Editing Page description language

{{Short description|Computer language}}
{{More citations needed|date=May 2020}}
In [[digital printing]], a '''page description language''' ('''PDL''') is a computer language that describes the appearance of a printed page in a higher level than an actual output [[bitmap]] (or generally [[raster graphics]]). An overlapping term is '''printer control language''', which includes Hewlett-Packard's [[Printer Command Language]] (PCL). [[PostScript]] is one of the most noted page description languages. The [[markup language]] adaptation of the PDL is the page description markup language.

Page description languages are text (human-readable) or binary data streams, usually intermixed with text or graphics to be printed. They are distinct from graphics [[application programming interface]]s (APIs) such as [[Graphics Device Interface|GDI]] and [[OpenGL]] that can be called by software to generate graphical output.

==Notable examples==
Various page description languages exist:
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* [[Advanced Function Presentation|AFP]], Advanced Function Presentation ([[IBM]])
* Apple Raster, formerly known as URF, used by the [[AirPrint]] protocol.<ref>{{cite web |title=Driverless Printing Standards And their PDLS |url=https://openprinting.github.io/driverless/01-standards-and-their-pdls/ |website=OpenPrinting |language=en |date=29 April 2022}}</ref>
* [[Canon Inc.|Canon]] GARO, Graphic Arts language with Raster Operations (for large format printers), based on [[Hewlett-Packard]] PCL3GUI / RTL and CPCA job description language.<ref>{{cite web|title=White Paper - Canon imagePROGRAF PAGE DESCRIPTION LANGUAGES (PDLS)|url=http://www.cmrepro.com/documents/CanonUnderstandingPDLs.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131228134307/http://www.cmrepro.com/documents/CanonUnderstandingPDLs.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=28 December 2013|publisher=Canon|access-date=13 June 2013}}</ref>
* Common Ground page definition language
* CPCL, Comtec Printer Control Language (now Zebra)
* [[DjVu]], a mixed raster content (MRC) format supporting OCR-based scanned documents ([[AT&T Labs]])
* DPL, Datamax Printer Language (now [[Honeywell#Acquisitions|Honeywell]])<ref>{{cite book |last1=Honeywell, Inc. |title=DPL command Reference|date=2021 |url=https://prod-edam.honeywell.com/content/dam/honeywell-edam/sps/ppr/ja/public/products/printers/common/documents/sps-ppr-dpl-88-2360-01-b.pdf |access-date=August 7, 2022}}</ref>
* DTPL, Datamax Ticket Printer Language
* [[DVI file format|DVI]], Device Independent, output from [[TeX]]
* E411, Emulation 411, for Ticketing and Flight Strip (ATC) systems (IER)
* EPL, Eltron Programming Language (now Zebra)
* [[Envoy (WordPerfect)|Envoy]] page description language ([[WordPerfect]])
* [[ESC/P]], [[Epson]] Standard Code for Printers, simple language mainly used in [[dot matrix printer]]s
* ESC/P2, an expanded version of ESC/P
* [[ESC/Page]], Epson Standard Code for Page Printer, a page description language (distinct from ESC/P) used in a number of Epson laser printers, especially Japanese models
* [[ESC/POS]], [[Epson]] Standard Code for [[Point of sale|POS]] printers
* FGL, Friendly Ghost Language (Boca Systems) printers
* Fingerprint, a programming language, Direct Protocol is subset of Fingerprint ([[Intermec]]) 
* [[HP-GL]] and HP-GL/2, geometric language introduced by [[Hewlett-Packard]] for pen plotters, still in use today for technical drawings
* [[Interpress]] ([[Xerox]])
* [[IJPDS]], Ink Jet Printer Data Stream ([[Kodak]])
* [[IBM Intelligent Printer Data Stream|IPDS]], Intelligent Printer Data Stream (IBM)
* IGP/PGL, [[Printronix]] Graphics Language
* IPL, Intermec Printer Language, a programming language for [[Intermec]] printers (now a subsidiary of [[Honeywell#Acquisitions|Honeywell]])
* KPDL, [[Kyocera]] Page Description Language
* LCDS/Metacode, a print stream format used in older high-speed printers ([[Xerox]])
* [[MODCA]], Mixed Object Document Content Architecture (IBM)
* MTPL, Mannesmann Tally Printer Language
* [[Printer Command Language|PCL]], Printer Command Language ([[Hewlett-Packard]])
* [[Portable Document Format|PDF]], Portable Document Format ([[Adobe Systems]]), now ISO 32000<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.iso.org/iso/news.htm?refid=Ref1141 |title=PDF format becomes ISO standard  |access-date=2015-02-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303234754/http://www.iso.org/iso/news.htm?refid=Ref1141 |archive-date=2016-03-03 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[PostScript]] ([[Adobe Systems]])
* [[IBM Personal Printer Data Stream|PPDS]], Personal Printer Data Stream
* [[Refined Printing Command Stream|RPCS]], Refined Printing Command Stream ([[Ricoh]])
* RTL (Raster Transfer Language, also known as PCL3GUI). Raster graphic command subset of Hewlett-Packard HP-GL/2, similar to PCL.
* Star Line Mode, variant of ESC/POS used by [[Star Micronics]] printers
* [[Samsung Printer Language|SPL]], Samsung Printer Language<ref>{{cite web|last1=Croc|first1=Aurélien|title=SPL Specifications|url=http://splix.sourceforge.net/specs.html|website=SpliX Drivers for your printer|access-date=Feb 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180407050923/http://splix.sourceforge.net/specs.html|archive-date=April 7, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[Scalable Vector Graphics|SVG]], an XML-based graphics description language primarily developed for the [[World Wide Web]]
* Canon SG Raster (Swift Graphics Raster for large format printers), based on Hewlett-Packard PCL3GUI / RTL and IVEC (XML formatted job description language)
* TSPL/TSPL2, Taiwan Semiconductor Printing/Programming Language ([[TSMC]])
* TTP, print language by Swecoin for kiosk printers (now Zebra)
* UFR (Ultra Fast Rendering), a proprietary language (Canon)
* XES, [[Xerox Escape Sequence]]
* [[XML Paper Specification|XPS]], XML Paper Specification introduced in Windows Vista ([[Microsoft]])
* ZJS, ZjStream Page Description Language  (Zenographics)
* [[Zebra (programming language)|ZPL]], [[Zebra Technologies|Zebra]] Programming Language

==See also==
*[[List of vector graphics markup languages]]
*[[Markup language]]
*[[Printer Job Language]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070104033902/http://www.undocprint.org/formats/page_description_languages Undocumented Printing]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20200218185432/http://www2.nefec.org/UPM/ilang.htm Ultimate Printer Manual]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060603084839/http://www.iana.org/assignments/printer-language-numbers Printer MIB Interpreters Language Families]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20131228152246/http://www-01.ibm.com/software/webservers/hostondemand/library/infocentergafinal/hod/en/doc/hostprint/hostprintref.html Host Printing Reference] — contains example for PPDS
*[http://knowledgebase.lexmark.com/pubfiles/files/PATTLNK_2182005_1515-PPDS%20Escape%20Codes.pdf PPDS Escape codes]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20020830075425/http://ddk.zeno.com/Reference/ZjStream/Default.htm ZjStream Reference]

[[Category:Page description languages| ]]
[[Category:Computer printers]]
[[Category:Computer printing]]