What is IPL?

IPL (Intermec Printer Language) is the command language of Intermec label printers — the EasyCoder line and the Honeywell PM/PF/PX series that succeeded them. It is a two-step language: a format (template) of numbered fields is defined and stored on the printer in Program mode, then Print mode sends the data for each field and prints the label.

What it looks like

<STX><ESC>P<ETX>
<STX>E1;F1;<ETX>
<STX>H0;o50,50;f0;c21;h1;w1;d3,LabelZoom;<ETX>
<STX>B1;o50,120;f0;c0,0;h100;w2;d3,12345678;<ETX>
<STX>R<ETX>
<STX><ESC>E1<ETX>
<STX><ETB><ETX>

Every command sits in an STX…ETX frame. <ESC>P enters Program mode, E1;F1; erases and creates format 1, H0;… and B1;… define a text field and a bar code field (origin o, direction f, font/symbology c, data d3, = fixed data), R returns to Print mode, and <ETB> prints. IPL supports several linear symbologies plus PDF417, MaxiCode, Data Matrix and QR Code, and its graphic fields reference bitmaps downloaded to the printer as packed columns.

IPL vs ZPL

	IPL	ZPL
Hardware	Intermec / Honeywell EasyCoder, PM/PF/PX	Zebra (and much else via emulation)
Structure	`STX`-framed commands; stored numbered formats	`^` command stream, inline label data
Data model	Formats stored on the printer, data merged at print time	Everything in one stream

The two languages solve the same problem with opposite philosophies: ZPL describes each label completely at print time, while IPL keeps the template on the printer and ships it field data. The stored-format model is why conversion tools like LabelZoom re-emit a complete, self-contained format for every label.

Working with IPL files

IPL files are plain text — and the control characters can be written either as real bytes or as printable <STX>-style “readable characters”, which is why many IPL files open cleanly in a text editor. The LabelZoom conversion engine parses IPL natively — rendering IPL labels to images and PDF the same way it renders ZPL. The REST API converts IPL in both directions — ipl is a source and a target (e.g. POST /api/v2/convert/ipl/to/pdf or POST /api/v2/convert/pdf/to/ipl); see Supported formats and the API quickstart.