ESC/ P Command Reference
Table Of Contents
- ESC/P Command Reference
- IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY
- Contents
- Introduction
- What is ESC/P?
- 1. Using ESC/P Commands
- 2. Examples of Using ESC/P Commands
- 3. ESC/P Command Limitations
- 4. Control Code List
- 5. Control Command Details
- 5.1 Character/style selection commands
- 5.2 Text printing commands
- ESC 4 Apply italic style
- ESC 5 Cancel italic style
- ESC E Apply bold style
- ESC F Cancel bold style
- ESC G Apply double-strike printing
- ESC H Cancel double-strike printing
- ESC P Apply pica pitch (10 cpi)
- ESC M Apply elite pitch (12 cpi)
- ESC g Apply micron pitch (15 cpi)
- ESC p Specify proportional characters
- ESC W Specify double-width characters
- SO Specify auto-canceling stretched characters
- ESC SO Specify auto-canceling stretched characters
- SI Specify compressed characters
- ESC SI Specify compressed characters
- DC2 Cancel compressed characters
- DC4 Cancel auto-canceling double-width characters
- ESC – Apply/cancel underlining
- ESC ! Global formatting
- ESC SP Specify character spacing
- ESC X Specify character size
- 5.3 Line feed commands
- 5.4 Horizontal movement commands
- 5.5 Vertical movement commands
- 5.6 Paper formatting commands
- 5.7 Printer control commands
- 5.8 Graphics commands
- 5.9 Advanced commands
- ESC i B Barcode
- ESC i Q 2D barcode (QR Code)
- ESC i P QR Code version
- ESC i V 2D barcode (PDF417)
- ESC i D 2D barcode (DataMatrix)
- ESC i M 2D barcode (MaxiCode)
- ESC i J 2D barcode (Aztec)
- ESC i G Specify font
- ESC i F P Print downloaded data
- ESC i a Switch command mode
- ESC i S Status information request
- ESC i L Specify landscape orientation
- ESC i C Specify cutting
- ESC i H Specify recovery setting
- 5.10 Advanced static commands
- ESC iXQ2 Select default character style
- ESC iXQ1 Retrieve default character style
- ESC iXk2 Select default font
- ESC iXk1 Retrieve default font
- ESC iXX2 Specify default character size
- ESC iXX1 Retrieve default character size
- ESC iX32 Specify default line feed
- ESC iX31 Retrieve default line feed
- ESC iXA2 Select default alignment
- ESC iXA1 Retrieve default alignment
- ESC iX(2 Specify default page length
- ESC iX(1 Retrieve default page length
- ESC iXL2 Select default landscape orientation
- ESC iXL1 Retrieve default landscape orientation
- ESC iXj2 Select default international character set
- ESC iXj1 Retrieve default international character set
- ESC iXm2 Select default character code set
- ESC iXm1 Retrieve default character code set
- ESC iXd2 Specify recovery setting
- ESC iXd1 Retrieve recovery setting
- ESC iXv2 (0Ch) Specify recovery count
- ESC iXv1 (0Ch) Retrieve recovery count
- ESC iXE2 Specify barcode margin setting
- ESC iXE1 Retrieve barcode margin setting
- ESC iX_2 (00h) Specify line print setting
- ESC iX_1 (00h) Retrieve line print setting
- ESC iX_2 (01h) Specify line print timeout setting
- ESC iX_1 (01h) Retrieve line print timeout setting
- ESC i DC1 SQ(01h) Specify self-printing QR code content
- ESC i DC1 SQ(00h) Retrieve self-printing QR code content
- ESC i DC1 SR(01h) Select setting change lock
- ESC i DC1 SR(00h) Retrieve setting change lock
- Appendix A: Supported Printers
- Appendix B: Specifications
- Appendix C: Character Code Tables
- Appendix D: Introducing the Brother Developer Center
- brother US ENG
ESC/P Command Reference
- 3 -
1. Using ESC/P Commands
1. Using ESC/P Commands
Below is a description of the flow for creating documents.
Also refer to “2. Examples of Using ESC/P Commands”.
(1) Start ESC/P
1. Switch the command mode.
2. Initialize
- Switch command mode (ESC i a 0)
Note: ESC/P mode
- Initialize (ESC @)
(2) Format settings
1. Select the orientation.
- Specify landscape orientation (ESC i L)
2. Specify the page size.
- Specify page length (ESC ( C)
3. Specify print area.
- Specify page format (ESC ( c)
- Specify left/right margins (ESC I, ESC Q)
4. Specify the line feed amount.
- Specify line feed amount (ESC 0, ESC 2, ESC 3, ESC A)
5. Specify tab positions.
- Specify horizontal tab position (ESC D)
- Specify vertical tab position (ESC B)
(3) Print operations
1. Specify the print position.
- Specify the vertical position (ESC ( v, ESC ( V, VT, ESC J)
- Specify the horizontal position (ESC $, ESC \, HT, ESC a)
2. Transfer the print data
(one line).
- Transfer necessary text operation codes (see (4)), bit images,
barcodes, and downloaded data (see (5))
3. End of the line.
- Feed the paper (CR, LF)
4. Repeat 1–3 above.
5. End of the page.
- Specify cutting (ESC i C)
- Feed the page (FF)
6. Repeat 1–5 above.
7. End of the document.










