Brady TLS PC Link, Programmer'S Manual, Page: 7 / 64

TLS PC Link
TM
Programmer’s Guide 2
Programming Overview
Basic print language overview
The TLS PC Link Printer control language is based on Datamax DPL, revision
D2.
The print language can be implemented as completely 7-bit ASCII characters.
The ASCII table is shown in
Appendix C: ASCII Control Chart . All commands
and responses are sent as printable ASCII characters with a few exceptions:
1. Some control codes (non-printable ASCII characters) are sent to inform the
printer that a command is to be received or terminated. Refer to table of
Control Codes on page 3.
2. 8-bit binary image files can be sent. These include BMP and PCX files.
Also, there is special download format based on Datamax’s image load file
and Windows’ print drivers. This file can be sent as an 8-bit binary file or a
7-bit ASCII hex file.
3. International characters and symbols are sent as extended-ASCII or 8-bit
characters.
Throughout the examples in the book, all characters are ASCII unless otherwise
noted. Control characters are shown by their symbol in brackets. For example,
the SOH control character is shown as <SOH>. The brackets are not symbols to
be sent. Only the decimal value of 1 is sent. All hex values are shown with a
preceding 0x. For example, 3D hex is shown as 0x3D. Whenever a value is sent
as ASCII Hex, this means the hex value is sent as two ASCII characters. For
example, 0x3D sent as ASCII Hex will send two ASCII characters ‘3’ and ‘D’.
Command Types
There are three main command types used to create labels and control the printer.
These are:
Command Type Description
Immediate Commands Interrupts the printer to perform a
particular action. The printer then
resumes normal operations.
System-Level Commands Performed in the sequence that they are
received and generally control the
printer’s hardware. In addition, system-
level commands allow memory