
           S P L O T  -  The Pen Plotter Simulator V2.3 for Windows
           --------------------------------------------------------
                   Copyright (C) 1991-96 by Alexandr NOVY
                             All rights reserved.

                               September 1996


                                 HPGL2.TXT

        This file contains  some reference information  about HP-GL/2
        support provided by the SPLOT program.

        The current  version of the SPLOT  program generally supports
        only HP-GL/2 pen plotters,  not HP-GL/2 raster devices.  Even
        so with  some limitation  it can  be used  also with  HP-GL/2
        files designated for HP-GL/2 raster devices (e.g. you  cannot
        use  pen  number  0).   Notice:   The  HPGL2.DLL file must be
        present in the SPLOT program directory and you should  select
        the HP-GL/2 Pen Plotter type in the Plotter Type menu.

        The implemented support of  the HP-GL/2 language is  based on
        "The  HP-GL/2  Reference  Guide  -  A  Handbook  for  Program
        Developers", Hewlett Packard  1st edition,  Second  printing,
        August 1991.


        1) Important parameters:
        ========================
        Number of pens: user defined up to 64
                        the following modulo function is used for
                        pen numbers greater than number of pens:
                        pn = ( (pn-1) mod np ) + 1

        Paper size: user definable (see the PAPERS.TXT file)
                    or defined by the PS instruction

        Plotter unit: 0.025 mm

        Maximal number of digits in decimal fraction to be read: 8

        Supported character fonts (typefaces):
         The present version of the HP-GL/2 interpreter supports only
        the  stick  fonts  (characters  are  drawn  as  a  series  of
        vectors). The scalable outline fonts or bitmap fonts are  not
        supported. Note that not all HP-GL/2 devices support  outline
        or bitmap fonts, but all HP-GL/2 devices support stick fonts.
         From stick fonts only fixed-vector font (typeface number 48)
        and drafting  font (typeface  number 49)  are supported.  The
        variable spacing fonts are not supported yet. Also the  fixed
        arc font is not supported yet. Note that the drafting font is
        for use  with the  HP Drafting  character set  (character set
        number 563).

        Supported character sets:
         The present version of the HP-GL/2 interpreter supports only
        these character sets:
        --------------------------------------------------------------
         Character |                                     |
         Set Value |            Description              | ISO Number
        --------------------------------------------------------------
            0      | Roman8 (default)                    |    --
          277      | Roman8 (default)                    |    --
           21      | ANSI US ASCII                       |     6
          531      | HP-GL Download                      |    --
          563      | HP-GL Drafting                      |    --
          595      | HP-GL Special Symbols               |    --
           11      | JIS ASCII                           |    14
           85      | ISO International Reference Version |     2
          115      | ISO Swedish                         |    10
           19      | ISO Swedish for Names               |    11
            4      | ISO Norway v1                       |    60
           36      | ISO Norway v2                       |    61
           39      | ISO German                          |    21
            6      | ISO French v1                       |    25
           37      | ISO United Kingdom                  |     4
            9      | ISO Italian                         |    15
           83      | ISO Spanish                         |    17
          147      | ISO Portuguese                      |    16
            7      | HP German                           |    --
          275      | HP Latin Spanish                    |    --
            5      | Roman Extensions                    |    --
           43      | Katakana                            |    --


        2) Alphabetical list of HP-GL/2 instructions that are fully
           supported by the SPLOT program:
        ===========================================================
         AA  - The Arc Absolute Instruction
         AR  - The Arc Relative Instruction
         AT  - The Absolute Arc Three Point Instruction
         CI  - The Circle Instruction
         CP  - The Character Plot Instruction
         CT  - The Chord Tolerance Mode Instruction
         DF  - The Default Values Instruction
         DI  - The Absolute Direction Instruction
         DL  - The Download Character Instruction
         DR  - The Relative Direction Instruction
         DT  - The Define Label Terminator Instruction
         DV  - The Define Variable Text Path Instruction
         EA  - The Edge Rectangle Absolute Instruction
         EP  - The Edge Polygon Instruction
         ER  - The Edge Rectangle Relative Instruction
         ES  - The Extra Space Instruction
         EW  - The Edge Wedge Instruction
         FP  - The Fill Polygon Instruction
         IN  - The Initialize Instruction
         IP  - The Input P1 and P2 Instruction
         IR  - The Input Relative P1 and P2 Instruction
         IW  - The Input Window Instruction
         LB  - The Label Instruction
         LO  - The Label Origin Instruction
         LT  - The Line Type Instruction
         MG  - The Message Instruction
               Writes a message to the SPLOT Event Log window.
         PA  - The Plot Absolute Instruction
         PD  - The Pen Down Instruction
         PE  - The Polyline Encoded Instruction
         PM  - The Polygon Mode Instruction
         PR  - The Plot Relative Instruction
         PS  - The Plot Size Instruction
         PU  - The Pen Up Instruction
         PW  - The Pen Width Instruction
         RA  - The Fill Rectangle Absolute Instruction
         RO  - The Rotate Coordinate System Instruction
         RR  - The Fill Rectangle Relative Instruction
         RT  - The Relative Arc Three Point Instruction
         SA  - The Select Alternate Font Instruction
         SC  - The Scale Instruction
         SI  - The Absolute Character Size Instruction
         SL  - The Character Slant Instruction
         SM  - The Symbol Mode Instruction
         SP  - The Select Pen Instruction
         SR  - The Relative Character Size Instruction
         SS  - The Select Standard Font Instruction
         UL  - The User-Defined Line Type Instruction
         VS  - The Velocity Select Instruction (for information only)
         WG  - The Fill Wedge Instruction
         WU  - The Pen Width Unit Selection Instruction


        3) Alphabetical list of HP-GL/2 instructions that are
           partially supported by the SPLOT program (they may
           be fully supported in next SPLOT versions):
        ======================================================
         AD  - The Alternate Font Definition  Instruction
               Only the character set attribute is supported.
	       All other attributes are ignored.
	       The character size (pitch and height attributes)
	       should be specified by the SI or SR instruction.
	       The stroke weight attribute is always considered
	       to be 9999 (the characters are drawn in the current
	       pen width).
	       The typeface is always considered to be 48 (stick
	       font) except for character set number 563 (HP-GL
	       Drafting).
         BP  - The Begin Plot Instruction
               Only the initialization (IN) part is supported.
         FT  - The Fill Type Instruction
               Only the fill types 1,2,3,4 are supported.
         SD  - The Standard Font Definition  Instruction
	       See the AD instruction.
         TD  - The Transparent Data Instruction
	       When transparent data mode is enabled, SPLOT 
	       prints all control characters as spaces.


        4) Alphabetical list of HP-GL/2 instructions that are not
           supported by the SPLOT program:
        =========================================================
         - All Dual-Context Extension instruction.
         - All output instructions:
            OD, OE, OH, OI, OP and OS.
         - And these:
           AC  - The Anchor Corner Instruction *
           CF  - The Character Fill Mode Instruction
           CR  - The Set Color Range for Relative Color Data *
           DC  - The Digitize Clear Instruction
           DP  - The Digitize Point Instruction
           EC  - The Enable Cutter Instruction
           FR  - The Frame Advance Instruction *
           LA  - The Line Attributes Instruction *
                 Only round line ends and line joins
                 are supported yet.
           MC  - The Merge Control Instruction
           MT  - The Media Type Instruction
           NP  - The Number of Pens Instruction *
           NR  - The Not Ready Instruction
           PC  - The Pen Color Assignment Instruction *
           PG  - The Advance Full Page Instruction *
           QL  - The Quality Level Instruction
           RF  - The Raster Fill Definition *
           RP  - The Replot Instruction
           ST  - The Sort Instruction
           SV  - The Screened Vectors Instruction
           TR  - The Transparency Mode Instruction *

                 * - may be supported in next SPLOT versions

