Brother QL-600, QL-710W, QL-720NW Software Developer's Manual Raster Command Reference

Software Developer's Manual

Raster Command Reference QL-600/QL-710W/QL-720NW

Version 1.02

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Each owner whose software title is mentioned in this document has a Software License Agreement specific to its proprietary programs. Any trade names and product names of companies appearing on Brother products, related documents and any other materials are all trademarks or registered trademarks of those respective companies.

IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

Note

This documentation (“Documentation”) provides information that will assist you in controlling your Printer QL-XXX (where “XXX” 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

a. Any updates, upgrades or alteration of the Documentation or Printer Model will be performed at the sole

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.

Updates

Version

Date

Contents changed

1.01

03/21/2013

Initial version for QL-710W/ QL-720NW

1.02

01/29/2019

QL-600 added

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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 ······················································································ 12

2.3.1 Resolution ..................................................................................................... 12

2.3.2 Page size ...................................................................................................... 12

2.3.3 Feed amount ................................................................................................. 15

2.3.4 Maximum and minimum lengths ..................................................................... 16

2.3.5 Raster line ..................................................................................................... 17

3. Print Command List ··············································································· 20

4. Printing Command Details ······································································ 21

NULL Invalidate .............................................................................................. 21

ESC i S Status information request ..................................................................... 21

ESC @ Initialize................................................................................................. 27

ESC i d Specify margin amount (feed amount) .................................................... 27

ESC i a Switch dynamic command mode ............................................................ 28

g Raster graphics transfer ........................................................................ 28

ESC i B Specify baud rate .................................................................................. 29

Z Zero raster graphics .............................................................................. 29

FF Print command ...................................................................................... 29

Control-Z Print command with feeding ................................................................... 29

ESC i z Print information command .................................................................... 30

M Select compression mode ...................................................................... 31

ESC i A Specify the page number in “cut each * labels” ....................................... 32

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

ESC i K Expanded mode .................................................................................... 33

5. Flow Charts ·························································································· 34

5.1 Normal flow for USB connection ··································································· 34

5.2 Error flow for USB connection (when feeding at the end of the page) ······················ 35

5.3 Error flow for USB connection (with a concurrent printing error such as end of tape)··· 36

5.4 Cooling flow for USB connection ··································································· 37

5.5 Flow for setting serial connection baud rate (QL-710W / QL-720NW Only) ··············· 38

5.6 Normal flow for serial connection (QL-710W / QL-720NW Only) ···························· 39

5.7 Error flow for serial connection (QL-710W / QL-720NW Only) ······························· 40

5.8 Cleaning flow for serial connection (QL-710W / QL-720NW Only) ·························· 41

5.9 Normal Flow for Network (Standard TCP/IP port) Connection (QL-710W / QL-720NW Only) ·········································································································· 42

Appendix A: USB Specifications ································································· 43 Appendix B: Introducing the Brother Developer Center ·································· 44

Raster Command Reference

- 1 Introduction

Introduction

This material provides the necessary information for directly controlling the Brother printer QL-XXX (where “XXX” 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 and networks 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.

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About Raster Commands

Using raster commands a QL-XXX printer (where “XXX” 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 QL-XXX printer (hereafter, referred to as “printer”). This manual describes the procedure for adding these codes and sending the data.

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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”.

(2) Receive the status

(Confirm the printer status.)

(1) Open the port

(5) Receive 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.

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1. Printing Using Raster Commands

(1) Open the USB/serial/network port

Open the USB/serial/network port in the operating environment. The procedure for opening the USB/serial/network 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/serial/network port

After all printing is finished, close the USB/serial/network port.

Note: In order to print at high speed when a USB port is used to send uncompressed raster data, the Brother QL-XXX 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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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.

Sequence

Command Name

Description/Example

Invalidate

Sends a 200-byte invalidate command, and then resets the printer to the receiving state.

Initialize

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

(2) Control codes

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

Sequence

Command Name

Description/Example

Switch dynamic command mode

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

Print information command

Sets the print information for the printer. For 102-mm-wide continuous length tape: 1Bh, 69h, 7Ah, 86h, 0Ah, 66h, 00h, 09h, 07h, 00h, 00h, 00h, 00h

Various mode

To select “Auto Cut” 1Bh, 69h, 4Dh, 40h

Specify the page number in “cut each * labels”

When an auto cut setting is effective, specify the number of sheets for auto cut. For each sheets, 1Bh, 69h, 41h, 01h

Expanded mode

To select “Cut at End” flag 1Bh, 69h, 4Bh, 08h

Specify margin amount

Specifies the amount of the margins. For 3 mm margins: 1Bh, 69h, 64h, 23h, 00h

Select compression mode

(QL-710W / QL-720NW Only) Selects the compression mode for raster graphics. To send the data compressed to TIFF format: 4Dh, 02h

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2. Print Data

(3) Raster data

Repeated for each page in the print job.

Sequence

Command Name

Description/Example

Raster graphics transfer

Sends image data as commands.

Zero raster graphics

Sends image data for 1 blank line as a compression command. (Valid only when TIFF is selected as the compression mode) 5Ah (Fixed)

(4) Print commands

Specified at the end of the page.

Sequence

Command Name

Description/Example

Print command

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

Print command with feeding

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

Last

Switch dynamic command mode

(QL-600 Only) Resets the command mode of the printer to default mode. 1Bh, 69h, 61h, FFh

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2. Print Data

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

Based on print data created by the printer driver, descriptions of the commands introduced in the previous chapter are provided 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.

Test page

Printer Properties

2.2.1 Preparation

Install the two listed below.

・ Printer driver of the Brother QL-XXX ・ 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

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

Open the Printers and Faxes folder, and then right-click the printer 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.

For this sample, print the test page with the default print settings, which were specified immediately after the printer driver was installed.

Default settings immediately after installation of the printer driver

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2. Print 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”.

(1) Initialization commands

(2) Control codes

(4) Print commands

(3) Raster data

Print data

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2. Print Data

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.

5 7 11

* For QL-600, switch dynamic command mode (1B 69 61 FF) after position 12.

Print data

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