A font must be selected for printing by the user. One font is selected at a time. It is selected by identifying the specific characteristics of the font. Font selection commands identify font characteristics to the printer (refer to Summary of Font Selection by Characteristic for detailed font selection information).

PCL 5 printers feature scalable fonts. With the addition of this feature, the printer has two font formats available: bitmap and scalable. A bitmap font is available in its one, defined size only. A scalable font, on the other hand, can be selected (scaled) for a range of sizes (refer to “Bitmap Fonts and Scalable Typefaces” later in this chapter for additional information).

Font Sources

A number of fonts (and typefaces, as described later) are supplied with the printer. These fonts reside in permanent ROM (read only memory), and are referred to as internal fonts. Additional fonts can be added easily by inserting font cartridges or SIMM modules into the printer, or downloading them from the host computer.

A cartridge font plugs into a font cartridge slot on the printer.

SIMM font modules plug into a printed circuit board inside the printer. These ROM-based fonts are always available (as long as the cartridge or SIMM module is installed). A variety of font products may be purchased from Hewlett-Packard or other vendors. Refer to your Hewlett-Packard Accessories and Supplies Brochure for a list of HP’s font products.

Soft fonts are supplied as files on flexible disk transferred (downloaded) into the printer’s user (RAM) memory. Once a soft font has been downloaded into the printer’s RAM, it may be selected for printing.

7-2Fonts

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HP 5961-0509 manual Font Sources, 2Fonts