print command........................................................................................... 37

Control-Z Print command with feeding ...................................................................... 38

5. Flow Charts··························································································· 39

5.1 Concurrent printing normal flow for USB connection ············································ 40

5.2 Concurrent printing error flow for USB connection (when feeding at the end of the page)41

5.3 Concurrent printing error flow for USB connection (with a concurrent printing error such as end of tape) ·································································································· 42

5.6 Buffered printing normal flow for USB connection ················································ 43

5.7 Buffered printing error flow for USB connection ··················································· 44

5.8 Buffered printing cooling flow for USB connection ··············································· 45

Appendix A: USB Specifications ································································· 46 Appendix B: Introducing the Brother Developer Center ·································· 47

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Raster Command Reference

Introduction

This material provides the necessary information for directly controlling the Brother printer PT-XXXX (where “XXXX” is the model name). This information is provided assuming that the user has full understanding of the operating system being used and basic mastery of USB in a developer's environment. Details concerning the USB interface are not described in this material. If a USB interface is being used, refer to “Appendix A: USB Specifications” to prepare the interface.

Read the model names that appear in the screens in this manual as the name of your printer.

- 1 Introduction

Raster Command Reference

About Raster Commands

Using raster commands an PT-XXXX printer (where “XXXX” is the model name) can be used to print without using our printer driver. This operation is useful in the following situations.  When printing from an operating system other than Windows

(Example: When printing from a Linux computer or mobile terminal)  When adding print functions to an existing system In addition, printing can be performed with advanced settings.

In this material, “raster” refers to binary bitmap data (collection of dots). Refer to this material to print by sending initialization commands and control codes together with raster data to the PT-XXXX printer (hereafter, referred to as “printer”). This manual describes the procedure for adding these codes and sending the data.

- 2 About Raster Commands

Raster Command Reference

(2) Send the status

(Confirm the printer status.)

(1) Open the port

(5) Send the status

(Confirm that printing is completed.)

(6) Close the port

Port

(4) Print

At your side

(3) Send the print data

Your printer

Computer, mobile terminal, etc.

1. Printing Using Raster Commands

The printing procedure is described below. For detailed flow charts, refer to “5. Flow Charts”. For details on each command, refer to “4. Printing Command Details”.

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1. Printing Using Raster Commands

Raster Command Reference

(1) Open the USB port

Open the USB port in the operating environment. The procedure for opening the USB port is not described in this material.

(2) Confirm the printer status sent from the printer

The “status information request” command is sent to the printer, the status information received from the printer is analyzed, and then the status of the printer is determined.

For details on the “status information request” command and on the definitions of “status”, refer to “Status information request” in “4. Printing Command Details”.

(3) Send the print data

If the status analysis confirms that media compatible with the print data is loaded into the printer and that no error has occurred, the print data is sent. The structure of the print data is explained in the next section, “2. Print Data”.

Note: No command can be sent to the printer after the print data is transmitted and until the completion of printing is confirmed. Even the “status information request” command cannot be sent during printing.

(4) Print the data

(5) Confirm that printing is completed

When printing is completed, the status is received from the printer. If this status is analyzed to confirm that printing is completed, printing one page is considered finished. If the print job has multiple pages, (2) through (4) are repeated.

(6) Close the USB port

After all printing is finished, close the USB port.

Note: In order to print at high speed when a USB port is used to send uncompressed raster data, the Brother PT-XXXX starts printing when it starts to receive print data, instead of waiting for a print command (concurrent printing). For the processing flow, for example when managing errors, refer to “5. Flow Charts”.

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1. Printing Using Raster Commands

Raster Command Reference

Sequence

Command Name

Description/Example

Invalidate

Sends a 100-byte invalidate command, and then resets the printer to the receiving state.

Initialize

Initializes for printing. 1Bh, 40h (Fixed)

Sequence

Command Name

Description/Example

Switch dynamic command mode

Switches the printer to raster mode. 1Bh, 69h, 61h, 01h

Print information command

Sets the print information for the printer. When printing 100 mm on 24-mm-wide tape with the 180 dpi model: 1Bh, 69h, 7Ah, 84h, 00h, 18h, 00h, 9Ch, 02h, 00h, 00h, 00h, 00h

Various mode settings

When auto cut is enabled: 1Bh, 69h, 4Dh, 40h

Advanced mode settings

When chain printing is disabled: 1BH,69H,4B,08H

Specify margin amount

Specifies the amount of the margins. For 2 mm margins on the 180 dpi model: 1Bh, 69h, 64h, 0Eh, 00h

Select compression mode

Selects the compression mode for raster graphics. To send the data compressed to TIFF format: 4Dh, 02h

2. Print Data

2.1 Print data overview

The print data is constructed of the following: (1) initialization commands, (2) control codes, (3) raster data, and (4) print commands. If the print job consists of multiple pages, (2) through (4) are repeated.

(1) Initialization commands

Specified only once at the beginning of the job.

(2) Control codes

Added at the beginning of each page and sent for each page.

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2. Print Data

Sequence

Command Name

Description/Example

Raster graphics transfer

Sends a raster line that contains data with pixels set to “ON”.

Zero raster graphics

Sends a raster line with all pixels set to “0”.（Valid only when TIFF is selected as the compression mode） 5Ah (Fixed)

Sequence

Command Name

Description/Example

Print command

Specifies at the end of a page that is not the last page. 0Ch（Fixed）

Print command with feeding

Specifies at the end of the last page. 1Ah (Fixed)

(3) Raster data

Repeated for each page in the print job.

(4) Print commands

Specified at the end of the page.

Raster Command Reference

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2. Print Data

Raster Command Reference

Test page

Printer Properties

2.2 Sample (analyzing the print data of the test page)

The print data created by the printer driver is described here. As an example, we will check the print data created when the [Print Test Page] button in the printer Properties dialog box is clicked to print the test page. Since the print data differs depending on the print settings of the printer, refer to this procedure and try creating print data with various print settings. Furthermore, this procedure is for the Windows® 7 operating environment. A similar procedure can be performed if you are using a different operating system.

2.2.1 Preparation

Install the two listed below.

・ Printer driver of the Brother PT-XXXX ・ Binary file editor

The data that we will analyze in this sample is a binary file. Therefore, use a binary file editor to display and check the contents of the binary file.

2.2.2 Checking the print data

The procedure for checking the print data is provided below.

Step 1: Change the port of the printer to “FILE:”. Step 2: Print the desired item (in this case, the test page), and then specify the file name. Step 3: Open the created file in the binary file editor to check it.

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2. Print Data

Raster Command Reference

Step 1: Change the port of the printer to “FILE:”.

Open the Printers and Faxes folder, and then right-click the printer (in this case, RJ-4030) to display the Properties dialog box. In the Properties dialog box, click the [Ports] tab, select the “FILE:” check box, and then click the [Apply] button.

[Ports] tab of the printer Properties dialog box

Step 2: Print the item (in this case, the test page), and then specify the file name.

Print the test page with “24mm x 2” selected as the paper size in the print settings.

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2. Print Data

Raster Command Reference

(1) Initialization commands

(2) Control codes

(4) Print commands

(3) Raster data

When the test page is printed with the printer, a dialog box appears so that the file name can be specified. (Refer to the illustration below.) After a file name is typed in and the [OK] button is clicked, the printer driver creates the print data and saves it in a file with the specified name.

Dialog box for specifying the file name

Step 3: Open the print data in the binary file editor.

Open the saved file in the binary file editor. The rows of numbers that appear are the print data. (Refer to the illustration below.) The print data is constructed of the following: (1) initialization commands, (2) control codes, (3) raster data and (4) print commands, which were described in “2.1 Print data overview”. For details on the print data, refer to “2.2.3 Explanation of print data for the test page”.

Print data

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2. Print Data

Raster Command Reference

2.2.3 Explanation of print data for the test page

The print data for the test page outputted in the previous section is described below. The following illustration shows the print data created in section “2.2.1 Preparation” opened in the binary file editor.

Print data

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2. Print Data

Raster Command Reference

No.

Command Name

Description

１

Invalidate

A 100-byte invalidate command is sent.

Initialize

The “initialize” command is sent.

Switch dynamic command mode

The printer is switched to raster mode. Send this command before sending raster data to the printer.

Job ID setting commands

Internal specification commands Since this is a command for outputting with the commercial version driver, it is unnecessary for the user to send this command.

Print information command

Media size information for the print data is sent. This is the command for “24 mm” tape.

Various mode settings

(1Bh+69h+4Dh+00H)

This is a command for specifying a mode. Here, nothing is specified.

Advanced mode settings

This is the command for specifying settings for the advanced mode. In this case, “no chain printing” is enabled.

Specify margin amount

Specifies the amount of the margins. This is the command for “15 dots”.

Select compression mode

TIFF compression mode is selected.

Raster data

Raster data continues.

Print command

Since it is not the last page, the print command is sent at the end of the page.

Switch dynamic command mode

The printer is switched to raster mode. Send this command before sending raster data to the printer.

Job ID setting commands

Internal specification commands Since this is a command for outputting with the commercial version driver, it is unnecessary for the user to send this command.

Print information command

Media size information for the print data is sent. This is the command for “24 mm” tape.

Various mode settings (1Bh+69h+4Dh+00H)

This is a command for specifying a mode. Here, nothing is specified.

Advanced mode settings

This is the command for specifying settings for the advanced mode. In this case, “no chain printing” is enabled.

Specify margin amount

Specifies the amount of the margins. This is the command for “15 dots”.

Select compression

TIFF compression mode is selected.

Descriptions for the numbers in the print data on the previous page are provided in the following table. For details on each command, refer to “4. Printing Command Details”.

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2. Print Data

Raster Command Reference

mode

Raster data

Raster data continues.

Print command with feeding

Since it is the last page, the print command with feeding is sent at the end of the page.

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2. Print Data

+ 36 hidden pages