HP LASERJET 4 AND 5 FAMILY
PRINTERS - COMMON PJL COMMANDS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The following are commonly used PJL commands to change default menu settings for
the HP LaserJet 4 printer family and above. The command used is the "DEFAULT"
command which permanently changes the default menu setting.
NOTE: The HP LaserJet 4L printer will be reset to factory defaults if the printer is
manually reset or unplugged.
To change default settings for just the current job, replace "DEFAULT" with the
"SET" command.
COPIES
Ec%-12345X@PJL DEFAULT COPIES = 1 to 999 <CR> <LF>
Ec%-12345X
MANUAL FEED
Ec%-12345X@PJL DEFAULT MANUALFEED = ON or OFF <CR> <LF>
Ec%-12345X
PAPER SIZE
The following command permanently changes the default menu setting of the HP
LaserJet 4 and 5 printer family to a paper size of legal.
Ec%-12345X@PJL DEFAULT PAPER = LEGAL
Ec%-12345X
NOTE: Variables are Letter, Legal, Executive, Ledger, Com10, B4, B5, Custom,
JISB4, JISB5, JPost, JPostD, A3, A4, C5, DL and Monarch
Not all paper sizes work on all printers. Check the User's Manual for supported paper
sizes.
ORIENTATION
The following command permanently changes the default menu setting of the HP
LaserJet 4 and 5 printer family to Landscape orientation.
Ec%-12345X@PJL DEFAULT ORIENTATION = LANDSCAPE <CR> <LF>
Ec%-12345X
FORMLINES
The following command permanently changes the front menu panel of the HP LaserJet
4 and 5 printer family to 66 lines per page.
Ec%-12345X@PJL DEFAULT FORMLINES = 66 <CR> <LF>
Ec%-12345X
NOTE: Variables are 5 to 128
SYMBOL SET
The following command permanently changes the default menu setting of the HP
LaserJet 4 and 5 printer family to the PC-8 symbol set.
Ec%-12345X@PJL DEFAULT LPARM : PCL SYMSET = PC8 <CR> <LF>
Ec%-12345X
FONT NUMBER
The following command permanently changes the default menu setting of the HP
LaserJet 4 and 5 printer family to font number 2.
Ec%-12345X@PJL DEFAULT LPARM : PCL FONTNUMBER = 2 <CR> <LF>
Ec%-12345X
PITCH SIZE
The following command permanently changes the default menu of the HP LaserJet 4
and 5 printer family to a pitch size of 16.67.
Ec%-12345X@PJL DEFAULT LPARM : PCL PITCH = 16.67 <CR> <LF>
Ec%-12345X
NOTE: Variables are .44 to 99.99
POINT SIZE
The following command permanently changes the default menu of the HP LaserJet 4
and 5 printer family to point size 20.
Ec%-12345X@PJL DEFAULT LPARM : PCL PTSIZE = 20 <CR> <LF>
Ec%-12345X
NOTE: Variables are 4 to 999.75
ECONOMODE
Ec%-12345X@PJL DEFAULT ECONOMODE = ON or OFF <CR> <LF>
Ec%-12345X
AUTOCONT
Ec%-12345X@PJL DEFAULT AUTOCONT = ON or OFF <CR> <LF>
Ec%-12345X
DENSITY
Ec%-12345X@PJL DEFAULT DENSITY = 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 <CR> <LF>
Ec%-12345X
NOTE: Not supported on HP LaserJet 4Si, 4Si MX printers.
Read-only on the HP LaserJet 4, 4M printers.
RESOLUTION
Ec%-12345X@PJL DEFAULT RESOLUTION = 300 or 600 <CR> <LF>
Ec%-12345X
NOTE: Not supported on HP LaserJet 4L, 4ML printers.
RESOLUTION ENHANCEMENT
Ec%-12345X@PJL DEFAULT RET = OFF, LIGHT, MEDIUM OR DARK <CR>
<LF>
Ec%-12345X
NOTE: On the HP LaserJet 4Si, 4Si MX printers, the variables are ON or OFF
only.
JOB OFFSET (HP LASERJET 4SI, 4SI MX
PRINTERS)
Ec%-12345X @PJL DEFAULT JOBOFFSET = ON or OFF <CR> <LF>
Ec%-12345X
OUTBIN (HP LASERJET 4SI, 4SI MX PRINTERS)
Ec%-12345X@PJL DEFAULT OUTBIN = UPPER or LOWER <CR> <LF>
Ec%-12345X
DUPLEX (HP LASERJET 4 PLUS, 4M PLUS, 4SI,
4SI MX, 5SI, 5SIMX PRINTERS)
Ec%-12345X@PJL DEFAULT DUPLEX = ON or OFF <CR> <LF>
Ec%-12345X
DUPLEX BINDING (HP LASERJET 4 PLUS, 4M
PLUS, 4SI, 4SI MX, 5SI, 5SI MX PRINTERS)
Ec%-12345X@PJL DEFAULT BINDING = LONGEDGE or SHORTEDGE
<CR> <LF>
Ec%-12345X
READY MESSAGE DISPLAY
Ec%-12345X@PJL RDYMSG DISPLAY = "MESSAGE" <CR> <LF>
Ec%-12345X
NOTE: Not supported on HP LaserJet 4, 4ML printers.
RESET
Use the following command at the end of PJL jobs that use the PJL SET command to
set the printer back to its default state.
Ec%-12345X@PJL INITIALIZE <CR> <LF>
Ec%-12345X
NOTE: Use Initialize, not Reset, on the HP LaserJet 4, 4Plus, 5L, 5P and 5MP
printers.
ADDITIONAL COMMANDS FOR THE HP
LASERJET 5P/5MP PRINTER
MP TRAY AS A CASSETTE OR FIRST TRAY
This command sets the configuration of Tray 1 (MP Tray) as either a FIRST
tray or a CASSETTE tray. The command is as follows:
Ec%-12345X@PJL DEFAULT MPTRAY = FIRST or CASSETTE
Ec%-12345X
NOTE: The default value is FIRST.
PRINTER NAME DEFINITION
This command changes the printer name to anything up to 32 characters. The
command is as follows:
Ec%-12345X@PJL DEFAULT PRINTERNAME = XXXXXXX
Ec%-12345X
Put in the desired printer name for the XXXXXXX values.
NOTE: This change will be reflected in all places that print the printer name
appears.
PRINTING SELF-TEST PAGES
This PJL command instructs the printer to print any of the six self-test pages or
the continuous self-test. The command is as follows:
Ec%-12345X@PJL SET TESTPAGE = SELFTEST or other variable
Ec%-12345X
Substitute the variable for the particular test desired:
SELFTEST
PCL Self Test
CONTSELFTEST
Continuous Self Test
PCLTYPELIST
PCL Typeface list
PCLDEMOPAGE
PCL Demo Page
PSCONFIGPAGE
PostScript Configuration Page
PSTYPEFACELIST
PostScript Typeface List
PSDEMOPAGE
PostScript Demo Page
MEMORY BOOSTER TECHNOLOGY:
This command sets the Memory Booster Technology to On, Off or Auto. The
command is as follows:
Ec%-12345X@PJL DEFAULT PS:MBT = ON, OFF, or AUTO
Ec%-12345X
Copyright Hewlett-Packard Co. 1996
This information is subject to change without notice and
is provided "as is" with no warranty.
Hewlett-Packard shall not be liable for any direct,
indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages
in connection with the use of this material.
FAQ
PJL Job Requirements
PJL has certain job requirements that must be met to work correctly. Jobs that satisfy the
following requirements work well with all PJL printers either in a standalone or networked
environment.
NOTE: While the HP LaserJet IIISi and 4 family printers are PJL
printers, not all PJL commands are supported on these printers.
The following explains PJL requirements:
* All PJL jobs must begin and end with a Universal Exit Language (UEL) command
"Ec%-12345X". This command exits the current printer language and returns
control to PJL.
* The UEL command at the beginning of the job must be immediately followed by
the PJL command prefix "@PJL". The "@PJL" may be the prefix of another PJL
command. Or, if the command is ended with the "@PJL" then it must be followed
by a linefeed character. A carriage return is optional. No other characters, including
control characters, are allowed between the UEL command and the @PJL prefix
(see any of the examples below).
* The UEL command at the job end must not be followed by anything (except the
first character of the next job).
* Line Termination--a line feed character is required to terminate all PJL commands
except the UEL command. A carriage return can precede the terminating line feed;
however, the carriage return is optional and is ignored.
* No blank command lines are allowed.
The following command lines demonstrate two ways to begin a job while satisfying PJL
requirements. Both sets of commands begin with a UEL command, are immediately
followed by @PJL, and are terminated with a line feed character. All PJL jobs must end
with a UEL command.
Ec%-12345X@PJL <CR> <LF>
@PJL SET COPIES = 3 <CR> <LF>
Ec%-12345X
Ec%-12345X@PJL SET COPIES = 3 <CR> <LF>
Ec%-12345X
Example: Changing Control Panel Settings
The following example uses PJL to control printer features that are not available in a
particular application program. In this case, the features to be modified are: number of
copies, Resolution Enhancement setting, and page protection. Note that the "SET"
command only changes default settings for the current job. To change default settings
permanently, use the "DEFAULT" command.
Ec%-12345X@PJL SET COPIES = 3 <CR> <LF>
@PJL SET RET = MEDIUM <CR> <LF>
@PJL SET PAGEPROTECT = OFF <CR> <LF>
@PJL ENTER LANGUAGE = PCL<CR> <LF>
EcE. . . .pcl job data. . . . .EcE
Ec%-12345X
Example: Switching Printer Languages
The following example contains two print jobs, one PCL and one PostScript (TM). The
PCL job prints first, the PJL code switches the printer language to prepare for the
PostScript job.
Ec%-12345X@PJL ENTER LANGUAGE = PCL <CR> <LF>
EcE. . . . . . pcl data. . . . . . EcE
@PJL ENTER LANGUAGE = POSTSCRIPT <CR> <LF>
% ! PS-ADOBE. . . . postscript job data. . . .^D
Ec%-12345X