User manual

2
(March 9, 2012)
Revision S
FRIENDLY GHOST LANGUAGE (FGL) is Boca’s industry standard language that allows the user to print data,
graphics, boxes and bar codes anywhere on the ticket in virtually any orientation. Great care has been taken to
make this language user friendly without sacrificing any of the features and flexibility required by both future and
existing customers. FGL has been structured in such a way to easily accommodate adding new functions in the
future. FGL46 is the latest version of the Friendly Ghost Language. Unless stated otherwise, all references
in the programming guide to FGL44/24 are the same for FGL46/26.
FGL22, 24 and 26 are subsets of FGL42, 44 and 46, respectively. They contain most of the same features as
FGL42/44/46. Features unavailable in the FGL22/24/26 code will be identified, when appropriate, throughout
the programming guide. For simplicity, all references to FGL46 should be interpreted as valid for all FGL
printers, except as noted. Please note that the features identified in this manual represent those features
available in the latest version of the firmware. Older revisions of FGL42/44/46 firmware may not contain
all of the features discussed in this document. New commands will be highlighted in green to indicate
the possibility that older versions of FGL22/24/26 and/or FGL42/44/46 may not contain these features.
We hope you enjoy your new Ghostwriter family printer.
The FGL46 language represents the latest enhancements to the FGL language. FGL46 contains many new
features (PDF-417, Data Matrix, QR and Aztec 2D barcodes, BMP graphics, Text Centering, etc.) while
retaining all of the commonly used FGL features. Some of the new FGL46 features are available in older
FGL44 printers using special firmware version '44G' and above. Note: Downloading of FGL Bitmapped fonts is
no longer allowed in order to eliminate potential conflicts with some of the new FGL features.
While the use of FGL provides the programmer with the most efficient means of communicating with the printer,
printing through a printer driver (Windows, Mac or Linux) is probably the fastest way to get your printer running.
To work with a driver, follow the instructions on the applicable printer driver page of our website.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
GENERAL DESCRIPTION - READ THIS FIRST ................................................................................................ 4
COMMAND SEQUENCES ................................................................................................................................ 9
STATUS COMMANDS .................................................................................................................................... 12
FILE COMMANDS .......................................................................................................................................... 18
PRINT COMMANDS ....................................................................................................................................... 18
SPECIAL COMMANDS ................................................................................................................................... 19
DRIVER COMMANDS (implemented November 2007 on new 26/46 printers) .................................................. 20
POSSIBLE FUTURE COMMANDS AND FEATURES ...................................................................................... 20
STANDARD INTERFACE PINOUTS ............................................................................................................... 21
For Lemur series printer see “Standard Interface Pinouts” section of user manual. ........................................... 21
UPC SUPPLEMENT ........................................................................................................................................ 22
INTERLEAVED 2OF5 SUPPLEMENT ............................................................................................................. 23
EAN13 SUPPLEMENT .................................................................................................................................... 24
CODE 39 SUPPLEMENT ............................................................................................................................... 24
USS-CODABAR SUPPLEMENT ...................................................................................................................... 24
SOFTSTRIP BAR CODE SUPPLEMENT ........................................................................................................ 25
TWO DIMENSIONAL BAR CODE SUPPLEMENT ........................................................................................... 26
FGL Features Minimum Firmware Version ................................................................................................... 26
FGL Font file contents SB00 to SB04 ........................................................................................................... 26
PDF-417 2D Bar Code ................................................................................................................................. 28
Data Matrix 2D Bar Code ............................................................................................................................. 29
Quick Response 2D Bar Code ...................................................................................................................... 30
Aztec 2D Bar Code ...................................................................................................................................... 31