Ways to improve ESC/POS Thermal_Printer image printing speed? - performance

Question

I have been doing printing job with Thermal Printer Image Printing on portable thermal printer for weeks and this is code I got for Image Printing.
public static byte[] GetByteImage(Bitmap bm, int BitmapWidth)
{
BitmapData data = GetGreyScaledBitmapData(bm, BitmapWidth);
BitArray dots = data.Dots;
string t = data.Width.ToString();
byte[] width = BitConverter.GetBytes(data.Width);
int offset = 0;
MemoryStream stream = new MemoryStream();
BinaryWriter bw = new BinaryWriter(stream);
//Line spacing
bw.Write((char)0x1B);
bw.Write('3');
bw.Write((byte)0);
while (offset < data.Height)
{
//Declare printer to print image mode
bw.Write((char)0x1B);
bw.Write('*');
bw.Write((byte)33);
bw.Write(width[0]);
bw.Write(width[1]);
for (int x = 0; x < data.Width; ++x)
{
for (int k = 0; k < 3; ++k)
{
byte slice = 0;
for (int b = 0; b < 8; ++b)
{
int y = (((offset / 8) + k) * 8) + b;
int i = (y * data.Width) + x;
bool v = false;
if (i < dots.Length)
{
v = dots[i];
}
slice |= (byte)((v ? 1 : 0) << (7 - b));
}
bw.Write(slice);
}
}
offset += 24;
bw.Write((char)0x0A);
}
bw.Write((char)0x1B);
bw.Write('3');
bw.Write((byte)0);
bw.Flush();
byte[] bytes = stream.ToArray();
return bytes;
}
public static BitmapData GetGreyScaledBitmapData(Bitmap bmpFileName, double imgsize)
{
using (var bitmap = (Bitmap)(bmpFileName))
{
var threshold = 127;
var index = 0;
double multiplier = imgsize;
double scale = (double)(multiplier / (double)bitmap.Width);
int xheight = (int)(bitmap.Height * scale);
int xwidth = (int)(bitmap.Width * scale);
var dimensions = xwidth * xheight;
var dots = new BitArray(dimensions);
for (var y = 0; y < xheight; y++)
{
for (var x = 0; x < xwidth; x++)
{
var _x = (int)(x / scale);
var _y = (int)(y / scale);
Android.Graphics.Color color = new Android.Graphics.Color(bitmap.GetPixel(_x, _y));
var luminance = (int)(color.R * 0.3 + color.G * 0.59 + color.B * 0.11);
dots[index] = (luminance < threshold);
index++;
}
}
return new BitmapData()
{
Dots = dots,
Height = (int)(bitmap.Height * scale),
Width = (int)(bitmap.Width * scale)
};
}
}
public class BitmapData
{
public BitArray Dots
{
get;
set;
}
public int Height
{
get;
set;
}
public int Width
{
get;
set;
}
}
The problem is, it print very slow and make jerking sound while printing.
Another problem is, the method of image converting to Grey Scale is a bit slow.
And when I test with other apps I found that they have no jerking sound and almost instantly print image after clicked print button.
Is there a way to improve above code so it can print smoothly ?
This is the app I tested Printer Lab - Thermal printer manager
The Thermal Printer I used RPP300 72mm Mobile Printer

Answer 1

The ESC * command you are using prints every 24 dots in height.
Then, as you feel the problem, it will be jerky and slow print.
Please use a combination of GS * and GS / commands to improve it.
Details of their specifications are described on pages 24 to 26 of the Thermal Mobile Printer Command Set Manual.
In Addition:
By the way, I was overlooking another command.
It would be easier for us to create the data that we will send.
However, smooth printing depends on the printer performance and communication line speed.
That command is GS v 0. It is described on pages 32 and 33 of the manual.
The program in this article is a bit image data conversion process for FS q and GS (L / GS 8 L commands, but it can also be used for GS * commands. Please try it.
Convert raster byte[] image data to column Format in C#

Answer 2

Finally got a solution. I was really dumb back then. Just ask your printer manufacturer company for SDK or find SDK from other printer manufacturer.