FCC COMPLIANCE STATEMENT FOR AMERICAN USERS This equipment generates and uses radio frequency energy and if not installed and used properly, that is, in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, may cause interference to radio and television reception.
Table of Contents Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . About This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1 2 2 1 Setting Up the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
-1 5-2 5-3 5-6 5 Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cleaning the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Replacing the Ribbon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Transporting the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Introduction The FX-850 and FX-1050 printers combine all the well-known features of previous Epson® 9-pin printers with many features normally exclusive to costly 24-pin printers. Features In addition to the high-quality printing and ease of operation you’ve come to expect from Epson printers, the FX-850 and FX-1050 offer the following: An advanced paper handling system that lets you use single sheets of paper without removing the continuous paper.
options A variety of printer options are available for use with FX printers. For detailed information on the installation and use of these options, see Chapter 7. Single-bin cut sheet feeder The cut sheet feeder gives you easier and more efficient handling of single sheet paper. Up to 150 sheets of standard bond paper can be fed automatically into the printer without reloading. This unit also can automatically feed envelopes.
Chapter 4 contains information designed to help you get the most from your printer. This section includes advice on the use of software, printer commands, graphics, and user-defined characters. Also, see Chapter 8 for a summary of printer commands. If the printer does not operate properly or the printed results are not what you expect, see Chapter 6 for a list of possible problems and recommended solutions.
Chapter 1 Setting Up the Printer Unpacking the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 Removing the protective materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . l-3 Choosing a Place for the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5 Assembling the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6 Installing the platen knob . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Unpacking the Printer As you unpack the printer, check that you have all the parts shown below and that none has been damaged during transportation. Note: You’ll find the platen knob in a piece of the foam packing. After removing the parts, store the packaging materials in case you ever need to transport your printer.
Removing the protective materials The printer is protected during shipping by two locking tabs and a print head protector. These protective items must be removed before you turn on the printer. After removing these items, store them with the other packaging material. 1. Remove the printer cover. 2. Remove the print head protector.
3. Remove the left and right locking tabs. 4. Slide the print head to the middle of the printer. Then, use the enclosed cross-head screwdriver to unscrew and remove the two transport locking brackets. WARNING: Be sure to remove all protective materials before you turn on the printer.
Choosing a Place for the Printer When you select a location for your printer, keep the following in mind: l Place the printer on a flat, stable surface. l Place the printer close enough to the computer for its cable to reach. l l Leave adequate room around the printer to allow for easy operation and maintenance. Use a grounded outlet; do not use an adapter plug. The illustration below shows a good printer setup.
WARNING: l l l l Avoid locations that are subject to direct sunlight, excessive heat, moisture, or dust. Avoid using electrical outlets that are controlled by wall switches or automatic timers. Accidental disruption of power can wipe out information in both your computer’s memory and your printer’s memory. Avoid using outlets on the same circuit with large motors or other appliances that might disturb the power supply.
1. Insert the knob into the hole on the printer’s side and rotate it until it slips onto the shaft. 2. Push firmly on the knob until it fits against the printer case. Caution: Never use the platen knob to adjust the position of the paper except in the case of a paper jam. Only use the platen knob when the printer is turned off.
Installing the ribbon cartridge Follow these steps to install the ribbon cartridge: 1. Slide the print head to the middle of the printer. Caution: Never move the print head while the printer is turned on because this can damage the printer. Also, if you have been using the printer, the print head may be hot; let it cool for a few minutes before touching it. 2. Remove the ribbon cartridge from its box and remove the plastic wrapper.
3. Turn the ribbon-tightening knob in the direction of the arrow. This removes any excess slack in the ribbon and makes it easier to install. 4. Hold the ribbon cartridge by its handles and push it firmly down into position, making sure the plastic hooks fit into the printer. (The FX-850 has only one handle in the center of the ribbon cartridge.) Press lightly on both sides of the cartridge to be sure the hooks are properly inserted.
5. Use a pointed object, such as the tip of a pencil, to guide the ribbon between the print head and ribbon guide while you turn the ribbontightening knob to help feed the ribbon into place. 6. Slide the print head from side to side to make sure it moves smoothly. Also make sure the ribbon is not twisted or creased.
Attaching the paper guide The paper guide functions to feed the paper smoothly and efficiently. Follow these steps to install the paper guide: 1. Place the paper guide on the printer. 2. Raise the paper guide until it locks into place.
3. Now reinstall the printer cover by fitting the legs of the cover into the notches at the front of the printer. 4. Close the printer cover. Testing the Printer Now that your printer is fully assembled, you can use the built-in self test function to see that the printer is working correctly even though it is not connected to a computer. Be sure to perform this test to check that your printer is operating properly.
Plugging in the printer Follow these steps to plug in the printer: 1. Be sure the printer is turned off. 2. Plug the power cable into a properly grounded electrical outlet. WARNING: Whenever you turn off the power, wait at least five seconds before turning it back on. Rapid switching on and off can damage the printer. Loading a sheet of paper Next, you need to load a sheet of paper that is letter size (if you have an FX-850) or 14 inches wide (if you have an FX-1050).
2. Be sure that the paper release lever is pushed back to the Single sheet position. 3. Move the left edge guide so it locks in place next to the arrow on the paper guide.
4. Adjust the right edge guide to match the width of your paper. Next, slide a sheet down between the edge guides until it meets resistance. 5. Press the LOAD/EJECT button once to automatically load the paper. If the platen turns without loading the paper, remove the paper completely and re-insert it more firmly; then press the LOAD/EJECT button again.
Running the self test The self test can be run in draft mode or near letter quality (NLQ) mode. Follow the steps below. 1. Load a sheet of paper as described above. WARNING: Never run the self test using paper that is narrower than 8¼ inches if you have an FX-850, or 14 inches if you have an FX-1050, because you may seriously damage the print head. 2. Turn off the printer. 3. While holding down the LINE FEED button, turn on the printer. After printing starts, release the LINE FEED button.
A list of your printer’s settings is printed first, followed by a series of characters. Here is part of a typical draft self test: 4. The self test continues until the paper runs out or until you press the ON LINE button. To stop the test temporarily, press the ON LINE button to take the printer off line. 5. To end the self test, be sure the printer is off line. Press the LOAD/ EJECT button to eject any paper that is still loaded, and then turn off the printer.
Part of a typical self test in NLQ mode is shown below: 3. To end the self test, press the ON LINE button to take the printer off line. Then press the LOAD/EJECT button to eject the paper, and turn off the printer. Connecting the Printer to Your Computer If the self test printed correctly and your printouts looked like the ones shown, you are now ready to connect your printer to the computer. Your FX printer has a Centronics®-compatible parallel interface.
2. Plug the cable connector securely into the printer. 3. Squeeze the wire clips together until they lock in place on either side of the connector. Note: For your printer to work properly, this connection must be secure.
4. If your cable has a ground wire, connect it to the ground connector beneath the interface connector. 5. Plug the other end of the cable into the computer. (If there is a ground wire at the computer end of the cable, attach it to the ground connector at the back of the computer.
Chapter 2 Paper Handling Using Single Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2 Reloading during printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4 Using Continuous Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4 Positioning your continuous paper supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9 Switching Between Continuous and Single Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using Single Sheets Your printer can handle a wide range of paper sizes up to a maximum width of 10.1 inches on the FX-850 or 14.4 inches on the FX-1050. Always make sure that your printing is confined to the size of paper you are using. Never print on the platen (black roller). If you do most of your printing on single sheets, you may find it more convenient to install the optional cut sheet feeder.
3. Stand the paper guide in an upright position and align the left edge guide with the arrow on the paper guide. (You may want to change this position later, depending on the margin settings of your application program.) 4. Adjust the right edge guide to fit the size of the paper. 5. Slide the paper down between the edge guides until it meets resistance. At this point, the PAPER OUT light turns off. 6. Press the LOAD/EJECT button to automatically feed the paper to the loading position.
If the platen (black roller) turns but the sheet does not load, remove the sheet completely from the printer. Then make sure the paper release lever is pushed back. Press the paper a bit more firmly into place and try again. To eject the paper, press the ON LINE button to take the printer off line, and press the LOAD/EJECT button.
3. Release the sprocket lock levers by pulling each lever forward. 4. Slide the left sprocket unit all the way to the left and lock it in place.
5. Next, slide the right sprocket unit to match roughly the width of your paper. (Do not lock it.) 6. Slide the paper support to a point midway between the sprocket units. 7. Open both sprocket covers.
8. Fit the first four holes in the paper over the pins of the sprocket units as shown below. Then close the sprocket covers. 9. Slide the right sprocket unit to a position where the paper is straight and has no wrinkles, and then lock it in place. 10. Reattach the paper guide as shown below.
Caution: When using continuous paper, always make sure that the edge guides are pushed together. 11. Close the printer cover and turn on the printer. 12. Press the LOAD/EJECT button to feed the paper to the loading position. The printer remembers this position and advances each page to the same position. 13. Press the ON LINE button to put the printer on line so that it can accept data.
Positioning your continuous paper supply Three common ways of positioning your printer and continuous paper supply are shown below. It’s important to keep your paper supply aligned with the tractor so that the paper feeds smoothly into the printer.
Switching Between Continuous and Single Sheets Even with continuous paper loaded in the printer, you can easily switch to single sheet printing without removing the continuous paper from the tractor. To switch from continuous paper to single sheets, follow the steps below. 1. Open the printer cover and press the ON LINE button to take the printer off line. 2. Remove your printed document.
3. Press the LOAD/EJECT button to feed the continuous paper backward out of the printer and into a standby position. The paper is still attached to the tractor, but is no longer in the paper path. The PAPER OUT light comes on when the paper is completely out of the paper path. Note: Pressing the LOAD/EJECT button once may not feed the paper back enough to reach a standby position. If the PAPER OUT light does not come on, press the LOAD/EJECT button again.
5. Stand the paper guide upright, and adjust the edge guides to roughly match the width of your paper. 6. Close the printer cover. Next, slide the paper between the edge guides until it meets resistance. At this point, the PAPER OUT light turns off. 7. Press the LOAD/EJECT button to automatically feed the page to the loading position.
8. Press the ON LINE button to put the printer on line. Switching back to continuous paper To switch back to printing with continuous paper, first eject the single sheet of paper and take the printer off line. 1. Open the printer cover. Lower the paper guide onto the back of the printer. 2. Pull the paper release lever forward to the continuous paper position. 3. Press the LOAD/EJECT button to feed the paper to the loading position. 4. Press the ON LINE button to put the printer on line.
Adjusting the Loading Position The loading position is the position of the paper when it has been automatically loaded by the printer. This position is important because it determines where the printing begins on the page. If the printing is too high or too low on the page, you need to change the loading position using the micro-adjustment feature described in the next section. Until the loading position is reset, the printer remembers the position and uses it as a reference point for feeding the paper.
This section describes using micro-adjustment to change the loading position, but you can adjust the short tear-off position the same way. See the next section on using short tear-off for more information. To perform micro-adjustment of the loading position, first load your paper, and then press the ON LINE button to put the printer on line. The ON LINE indicator light starts to flash. While this light is flashing, you can use the FORM FEED and LINE FEED buttons for micro-adjustment.
The short tear-off function operates as follows: 1. The perforation at the end of the last printed page feeds to the tear-off edge of the printer cover. 2. Tear off the page using the printer cover’s tear-off edge. 3. If you need to adjust the position of the perforation to meet the tearoff edge, use micro-adjustment. This feature adjusts your tear-off position only when you use it immediately after short tear-off. First, make sure that the printer is on line and the ON LINE indicator light is flashing.
You can leave the short tear-off feature turned on (DIP switch 1-5 off) even when you are using single sheets. When you move the paper release lever to the single sheet position, short tear-off is disabled. Printing on Special Paper In addition to using single sheets and continuous paper, your printer can also print on a wide variety of paper types, including multi-part forms and labels. You can even feed envelopes, either manually or with the optional cut sheet feeder.
For printing on special types of paper, see the table below. It gives you general guidelines for selecting the right paper thickness lever position to match your paper. Paper Type Paper (single sheets or continuous) Thin paper Multi-part paper 2-sheet 3-sheet 4-sheet Labels Envelopes Air mail Plain Bond (20 lb.) Bond (24 lb.) Lever Position 2 2 3 3 4 3 3 or 4 5 5 6 Always return the lever to position 2 when you go back to printing on ordinary paper.
You load continuous multi-part paper the same way that you load continuous paper. See the section on loading continuous paper in this chapter for details. The only difference is that you need to adjust the paper thickness lever to suit the thickness of your paper before loading. See the table above for the correct paper thickness setting. Labels If you need to print labels, always choose the type mounted on a continuous base sheet provided with sprocket holes for use with the tractor.
You can also feed envelopes with the optional cut sheet feeder. See the section on the cut sheet feeder in Chapter 7. before loading envelopes into the cut sheet feeder, you need to adjust the paper thickness lever. See the table showing envelope types and recommended lever positions on page 2-18. WARNING: When printing on envelopes, be sure that your application program settings keep the printing entirely within the printable area of the envelopes as shown below.
Chapter 3 Using the Printer Operating the Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SelecType . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Other control panel features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Operating the Control Panel The buttons on the control panel let you control many of the printer settings. The control panel also has indicator lights so you can check the current status of the printer’s various settings. Lights POWER On when the power switch is on and power is supplied. READY On when the printer is ready to accept input data. Flickers when receiving data. PAPER OUT On when the printer is out of paper or when continuous paper is in the standby position.
Buttons ON LINE This button controls the printer’s on line/off line status. When the printer is on line, the printer can receive and print data from the computer. FORM FEED When the printer is off line, press this button to eject a single sheet of paper or advance continuous paper to the, top of the next page. When the printer is on line, you can use the micro-adjustment feature by pressing this button to advance the paper.
SelecType The settings you select using the SelecType panel remain valid even after you turn off, reset, or initialize the printer. FONT Press this button to select draft, near letter quality Roman, or near letter quality Sans Serif. The indicator light shows which font has been selected. CHARACTERS PER INCH Press this button to select the characters per inch (cpi). You can choose 10 CPI, 12 CPI, or PS (proportional spacing). The indicator light shows the selected character spacing.
Other control panel features The control panel of the FX also gives you access to several special functions. Self test Microadjustment Data dump By holding down the FORM FEED or LINE FEED button while you turn on the printer, you can start the printer’s self test. This prints out the DIP switch settings and the characters in the printer’s ROM (Read Only Memory). See the section on the self test in Chapter 1 for more information.
DIP switch functions The tables below describe the DIP switch functions. The page numbers refer you to the page on which each printer feature is described. The shaded settings are the preset factory settings.
International character sets SW 1-6 SW 1-7 SW 1-8 Country USA France Germany UK Denmark Sweden Italy Spain On On On On Off Off On On Off Off On On Off Off On Off Off Off ON Off On Off On Off Default character set When DIP switch 1-1 is on, the user-defined character set is the default. User-defined characters are maintained in printer memory even when the power is turned off, so the user-defined character set can be selected simply by setting this switch to on.
still print text if you have selected the Extended Graphics set. Also, you can still print italics if you use the proper software command. If your printer is in IBM emulation mode (DIP switch l-4 on), the graphics characters are available no matter which character table you select. The printouts below show which characters are printed in each table. Italics /"#$%&'()*+,-.
International character set Selecting an international character set provides you with the characters used in other languages. To obtain the desired international character set, set switches l-6, l-7, and l-8 according to the DIP switch table on page 3-7. The following table shows the characters that differ in each international character set.
Cut sheet feeder mode When DIP switch 2-2 is on, you can use your printer’s optional cut sheet feeder. See Chapter 7 for more information on using a cut sheet feeder with your printer. Skip over perforation When DIP switch 2-3 is on, a one-inch margin is provided between the last line printed on one page and the first line printed on the next page. When using continuous paper, this feature causes the printer to stop printing, skip over the perforation, and then resume printing.
Using SelecType You can use the SelecType control panel to choose fonts, pitches, and condensed printing. The settings you select using the SelecType panel remain valid even after the printer is turned off, reset, or initialized. However, commands from your software application program temporarily override the SelecType settings.
The draft mode uses fewer dots per character for high-speed printing. This makes draft ideal for rough drafts and editing work. Roman and Sans Serif are near letter quality (NLQ) fonts. Near letter quality takes a little longer to print but produces nicely formed characters suitable for most documentation requirements. Characters per inch For each of the three built-in fonts, you can choose a character size of 10 or 12 characters per inch (cpi), or proportional spacing.
Note: Proportional spacing and condensed mode cannot be combined. If you select both, only proportional spacing works. If SelecType does not work Some application programs are designed to control all typestyle functions. These programs cancel all previous typestyle settings by sending certain software commands before printing. Because these commands cancel SelecType settings, you should use the program’s print options function instead of SelecType to select your typestyles.
The double-wide mode doubles the width of any size characters. This mode is useful for such purposes as emphasizing headings in reports and making displays, but is usually not suitable for large amounts of text. T h i 5 i s d o u b l e - w i d e - Another mode for headings and other special uses is double-high: This is double-high. Because of its height, you must leave a blank line above a line of doublehigh printing. Otherwise, the double-high letters will overlap the letters on the previous line.
In double-strike mode, the printer prints each character twice, the second time slightly below the first, making the text bolder. For even greater boldness, you can combine emphasized and double-strike. (Double-strike cannot be combined with NLQ mode, however.) Italic printing You can use italic characters for special emphasis or as an alternative typeface. ESC 4 turns on the italic mode even if the current DIP switch setting is set to the Epson Extended Graphics character table.
The format of the Master Select code is shown below: ASCII: Decimal: Hexadecimal: ESC 27 1B ! 33 21 n n n To send the Master Select codes to your printer in a decimal format, for example, you send the codes 27, 33, and then whatever value you choose for the variable n. The variable n is a number that identifies the typestyle or combination of typestyles. To find the value of n, look at the Master Select table below and add up either the decimal or hexadecimal numbers for the features you want.
After calculating the value of n, you use the Master Select command to send the value to the printer. To send the Master Select command for double-wide, 12 cpi, and double-strike, you would use the decimal codes 27, 33, and 49. ASCII: Decimal: Hexadecimal: ESC ! 27 33 1B 21 1 49 31 Consider these things when you use the Master Select command: l Master Select cancels any of the listed features that you do not set.
Chapter 4 Using Software and Graphics Using the FX with Application Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using printer selection menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aquicktest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Using word processors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using spreadsheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using the FX with Application Programs Now that you’ve set up and tested the printer, you need to start using it with your application programs. Most application programs let you specify the type of printer you’re using so that the program can take full advantage of the printer’s features. Many programs provide an installation or setup procedure that presents a list of printers to choose from. If your application program has a printer selection menu, use the instructions below.
A quick test After setting up your application program, print a sample document to make sure the program and the FX are communicating properly. If the document doesn’t print correctly, recheck the program’s printer selection and installation procedure. If you’re still having trouble printing, consult the troubleshooting section in Chapter 6. Using word processors Word processors usually let you use a fixed set of printer features by placing markers around the text to be altered.
panel. The table below shows you many characters you can fit on a line using these options. If your spreadsheet asks the number of columns your printer can print, decide which mode you will use and supply the appropriate number from this table. Typestyle Normal (10 cpi) 12 cpi Condensed 12 cpi condensed FX-850 80 96 137 160 FX-1050 137 163 233 272 Unlike word processors, spreadsheet programs usually don’t let you change printer commands within a spreadsheet.
Using graphics software The FX is capable of producing finely detailed graphic images. Although the section on graphics later in this chapter gives specific information on the graphics commands, the easiest way to take advantage of the FX’s capabilities is with one of the many graphics programs available. When buying graphics software, always make sure the program has an option to print on an FX printer.
your printer and other peripherals. These ASCII characters do not usually have corresponding keys on the keyboard and cannot be printed as characters by your printer. Escape sequences Although there are more than 30 control codes available to control the operation of your printer, many more codes are required to run today’s sophisticated printers. Therefore, ASCII codes are grouped in sequences to represent certain functions.
commands that your printer recognizes are listed in the Command Summary in Chapter 8 and on the Quick Reference card at the back of this manual. Using the Command Summary The commands listed in the Command Summary in Chapter 8 consist of various combinations of ASCII codes. You can use either the ASCII characters or their decimal or hexadecimal equivalents. For example, the command to turn on subscript is ESC S1 in ASCII characters.
Dot Graphics The dot graphics mode allows your FX printer to produce pictures, graphs, charts, or almost any other pictorial material you can devise. Because many commercial software programs use graphics, you may be able to print pictures and graphs like the ones on this and the following page simply by giving your software a few instructions.
The quickest and easiest way to print graphics on your printer is to use a commercial graphics program. With such programs you usually create an image on your monitor and then give a command to send the image to the printer. If you use commercial software that produces graphics, all you need to know about dot graphics is how to use the software. If, on the other hand, you wish to do your own programming or merely wish to understand how the FX prints graphics, read on.
The print head is able to print graphics in addition to text because graphic images are formed on the FX about the same way that pictures in newspapers and magazines are printed. If you look closely at a newspaper photograph, you can see that it is made up of many small dots. The FX also forms its images with patterns of dots. The images printed by the FX can be as finely detailed as the ones at the beginning of this section.
the same time, add up the numbers of the pins and send the sum to the printer. Therefore, with these labels for the pins, you fire the top pin by sending 128. To fire the bottom pin, you send 1. If you want to fire only the top and bottom pins, you simply add 128 and 1, and send 129. By adding the appropriate label numbers together, you can fire any combination of pins. The figure below shows three examples of how to calculate the number that fires a particular pattern of pins.
The command to enter single-density graphics mode is ESC K nl n2. In BASIC the command is given in this format: LPRINT CHR$(27);"K";CHR$(n1);CHR$(n2); In this command, ESC K selects single-density graphics, and n1 and n2 specify the number of columns to reserve for graphics. Column reservation numbers The graphics command requires more than one number to specify how many columns to reserve because although one line can use thousands of columns, the FX does not use numbers larger than 255 (decimal).
The first line of the program specifies single-density graphics for 40 columns: l00 LPRINT CHR$(27);"K";CHR$(40);CHR$(0); The second line is the data that is printed as pin patterns. It uses the number 74 to produce one of the patterns shown above. The FOR-NEXT loop sends 40 columns of data. Here is the second line of data: 200 FOR X=1 TO 40: LPRINT CHR$(74);: NEXT X That is the whole program.
The program is listed below. The lines inside each pair of FOR and NEXT statements have been indented so that you can see how the program works; the spaces are not needed for the program to run. 100 ll0 120 130 140 150 160 170 l80 WIDTH "LPTl:", 255 LPRINT CHR$(27);"A";CHR$(8); FOR R = 1 TO 6 LPRINT CHR$(27);"K";CHR$(l00)CHR$(0); FOR X = 1 to 58 LPRINT CHR$(170);CHR$(85); NEXT X: LPRINT NEXT R LPRINT CHR$(27);"@" If you run the program, you will see how it combines six print lines into a pattern.
5. The last important thing to do is to reset the printer to its default settings, including the normal line spacing (line 180). Notice that the graphics command (ESC K) can be in effect for only one print line. To print more than one line of graphics, the graphics command must be issued before each line. Density varieties Although all the examples so far in this section have been in the singledensity graphics mode, there are seven other eight-pin densities and two that use all nine pins.
prints dots in only half the possible dot positions in any one row. The higher density means that the resolution of the pattern is better than in single-density mode. When you design patterns in these two modes, however, you must make sure that no dots overlap. Reassigning a graphics mode Another graphics command lets you assign a different eight-pin graphics mode to one of the specific eight-pin graphics commands.
Single High-speed double Double In this figure you can see the main rules for graphic design in the three densities: l l l In single-density no dots can be placed on vertical lines. In high-speed double-density, dots can be placed on vertical lines, but no dots can overlap. In double-density, dots can be placed on vertical lines, and they can overlap. Now look at the high-speed double-density design below. It should point you in the right direction for your own work.
After plotting the dots on a grid, you calculate the numbers for each pin pattern by dividing the design grid into separate print lines. For the arrow design, the grid was divided into two lines, each seven dots high. Then each column was examined to calculate the graphics data. The results for the first line are shown below. The pin values are on the left and the sums at the bottom of each column.
100 110 120 130 150 160 170 180 190 200 210 220 230 240 250 260 270 280 WIDTH "LPT1:", 255 LPRINT CHR$(27);"A";CHR$(7); FOR ROW = 1 TO 2 LPRINT CHR$(27);"Y";CHR$(4l);CHR$(0); FOR COLUMN = 1 TO 41 READ N LPRINT CHR$(N); NEXT COLUMN LPRINT NEXT ROW END DATA 64,32,80,8,68,2,64,0,64,0 DATA 64,0,64,0,32,0,16,0,8,0 DATA 8,0,8,0,8,0,8,0,8,0,8,0,8,0 DATA 184,64,32,16,8,4,2 DATA 8,16,40,64,136,0,8,0,8,0 DATA 8,0,8,0,16,0,32,0,64,0,64,0 DATA 64,0,64,0,64,0,64,0,64,0,64,0 DATA 116,8,16,32,64,128,0 When you run th
characters or simply supplies you with sets of characters already created. Also, some popular commercial software programs take advantage of the printer’s user-defined character function to enhance printouts. These characters are sometimes called download characters. Defining your own characters The printout below displays a few such characters to give you an idea of what can be done, but remember that since these characters are truly user-defined, you can create whatever you need or want.
Suppose you want to print the scientific symbol for the planet Mercury Although the FX has a number of special symbols, that is not one of them. First, use a grid like the one below to plan where to place the dots. 3 2 1 123456789 Because the last two columns are reserved for the space between characters, they are not included in the grid. And since most characters do not use the bottom two rows, there is a heavy line to indicate the usual lower limit for an FX character.
First definition program The next few sections explain the steps used to create the symbol for Mercury. The figure below shows the grid used to design the character. 123456789 Once you have drawn your dots on the grid, type the following BASIC program.
Running the program Now run the program. For each of the nine columns, the program asks for the numbers of the rows in which you want dots to appear. Enter the row numbers one at a time, pressing the Enter key after each one. When you have entered all the numbers for a column or when you want no dots in a column, press Enter without a number. Remember that the vertical lines in the grid are the even-numbered columns.
NLQ. Your printout also gives you nine numbers, which you use in the next program. You should get the printout you see below: When you get to this point with a character of your own, you see how it looks. If you want to make any changes, move the dots as needed and rerun the program. If you want to put dots in the bottom row, change the number in line 190 from 128 to 0. Then the usable rows are those shown in the figure below.
FOR P=58 TO 63: LPRINT CHR$(P);" "': NEXT P 95 LPRINT 100 K=l: IF K>3 THEN A=58 ELSE A=60 110 LPRINT CHR$(27):'"CHR$(0)CHR$(0)CHR$(0); 120 LPRINT CHR$(27)"%"CHR$(l)CHR$(0); 130 LPRINT CHR$(27)"&"CHR$(0)CHR$(A)CHR$(A-l+K); 140 FOR Z=l TO K 150 LPRINT CHR$(128); 160 FOR X=1 TO 9 170 READ R 180 LPRINT CHR$(R);: NEXT X 190 LPRINT CHR$(0)CHR$(0); 200 NEXT Z 210 DATA 0,80,170,0,47,0,170,80,0 290 FOR P=58 TO 63: LPRINT CHR$(P);" "': NEXT P To use this program for your own character or characters, change the DAT
Running the program When you run this second program, it prints six characters, then redefines some or all of them and prints them again, as in the example below. When printed by your own program, these two lines provide you with a key to the characters your FX can now print. When you press the key for one of the characters in the top row, the printer prints the corresponding character in the bottom row.
Chapter 5 Maintenance Cleaning the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2 Replacing the Ribbon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3 Transporting the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cleaning the Printer To keep your printer operating at its best, you should clean it thoroughly several times a year. Follow these steps to clean the printer: 1. Turn off the printer. 2. Remove the paper guide, tractor unit, and any installed options. 3. Use a soft brush to carefully clear away all dust and dirt. 4. If the outer case or paper guide is dirty or dusty, clean it with a soft, clean cloth dampened with mild detergent dissolved in water.
WARNING: l l l l Never use alcohols or thinners to clean the printer; these chemicals can damage the components as well as the case. Be careful not to get water on the printer mechanism or electronic components. Do not use a hard or abrasive brush. Do not spray the inside of the printer with lubricants; unsuitable oils can damage the mechanism. Contact your Epson dealer if you think lubrication is needed. Replacing the Ribbon When your printing becomes too faint you need to replace the ribbon.
2. Remove the old ribbon cartridge by grasping the black fin-like handles (two on the FX-1050, and one on the FX-850) and lifting the cartridge straight up and out of the printer. 3. Slide the print head to the middle of the printer.
4. Unwrap the new ribbon, and turn the ribbon-tightening knob in the direction of the arrow to remove excess slack. 5. Hold the new ribbon cartridge by the fin-like handle(s), and firmly insert it into place, making sure that the plastic hooks fit into the slots as shown below.
6. Use a pointed object, such as the tip of a pencil, to guide the ribbon between the print head and ribbon guide. At the same time, turn the ribbon-tightening knob in the direction of the arrow to help guide the ribbon into place. 7. Check to make sure that the ribbon is not twisted or creased. You can check the installation by sliding the print head from side to side along the carriage. 8. Reattach the printer cover.
4. Remove the ribbon cartridge and platen knob. 5. Slide the print head to the middle of the printer. Then, using a cross-head screw driver, reattach the two transport locking brackets.
6. Attach the left and right locking tabs. 7. Slide the head all the way to the left, and insert the print head protector between the paper bail and platen as shown below. 8. Attach the printer cover. After replacing the packing material, put the printer in its box and prepare it for transportation.
Chapter 6 Troubleshooting problems and Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-2 The printer does not print . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-2 The printer stops printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2 The printout is spaced incorrectly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3 The printout is faint or uneven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Troubleshooting This chapter discusses problems you may encounter and their likely solutions. At the back of the chapter is a section on the data dump mode. This mode helps more experienced users determine the causes of communication problems between the printer and the computer. Problems and Solutions This section lists possible problems and their likely solutions. The printer does not print l l l l Be sure the printer is turned on and the POWER light is on.
l If the printer stops and the beeper sounds, turn the printer off and then turn it back on and try to print again. If the printer beeps again and does not print, take it to a qualified service person. The printout is spaced incorrectly l l l If all the text is printed on the same line, no line feed command is being sent at the end of each line of text. Turn DIP switch 2-4 on. If the printer is inserting extra blank lines between lines of text, extra line feed commands are being sent.
If you cannot define userdefined characters, make sure that DIP switch l-l is off. Your software’s font, size, or page layout settings may not be selected properly. See that your software is correctly set up for your printer. Your application program may be changing the SelecType settings. Use the program’s setup procedure to remove codes that interfere with SelecType, or use the printer control codes for your application program instead of SelecType. (See your software manual.
Cut sheet feeder does not load paper correctly l l The cut sheet feeder mode may not have been selected with the DIP switch. The position of the paper release lever may be wrong. Push the paper release lever back to the single sheet position. l The cut sheet feeder may not be installed properly. l The paper supply may not be loaded properly The paper may not be the type required for proper operation of the cut sheet feeder. l l The paper set lever of the cut sheet feeder may not be pushed back.
3. To turn off the data dump mode, press the ON LINE button to take the printer off line, and then turn off the printer. (The data dump mode can also be cancelled by sending an INIT signal from the computer.) Look at the data dump shown in Step 2. By comparing the characters printed in the right column with the printout of the hexadecimal codes, you can check what codes are being sent to the printer. If characters are printable, they appear as their true ASCII characters.
Chapter 7 Using Printer Options The Cut Sheet Feeder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2 Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2 Setting the sheet feeder mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4 Recommended paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5 Paper loading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Cut Sheet Feeder The optional cut sheet feeder #7339 (for the FX-850) or #7340 (for the FX1050) gives you easier and more efficient handling of single sheet paper. Up to 150 sheets of standard bond paper can be fed automatically into the printer without reloading. The cut sheet feeder can also automatically feed envelopes. Installation Attach the assembled cut sheet feeder as follows. 1. Turn off the printer. 2. Remove the printer cover and the paper guide. 3.
4 . Remove the paper tension unit by pressing open the release levers and, at the same time, lifting up on the front of the unit. 5. Tilt the feeder forward slightly to fit the notches at the base of the unit over the pins on the printer; then tilt the unit back until it rests on top of the printer.
6. Detach the front section of the printer cover. 7. After raising the cut sheet feeder’s paper path guide, attach the front cover to the printer. Then close the paper path guide. Setting the sheet feeder mode To allow your printer to use the cut sheet feeder you need to set DIP switch 2-2 to on. If you need more information on how to do this, see the section on setting DIP switches in Chapter 3. To set the cut sheet feeder mode, do the following: l Turn the printer off.
Recommended paper Paper: For best results, use typewriter-quality paper. If you use paper with a glossy or textured surface, you should test it before regular use. The cut sheet feeder can hold up to 150 sheets of paper. Do not use multiple-part forms or labels. Envelopes: You can print on air mail, plain, or bond envelopes. The cut sheet feeder can hold up to 25 plain or bond envelopes, or 30 air mail envelopes. Before printing on envelopes, you need to set the paper thickness lever.
Slide the left paper guide all the way to the left and slide the right paper guide to roughly match the width of your paper. 3. Take a stack of paper and fan it as shown. This keeps the sheets from sticking to one another. Tap the side and bottom of the paper on a flat surface to even up the stack.
4. Insert the paper between the paper guides, aligning it with the left edge of the guide. Then adjust the right paper guide until the paper is held firmly (but not so tightly that it causes the paper to bunch). 5. Push the paper set lever back to clamp the paper against the guide rollers. The lever will not close completely if you use too much paper. If the lever does not close, remove some paper from the stack and try again.
Envelope loading Envelopes are loaded in much the same way as regular paper. To load envelopes, you need to do the following: 1. Set the paper thickness lever to match the thickness of your envelopes. (For specific information on paper thickness settings, see the section on printing with special paper in Chapter 2.) 2. Follow steps 1 through 5 of the previous section on paper loading to load envelopes. You can load up to 25 plain or bond envelopes, or 30 air mail envelopes. 3.
and then press the ON LINE button. The printer starts printing from the point at which it was stopped. If you turn your printer off during the time the printer detects a paper out or paper jam condition, any data remaining in the printer’s buffer is discarded.
In addition to the number of printable lines, which your software may refer to as page length or form length, you may need to set the top margin, the bottom margin, and the actual number of lines to be printed on the page. The cut sheet feeder normally creates a two-line unprintable top margin. Therefore, if you want a total top margin of six lines (one inch), set the top margin in your software to four lines.
Many word processors and other software programs give you two ways to change these settings: l l You can change the settings in each individual file you print. You can change the program’s default settings so that every time you use the program, these new settings are in effect. If your program has additional features, such as headers and footers, you have to compensate accordingly. Control panel operation All of the functions from the control panel are available in cut sheet feeder mode.
Below is a portion of the first page of a self test in cut sheet feeder mode. The remainder of the self test is similar to the original self test described in Chapter 1. WARNING: Never perform the self test on envelopes. Switching from the cut sheet feeder to continuous paper The FX allows you to switch between cut sheet feeder paper and continuous paper easily without having to remove either the feeder or the continuous paper supply.
3. To switch from cut sheet feeder operation to continuous paper, pull the paper release lever all the way forward to the continuous paper position. You do not need to change the DIP switch setting. 4. Raise the paper path guide on the cut sheet feeder until it clicks open, as shown below. This guide directs the flow of continuous paper out of the front of the printer. 5. With the paper release lever foward, the control panel functions normally.
Single sheet insertion Your cut sheet feeder also has a single sheet loading feature. This feature allows you to switch to a different type of paper (such as letterhead) without replacing the supply of paper that is loaded in your cut sheet feeder. Single sheet insertion is especially useful because it allows you to use micro-adjustment to change your cut sheet feeder loading position. 1. Press the ON LINE button to take the printer off line. 2.
The Pull Tractor The optional pull tractor (#7311 for the FX-850 and #7312 for the FX-1050) provides optimum continuous paper handling. The pull tractor is especially useful with continuous multi-part forms and labels. For best results, use the pull tractor along with the built-in push tractor, as described in this section. After making sure that you have both parts of the pull tractor option as shown below, remove the packing material and save it in case you need to ship the unit later.
2. Remove the paper tension unit by pressing open the release levers and lifting up the front of the unit at the same time. 3. Hold the pull tractor with the gears to the right and fit the rear notches on the tractor over the rear mounting pins on the printer as shown below.
4. Tilt the tractor unit toward you until the front latches click in place over the front mounting pins of the printer. 5. Now load paper as described in the section on loading continuous paper in Chapter 2. However, position the left sprocket unit about l/4 of an inch from the left before locking it in place. 6. After the paper is loaded in the push tractor, make sure the printer is off line and then press the FORM FEED button.
8. Move the sprocket units to match the width of the paper and adjust the paper supports so they are evenly placed between the sprocket units. (There is only one paper support on the FX-850 pull tractor.) 9. Fit the holes of the paper over the tractor pins of the sprocket units, adjusting the position of the sprocket units as necessary.
10. If the paper does not fit exactly onto the tractor pins, press in on the pull tractor feed knob and turn it in the desired direction. 11. Close the sprocket covers. 12. Make sure that the paper is not crooked or wrinkled and then lock the sprocket units in place.
13. Slide the rollers on the paper bail so they are evenly distributed across the width of your paper. Also, make sure that the right and left rollers are at both edges of your paper. 14. Re-install the paper guide and then slide the edge guides together so they meet at about the middle of the paper’s width. 15. Install the pull tractor cover.
16. Press the ON LINE button to put the printer on line. Now you are ready to begin printing. When you are finished printing The short tear-off function cannot be used with the pull tractor. If you want to tear off the last printed page at its perforation, press the ON LINE button to take the printer off line and press the FORM FEED button to feed the paper forward an additional page before tearing off the paper.
2. Replace the paper tension unit as shown below. 3. Now you are ready to use either single sheets or the push tractor. Interface Boards There are a number of optional interfaces that can be used to supplement the capabilities of your printer’s built-in parallel interface.
l Serial interfaces are necessary if your computer is not equipped with a parallel interface or if you need an interface that conforms to the Current Loop standard instead of the RS-232C. In addition, all available serial interface boards provide user-selectable baud rates and data word structures.
WARNING: High voltage is present inside the printer when the power is on. Do not attempt to remove the upper case unless the is turned off and the power cord is unplugged. Also, do not touch contacts on the printer’s circuit because many of the components be destroyed by static electricity built up in your body. 2. Remove the printer cover, paper guide, ribbon cartridge, and any installed options. 3. Remove the platen knob and push the paper release lever back to the single sheet position. 4.
5. Reach inside the front cover and push in on the upper case fastening clips. These clips are located on both sides of the printer case. Push both clips at the same time as shown in the figure below. 6. Raise the upper case slightly (about six inches), taking care not to strain the flat cable attached to the control panel.
7. Carefully disconnect the control panel cable from the connector labelled CN11 on the main board. 8. Tilt the upper case backward and lift it clear of the printer body. Caution: Be very careful when removing or attaching the upper case to avoid damaging the printer.
9. Remove the option interface shield plate by pressing in on the plastic clips located at the back of the plate. 10. Remove the screw labelled CG from the main board.
Installing the board There are two basic interface board designs. These boards differ with respect to how the frame ground (FG) wire is attached. This slight difference changes the way the boards are installed in the printer, but does not affect the operation of the interface in any way. Look at the following illustration to see which type of interface board you have and then follow the installation procedure for that type of board.
2. Carefully insert the pins on the optional interface board into the mating connector on the main board. Secure the board with the three screws provided. 3. Attach the plug end of the FG wire onto the FG pin located on top of the interface board. 4. Set the DIP switches on the interface board according to the manual that comes with the board.
FG wire attached 1. Carefully place the interface board next to the printer as shown below. Use the CG screw to connect the round end of the FG (frame ground) wire to the main board. 2. Holding the interface board level, rotate it clockwise into position and attach it to the main board. Make sure that the connector pins are properly inserted into the mating connector.
3. Secure the board with the three screws provided. 4. Set the DIP switches on the interface board according to the manual that comes with the board. Attaching the upper case 1. Fit the hinges of the upper case into the openings in the lower case. Then partially lower the upper case.
Caution: Take care not to pinch the FG wire between the upper and lower cases. 2. Carefully insert the control panel cable into the connector labelled CNll on the main board. 3. 7-32 Close the upper case. Make sure you press down on the front of the case until it locks into place.
4. Insert and tighten the screw to secure the upper case, and then reattach the platen knob. WARNING: When installing an optional interface board, be sure to disconnect the printer cable from the printer’s built-in parallel interface. Two interface cables must not be installed at the same time. This completes the installation of the optional interface board. Replace the ribbon cartridge, printer cover, and any other necessary parts or options.
Chapter 8 Command Summary This chapter lists and describes all the commands, both Epson (ESC/P) mode and IBM emulation mode, available on the FX. The first part of this appendix lists all commands in numerical order and gives the page number where each is fully described. If you know which command you are looking for, consult the numerical list to find the page number where it is described.
The simplest type of command consists of a single character to be sent to the printer. For instance, to print in condensed mode the code format is: ASCII code: SI 15 Decimal: Hexadecimal: OF This code can be sent from a program by sending the code 15 directly. More complex commands consist of two or more character codes.
Control key chart Some application programs can use control key codes for decimal values 0 through 27. The table below gives you the proper values. The Control Key column indicates that you press the control key at the same time you press the key for the letter or symbol in that column. For example, you press the control key and A at the same time to send the value 1. Note: Many programs use the control keys for other purposes. Also, some programs do not use all these keys. Dec. Hex.
Commands in Numerical Order This section lists all the FX commands, with their decimal and hexadecimal values. The numbers in the columns on the right are the page numbers in this chapter where a complete description of the command can be found. If the Epson and IBM emulation mode page numbers are the same, the command is the same in both modes and is described only in the Epson mode section.
ESC & ESC * ESC ESC / ESC 0 ESC 1 ESC 2 ESC 2 ESC 3 ESC 4 ESC 4 ESC 5 ESC 5 ESC 6 ESC 6 ESC 7 ESC 7 ESC 8 ESC 9 ESC : ESC : ESC < ESC = ESC = ESC > ESC ? ESC @ ESC A ESC A ESC B 38 42 45 47 48 49 50 50 51 52 52 53 53 54 54 55 55 56 57 58 58 60 61 61 62 63 64 65 65 66 Define user-defined characters Select graphics mode Turn underlining on/off Select vertical tab channel Select l/8-inch line spacing 31 Select 7/72-inch line spacing 32 Select 1/6-inch line spacing 32 Programmable line spacing 33 Select
ESC C ESC CO ESC D ESC E ESC F ESC G ESC H ESC I ESC I ESC J ESC K ESC L ESC M ESC N ESC O ESC P ESC P ESC Q ESC Q3 ESC Q22 ESC R ESC R ESC SO ESC S l ESC T ESC U ESC W ESC X ESC Y ESC Z ESC [@ 8-6 Set page length in lines Set page length in inches Set horizontal tabs Select emphasized mode Cancel emphasized mode 71 47 Select double-strike mode 72 48 Cancel double-strike mode 73 49 Printable code area expansion 73 49 Select font 74 4A Perform n/216-inch line feed 75 4B Select single-density graphics 76 4C
ESC \ ESC \ ESC ^ ESC ^ ESC _ ESC a ESC b ESC k ESC 1 ESC p ESC s ESC t ESC w ESC x 92 SC Set relative position 5C Print characters from symbol set 5E Select 9-pin graphics 5E Print 1 char.
Epson (ESC/P) Commands The following section lists and describes all the Epson (ESC/P) commands. Printer Operation Initialization ESC @ Format: ASCII code: ESC @ Decimal : 27 64 Hexadecimal: 1B 4 0 Initialize Printer Comments: Resets the printer mode and clears the buffer of printable data on the print line preceding the command.
DC3 Format: ASCII code: DC3 Decimal : 19 Hexadecimal: 13 Deselect Printer Comments: Puts the printer into the deselected state until select printer code (DCl) is received. The printer cannot be reselected with the ON LINE button. Speed Turn Half-Speed Mode On/Off ESC s Format: n ASCII code: ESC Decimal: 27 12 n Hexadecimal: 1B 73 n Comments: The following values can be used for n: 1: Mode is turned ON. (The ASCII codes 0 and 1 or the ASCII 0: Mode is turned OFF. characters “0” and "1" can be used.
ESC U Format: ESC ASCII code: Decimal: 27 Hexadecimal: 1B Turn Unidirectional Mode On/Off U 85 55 n n n Comments: The following values can be used for n: (The ASCII codes 0 and 1 or the ASCII 1: Mode is turned ON. characters “0” and “1” can be used.) 0: Mode is turned OFF. Printing is normally bidirectional. This command selects unidirectional printing for more accurate positioning.
ESC EM Format: ESC EM ASCII code: 27 25 Decimal : Hexadecimal: 1B 19 Turn Cut Sheet Feeder Mode On/Off n n n Comments: The following values can be used for n: 4: Mode is turned ON. 0: Mode is turned OFF. The variables are the characters “0” (48 decimal) and “4” (52 decimal). The command should not be used unless the cut sheet feeder is installed. It is ignored if any value other than “0” or “4” is used for n. The mode can also be turned on or off with DIP switch 2-2.
ESC > Format: ASCII code: ESC 27 Decimal: Hexadecimal: 1B Set MSB to 1 > 62 3E Comments: Sets the MSB bit of all incoming data as 1. ESC # Format: ESC ASCII code: 27 Decimal: Hexadecimal: 1B Cancel MSB Control # 35 23 Comments: Cancels the MSB control set by ESC = or ESC>. Beeper BEL Format: BEL ASCII code: Decimal: 7 Hexadecimal: 07 Beeper Comments: Sounds the printer’s beeper.
Data Control CR Format: ASCII code: CR 13 Decimal: Hexadecimal : 0D Carriage Return Comments: Prints the data in the buffer and returns the print position to the left margin. A line feed may be added if DIP switch 2-4 is ON or if the AUTO FEED XT line on the parallel interface is held LOW. CAN Format: ASCII code: CAN 24 Decimal : Hexadecimal: 18 Cancel Line Comments: Removes all text on the print line but does not affect control codes.
Vertical Motion Form feeding Form Feed FF Format: ASCII code: FF 12 Decimal: Hexadecimal: 0C Comments: Prints the data in the print buffer and advances the paper to the top of the next form according to the current page length. ESC C Format: ASCII code: ESC Decimal: 27 Hexadecimal: 1B Set Page Length in Lines C 67 43 n n n Comments: Sets the page length to n lines in the current line spacing. The value of n must be from 1 to 127. The top of form position is set to the current line.
ESC N Format: ESC ASCII code: 27 Decimal: Hexadecimal: 1B Set Skip Over Perforation N 78 4E n n n Comments: The variable n is the number of lines skipped between the last line printed on one page and the first line on the next page. For example, with the standard settings for line spacing (l/6-inch), and page length (66 lines), ESC N 6 causes the FX to print 60 lines and then skip 6. DIP switch 2-3 performs the same function. This setting is cancelled by ESC 0 and also by ESC C or ESC C 0.
ESCO Format: ESC ASCII code: Decimal: 27 Hexadecimal: 1B Select l/S-inch Line Spacing 0 48 30 Comments: Sets the line spacing to l/8 of an inch for subsequent line feed commands. The 0 is the character zero and not ASCII code 0. ESC 1 Format: ASCII code: ESC Decimal : 27 Hexadecimal: 1B Select 7/72-inch Line Spacing 1 49 31 Comments: Sets the line spacing to 7/72 of an inch for subsequent line feed commands. The 1 is the character one and not lower case L or ASCII code 1.
ESC 3 Format: ASCII code: ESC 3 Decimal : 27 51 Hexadecimal: 1B 33 Select n/216-inch Line Spacing n n n Comments: Sets the line spacing to n/216 of an inch for subsequent line feed commands. The 3 is the character three and not ASCII code 3. The value of n must be from 0 to 255. ESC A Format: ASCII code: ESC A Decimal : 27 65 Hexadecimal: 1B 41 Select n/72-inch Line Spacing n n n Comments: Sets the line spacing to n/72 of an inch for subsequent line feed commands. The value of n must be from 0 to 85.
Vertical tabbing Tab Vertically VT Format: ASCII code: VT Decimal: 11 Hexadecimal: OB Comments: Advances the paper to the next tab setting in the channel selected by ESC /. If no channel has been selected, channel 0 is used. If no vertical tabs have been selected, the paper advances one line. ESC B Format: ASCII code: ESC Decimal: 27 Hexadecimal: Set Vertical Tabs B 66 1B nl nl 42 n2 ... n2 ... nl n2 ... 0 0 00 Comments: Sets up to 16 vertical tabs in the current line spacing.
ESC / Format: ESC ASCII code: 27 Decimal: Hexadecimal: 1B Select Vertical Tab Channel / 47 2F c c c Comments: This command is used to select the vertical tab channel, with the value of c from 0 to 7. All subsequent vertical tab commands use the channel selected by this command. If no channel has been selected, channel 0 is used.
ESC Q Format: ASCII code: ESC Decimal: 27 Hexadecimal: 1B Set Right Margin Q 81 51 n n n Comments: Sets the right margin to n columns in the current character size. Settings made in the proportional mode are treated as 10 cpi. This command clears previous tab settings and all previous characters in the print line. The minimum space between the margins is the width of one double-wide 10 cpi character.
ESC $ Format: ASCII code: ESC Decimal: 27 Hexadecimal: 1B Set Absolute Print Position $ 36 24 nl nl n7 n2 n2 n2 Comments: This sequence specifies the distance from the currently set left margin that subsequent characters are to be printed, using this formula: total number of dots = nl + (n2 X 256). Each unit equals 1/60th of an inch. The sequence is ignored and the previous setting remains effective if the position specified is beyond the right margin. This command applies to both draft and NLQ.
Horizontal tabbing Tab Horizontally HT Format: ASCII code: HT Decimal: 9 Hexadecimal: 09 Comments: Advances the print position to the next horizontal tab setting. The default settings are at intervals of eight characters in the default character size, and tab positions are not affected by subsequent changes in character size. ESC D Format: ASCII code: ESC Decimal: 27 Hexadecimal: Set Horizontal Tabs D 68 1B nl n2 ... n1 n2 ... 44 nl n2 ...
Overall Printing Style ESC x Format: ESC ASCII code: 27 Decimal: Hexadecimal: 1B Select Near Letter Quality or Draft n 1 2 0 n 78 n Comments: The following values can be used for n: (The ASCII codes 0 and 1 or the ASCII 0: Selects the draft mode. characters “0” and “1” can be used.) 1: Selects the near letter quality (NLQ) mode. Overrides the SelecType setting. When NLQ is selected, the font used is either Roman, Sans Serif or user-defined, whichever is currently selected.
Master Select ESC! Format: ASCII code: ESC Decimal: 27 Hexadecimal: 1B ! 33 21 n n n Comments: Selects any valid combination of the modes in the table below. The variable n is determined by adding together the values of the desired modes from the table. Mode 10 cpi 12 cpi Proportional Condensed Emphasized Double-strike Double-wide Italic Underline De c 0 1 2 4 8 16 32, 64 128 Hex 00 01 02 04 08 10 20 40 80 This command applies to both draft and NLQ.
Select 12 cpi ESC M Format: ESC M ASCII code: 27 77 Decimal: Hexadecimal: 1B 4 D Comments: Selects 12 characters per inch printing. This command is available in both draft and NLQ. ESC p Format: ASCII code: ESC 27 112 Decimal: Hexadecimal: 1B 70 Turn Proportional Mode On/Off n n n Comments: The following values can be used for n: (The ASCII codes 0 and 1 or the ASCII 1: Mode is turned ON. characters “0” and “1” can be used.) 0: Mode is turned OFF.
Select Condensed Mode SI Format: ASCII code: SI 15 Decimal: Hexadecimal: OF Comments: Prints characters at about 60 percent of their normal width. For example, the condensed 10 cpi mode has 17 characters per inch. Proportional mode cannot be condensed, and proportional overrides condensed. This command is available in both draft and NLQ. ESC SI Format: ESC ASCII code: 27 Decimal: Hexadecimal: 1B Select Condensed Mode SI 15 OF Comments: Duplicates the SI command.
so Select Double-Wide Mode (one line) Format: ASCII code: SO 14 Decimal: Hexadecimal : 0E Comments: Double-wide mode doubles the width of all characters. This mode is cancelled by a carriage return or DC4. This command is available in both draft and NLQ. Select Double-Wide Mode (one line) ESC SO Format: ESC ASCII code: 27 Decimal: Hexadecimal: 1B SO 14 0E Comments: Duplicates the SO command. This command is available in both draft and NLQ.
Turn Double-Wide Mode On/Off ESC W Format: ESC W n ASCII code: Decimal : 27 87 n Hexadecimal: 1B 57 n Comments: The following values can be used for n: (The ASCII codes 0 and 1 or the ASCII 1: Mode is turned ON. characters “0” and “1” can be used.) 0: Mode is turned OFF. Double-wide mode doubles the width of all characters. This command is available in both draft and NLQ.
Print Enhancement ESC E Format: ASCII code: ESC Decimal : 27 Hexadecimal: 1B Select Emphasized Mode E 69 45 Comments: Makes text bolder by printing each dot twice, with the second dot slightly to the right of the first. This command is available in both draft and NLQ. ESC F Format: ASCII code: ESC Decimal: 27 Hexadecimal: 1B Cancel Emphasized Mode F 70 46 Comments: Cancels emphasized, the mode selected by ESC E. This command is available in both draft and NLQ.
ESCH Format: ASCII code: ESC Decimal : 27 Hexadecimal: 1B Cancel Double-Strike Mode H 72 48 Comments: Turns off the double-strike mode selected by ESC G. ESC S0 Format: ASCII code: ESC Decimal: 27 Hexadecimal: 1B Select Superscript Mode S 83 53 NUL 0 00 Comments: Prints characters about two-thirds of the normal height in the upper part of the character space. The ASCII code 0 or the character “0” can be used in this command. It is cancelled with ESC T. This command is available in both draft and NLQ.
ESC T Format: ASCII code: ESC Decimal : 27 Hexadecimal: 1B Cancel Superscript/Subscript T 84 54 Comments: Cancels either superscript or subscript. ESC - Turn Underlining Mode On/Off Format : ASCII code: ESC n Decimal: 27 45 n Hexadecimal: 1B 2D n Comments: The following values can be used for n: 1: Mode is turned ON. (The ASCII codes 0 and 1 or the ASCII 0: Mode is turned OFF. characters “0” and “1” can be used.) This mode provides continuous underlining, including spaces.
Word Processing ESC a Format: ESC ASCII code: 27 97 Decimal: Hexadecimal: 1B 61 Select Justification n n n Comments: The following values can be used for n: 0: Selects left justification. 1: Selects centering. 2: Selects right justification. 3: Selects full justification. The default setting is n = 0. Full justification (n = 3) is performed when the buffer becomes full. The commands HT and BS are invalid except in n = 0 mode. For n = 3 there must be no carriage returns within a paragraph.
Character Sets ESC t Format: ESC t ASCII code: 27 116 Decimal: Hexadecimal: 1B 74 Select Character Table n n n Comments: The following values can be used for n: 0: Selects italic character set. 1: Selects Epson Extended Graphics character set. Selects the character table used by ASCII codes 128 through 255. Selecting Epson Extended Graphics does not disable italic printing. Italic printing can still be selected by ESC 4. Duplicates and overrides the function of DIP switch l-3.
ESC 5 Format: ASCII code: ESC Decimal : 27 Hexadecimal: 1B Cancel Italic Mode 5 53 35 Comments: Cancels the mode selected by ESC 4. This command is available in both draft and NLQ. ESC R Format: ASCII code: ESC Decimal: 27 Hexadecimal: 1B Select an International Character Set R 82 52 n n n Comments: See the section on international character sets in Chapter 3 for full information on international character sets.
User-Defined Characters Note: See Chapter 4 for sample programs and full information on this topic. ESC & Format: ASCII code: ESC Decimal: 27 Hexadecimal: Define User-Defined Characters & NUL 38 1B 0 26 dl d1 00 d2 ... d2 ... dl d2 ... dn dn dn Comments: This command defines characters as described in Chapter 4. This command is not effective when DIP switch l-l is on.
ESC % Format: ESC ASCII code: Decimal: 27 Hexadecimal: 1B Select User-Defined Set % 37 25 n n n Comments: ESC & is required to define the character set. The following values can be used for n: 0: Selects the normal set. 1: Selects the user-defined set. For NLQ characters, also send ESC x 1. ESC 6 Format: ASCII code: ESC Decimal: 27 Hexadecimal: 1B Printable Code Area Expansion 6 54 36 Comments: Enables the printing of codes 128 through 159 (decimal) as characters, not control codes.
Cancel ESC 6 ESC 7 Format: ESC ASCII code: 27 Decimal : Hexadecimal: 1B 7 55 37 Comments: This code causes codes 128 through 159 to be treated as control codes. This is the default. See Appendix B. ESC I Format: ESC I n ASCII code: 27 73 n Decimal: Hexadecimal: 1B 49 n Printable Code Area Expansion Comments: ASCII codes 0 to 31 and 128 to 159 are usually not printable. These codes become printable upon input of the ESC I code if n = 1, which allows the use of these codes for user-defined characters.
Graphics Note: See Chapter 4 for sample graphics programs. ESC K Format: ESC ASCII code: Decimal: 27 Hexadecimal: 1B Select Single-Density Graphics Mode K 75 4B nl nl nl n2 n2 n2 Comments: Turns on eight-pin single-density graphics mode (60 dots per inch). The total number of columns = nl + (n2 X 256).
ESC Z Format: ESC ASCII code: 27 Decimal: Hexadecimal: 1B Select Quadruple-Density Graphics Mode Z 90 5A nl nl nl n2 n2 n2 Comments: Turns on eight-pin quadruple-density graphics mode (240 dots per inch). The total number of columns = nl + (n2 X 256). Select Graphics Mode ESC * Format: ASCII code: ESC Decimal : 27 Hexadecimal: 1B * m nl 42 m nl 2A m nl n2 n2 n2 Comments: Turns on graphics mode m. See the table below for details on the available modes.
ESC ? Format: ASCII code: ESC ? s Decimal : 27 63 s Hexadecimal: 1B 3F s Reassign Graphics Mode n n n Comments: Changes one graphics mode to another. The variable s is a character (K, L, Y or Z), which is reassigned to a mode n (O-7). Select 9-Pin Graphics Mode ESC A Format: ASCII code: ESC ^ m nl n2 Decimal: 27 94 m nl n2 Hexadecimal: 1B SE m nl n2 Comments: Turns on 9-pin graphics mode. For this command the variable m defines density of print: 0 for single (60 dpi) and 1 for double (120 dpi).
IBM Emulation Mode Commands The Epson mode and the IBM emulation mode share many of the same commands. Therefore, this part of the summary merely lists and does not describe the commands already described in the Epson mode command summary. The commands that are different are described in detail.
Commands That Are Different from Epson Commands Printer Operation ESC Q3 Format: ASCII code: ESC Q Decimal: 27 81 Hexadecimal: 1B 51 Deselect Printer (FX-850) 3 3 03 Comments: Places the printer in an off line state until the printer is turned off and back on or until it receives a DC1 code.
ESC 2 Format: ASCII code: ESC Decimal: 27 Hexadecimal: 1B Select Programmable Line Spacing 2 50 32 Comments: Executes the line spacing stored in memory by ESC A. If no ESC A command has been sent, ESC 2 sets the line spacing to l/6 of an inch. (The 2 is the character two and not ASCII code 2.) ESC J Format: ASCII code: ESC J n Decimal : 27 74 n Hexadecimal: 1B 4A n Perform n/216-inch Line Feed Comments: Advances the paper by one line at a spacing of n/216 of an inch.
ESC 5 Format: ASCII code: ESC 5 Decimal : 27 53 Hexadecimal: 1B 35 Turn Automatic Line Feed On/Off n n n Comments: The following values can be used for n: 1: Mode is turned ON. 0: Mode is turned OFF. If the mode is on, the printer adds a line feed to each carriage return. If the mode is off, it does not. This command duplicates the function of DIP switch 2-4.
ESC D Format: ASCII code: ESC Decimal : 27 Hexadecimal: 1B Set Horizontal Tabs D 68 44 nl nl nl n2 n2 n2 ... ... ... NUL 0 00 Comments: This command allows the setting of up to 32 horizontal tabs, which are entered as nl, n2, n3, etc. (in the range 1 to 137) with the NUL character terminating the command. The tab settings must be entered in ascending order. ESC D NUL clears all tabs. The settings on power up are every eight characters.
Overall Printing Style ESC I Format: ASCII code: ESC I n 27 73 n Decimal: Hexadecimal: 1B 49 n Select Font Comments: Selects the font according to the value specified for n.
ESC P Format: ASCII code: ESC P 27 80 Decimal: Hexadecimal: 1B 50 Turn Proportional Mode On/Off n n n Comments: The following values can be used for n: (The ASCII codes 0 and 1 or the ASCII 1: Mode is turned ON. characters “0” and "1" can be used.) 0: Mode is turned OFF The width of proportional characters varies from character to character. Therefore, a narrow letter like i receives less space than a wide letter like W.
ESC [@ Format: ASCII code: ESC [ 27 91 Decimal: 1B 5B Hexadecimal: Select Double-High/Double-Wide Printing @ nl n2 m1 m2 m3 m 4 64 n1 n2 ml m2 m3 m4 40 nl n2 ml m2 m3 m4 Comments: The following values must be used: nl=4, n2 =0, ml =0, and m2=0.
Character Sets ESC 6 Format: ESC ASCII code: 27 Decimal: Hexadecimal: 1B Select International Character Set 6 54 36 Comments: Selects the international character set (Table 2). See the character set tables in Appendix B. ESC 7 Format: ESC ASCII code: 27 Decimal: Hexadecimal: 1B Select Standard Character Set 7 55 37 Comments: Selects the standard character set (Table 1) if the international character set (Table 2) has been previously selected. See the character set tables in Appendix B.
ESC^ Format: ESC ASCII code: Decimal : 27 Hexadecimal: 1B Print One Character from Symbol Set ^ 94 5E c c c Comments: Prints a single character (c) from the symbol set. See the character tables in Appendix B for the symbol set and the codes to use for c. User-Defined Characters ESC = Format: ESC ASCII code: Decimal: 27 Hexadecimal: 1B Define User-Defined Characters nl = 61 3D nl n2 ... n k n2 ... n k nl n2 ...
Appendix A Technical Specifications Printer Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2 Interface Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-5 Initialization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Printer Specifications Printing Print method: 9-pin impact dot matrix Print speed: Quality Draft NLQ Pitch Characters/second/line 10 12 10 12 220 264 45 54 Printing direction: Bidirectional logic-seeking for text unidirectional-for graphics Line spacing: 1/6” or l/8” or programmable in increments of 1/216th of an inch Paper feed speed: Single sheet: 48 ms/line (3.6” per set) Continuous: 53 ms/line (3.
96 standard ASCII character set (including italic characters) 13 international character sets Epson Extended Graphics characters set Characters: Paper width: Paper Sheet Single Sheet Continuous Envelopes Labels FX-1050 FX-850 7.2 to 10.1" (182-257 mm) 7.2 to 14.4" (182-366 mm) 4 to 10"(101-254 mm) 6.5" or 9.5" 2.5" or 4.0" Paper Length: 4 to 16"(101-406.4 mm) 6.5" or 9.5" 2.5" or 4.0" Single sheet 7.2 to 14.3 inches (182 to 364 mm) Printable area: Single sheet Continuous paper 8.5 mm (0.
Paper feeding methods: Friction Push tractor Cut sheet feeder (optional) Pull tract or (optional) Ribbon Cartridge ribbon, available in black only: #8750 (FX-850) #8755(M) (FX-1050) Life expectancy of ribbon: 3 million characters (14 dots/character) MCBF: For all components excluding print head: 5 million lines MTBF: FX 850 4000 power-on hours FX-1050 6000 power-on hours Print head life: 100 million characters (14 dots/character) Dimensions and weight: Height: Width: Depth: Weight: FX-850 5.
Humidity: Operation: 10% to 80% (without condensation) Storage: 5% to 85% (without condensation) Shock: Operation: Up to 1 G within 1 ms Storage: Up to 2 G within 1 ms Vibration: Operation: Up to 0.25 G at up to 55 Hz Storage: Up to 0.50 G at up to 55 Hz Interface Specifications Your printer is equipped with an 8-bit parallel interface. For specifications for optional interfaces, see the manuals provided with the optional interfaces.
A-6 Technical Specifications
l • l l The column heading “Direction” refers to the direction of signal flow as viewed from the printer. “Return” denotes the twisted-pair return, to be connected at signal ground level. For the interface wiring, be sure to use a twisted-pair cable for each signal and to complete the connection on the return side. These cables should be shielded and connected to the chassis of the host computer and the printer. All interface conditions are based on TTL level.
Interface timing The figure below shows the timing for the parallel interface. Initialization There are three ways that the printer can be initialized (returned to a fixed set of conditions). Hardware initialization l l Software initialization A-8 l When the power is turned on. When the printer receives an INIT signal at the parallel interface (pin 31 goes LOW). Software sends the ESC @ (initialize the printer) command.
Default Settings The table below shows the default conditions that become valid when the printer is initialized.
Appendix B Tables Proportional Width Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2 Character Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Proportional Width Table This table lists the widths of your printer’s proportional characters. The values given are in 120ths of an inch. (For example, a value of 12 is 12/120ths of an inch.) You may need to enter these widths into a special table for your word processing program so it can calculate the number of proportional characters that will fit on a line. The characters with no code indicated are international characters or graphics.
Code CHR Width Code 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 4A 48 4C 4D 4E 4F @ A B C D 50 P 50 52 Q 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/12 8/10 11/12 12/12 12/10 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/11 12/12 10/12 12/12 10/12 8/11 10/7 8/11 12/10 12/12 5/5 12/11 11/11 11/11 64 65 66 67 68 69 6A 6B 6C 6D 6E 6F 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 7A 7B 7C 7D 7E 53 53 55 56 57 58 59 5A 5B 5C 5D 5E 5F E F G H I J K L M N 0 R s G U V W X Y Z [ \ ] ^ - 60 ' 61 a 61 63 b
Code CHR Width 12/11 12/11 8/10 l0/11 8/8 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/12 10/12 10/11 10/11 11/11 11/11 12/11 12/12 12/12 11/11 12/12 12/12 12/12 11/12 12/11 8/10 10/12 11/11 11/12 12/12 12/11 12/12 12/11 12/12 12/12 12/12 12/12 5/10 B-4 Code BO B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7 B8 B9 BA BB BC BD BE BF C0 Cl C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 CA CB CC CD CE CF DO D1 D2 CHR Width 12/12 12/12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 Tables
Code D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8 D9 DA DB DC DD DE DF EO E1 E2 E3 E4 E5 E6 E7 E8 E9 EA EB EC ED EE EF FO F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 Tables CHR Width Code 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12/12 11/11 10/12 12/12 10/12 11/12 11/12 12/12 10/12 12/12 12/12 12/11 12/12 12/12 10/10 10/12 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 F8 F9 FA FB FC FD FE CHR Width 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 8/8 12/12 12/12 12/11 8/9 10/12 R-S
Character Tables These character tables are selected by setting DIP switch 1-3 or using the ESC t software command. For the Epson Extended Graphics character table, use of the ESC 6 or ESC 7 software command lets you select whether to print hex codes 80 to 9F as characters (ESC 6) or control codes (ESC 7).
Epson Extended Graphics Character Table C O D E O 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F Tables B-7
Glossary Note that these definitions apply specifically to printers. If a word is italicized, see that topic for more information. application program A program that helps you carry out a particular task, such as word processing or financial planning. ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange. A standardized coding system for assigning numerical codes to letters and symbols.
carriage return The control code that returns the print position to the left margin. When issued together with a line feed, the print position moves to the left margin of the next line. In bidirectional printing, the print head may not actually move to the left margin. characters per inch (cpi) A measure of the size of text characters, often referred to as pitch. 10 cpi (also called pica) is often the standard or default setting.
default A value or setting that takes effect when the equipment is turned on, reset, or initialized. DIP switches Small switches in a printer that control various printer functions and set the default status of the printer when it is turned on or initialized. DIP stands for Dual In-line Package. dot graphics A graphic design formed by patterns of dots. dot matrix A method of printing in which each letter or symbol is formed by a pattern (matrix) of individual dots.
ESC (escape) A special control code used to begin most printer commands. ESC/P Abbreviation for Epson Standard Code for Printers. The system of commands lets you control your printer using your computer’s software. It is standard for all Epson printers and supported by most applications software for personal computers. font A style of type designated by a family name. form In printer terminology, a form is normally the equivalent of a page.
memory The printer, like a computer, has a memory. When you print a file from a computer, the contents of the file are transferred quickly from the computer’s memory to the printer’s memory. The printer then prints information from its own memory at a much slower rate. This way of printing frees the computer to do other work while the printer is still working. The printer memory is sometimes called the buffer. micro-adjustment A feature that adjusts the paper loading and tear-off positions.
parity Parity is a method for a computer and printer to check the reliability of data transmission. pitch Indicates the number of characters per inch (cpi). The standard is 10 pitch. platen The black roller that provides a backing for the printing. print quality Your printer has two types of print quality: draft and near letter quality (NLQ). Draft is for high-speed, draft-quality jobs; NLQ is for final, polished documents.
top of form position The position on the paper that the printer recognizes as the first printable line. For single sheets, this is the position to which the paper is automatically loaded. For continuous paper, this position can set to the current paper position by turning the printer off and on. user-defined characters Characters that are defined and stored in the printer by the user. Also known as download characters.
Index Command descriptions are not indexed here. For page-references for specific commands, see Chapter 8 or the Quick Reference card.
G Graphics, 4-8—19 Graphics mode command, 4-11—12 I Indicator lights, 3-2—3 Interface boards, 7-22—33 compatibility, 7-23 installation, 7-23—33 specifications, A-5 International character sets, 3-7, 3-9 Italic character table, 3-8, B-6 Italic printing, 3-15 L.
cleaning, 5-2—3 connecting to a computer, 1-18—20 default settings, A-9 options, 2, 7-1—33 plugging in, 1-13 specifications, A-2—10 testing, 1-12—18, 7-11—12 transporting, 5-6—8 unpacking, 1-2 Power light, 3-2 Proportional width table, B-2 Pull tractor installing, 7-15—21 removing, 7-21—22 Typestyles built-in character fonts, 3-11 selecting with DIP switches, 3-10—12 selecting with Master Select, 3-15—17 selecting with SelecType, 3-11—12 Underlining, 3-15 Unpacking the printer, 1-2 User-defined characters,
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This section lists all the FX commands. The numbers in the columns on the right are the page numbers in Chapter 8 where a complete description of the command can be found. If the Epson and IBM emulation mode page numbers are the same, the command is the same in both modes and is described only in the Epson mode section. Epson IBM ESC/P Emul.
Overall Printing Style/Print Size Print Enhancement/Word Processing Character Sets User-Defined Characters/Graphics Epson ESC /P Mode IBM Emul.
Commands IBM Emulation Mode Only DIP Switch Functions International character sets
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