PRB: Font Height Does Not Change When You Use a Printer Definition Table (311230)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft SNA Server 3.0
  • Microsoft SNA Server 3.0 SP1
  • Microsoft SNA Server 3.0 SP2
  • Microsoft SNA Server 3.0 SP3
  • Microsoft SNA Server 3.0 SP4
  • Microsoft SNA Server 4.0
  • Microsoft SNA Server 4.0 SP1
  • Microsoft SNA Server 4.0 SP2
  • Microsoft SNA Server 4.0 SP3
  • Microsoft SNA Server 4.0 SP4
  • Microsoft Host Integration Server 2000
This article was previously published under Q311230

SYMPTOMS

When you use Printer Control Language (PCL) codes in a Printer Definition Table (PDT) to change font point sizes, this may have no effect on the height of characters in the printed output of a PCL emulation printer.

CAUSE

When you use the Primary Height control character sequence in a PDT to set the parameters of your printed output, this procedure will work only with certain fonts. This is because the height or point size of characters in a PCL environment are handled in two different manners, depending upon whether the font is a proportional font (such as Arial) or a fixed pitch font (such as Courier). These fonts are also referred to as scalable and bitmapped, respectively.

RESOLUTION

You can set the height of a proportional font by using the Primary Height control string. You can manipulate the height of a fixed pitch font by changing the horizontal pitch: the more characters per inch, the shorter the characters.

The following is the command sequence to configure the Primary Height setting:

1B 28 73 # 56

The # character is a hexadecimal representation of an ASCII value, meaning that point size 12 is represented by "31 32."

The default for fixed pitch fonts is 8.5 points; the default for proportional fonts is 12 points.

MORE INFORMATION

When you select fonts and point sizes, be aware that fonts have a distinct set of parameters that must be set in a sequential or hierarchical manner. A font is described by the Symbol Set, Spacing, Height, Pitch, Style, Stroke Weight, Typeface, and Orientation parameters. For example, if you choose a particular font whose characteristics do not fit in the default symbol set, the default font or another font will be used.

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

311271 Font Selection in a PDT

For more information about this issue, see the Hewlett Packard PCL5 Comparison Guide, PCL5 Printer Language Technical Reference Manual.

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Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:7/14/2004
Keywords:kbprb KB311230
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.