Printing PCL Files from OpenVMS
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Printing files that are encoded in PCL ("Printer Command Language", supported by virtually every laser printer manufactured) often requires special handling.  PCL files contain control codes that are part of the commands that tell the printer what to do; the operating system's print drivers often want to strip out the control codes and do it "better".  The result can be that printed documents do not appear as was intended.

The solution is to include a command-line parameter that tells the print driver to stop being so helpful and just pass the contents of the file (control codes and all) to the printer.  On the OpenVMS operating system the magic parameter is /PASSALL:

PRINT /PASSALL myfile.pcl

authored by Robert Lounsbury, April 18, 2012