Compuprint 6314 CDL User Manual



CDL

Programmer Manual

rel. - 001

CDL – Programmer Manual

Sferal wwt srl
Via Martiri d’Italia, 26
10014 Caluso (TO)
Italy

©2007 Compuprint –Sferal wwt and the identifying product
names and numbers herein are trademarks of Compuprint. Copyright protection
claimed includes all forms and matters of copyrightable materials and information now allowed by statutory or judicial
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displayed on the screen such as icons, screen display tools, etc. Products names used in this manual may be trademarks
or registered trademarks of their respective companies and are hereby acknowledged. All non Compuprint
brands and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

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CDL – Programmer Manual

3

1. C

ONTENTS

1. Contents___________________________________________________________________ 3

2. The programming language __________________________________________________ 4

2.1 The commands__________________________________________________________________4

2.1.1 Immediate (SOH) commands___________________________________________________________ 6

2.1.2 System (STX) commands _____________________________________________________________ 8

2.1.2.1 Label definition commands (STX L) _________________________________________________ 13

2.1.2.1.1 Local setting commands ________________________________________________________ 13

2.1.2.1.2 Special commands_____________________________________________________________ 19

2.1.2.1.3 Object definition commands _____________________________________________________ 19

2.2 Fonts and bar codes_____________________________________________________________ 21

2.2.1 Fonts ____________________________________________________________________________ 21

2.2.2 Bar codes_________________________________________________________________________ 28

2.3 Examples______________________________________________________________________ 36

2.3.1 Geometric figures __________________________________________________________________ 36

2.3.2 Alphanumerical fields _______________________________________________________________ 37

2.3.3 Bar codes_________________________________________________________________________ 39

2.3.4 Graphic images ____________________________________________________________________ 40

2.3.5 Dynamic fields_____________________________________________________________________ 42

2.3.6 Repeating the same field on the label ___________________________________________________ 44

2.3.7 Incremental fields __________________________________________________________________ 46

2.3.8 Saving the label ____________________________________________________________________ 47

3. ASCII Tables _____________________________________________________________ 50

4. Index of figures____________________________________________________________ 52

5. Index of tables_____________________________________________________________ 53

CDL – Programmer Manual

2. T

In order to work, thermal printers require some commands that use a specific syntax.
The CDL language comprises a series of commands formed by printable characters (with the
exception of SOH and STX): this means that they can be used with any kind of computer.
The print file to be sent to the printer may be a text file (written using any editor); alternatively the
instructions may be sent by programming language (e.g. Basic) or the label may be prepared on
screen using WYSIWIG1 software or a word processor that, using a driver, converts the label into
instructions that can be understood by the printer. In the latter case, the user does not need to know
the programming language and can ignore sections 2.1 (page 4) and 2.3 (page 36) which serve only
to fully explain the functions and potentials of the machine.
This kind of software2 is very powerful and permits even users who are not very expert to create
labels using only a mouse and a keyboard. On the other hand, if you wish to optimise machine
performance, it may be more efficient to program the printer using the CDL language described
below.

HE PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE

2.1 The commands

In particular, the software commands can be classed as follows (see fig. 1).

1

What You See Is What You Get.

2

See the respective installation and operating manuals.

4

5

CDL commands

CDL – Programmer Manual

Immediate commands (SOH)

These commands, preceded by the ASCII characters SOH (0110, 01H), are immediate that is
they are executed as soon as they are received, and take priority over other commands.

They act “at high level” e.g. to reset the printer, to request its status or to disable the
interpreter.

Imm ediate comm an ds

System com m and s

SOH

STX

Label definition comm ands

STX L

Local setting com m and s

S p e c ia l c o m m a nd s

O b jec t d e finition co m m ands

Geometric figures

Alphanumeric fields

Barcod es

Graph ic im ag es

fig. 1 – Command hierarchy

System Commands (STX)

These commands are preceded by the ASCII characters STX (0210, 02H) and are executed in
the order in which they are received: only immediate commands (SOH) can “queue jump”.

Label definition commands (STX L)

STX L is an “opening” command (you close with E, X or s(A/B/C/D/E)nn...n) for the

label “building” operations. That is the instructions that permit you to creat e the label
are enclosed within STX L and E (X or s(A/B/C/D/E)nn...n).
In particular, the commands defining the label parameters can be classified as
follows:

CDL – Programmer Manual

Local setting commands

Special commands

For each label it is possible to set local parameters such as the temperature of
the head, the print speed or the number of labels to be printed. These
parameters are, precisely,

local

that is valid only for the current label or job.

These commands, despite the

STX

prefix, are not system commands.

Object definition commands

The actual label is made up of a group of objects, the nature of which may
differ:

Geometric figures (lines and boxes)
Alphanumeric fields (characters or numbers)
Bar codes
Graphic images

The object definition commands must respect a well defined syntax (see sect.

2.1.2.1.3 on page 19) with which the desired characteristics are defined (e.g.
orientation, position, size etc.).

2.1.1 Immediate (SOH) commands

SOH # - Reset

Resets the printer just as if it had been turned off and on again: it empties the buffers and initialises
the memory. The effect is that all the variables are reset to their default values and any data stored in
the registers are cancelled. Obviously, the images and labels stored in the flash memory remain,
since it is not volatile.
After the command it is advisable to wait for the response3 (
in series, or 3-4 sec, before entering other commands.

CR T

) from the printer if it is connected

SOH A – Printer status (alphanumeric string)

The printer sends the computer4 a sequence of 8 characters indicating its status. Each position has
an exact meaning as shown in the table below:

3

Only the RS 232 serial interface is two-way, therefore this command is effective only when the printer is connected to

the computer by means of a serial interface.

4

Only the RS 232 serial interface is two-way, therefore this command is effective only when the printer is connected to

the computer by means of a serial interface.

6

CDL – Programmer Manual

7

Position Query

1 Is the command interpreter busy?
2 Is the paper feed empty?
3 Is the ribbon out (if thermal transfer printing is enabled)?
4 Is a job being printed?
5 Is it busy?
6 Is it off-line?
7 Is the label present?
8 Always N

The reply character is Y if the result of the query is positive, N if it is negative.

SOH B - On-line

Switches the printer status from on-line to off-line and back. It behaves exactly like the ON-LINE
button on the control panel.

SOH C - Cancel

This has the same effect as the CANCEL button on the front panel: the machine finishes printing
the current label and cancels the remaining labels (in the current job).

SOH D – Disabling the immediate command interpreter

After this command the printer will ignore all immediate commands.
Logos and graphic images are likely to contain SOH characters that could be erroneously interpreted
by the printer. Before loading logos, you therefore need to enter this command to inhibit the
immediate command interpreter; when loading ends it will be automatically enabled again.

SOH E – Number of labels still to be printed

The four digits that the printer transmits5 to the computer indicate the number of labels that still
have to be printed.

SOH F – Printer status (1 hexadecimal byte)

The printer sends the computer6 a byte, giving the status, in which each bit has the following
meaning:

5

Only the RS 232 serial interface is two-way, therefore this command is effective only when the printer is connected to

the computer by means of a serial interface.

6

Only the RS 232 serial interface is two-way, therefore this command is effective only when the printer is connected to

the computer by means of a serial interface.

CDL – Programmer Manual

Position Query

1 Is the command interpreter busy?
2 Is the paper feed empty?
3 Is the ribbon out (if thermal transfer printing is enabled)?
4 Is a job being printed?
5 Is it busy?
6 Is it
7 Is the label present?
8 Always 0

off-line

?

Bit 1 is a positive answer, bit 0 is a negative answer.

2.1.2 System (STX) commands

Some of these commands set parameters that can also be changed from the configuration menu: in
any case the software commands overwrite the configuration parameters and are valid until the next
reset or until the machine is switched off.

STX a – Enabling of reply characters

This command enables the printer to send the computer

RS (30

characters.
The RS character is sent7 in reply after each label is printed, the US character is sent in reply after
each batch of labels has been printed.

10

1E

,

H

) and

US (31

10

,

1F

) reply

H

STX cnnnn – Form length

When labels without references are used (without gaps, black tick marks or holes) the printer has to
be told how long the label to be printed is. Before starting to print the labels, you need to enter this
command, where
each feed, the paper will advance by

nnnn

is the form length expressed in hundredths of an inch. From that moment, at

nnnn

hundredths of an inch8.
When the form length differs from 0, it is implicitly assumed that labels without references are
being used and therefore the paper sensor is enabled only to signal whether or not there is paper (it
does not detect any gaps or black tick marks).

STX c0250

e.g.

sets the form length at 2.5 inches.

STX Ennnn – Number of labels still to be printed

After saving the label to be printed, use the
labels indicated by the current

STX Ennnn

desired quantity.
e.g. with

STX E0020,

20 labels are printed.

STX G

command that follows to stamp the number of

command where

nnnn

is the number indicating the

7

Only the RS 232 serial interface is two-way, therefore this command is effective only when the printer is connected to

the computer by means of a serial interface.

8

After an

8

STX m

(see releva nt paragraph),

nnnn

is read as tenths of a millimetre.

CDL – Programmer Manual

9

STX e – Paper sensor in transmission mode

After receiving this command, the sensor works in transmission mode (for paper sensor use and
operating modes see the user’s manual for the printer).

STX F - Form feed

It advances the paper of a label just as the FEED button on the control panel does: if a job is being
printed, the form feed is queued and executed at the end of it.

STX fnnn - Back feed

To tear the label off at the gap or cut it with the automatic cutter, once printing is completed, the
paper must advance just enough to reach the right position, and must then return before the next
label is printed.
With this command, the last label printed is made to advance beyond the print head by
hundredths of an inch9, then before the next one is printed the paper returns the same distance to
keep the printing aligned with the label itself.
The amount by which the paper advances depends on the kind of emulation used (for this, see the
user’s manual for the printer used): that is the actual back feed is the difference between

REFERENCE OFFSET

of the emulation that is being used.

nnn

nnn

and the

STX G – Print label

The label “closed” by the X command (see sect. 2.1.2.1.1 on page 13) is not printed immediately
but is held in the memory until the

STX G

command arrives.

STX Ennnn

indicates the number of

labels remaining to be printed (if it is missing, only one label is printed).

STX Isfnn...n – Load graphic images

Graphic images must be loaded into the RAM (volatile) or flash (non-volatile) memory before they
can be printed. To do this, use the

s

is the drive where the image is to be loaded. It may be

A: RAM10 (volatile) drive
B: Flash (non-volatile) drive of the base machine
C: Current11 drive
D: Flash drive of expander card n° 1 (see the user’s manual for the printer used)
E: Flash drive of expander card n° 2

f

is the image format. It may be

P: PCX format
p: “flipped” PCX format (mirror image)
B: BMP format

9

After a

10

Drive A of volatile memory (RAM) is available o nly when it is present (in an expander card) (for this, see the user’s

manual for the printer that is used).

11

The current default drive is B (flash) and A (RAM) when it is present (in an expander card). It is possible to change

the current drive using the

STX m

command (see relevent paragraph),

STX Xa

STX Isfnn...n

command, see relevant paragraph.

command where

nnn

is read as tenths of a millimetre.

CDL – Programmer Manual

b: “flipped” BMP format
I: IMG format
i: “flipped” IMG format
F: FRG format

nn...n is the name you want to give to the image and by which it can be recalled in the label

definition (it can be different from the original name of the graphic file). It is an
alphanumeric string of no more than 8 capital characters ending with the character CR.

Immediately after entering this command, you must send the graphic file to be loaded to the printer.
This file may contain characters that could be misinterpreted by the immediate command interpreter
and for this reason the command must be preceded by SOH D (see sect. 2.1.1 on page 6) to
temporarily disable the interpreter.
e.g.

SOH D disables the immediate command interpreter
STX IAPxxx1 the graphic file that follows is in PCX (P) format and is loaded in RAM (A)

with the name xxx1.

STX J - Off-line after a label

After this command, the printer goes off-line after printing each label.

STX L – Label definition mode

This command “opens” the label definition mode (see sect. 2.1.2.1 on page 13). That is, all the
instructions included within the commands STX L and E (X or s(A/B/C/D/E)nn...n) are used to
“build” the label, or define which fields must be included, their size and where they must be placed.

STX Mnnnn – Maximum label length

If, after the paper has advanced by nnnn hundredths of an inch12, the machine does not find gap (a
black tick mark or a hole), it will signal an error. The default value for this advance is 10 inches but
it can be changed so that the printer will signal an error earlier.
e.g. with STX M0255 and a label height of 2.5 inches, an error will be signalled if there is no gap
within 2.55 inches (that is there is no label).

STX m – Metric system

After this command, all numerical parameters are read as tenths of a millimetre and no longer in
hundredths of an inch. To return to hundredths of an inch you must enter STX n.

STX n – Imperial system

After a STX m command, you can return to the default system in which all numerical parameters are
read as hundredths of an inch by entering STX n.

12

After an STX m command (see relevant paragraph), nnnn is read as tenths of a millimetre.

10

CDL – Programmer Manual

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STX Onnnn – Vertical offset

To move the whole label lengthwise with respect to the direction of the printing, you can enter a
vertical offset. The four digit number

nnnn

gives the offset in hundredths of an inch13 “according” to

the emulation used (for this, see the user’s manual for the printer used).

STX O0225

e.g.

(if you use the

REFERENCE

OFFSET

210

) gives an offset of 15 hundredths of an
inch, that is the printer, before starting to print, will advance the paper by 15 hundredths of an inch
and the printing will appear 15 hundredths of an inch “higher up” than “normal”.
If the offset is positive, it will take effect from the first label, if it is negative, from the second
onwards.

STX o – Immediate cut

When the automatic cutter is fitted and enabled, this command activates an immediate cut.

STX P – Dump mode

After this command, the printer goes into

dump

mode. This means that the command interpreter is
disabled and all characters received by the printer are printer as hex adecimals: t o exit th is mode the
printer must be switched off and on again. The command is equivalent to pressing both the ON­LINE and FEED buttons when it is switched on (for further information, see the user’s manual for
the printer used) except that it does not print a test label.

STX p - Off-line after a batch of labels

This command causes the printer to go

off-line

paragraph, after each batch of labels it prints.

, unlike with the

STX J

command, see relevant

STX Q – Cancel all

This is equivalent to the commands
including RAM and flash memories.

STX qA

STX qB

+

STX qD

+

STX qE

+

: it cancels all the drives

STX q(A/B/C/D/E) - Cancel drive

This command “cleans” drives A, B, C, D, E14 respectively. The result is that all the images or
labels previously saved are cancelled. Cancelling the non-volatile flash memory may take several
seconds.

STX qB

e.g.

cancels the non-volatile flash memory of the base machine.

STX r – Paper sensor in reflection mode

After receiving this command, the sensor will operate in reflection mode (for the use of sensor
operating modes, see the user’s manual for the printer used).

13

After an

14

Volatile memory drive A (RAM), and flash memory drives D and E (non-volatile) are only available when present (in

an expander card) (for further information, see the user’s manual for the printer used).

STX m

command (see relevant paragraph),

nnnn

is read as tenths of a millimetre.

CDL – Programmer Manual

STX Sn – Feed speed

The paper advance speed can be selected by pressing the FEED button. The n (from A to O)
corresponds to the following table:

n Speed (ips15)

A 2
B 2
C 2
D 2,5
E 3

F 3,5

G16 4

H 4,5

I 5
J 5,5

K17 6

L 6,5

M 7

N 7,5

O18 8

e.g. After entering

STX SG

, the feed speed is 4 inches per second.

STX T – Print test

It prints a test label like the one printed by pressing the ON-LINE and FEED buttons when the
printer is switched on (for further information, see the user’s manual for the printer used) without
going into dump mode and without printing the configuration.

STX Unnss...s – Fill register

It fills register nn (two-digit number) with the alphanumerical string

CR

). The string

ss...s

may differ in length from the one previously saved in register nn.

ss...s

(which must end with

STX Vn – Enable cutter and present sensor

According to the number given at n the cutter or the present sensor are enabled/disabled as in the
following table:

15

Inches per second.

16

Default and max. speed.

17

Default speed for models with expander card .

18

Max. speed for models with expander card .

12

CDL – Programmer Manual

13

n Present sensor Cutter

0 Disabled Disabled
1 Disabled Enabled
4 Enabled Disabled
5 Enabled Enabled

e.g. STX V4 enables the present sensor and disables the cutter.

STX v - RS 232 port configuration

It prints the configuration of the RS 232 port as it appears on the test label.

STX Xa – Current drive

With this command you can select the current drive C (see i commands STX Iafnn...n and
s(A/B/C/D/E)nn...n) as the volatile RAM memory (a=A) or as the non-volatile flash memory (a=B,
D o E)19.
e.g. STX XA selects drive C as the volatile RAM memory.

STX Z – Print test and configuration

It prints the configuration and the test label in the same way as when you press the ON-LINE and
FEED buttons when the printer is switched on (for further information, see the user’s manual for the
printer used) without, however, going into dump mode..

2.1.2.1 Label definition commands (STX L)

They are included between the STX L and the E (or X or s(A/B/C/D/E)nn...n) commands. They are
not generally preceded by any particular character (neit her STX or SOH) and “end” with the CR20
character.

2.1.2.1.1 Local setting commands

These commands permit you to set a number of local label parameters like temperature, print speed
and label quantity.

:nnnn – Cut command

Like the cnn command below (see), nnnn is the number of labels printed before the cutter operates
(if it is fitted and enabled). Unlike the cnn command which can contain only two digits, this
command accepts up to four digits.

19

The default current drive is B. The A when the RAM is installed (in an expander card). Drives A, D and E are

available only on expander cards.

20

The line terminator can be replaced, in label definition mode, by another character with the command T (see sect.

2.1.2.1.1 on page 13) which is a local command and therefore is valid only for the current label.

CDL – Programmer Manual

An - XOR mode/transparent mode

.

XOR mode

the superimposed

21

n=1

the printer is

When two objects are superimposed on the label, if the printer is in
part appears white, while if it is in
set in

XOR mode

, if

n=2

transparent mode

in

When you want to obtain “reverse” text, you must use

transparent mode

.

this part appears black. If

XOR mode

Cnnnn – Horizontal offset (of columns)

When you want to move the whole label to the right (positive offset) without having to recalculate
all the column co-ordinates you can use the

Cnnnn

command in which

nnnn

are the four digits

indicating the column from which printing must begin.
e.g.

C0015

adds

15

to all the column co-ordinates and the labels appears transversally offset by 15

hundredths of an inch22 to the right.

cnn – Cut command

Like the command

:nnnn

, here too
automatically cuts the paper with the optional cutter (which must be enabled). Unlike
command accepts only two digits.
e.g. with

c02

the cutter operates every two labels that are printed.

nn

indicates the number of labels to be printed before the printer

:nnnn,

this

Dhv – Dot size

The dots (the smallest points that the printer can print) can be “grouped” in couples to form a larger
dot. That is, you can enlarge each dot horizontally (h) and/or vertically (v) as in fig. 2.

21

Default setting.

22

After an m (see relevant paragraph), 15 tenths of a millimetre.

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CDL – Programmer Manual

15

D11

D12

D21

D2223

D31

D32

fig. 2 – Dot sizes

The effect is that all the objects on the label can be expanded horizontally and/or vertically using
only one command.

D11 gives the highest resolution (on this subject, see the user’s manual for the printer used).

E – Label definition mode terminator

On receiving this command, the printer prints the current label and exits the label definition mode.

G – Register memory

The field preceded by this command is saved in the first free register. The registers are filled in
succession from A to Z and their value is retrieved with the command STX Sn, see relevant
paragraph.
In practice each field is saved in registers A-Z even without using the command G: the registers are
filled in succession starting from the first alphanumerical field of the label definition commands.
The current G command only makes the memorisation explicit, highlighting it.

Hnn – Head temperature

To achieve optimum print quality, it may be necessary to modify the default temperature set with
the HEAD TEMPER. SELECTION parameter (on this subject, see the user manual for the printer
used) using this command Hnn. For this purpose, nn may vary from 00 to 20. The optimum
temperature depends on the type of ribbon and on the type of surface: as an indication, you should
start with a temperature of 10 increasing it until you find the one that gives the best results.

23

Default setting.

CDL – Programmer Manual

This command, since it is a label definition command, is a local command that is effective only on
the current label: the default value is the one set by the HEAD TEMPER. SELECTION parameter
mentioned above.

m – Metric system

After this command, the co-ordinates are read as tenths of a millimetre instead of hundredths of an
inch. To return to hundredths of an inch, you need to enter a subsequent command n.

n – Imperial system

After an m command, with a current n command the printer returns to the imperial system in which
all numerical parameters are read in hundredths of an inch (this is the default setting).

Pa – Printing speed

You can select the label printing speed with this command.
Since it is a label definition command, it is local.

a may be set at the following speeds:

a Speed (ips24)

A 2
B 2
C 2
D 2,5
E 3

F 3,5

G25 4

H 4,5

I 5
J 5,5

K26 6

L 6,5

M 7

N 7,5

O27 8

e.g. with command PG the printer prints the current label at a speed of 4 ips.

pa – Backfeed speed

With this command you can select the label backfeed speed (see command STX fnnn).
Since it is a label definition command, it is local.
a may be set at the following speeds:

24

Inches per second.

25

Default and max. speed.

26

Default speed for models with expander card.

27

Max. speed for models with expander card.

16