XPSConfig and conversion PCL

Conversion to PCL5

Language tag

To configure the conversion profile for XPS to PCL conversion, you must set the language parameter to PCL <language>PCL</language>

Input/output bin management

This involves defining a correspondence table between a logical code (numerical value) applied in the XPS document and the PCL code of the destination printer tray. The syntax in the profile is:

<inputbin>
       <bin from="1" to="8" />
       <bin from="2" to="1" />
       <bin from="3" to="2" />
</inputbin>
<outputbin>
       <bin from="5" to="2" />
       <bin from="7" to="3" />
</outputbin>

Caution :

The logical codes (which can, for example, represent the geographical location of the bins on the printer) can be the same from one printer to another. These are 'user' values ​​and the PCL codes are specific to each printer. They can vary from one manufacturer to another and sometimes even from one printer model to another for the same brand.

Paper type management

Here again, it is a correspondence table between a logical value (user) and a PCL code (hardware dependent) corresponding to the desired paper format.

Management at Print Job level : To add a MEDIATYPE sequence to an XPS file, you can run the following command:

"[%PATH_BIN%]/map_xps" "-infile:[%MAP_FILE_IN%]" "-set:MEDIATYPE=Header_Paper" "-outfile:[%MAP_FILE_OUT%]"

<mediatype>

       <type from="Letterhead" to="Letterhead" />
       <type from="Preprinted" to="Preprinted" />
       <type from="Normal paper" to="Plain" />
</mediatype>

In the generated PCL flow, the information will be positioned in a PJL sequence at the start of the print job: @PJL SET MEDIATYPE=Preprinted

Management at Document or Page level :

<mediatype mode="AlphanumericID">
       <type from="Letterhead" to="Letterhead" />
       <type from="Preprinted" to="Preprinted" />
       <type from="Normal paper" to="Plain" />
</mediatype>

In the generated PCL flow, the information will be positioned in PCL sequences for each document (or for each page) of the print job. Example: &n11WdPreprinted.

Management of printing margins

Two parameters, expressed in points (based on a resolution of 300 dpi) allow you to adjust the horizontal (X) and vertical (Y) printing margins. This corresponds to the actual printer margins.

<marginx>78</marginx>
<marginy>0</marginy>

Default values: 78 for marginx and 0 for marginy. That is to say 0.66cm for the marginx and 0cm for the marginy, corresponding to the default margins of PCL printers.

Stapling management

New correspondence table between a stapling type defined in the XPS document and the PCL/PJL code which will be inserted in the final document to control the stapling equipment.

The syntax in the profile is:

<stapling>
        <staple from="SaddleStitch" to="@PJL SET STAPLE=ON" />
        <staple from="StapleBottomLeft" to="@PJL SET STAPLE=ON" />
        …
</stapling>

Supported stapling types:

SaddleStitch	stitched binding
StapleBottomLeft	staple bottom left
StapleBottomRight	staple bottom right
StapleDualBottom	staple at bottom
StapleDualLeft	left stapling
StapleDualRight	right stapling
StapleDualTop	staple on top
StapleTopLeft	staple top left
StapleTopRight	staple top right

Image management

Sharing of resources

To optimize the size of the converted stream, a first parameter allows you to manage the background images as a resource in the document. Images common to several pages are only present once in the final PCL.

The syntax in the profile is:<imageresource>ON</imageresource>

Supported values: ON/OFF, on/off, YES/NO, yes/no, 0/1

Image compression

Still with the aim of optimizing the size of the streams, several output image compression algorithms are implemented and can be used in the profiles:<RasterCompressionMethod>Raw</RasterCompressionMethod>

Supported values:

• Raw: Raw mode, without optimization or compression. This mode is not recommended in production, but it does allow you to validate the interpretation of the input image stream.

• RLE: Run Length Encoding mode. This method is recommended for images with a high rate of identical colors. On the other hand, it is strongly not recommended for images with color gradients.

• TIFF: Enhanced RLE mode. This versatile method mixes the two previous ones, thus avoiding wasting space on gradients in particular.
• DeltaRow: Row difference mode. This method uses the previous line to describe the next line and therefore only encodes the differences. Optimal method in most cases.

• Adaptive: Adaptive mode. This method detects among the previous ones which method is the best for each of the lines of the image to be encoded.
• Dynamic: Improved version of Adaptive mode for very large images, especially in combination with the fullimage setting ON.

Filling management

For black and white output only, the following parameter allows you to use the fill patterns generated in the XPS (= true), or those of the printer (= false): <uploadPattern>true</ uploadPattern>