[comp.sys.hp] Question on writing to an HP laserjet

F0O@psuvm.psu.edu (10/03/90)

     Hi!
     I'm going to be writing a program soon in which a professor would like
me to send graphic output to an HP Laserjet.  How hard is it to do this?
     Does anyone know of routines that will interface with QuickBasic that
will do this, or any books on the subject?
     I have worked with an HP 7470A plotter.  Is it much different sending
graphics to a Laserjet?

                                                         [Tim]

walter@hpsadle.HP.COM (Walter Coole) (10/04/90)

Writing raster graphics to a Laserjet is a matter of sending a simple
escape sequence, followed by the raster bits.  However, I think, from
your plotter remark, that you are more familiar with vector graphics.
Older laserjets (Laserjet, Laserjet+, Laserjet II, Laserjet IID,
Laserjet IIP, and Laserjet+500) do not inherently understand vector
graphics.  The Laserjet III does have HPGL (HP's plotter vector
graphics language) support built-in.  If you're not lucky enough to
have the latest printer, there are programs and "font" cartridges that
do handle HPGL.

** Not an official statement **