2006/05/31 
CHAPTER 3 "PCL5C" - 5 
2.2.  Using PCL Color Mode - Set PCL Color Setting 
Command 
ESC*v#W (27)(42)(118)#(87)  <1Bh><2Ah><76h>#<57h> 
# = 6, 18 
# stands for the number of bytes of data that follow this command. 
This command sets the palette size and transformation between the entered value and device-specific value. 
This command has two types of format, short format and long format.    Here are the formats for the PCL 
color setting. 
1) Short Format 
 MSB  LSB
0 - 1  Format (0)  Encoding mode 
2 - 3  Bits / index  Bits / value #1 
4 - 5  Bits / value #2  Bits / value #3 
♣  Format 
This value must be 0. 
♣  Encoding mode 
•  This value defines how to send the raster image data. 
•  The value can be from 0 to 3 only, other values are ignored. 
Encoding Mode   
0  Send Index No by Plane * 
1  Send Index No by Pixel 
2  Send Direct Value by Plane 
3  Send Direct Value by Pixel 
* = default 
 
Send Index No by Plane (= 0 default) 
•  This mode assigns the Index No. to the Plane, then sends it. 
•  The necessary number for the Plane is determined depending on the number of bits/index.    1 (one) plane 
should be needed per 1 (one) bit/index.    For instance, 4 planes are needed for 4 bits/index. 
•  Bits/index must be 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. 
•  This mode sends the plane data except the last one using the Send Raster Data by Plane command 
(ESC*b#V).   
•  This mode also sends the last plane data using the Send Raster Data command (ESC*b#W). 
  (i.e. 4 bits/index) 
  ESC*b#V d1, d1, d1, d1, d1 ...→ Plane 1  1st raster 
  ESC*b#V d2, d2, d2, d2, d2 ...→ Plane 2 
  ESC*b#V d3, d3, d3, d3, d3 ...→ Plane 3 
  ESC*b#W d4, d4, d4, d4, d4 ...→ Plane 4 
  ESC*b#V d1, d1, d1, d1, d1 ...→ Plane 1  2nd raster 
  ESC*b#V d2, d2, d2, d2, d2 ...→ Plane 2   
 MSB      LSB
Index No.  d4 d3 d2 d1 
** The Italic characters shown above are the index No. at the 4th pixel in the 1st raster.