If you wish to extract readable text from a PCL file, it is essential that symbol sets are specified correctly. EscapeE 'eE' iconEscapeE interprets the characters in the original document using the symbol set defined on the General page of the Configuration dialog. Note that changing the 'Source Type' will set up this symbol set automatically:

Source Type

Typical symbolset

Windows driver

HP3 – the character codes are adjusted by 3 so that a "D" in the file is translated to "A", etc.

RedTitan DDF (PrePrinter)DDF 'printer' icon

none – no translation is required.

RedTitan Datastream Converter

9700

Other

Custom PCL output usually requires no translation but a few drivers require symbol set HP-1 (adds 1 to each code).

There are some printers which make the task of specifying the correct symbol set more onerous by creating their own ad hoc character codes. To resolve these issues, the RedTitan EEfonts iconEEfonts program enables you to set up a custom character recognition database from EscapeE, see Character codes.

Click to expand/collapse this hidden textTo change the symbolset
1.Choose Configuration... from the Options menu.
The multi-page Configuration dialog opens with the General page on view.
2.Select a 'Source Type' from the drop-down list (see above).
3.Select/enter a suitable 'Symbol set' from the editable drop-down list.
4.Click OK; you will be prompted to reload the file.

When EscapeE extracts and outputs text, it can be set up to use a different symbolset. You may choose to use the standard Windows character codes (19U), Unicode, or leave it Unchanged.
Click to expand/collapse this hidden textTo output text using a different symbolset
1.Choose Configuration... from the Options menu.
The multi-page Configuration dialog opens with the General page on view.
2.Click Text options....
3.Choose a suitable Symbol set.
4.Click OK; you will be prompted to reload the file.

Tip:  You may change parameters on other pages of the Configuration dialog without closing the dialog. Just click Apply before you switch to another page, otherwise your changes on the Configuration page will be ignored.

Blue diamond bullet Notes

Changing the symbol set may affect any data-fields and tags set up previously. See Field Problems.

EscapeE may be set to recognize the symbolset automatically by selecting <Auto> from the 'symbol set' list. This feature may be requested on the command line using the option /SYMSET *

Links

Viewing font information

Installing fonts

Handling fonts