User’s Manual - Epson America · About This Manual This user’s manual provides fully...

User’s Manual

F

EPSON®

Y46399102000

FCC COMPLIANCE STATEMENT FOR AMERICAN USERS

This equipment generates and uses radio frequency energy and if not installed and usedproperly, that is, in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, may causeinterference to radio and television reception. It has been type tested and found to complywith the limits for a Class B computing device in accordance with the specifications inSubpart J of Part 15 of FCC rules, which are designed to provide reasonable protectionagainst such interference in a residential installation. However, there is no guarantee thatinterference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does causeinterference to radio and television reception, which can be determined by turning theequipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one ormore of the following measures:

. Reorient the receiving antenna

. Relocate the printer with respect to the receiver

. Move the printer away from the receiver

. Plug the printer into a different outlet so that the printer and receiver are on differentbranch circuits.

If necessary, the user should consult the dealer or an experienced radio/television technicianfor additional suggestions. The user may find the following booklet prepared by the FederalCommunications Commission helpful:

“Television Interference Handbook”

This booklet is available from the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington DC 20402.Stock No. 004-000-00450-7.

WARNING

The connection of a non-shielded equipment interface cable to this equipment willinvalidate the FCC Certification of this device and may cause interference levels that exceedthe limits established by the FCC for this equipment. If this equipment has more than oneinterface connector, do not leave cables connected to unused interfaces.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrievalsystem, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, mechanical, photocopying, recording,or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Epson America, Inc. No patent liabilityis assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. While everyprecaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, Epson America, Inc. assumes noresponsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resultingfrom the use of the information contained herein.

Epson America, Inc. shall not be liable against any damages or problems arising from the useof any options other than those designated as Original Epson Products by Seiko EpsonCorporation.

Graphics created with UniPaint by Unison World Inc. and EPSON SD-Graph.

Epson and Epson ESC/P are registered trademarks of Seiko Epson Corporation.IBM is a regostered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation,SmartPark is a trademark of Epson America, Inc.

Copyright 0 1989 by Epson America, Inc.Torrance, California

ii

Contents

About This Manual 1

Chapter 1 Setting up the Printer 1 - 1

Unpacking the Printer ............................................................. 1-2Choosing a Place for the Printer.. .......................................... 1-4Assembling the Printer.. .......................................................... 1-7Testing the Printer.. ................................................................ .1-15Connecting the Printer to Your Computer ........................... 1 -26Setting Up Your Application Software ................................. 1-29

Chapter 2 Paper Handling 2 - lUsing Single Sheets ................................................................ .2-2Using Continuous Paper ........................................................ .2-7Switching Between Continuous and Single Sheets ............ .2-15Printing on Special Paper.. ..................................................... .2-22

Chapter 3 Using the Printer 3-1Operating the Control Panel ................................................ ..3- 2Setting the DIP Switches ........................................................ 3-6Page length .............................................................................. .3-9Skip Over Perforation ............................................................ .3-10Adjusting the Loading Position ............................................ .3-12Using Short Tear-Off.. ........................................................... .3-15Selecting Typestyles ............................................................... .3-19Selecting an International Character Set.. ............................ .3-23Choosing a Character Table .................................................. .3-25Data Dump Mode.. ................................................................. .3-27

C o n t e n t s .*.111

Chapter 4 Software and Graphics 4-1

Enhancing Your Printing.. ..................................................... 4-2Graphics .................................................................................... 4-9User-defined Characters.. ........................................................ 4-21

Chapter 5 Using the Printer Options 5-1Cut Sheet Feeder ...................................................................... 5-2Pull Tractor ............................................................................... 5-18Roll Paper Holder ................................................................... .5-30Interface Boards ...................................................................... .5-37

Chapter 6 Maintenance 6-1Cleaning the Printer ................................................................ 6-2

Replacing the Ribbon .............................................................. 6-4

Transporting the Printer ......................................................... 6-9

Chapter 7 Troubleshooting 7-1

Problems and Solutions ........................................................... 7-2Power Supply ........................................................................... 7-3Printing ..................................................................................... .7-4Paper Handling ........................................................................ 7-14Options ..................................................................................... 7-22

Chapter 8 Technical Specifications 8-1

Printer Specifications ............................................................... 8-2Interface Specifications ............................................................ 8-9Option Specifications .............................................................. 8-13Initialization .............................................................................. 8-15

Chapter 9 Command Summary 9-1Using the Command Summary .............................................. 9-2Commands in Numerical Order ............................................. 9-5Commands Arranged by Topic .............................................. 9-8

iv Contents

Appendix A-1Character Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2

Glossary GL-1

Index IN-1

Contents v

About This Manual

This user’s manual provides fully illustrated, step-by-stepinstructions for setting up and operating your Epson’s’ printer.

Finding your way aroundChapter 1 contains information on unpacking, setting up,testing, and connecting the printer. Be sure to read and followthese instructions first. Inside the back cover of this manual areillustrations of the printer in which all of the major parts areidentified.

Chapters 2 and 3 cover paper handling and general printeroperation. This important information is necessary for the day-to-day operation of your printer.

Chapter 4 shows you how to get the most from your printer. Itincludes advice about using software commands, graphics, andcreating your own user-defined characters. Also see Chapter 9for a useful summary of printer commands.

If the printer does not operate properly or the printed resultsare not what you expect, see Chapter 7 for troubleshootingproblems and solutions.

Other chapters contain information on printer options, generalmaintenance, and specifications. You will also find a glossaryof printer terms, an appendix of character tables, and an index.

At the back of this manual is a handy Quick Reference cardwith the information you are likely to need most often.

About This Manual 1

About This Manual

Conventions used in this guide

WARNINGS must be followed carefully to avoid damageto your printer and computer.

CAUTIONS should be followed carefully to ensure thatyour printer operates correctly.

Notes contain important information and useful tips on theoperation of your printer.

2 About This Manual

Chapter 1Setting Up the Printer

Unpacking the Printer ............................................................. 1-2Checking the parts ............................................................... 1-2

Choosing a Place for the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4

Assembling the Printer ............................................................ 1-7Installing the platen knob.. ................................................. 1-7Installing the ribbon cartridge.. .......................................... 1-8Attaching the paper guide .................................................. 1-13

Testing the Printer.. ................................................................. 1-15Plugging in the printer.. ...................................................... 1-15Running the self test.. ......................................................... 1-17Printing problems and solutions ........................................ 1-24

Connecting the Printer to Your Computer.. ......................... 1-26The parallel interface.. ......................................................... 1-26

Setting Up Your Application Software ................................. 1-29Choosing from a menu........................................................ 1-29

Setting Up the Printer 1-1

Unpacking the Printer

Checking the partsWhen you unpack the printer, make sure that you have all theparts shown below and that none have been damaged.

Printer

Paper guide

saPlaten knob

Power cableRibbon cartridge

In some locations, the power cable may be attached to the printer.

1-2 Setting Up the Printer

Unpacking the Printer

I!!!!!9 WARNING: There are several different versions of theprinter designed for different electrical standards. Thepower supply voltage is shown on the label on the backof the printer. If the voltage shown is not the correctvoltage for your country, contact your dealer. It is notpossible to adjust the printer for use with differentvoltages.

After removing the parts, save the packaging materials in case youever need to transport your printer.


Choosing a Place for the Printer

There are several important things to consider when selecting theplace to set up your printer. Be sure to keep the following in mind:

l Place the printer on a flat, stable surface.

l Place the printer close enough to the computer for the printercable to reach.

l Leave adequate room around the printer to allow easy printeroperation and maintenance.

l Use a grounded outlet; do not use an adapter plug.

BWARNING: Avoid locations that are subject to directsunlight, excessive heat, moisture, or dust.

l Avoid electrical outlets controlled by wall switches orautomatic timers. Accidental interruption of power can wipeout information in your computer’s and printer’s memory.

I

l Avoid outlets on the same circuit with large motors or electricalappliances that might cause fluctuations in line voltage.

l Keep the entire computer system away from potential sourcesof electromagnetic interference such as loudspeakers or the baseunits of cordless telephones.



The illustration below shows a good printer location.

r



Note: If you plan to use a printer stand, read through the list ofrequirements and suggestions below to ensure that you have theright stand for your printer.

l The stand should be able to support at least twice the weightof the LX-810 printer (11.5 kg approx).

l Never use a stand that tilts the printer at an angle of morethan 15 degrees from horizontal.

l With a cut sheet feeder installed, your printer should be keptlevel at all time.

l If your paper supply is positioned below the printer stand,make sure that there is enough clearance to keep the paperfrom catching on the underside of the stand. Also, check tosee that the distance between the stand supports is wideenough to accommodate the paper you will be using.

l Position your printer’s power cable and I/F cable so thatthey do not interfere with paper feeding. If possible, securethe cables to the printer stand support.


Assembling the Printer

After you’ve decided on the best place to set up your printer, thefirst step is to install the platen knob.

Installing the platen knobThe platen knob is used to manually feed the paper in the event ofa paper jam or other paper feeding problem. You will find theplaten knob packed in an indentation in the white foam packagingmaterial.

1. Insert the knob into the hole on the printer’s side and rotate itslowly until it slips onto the shaft.



2. Push firmly on the platen knob until it fits against the printercase.

a

CAUTION:I Do not use the platen knob to adjust theposition of the paper as this interferes with the automaticpaper loading system and may cause a paper jam.

Installing the ribbon cartridgeYour printer’s ribbon cartridge is designed to allow easyinstallation and removal. Before installing the ribbon cartridge,make sure that the printer is not plugged in an electrical outlet.



Install the ribbon cartridge as follows.

1. Remove the printer cover.

2. Slide the print head to the middle of the printer.



3. Open the paper tension unit cover.

4. Turn the ribbon-tightening knob in the direction of the arrow.This removes excess slack in the ribbon and makes it easier toinstall.



5. Hold the ribbon cartridge by its handle and push it firmlydown into position, making sure the plastic hooks fit in theslots.

Note: Press lightly on both ends of the cartridge to make surethe plastic hooks are properly seated.

6. Use a pointed object, such as a pencil, to guide the ribbonbetween the print head and ribbon guide while you turn theribbon-tightening knob to help feed the ribbon into place.



7. Slide the print head from side to side to make sure that itmoves smoothly. Also check that the ribbon is not twisted orcreased.

8. Close the paper tension unit cover.



Attaching the paper guideWhen you use single sheets, the paper guide helps to feed thepaper smoothly and efficiently into the printer. Attach the paperguide using the following procedure.

1. Place the paper guide on the printer as shown.

2. Raise the paper guide until it locks into place.



Note: To lower the paper guide, lift up slightly to release itfrom its locked position, then gently lower it down onto theprinter.

3. Attach the printer cover by fitting the projections on the coverinto the notches at the front of the printer and tilting the coverback into place.


Testing the Printer

Now that your printer is fully assembled, you can use its built-inself test function to see that the printer is working correctly beforeyou connect it to a computer. You should perform this test tomake sure that your printer was not damaged during shipping andthat the ribbon is correctly installed.

Before running the self test, you need to plug in the printer andload paper.

Plugging in the printer1. Make sure that the printer is turned off. Then check the label

on the back of the printer to make sure the power ratingrequired by the printer matches that of your electrical outlet.

WARNING: If the rated voltage and your outlet voltagedo not match, contact your nearest Epson dealer forassistance. Do not plug in the power cable.


Testing the Printer

2.

3. Plug the power cable into a properly grounded electrical outlet.

Connect the power cable to the AC inlet on the printer’s rearpanel. (In some locations, the power cable is already connectedto the printer.)


Testing the Printer

Running the self testThe self test can be run in draft or Near Letter Quality (NLQ)mode, depending on which button you hold down as you turn onthe printer.

1. Make sure that the printer is turned off. Then push the paperrelease lever back to the single-sheet position.

2. While holding down the LINE FEED button (draft font) or FORMFEED button (NLQ fonts), turn on the printer. The POWER andPAPER OUT lights come on.


Testing the Printer

3. Move the left edge guide so that it locks in place next to theguide mark.

4. Adjust the right edge guide to match the width of your paper.Next, slide a sheet down between the edge guides until itmeets resistance.

WARNING: Run the self test using paper wider than A4(81/4 inches or 210 mm) or letter size (BY2 inches or 216mm), to prevent the print head from printing directlyonto the platen.


Testing the Printer

5. Press the LOAD/EJECT button to load paper.

LOAD/EJECT

6. Press the ON LINE button to start the self test. A list of DIPswitch settings is printed first, followed by a series ofcharacters. The self test continues until the paper runs out oruntil you press the ON LINE button.


Testing the Printer

7. If the test results are satisfactory and you wish to stop the test,press the ON LINE button. If the test results are not satisfactory,see printing problems and solutions later in this chapter,

Note: To resume the test, press the ON LINE button once more.

8. If the paper is still loaded, press the LOAD/EJECT or LINE FEEDbutton to eject it and turn off the printer.

LOAD/EJECT

I!!!!!9 WARNING: After turning the power off, always wait atleast five seconds before turning it back on. Turning thepower on and off rapidly can damage the printer.


Testing the Printer

Here are parts of typical self tests:

Draft mode (normal draft)

Character Spacing 10 CPI l-l OFFShape of Zero 0 (Unslashed) 1-2 OFFCG Table Italics 1-3 OFFShort Tear-off Valid 1-4 OFFDraft Print Speed Normal 1-S ONCountry U.S.A. 1-6 ONPage Length 11 inch 2-1 OFFCSF Mode Invalid 2-2 OFFSkip Perforation None 2-3 OFFAuto LF Depend on I/F 2-4 OFF

i "#$%& ' ( ) f-l- r - I /t]12345&.789 : ; .<==...'~."?@ABCDEFGHI J KL! "#$%&' ( )#+,-./0123456789: j ':,--.."-'.?@ABCDEFGHIJKLE"#$:/.&' ( )*+,--.,'(:)123456789: ;.:::=:::.?CdABCDEFGHIJKLMPi#$%&' ( ) #t-k, --. /<:11’L:34~&‘789: ; &:3 ?QAECDEF'GHIJt(::LMNCS%& ' ( ) *-+ !, -- . ,‘Q123456789: ; x.-...'-x.?@AECDEFGHIJKLMNOF%B' ()*+,-. /(:~12:~45&789 : ; x,--...~'--."..'?~ABCDEFGHI J KLMNOFCh' ( ) *"s'- . ;I(-', j 3?456789 : ; ..I.--.... . .I." ...a o'-~x.p~(iifiB~DEFGH J, J k;LMNOPfYjf

' i :o+,-. /012345&789 : j . . ..I..."-‘~.'~;@t!,T-(CDEF'GH 1 J CjJ-jNOFfJF(E( j f + !, --. /(:>12345&789: ; .:::=) :3@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPtK?3) 8;. r" . /(]12345&7G9 e ; .$+.?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOFQRST1s-k. ;.- ~ ,/<~)1234=J6’789: ; .;;+.'? BAECDEFGHIJI<LMNOF'~RSTU\..I. "_ /(")1'7'~4ri6.789 - =A.1 %" , ,.c:=::~?QABCT)EFGIiIJKLMNOF~MSTUVk? .'. . ;(~)&;4~~'789: ; .:::-;..;'.:~@AECDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVW)- . ,/i'j12345,$"78r+: ; .(=zb / "?@AtiCDEFGHIJELMNOFQHSTlJVWX~. . .. ,'<:,1,>:~45,&';78y: ; <.,.m..,.'-"?P?ABCDEFSHIJKLMNOFQRSTUVWXY~,/‘(;;1’73L+5&,;7~9 g ; .::=:;- 3@AECDEFGHIJ#LMNOFQWSTUVWXYZ[(:);~2:3.$5&789 : j .:::z:::,"? @AbCDEF'GHIJELMNOFflRSTUVWXYZ['1~!345&'7#9:: j .::E=> ?@ABODEFGHIJKLMNOFBRSTUVWXYZ~\:c3' :? i, 'i j". "7 8 cg :A.. . .._a - 8' c %.a , ; .:,. __ .,,",..-"..?CaABCT)EFGHIJKLMNOFRRSTlJVWXYZ [\ 1."3q.5(>'789 : j .:::z;:. ?@ABCDEFGHI JELMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ f ! I"'-4 9 (3 '7 gJy : ; <:: zc: _,.... ?@ABCDEF~GHIJKLMNOP~~RSTUVWXYZ f: \ I."'-.'9 6 ‘7 8 9 : ; .;.' "L: 1:. "I

. .' :@AECDEFGHIJC::LMNOFRRSTI.JVWXYZ::\]~"-‘;


Testing the Printer

High-speed Draft Printing

Note: When using the optional cut sheet feeder, the first pageof the self test printout is slightly different. For details, see thesection on cut sheet feeder in Chapter 5.


Testing the Printer

NLQ Printing

Character Spacing 10 CPI l-l OFFShape of Zero 0 (Unslashed) 1-2 OFFCG Table Italics 1-3 OFFShort Tear-off Valid 1-4 OFFDraft Print Speed High 1-5 OFFCountry U.S.A. 1-6 ONPage Length. 11 inch 2-1 OFFCSF Mode Invalid 2-2 OFFSkip Perforation None 2-3 OFFAuto LF Depend on I/F 2-4 OFF! I'#$%&'( )*+,- ./0123456789:;<=>?@CDEFGHIJKI

!"#$%&'()*+,-. /0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKu"#$%8c*( )*+,-. /0123456789:;c=>?@ABCDEFGHIJK~#$%&*()*+,- ./0123456789:;c=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNC$%&'()*+,-. /0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOE%&'( )a+,- ./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOP6%'()X+,-. /0123456789:;<=>?8ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQF'(I*+,- ./0123456789:;<=>?@DEFGHIJKLMNOPQ~(I*+,- ./0123456789:;<=>?8ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSII*+,- ./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST~*+,- ./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTU%+,-. /0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRS~,-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWl!-./0123456789:;~=~?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTWWX1./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTWWXYZ/0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTWWXYZ[0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWYZC\123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIiJKL,MNOPQRSTWWXYZ[\l23456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTWWXYZ[\l-3456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTWWXYZ[\]*~456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTWWXYZ[\]--*56789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVW2tYZ[\]n~~~

Note: When using the optional cut sheet feeder, the first pageof the self test printout is slightly different. For details, see thesection on cut sheet feeder in Chapter 5.


Testing the Printer

Printing problems and solutionsIf the self test does not print properly, check the print head areaand the control panel. If the paper is jammed, turn off the printer.Then remove the paper using the platen knob and load a newsheet. Make sure that all the packing material and shippingrestraints have been removed from inside the printer. Also seeChapter 7 for further troubleshooting information.

Problem SolutionThe printer does notprint.

The printer soundslike it is printing,but nothing isprinted.

The test did notprint when youpressed the ON L INEbutton.

The print is faint oruneven.

Printed charactershave parts missingat the bottom.

ABCD

The ribbon may not be installed properly.Turn off the printer, reinstall the ribboncartridge and take up any slack in theribbon. See page 1-8.

The ribbon may be worn. Replace theribbon cartridge. See page 6-4.

Turn off the printer and repeat the selftest. Make sure you hold down the FORMFEED or LINE FEED button the entire timeyou are turning on the printer. See page1-17.

Turn off the printer and disconnect thecable from the computer. Try the self testagain.

The ribbon cartridge may not be properlyinstalled. Remove the ribbon cartridge andreinstall it. Make sure the cartridge hooksare inserted securely into the printer. Seepage 1-8.


Testing the Printer

Problem SolutionThe printout isfaint.

Dots are missingin the printedcharacters orgraphics.

A line of dots ismissing in theprintout.

Dots are missing inrandom positions.

A B C D

The ribbon may be worn out. A wornribbon can damage the print head andshould be replaced. Install a new ribboncartridge as soon as possible. See page 6-4.

The paper thickness lever may not be setcorrectly for the paper you are using. Setthe paper thickness lever to match thethickness of your paper. See page 2-22.

The print head is damaged. Stop printingand contact your Epson dealer or Epsonauthorized service center to have the printhead replaced.

There is either too much slack in theribbon or the ribbon has come loose andcaught on something. Stop printing, turnoff the printer, and reinstall the ribboncartridge. See page 1-8.

If the printer still does not print the self test correctly, contactyour Epson dealer or Epson authorized service center.


Connecting the Printer to Your Computer

If the self test printed correctly, you are now ready to connectyour printer to the computer.

If your computer has a parallel interface and you have a suitableshielded cable, you should be able to connect your printerimmediately. The steps below describe how to connect the parallelinterface cable.

If your computer requires another type of interface, you will needto install an optional interface board. See the section on interfaceboards in Chapter 5.

If you are not sure which type of interface cable is required, referto your computer manual.

The parallel interfaceConnect the parallel interface cable as described below:

1. Make sure that both your printer and computer are turned off.Then plug the cable connector securely into the printer.



2. Squeeze the wire clips together until they lock in place oneither side of the connector.

3. If your cable has a ground wire, connect it to the groundconnector beneath the interface connector.



4. Plug the other end of the cable into the computer. If there is aground wire at the computer end of the cable, attach it to theground connector at the back of the computer.


Setting Up Your Application Software

Now you have set up and tested the LX-810, you should makesure that it works with your application programs.

Most application programs let you specify the type of printer youare using so that the program can take full advantage of theprinter’s features. Many of these programs provide an installationor setup menu that presents a list of printers to choose from. Ifyour application program has a printer selection menu, use theinstructions below.

Choosing from a menuBecause the family of Epson printers shares a great manycommands, you can use an application program even if it does notlist the LX-810 on its printer selection menu. If the LX-810 is notlisted, choose one of the following printers. They are listed inorder of preference.

LX-800LX-86LX-80FX-850FX-86eEX-800FX-85FX-80+FX-80


Setting Up Your Application Software

If none of these printers is listed, select the first one available onthe following list:

LXFXEXRXMXEpson printerStandard printerDraft printer

To use all of the features of the LX-810, however, it is best to usea program with the LX-810 on its menu. If your program does notlist any LX printers, contact the software manufacturer to see if anupdate is available.


Chapter 2Paper Handling

Using Single Sheets ................................................................. 2-2Loading paper ....................................................................... 2-2Reloading the paper ...................................... . .................... ..2- 6

Using Continuous Paper ......................................................... 2-7Positioning your continuous paper supply.. .................... 2-7Loading continuous paper ................................................... 2-8

Switching Between Continuous and Single Sheets ............ 2-15Switching to single sheets ................................................... 2-15Switching back to continuous paper ................................. 2-19

Printing on Special Paper........................................................ 2-22The paper thickness lever ................................................... 2-22Multi-part forms ................................................................. 2-25Labels ..................................................................................... 2-26Envelopes .............................................................................. 2-27

Paper Handling 2-1

Using Single Sheets

Your printer can accommodate single sheets with a width of 7.2inches or 182 mm to 10.1 inches or 257 mm.

If you do most of your printing on single sheets, you may find itmore convenient to install the optional cut sheet feeder. Thisoption automatically inserts a new sheet and can hold up to 150sheets of standard bond paper (22 lb paper). For more details, seeChapter 5.

Loading paper1. Make sure the printer is turned off, then place the paper guide

in the upright position. Set the paper release lever to thesingle-sheet position. This position is marked by the iconshown in the illustration below.

2-2 Paper Handling

Using Single Sheets

2. Turn on the printer. The POWER and PAPER OUT lights comeon.

I PAPER OUT

Note: Do not insert paper in the printer before turning on theprinter.

3. Move the left edge guide so that it locks in place next toMove the left edge guide so that it locks in place next toguide mark. (You may want to change this position later,guide mark. (You may want to change this position later,depending on the margin settings of your applicationdepending on the margin settings of your applicationprogram.)program.)

the

1

Paper Handling 2-3

Using Single Sheets

4. Adjust the right edge guide to match the width of your paper.Then slide the paper down between the edge guides until itmeets resistance.

5. Press the LOAD/EJECT button once to load the paper.

2-4 Paper Handling

Using Single Sheets

CAUTION: Never advance the paper using the platenknob while the printer is switched on. If the platen turns

6. Press the ON LINE button to set the printer on line. When theON LINE light is lit, the printer can accept data from yourcomputer.

You are now ready to begin printing.

Paper Handling 2-5

Using Single Sheets

Reloading during printingWhen you print a document of more than one page using singlesheet paper, the printer stops printing when it reaches the bottomof the paper. When this happens, the ON LINE light may go offautomatically or it may remain on, depending on your applicationsoftware. If the ON LINE light remains on, the first thing youshould do is press the ON LINE button to take the printer off line.

Once the ON LINE light is off, remove the sheet that has just beenprinted (if necessary, press the LOAD/EJECT button to eject thepage) and load a new sheet. Press the ON LINE button to startprinting the next page and follow any additional prompts fromyour software.

2-6 Paper Handling

Using Continuous Paper

The push tractor built into your printer is remarkably easy to loadand operate. Its low-profile design takes up little space and canhandle paper widths from 4 inches or 101 mm to 10 inches or 254mm.

Positioning your continuous paper supplyAn important consideration for achieving smooth and accuratepaper feeding is the position of your paper supply.

Three ways of positioning your printer and continuous papersupply are shown below.

Make sure you align the paper supply evenly with the paperloaded in the tractor so the paper feeds smoothly into the printer.

Paper Handling 2-7


Loading continuous paper1. Make sure the printer is turned off; then remove the paper

guide. Set the paper release lever to the continuous paperposition. This position is marked by the icon shown in theillustration below.

2. Release the sprocket units by pulling the sprocket lock leversforward as shown.

2-8 Paper Handling


Slide the left sprocket unit until it is roughly 1/2 inch or 15mm from the farthest left position and press down the lever tolock it in place.

4. Slide the right sprocket unit to roughly match the width ofyour paper but do not lock it.

Paper Handling 2-9


5. Move the paper support midway between the two sprocketunits.

6. Open both sprocket covers.

2-10 Paper Handling


of both

CAUTION: Make sure that your paper has a clean,straight edge before inserting it into the printer.

8. Close the sprocket covers.

Paper Handling 2-11


9. Slide the right sprocket unit to a position where the paper isstraight and has no wrinkles. Then lock it in place.

10. Reattach the paper guide as shown below.

2-12 Paper Handling


11. Slide the edge guides together so they meet at the center of thepaper’s width.

12. Turn on the printer. The POWER and PAPER OUT lights comeon. Then press the LOAD/EJECT button to feed paper to theloading position.

Paper Handling 2-13


13. Press the ON LINE button to set the printer on line so it canaccept data.

The printer remembers the loading position and advances eachpage to the same position. If you need to adjust the loadingposition, use the micro-adjustment feature. See the section onadjusting the loading position in Chapter 3.

CAUTION: Never adjust the loading position using theplaten knob, and never turn the platen knob while theprinter is turned on.

Note: Before you begin printing, be sure to check the pagelength and skip over perforation settings, and readjust thesettings if necessary. See the sections on page length and skipover perforation in Chapter 3.

2-14 Paper Handling

Switching Between Continuous and Single Sheets

Even with continuous paper loaded in the printer, you can easilyswitch to single-sheet printing without removing the continuouspaper from the tractor.

Switching to single sheetsTo switch from continuous paper to single sheets, follow the stepsbelow.

1. If the printer is on line, press the ON LINE button to set theprinter off line.

2. Tear off all outgoing sheets. If you are not using the shorttear-off feature, you may need to press the FORM FEED buttonto advance your document to a point where it can easily beremoved.

Paper Handling 2-15


CAUTION: Make sure you tear off your printeddocument before pressing the LOAD/EJECT button.

3. Press the LOAD/EJECT button to feed the continuous paperbackward out of the printer and into the standby position.The paper is still attached to the tractor but no longer in thepaper path.

CAUTION: If you are using narrow paper less than 6inches or 152.4 mm wide, you should only press theLOAD/EJECT button once. Also, do not use this button toeject labels.

WARNING: Never feed labels backward through theprinter. Labels can easily come off the backing sheet andjam the printer.

2-16 Paper Handling


4. Push the paper release lever back to the single-sheet position.This position is marked by the icon shown in the illustrationbelow.

5. Stand the paper guide upright and move the left edge guide soit locks in place next to the guide mark.

Paper Handling 2-17


6. Adjust the right edge guide to match the width of your paper.Then insert a sheet of paper between the edge guides until thebottom meets resistance.

7. Press the LOAD/EJECT button to automatically feed the singlesheet paper to the loading position. Then press the ON LINEbutton to set the printer on line.

2-18 Paper Handling


Switching back to continuous paperIt is also easy to switch back to printing with continuous paper.

1. Make sure the single sheet is ejected and the printer is off line.

2. Slide the edge guides together so they meet at the center of thepaper’s width.

Paper Handling 2-19


3. Lower the paper guide onto the back of the printer,

4. Pull the paper release lever forward to the continuous paperposition.

2-20 Paper Handling


5. Press the LOAD/EJECT button to feed the continuous paper tothe loading position.

6. Press the ON LINE button to set the printer on line so that it canaccept data.

Paper Handling 2-21

Printing on Special Paper

In addition to printing on single sheets and continuous paper, yourprinter can also print on a wide variety of paper types, includingmulti-part forms, labels, and envelopes.

Before printing on special types of paper, you need to change thepaper thickness setting.

WARNING: When printing on multi-part forms, labels, orenvelopes, make sure your application program settingskeep the printing entirely within the printable area.

For multi-part forms and labels, you should not print anycloser than 0.5 inches or 13 mm from either side of thepaper.

For information on the printable area for envelopes, seepage 2-29.

The paper thickness leverTo accommodate various thicknesses of paper, your printer isequipped with a paper thickness lever that can be set to sevenpositions. These positions are identified by a scale next to thelever.

2-22 Paper Handling


To change the paper thickness setting, follow these steps.

1. Make sure the printer is turned off. Then remove the printercover.

WARNING: If the printer has just been in use, the printhead may be hot. Allow it cool before touching it.

2. Select the paper thickness you want according to the table onthe next page. For normal use, the lever should always be setto position 2 on the scale.

Paper Handling 2-23


Paper Type Lever Position

Paper (single sheets or continuous)

Thin paper

2

2

24 lb paper (single sheets) I 3

Multi-part forms2-sheet3-sheet

23

Labels I 4

EnvelopesAir mail 4 or 5Plain 6Bond (20 lb.) 6Bond (24 lb.) 7

3. Attach the printer cover.

I!!!3 WARNINGS:l Always return the lever to position 2 when you go

back to printing on ordinary paper. Continuousprinting with the lever set at a position higher than 2can shorten the life of the print head.

l Printing past the edge of envelopes, multi-part forms,labels, or thicker than normal paper can damage thep r i n t h e a d .

2-24 Paper Handling


Multi-part formsWith the built-in tractor unit, your printer can print on continuousmulti-part forms. You can use multi-part forms that have up tothree parts (including the original). Make sure you set the paperthickness lever to the proper position; see to the table on page2-25.

Except for the paper thickness lever setting, you load multi-partpaper the same way as continuous paper. For details, see thesection on loading continuous paper in this chapter. Also see thesections on setting the loading position and page length in Chapter3.

a

CAUTION: Multi-part forms should not be used with thel single sheet feeding system or the optional cut sheet

feeder.

Paper Handling 2-25


LabelsIf you need to print labels, always use ones mounted on acontinuous backing sheet with sprocket holes made for use with atractor feed. Do not try to print labels as single sheets becauselabels on a shiny backing sheet almost always slip a little.

You load labels the same way you load continuous paper exceptthat the paper thickness lever must be adjusted for printing labels.See the section on loading continuous paper in this chapter fordetails. For the correct paper thickness setting, see the table onpage 2-25.

I!!!!!9 WARNING: Never feed labels backward through theprinter. Labels can easily peel off the backing and jamthe printer. Therefore, do not use the LOAD/EJECT buttonto eject labels. Also, never use the short tear-off functionwith labels (be sure to set DIP switch 1-4 to ON). If alabel does become stuck in the printer, contact yourdealer.

Since labels are especially sensitive to temperature andhumidity, always use them under normal operatingconditions. Don’t leave labels loaded in the printerbetween jobs; they curl around the platen and may jamwhen you resume printing.

2-26 Paper Handling


EnvelopesYou can feed envelopes individually using the single-sheet loadingfeature. Before loading envelopes, you should adjust the positionof the paper thickness lever according to the table on page 2-25.For details on paper handling, see Using Single Sheets on page 2-2.

When manually feeding an envelope, you may have to push itdown slightly while pressing the LOAD/EJECT button to get it tofeed properly.

the next page. The print head must not go past the left

sure your application program settings keep the printing

Paper Handling 2-27


8 . 5 m m ( 0 . 3 3 ” )or more

2 2 m m ( 0 . 8 7 ” )or more

CAUTION: Envelope printing is only available at normaltemperature.

To make sure that the printing fits within the printable area,always print a test sample using a normal single sheet of paperbefore printing on envelopes.

2-28 Paper Handling

Chapter 3Using the Printer

Operating the Control Panel .................................................. 3-2Lights ..................................................................................... 3-2Buttons .................................................................................. 3-3SelecType .............................................................................. 3-4Other control panel features ............................................. 3-5

Setting the DIP Switches ........................................................ 3-6Changing a DIP switch setting .......................................... 3-6The DIP switch tables ......................................................... 3-7The DIP switch functions ................................................... 3-8

Page Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............. 3-9

Skip Over Perforation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10

Adjusting the Loading Position ........................................... . 3 - 1 2Using micro-adjustment.. ................................................... 3 - 1 3

Using Short Tear-Off .............................................................. 3-15Adjusting the tear-off position .......................................... 3-17

Selecting Typestyles ................................................................ 3-19Character fonts ..................................................................... 3-20Condensed mode .................................................................. 3-22

Selecting an International Character Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23

Choosing a Character Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25

Data Dump Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-27

Using the Printer 3-1

Operating the Control Panel

The printer’s control panel gives you access to several powerfulfeatures.

The buttons and paper handling functions let you control many ofthe printer settings. The indicator lights give you the current statusof the printer.

Lights

POWER

READY

- ZEE”

- ON LINE

OFF LINE

POWER (green)On when the power switch is onand power is supplied.

READY (green)On when the printer is ready toaccept input data. Flickers whiledata is printed.

PAPER OUT (red)On when the printer is out ofpaper or when continuous paperis in a standby position. Theprinter also beeps when it is outof paper.

ON LINE (green)On when the printer is on lineand ready to accept data fromthe computer. When this light isflickering, the micro-adjustmentfeature can be used.

3-2 Using the Printer


Buttons

0 POWER

0 READY

o PAPEROUT

LOAD/EJECT

0 ON LINE

OFF LINE

FORM FEEDn

LINE FEED

ON LINEThis button controls the printer’son line and off line status. Pressthis button to put the printer online or take it off line.

FORM FEEDWhen the printer is off line,press this button to eject a singlesheet of paper or to advancecontinuous paper to the top ofthe next page.

LINE FEEDWhen the printer is off line,press this button to advance thepaper one line, or hold it downto advance the papercontinuously.

LOAD/EJECTThis button is used to feed thepaper to the loading position, orto eject paper that is alreadyloaded. Paper is ejected forwardif the paper release lever is set tothe single sheet position and isejected backward (removed fromthe paper path) if the releaselever is set to the continuouspaper position.



SelecTypeYou can select the built-in character fonts using the SelecTypefeature on your control panel when the printer is on line.

0 POWER

0 READY

0 E;ER

0 ON LINE

OFF LINEL

NLQThis button is used to selectNLQ Roman and NLQ Sans Seriffonts, When you select Roman,the beeper sounds two times.When you select Sans Serif, thebeeper sounds three times.

DRAFTThis button is used to selectdraft printing. When you selectdraft, the beeper sounds once.

CONDENSEDThis button is used to select ordeselect the condensed mode.When you select the condensedmode, the beeper sounds once. Inthis mode all characters areprinted at approximately 60% oftheir normal width. When youreturn to the normal mode, thebeeper sounds twice.

Note: Condensed mode cannot be selected when either of theNLQ fonts have been selected.



Other control panel featuresThe control panel of your printer also gives you access to severalspecial functions.

Self test: Both a draft and NLQ self test functionare built into the printer. The self testprintout lets you check the current DIPswitch settings and operating status of theprinter. You can start the printer’s self testby holding down the LINE FEED button orthe FORM FEED button while switching theprinter on. See the section on running theself test in Chapter 1 for more information.

Micro-adjustment: By pressing the FORM FEED and LINE FEEDbuttons immediately after loading paper orwhen using short tear-off, you can makefine adjustments to the loading and shorttear-off positions. See the sections onadjusting the loading position and usingshort tear-off later in this chapter.

Data dump: By holding down both the LINE FEED andFORM FEED buttons while turning on theprinter, you turn on the data dump mode.This feature allows advanced users tolocate the source of communicationsproblems between the computer andprinter. See the section on using the datadump mode later in this chapter for moreinformation.


Setting the DIP Switches

The printer has two sets of DIP switches located on right side ofthe printer. By changing the settings of these switches, you cancontrol various printer features, such as the character set and pagelength. The new settings become effective when the printer isturned on, reset, or initialized.

DIP switch settings are shown in the DIP switch tables starting onpage 3-7.

Changing a DIP switch settingTo change a DIP switch setting, first turn off the printer. Then usea pointed object, such as a pen, to change the DIP switch settings.A DIP switch is on when it is up, and off when it is down.

The new DIP switch settings take effect when the printer is turnedon.


/ Setting the DIP Switches

The DIP switch tablesThe tables below show the settings for each DIP switch.

DIP Switch 1

DIP Switch 2

. The shaded areas show the default or factory settings.


Setting the DIP Switches

International character sets

The DIP switch functions

Slashed zeros

When DIP switch 1-2 is ON, the printer prints slashed zeros(ø);when OFF, the printer prints open zeros (0). This feature is usefulfor clearly distinguishing between uppercase 0 and zero whenprinting documents such as program lists.

Draft printing speed

When DIP switch 1-5 is OFF, the printer can print up to 200 draftcharacters per second; when ON, the printer can print up to 150characters per second. The high speed setting is effective onlywhen printing at 10 cpi (characters per inch). When printing at adifferent pitch, this switch is ignored and the printer prints up to150 characters per second.

Auto line feed

When auto line feed is ON (DIP switch 2-4 ON), each carriagereturn code (CR) is automatically followed by a line feed code(LF)*


Page Length

When the setting of DIP switch 2-1 is OFF, the page length is setto 11 inches (27.94 cm). When it is on, the page length is 12 inches(30.48 cm). Be sure to set the page length to match the paper youwill be using.

Other page lengths can be set using the commands ESC C andESC C 0. See the Command Summary in Chapter 9 for details.


Skip Over Perforation

By changing the setting of DIP switch 2-3, you can set skip overperforation to ON or OFF. If this feature is ON when usingcontinuous paper, a one-inch margin is provided between the lastprinted line on one page and the first printable line on the nextpage. This feature is very convenient if your application programdoes not provide for top and bottom margins.

If you adjust your loading position correctly, you can get half ofthe margin at the bottom of one page and half at the top of thenext page, as shown in the following illustration.

DIP SW2-3 OFF (Skip over perforation OFF)

l 23456769:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTWW3456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVwK456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKIMNOPQRSTWWKY

l 56789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTWWKYZ6789~;~=>?W3CDEFGHIJKfrMNOPQRSTWWKYZC- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - _ - - - _ _789:;~=~?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTWWKYZ~\

l 89:;<=~?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWKYZ[\J9:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTWWKYZC\3^

4B:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTWWKYZ[\J--;c=>?SABCDEFGHIJKI&lNOPQRSTUWKYZ[\]--’

DIP SW2-3 ON (Skip over perforation ON)

* 23456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUW3456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVW

m456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTWWKY56769:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTWWKYZ6789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKL&lNOPQRSTWWYZC


Skip Over Perforation

Note: Most application programs take care of top and bottommargins. Only use skip over perforation if your program doesnot provide these margins.

The skip over perforation setting can be set to values other thanone inch by using the ESC N command. See the CommandSummary in Chapter 9 for details.


Adjusting the Loading Position

The loading position is the point where the paper stops when youload paper using the LOAD/EJECT button.

This position is important because it determines where the printingbegins on the page. If the printing is too high or too low on thepage, change the loading position using the micro-adjustmentfeature described in the next section.

CAUTION: Never use the platen knob to feed paperexcept in case of a paper jam or other paper feedingproblem. (If you need to use the platen knob, make surethat the power is off.) If you need to adjust the loadingposition, always use the micro-adjustment feature.

Until the loading position is reset, the printer remembers thisposition and uses it as a reference point for feeding paper.

The micro-adjustment feature moves the paper in 2/216th-of-an-inch increments to make fine adjustments to the loading position.Once you have used micro-adjustment to change the loadingposition of continuous paper, the printer remembers that positioneven after it is turned off.

However, when you use micro-adjustment to change the loadingposition of single sheet paper, the printer does not remember thisposition after the power is turned off. When the power is turnedback on, the loading position returns to its factory setting.



Using micro-adjustment1. Make sure that the printer is turned on and that either a single

sheet or continuous paper is ready to be loaded.

2. Press the LOAD/EJECT button to feed paper to the loadingposition. Then press the ON LINE button; the ON LINE light thenbegins to blink.

:X-JO N L 1 N E

aOFF LINE

Note: You can use the FORM FEED and LINE FEED buttons formicro-adjustment only while the ON LINE light is blinking.

3. Press the FORM FEED button to feed the paper forward or theLINE FEED button to feed the paper backward. When you’ve setthe desired loading position, you can begin printing; the ONLINE light stops blinking automatically.



Note: When the paper reaches the factory-set loading position,the printer beeps and micro-adjustment feeding pauses for amoment before continuing. You can use this position as areference point when adjusting the printer’s loading position.When the paper reaches either the minimum or maximum topmargin, the printer beeps and the paper stops moving.

SelecType is not available when the ON LINE light is blinking. Ifyou want to use SelecType, you must press the ON LINE buttononce to set the printer off line and once more to set the printer online.


Using Short Tear-Off

When you are finished printing, the short tear-off featureautomatically feeds the perforation of the continuous paper to thetear-off edge of the printer cover so that you can tear off the lastsheet. When you resume printing, the paper feeds backward to theloading position. This feature lets you save the paper normally lostbetween documents.

To use this feature, set DIP switch 1-4 to OFF and load continuouspaper.

ONASW2

You can leave the short tear-off feature turned on (DIP switch 1-4OFF) even when you are using single sheets. When you move thepaper release lever to the single sheet position, short tear-off isdisabled.

WARNING: Never use the short tear-off feature withlabels. Otherwise, labels may come off the backing andjam the printer.



When you have finished printing and if the paper is at the topof form position, the printer automatically feeds the perforation ofthe continuous paper to the tear-off edge of the printer cover soyou can tear off the last printed sheet.

Note: Short tear-off is performed only when your applicationsoftware feeds the paper to the top of the next page. Tomanually feed the paper to the top of the next page, press theON LINE button to put the printer off line; then press the FORMFEED button. When you put the printer back on line, the printerautomatically feeds the paper to the tear-off position.

When you resume printing after tearing off the sheet, the paperautomatically feeds backward to the loading position beforeprinting begins.



Adjusting the tear-off positionIf the paper’s perforation does not line up with the tear-off edge,you can adjust the tear-off position using the micro-adjustmentfeature.

1. Make sure the short tear-off feature is turned on so the printerfeeds paper to the tear-off position after printing thedocument. The ON LINE light should begin blinking, meaningyou can now use the micro-adjustment feature to make fineadjustments to the tear-off position.

CAUTION: You can only use the micro-adjustmentfeature while the ON LINE light is blinking.



2. Press the FORM FEED button to feed the paper forward or theLINE FEED button to feed it backward.

You can now tear off your document and resume printing. Theprinter remembers this new tear-off position, even when theprinter is turned off.


Selecting Typestyles

You can produce a wide range of typestyles by combining differentfonts, widths, and other print variations. You can select typestylesin three different ways: by using the SelecType feature on yourcontrol panel, by changing the DIP switches, or by using softwarecommands. This section describes only how to select typestyleswith the SelecType feature. DIP switch settings are describedearlier in this chapter. Software commands are described inChapter 9.

You can use the control panel to choose fonts and condensedprinting. The number of beeps you hear indicates which featuresyou are choosing. The printer must be on line before you can usethe SelecType feature.

If the ON LINE light is blinking, press the ON LINE button once toset the printer off line and once more to set the printer on line.

Buttons Number of beeps TypestylesI I

/ c=)1 Select draft font( 1

2 Select NLQ Roman font

3 Select NLQ Sans Serif font

1 Select Condensed mode

2 Cancel Condensed mode



The settings you select using the SelecType panel remain valideven if the printer is turned off.

Some application programs are designed to control all typestylefunctions. These programs cancel all previous typestyle settings bysending certain software commands before printing. Because thesecommands cancel SelecType settings, you should use the program’sprint options instead of SelecType to select your typestyles. IfSelecType does not work with a particular application, check theapplication manual on how to select typestyles.

Character fontsThe printer has three fonts: draft, NLQ Roman, and NLQ SansSerif. The draft font uses fewer dots per character to allow high-speed printing, which makes it ideal for rough drafts and editingwork.

NLQ Roman and NLQ Sans Serif are Near Letter Quality (NLQ)fonts. Near Letter Quality takes a little longer to print, butproduces nicely-formed characters suitable for most documentationneeds.

To select the draft font, press the DRAFT (LINE FEED) button whenthe printer is on line. When the draft font is selected, the beepersounds once.

There are two printing speeds for draft font, high-speed draft andnormal draft. These printing speeds are controlled by DIP switch1-5. See the section on setting the DIP switches in this chapter.

To select the NLQ font, press the NLQ (FORM FEED) button whenthe printer is on line. When the NLQ Roman font is selected, thebeeper sounds two times. When the NLQ Sans Serif font isselected, the beeper sounds three times.



The following samples show the characters for each font.

HIGH-SPEED DRAFT

We ’ VB .:i u!3t w+xw your e x c:c2Ll.:I.~vl’t ad -f:nrminiature zebras :i.n a re cxw t. ba c: Ia; :i. 5w.w of‘1’ 1,’ ad p r ’ Q’ ‘I’ :i f,)qyzj. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . z.... . . . . . . ::? . . . . . I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :.z...!!.. What. i s t he p I” :i. r::e s c bed 1.1 I e~f'or q~an I. :i. t:i. ecj c)vfi?r one CJ I-CEi!,i’?

NORMAL DRAFT! “#%%&’ ( ) S+ .r -. /0123456789 : ; .<=>?@ABCDEFGtlI JKLMNOFRRSTUVW XY Z [ \ ] +.-’ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n a p q r s t u vw>:yzl; : )”

We've just seen your excellent ad forminiature zebras in a recent back. issue ofT r a d e r ’ s T i m e s . W h a t i s t h e p r i c e s c h e d u l ef o r q u a n t i t i e s over o n e g r o s s ?

NLQ ROMAN

! -#$%8cc (>*+,-. /0123456789:;<=>‘?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTWWXYZC\l--’ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvWXYZC: I-

W e ' v e just Been y o u r e x c e l l e n t a d f o rminiature zebra6 in a recent back ieeue of.w W h a t i s t h e p r i c e s c h e d u l ef o r q u a n t i t i e s over.one g r o s s ?

NLQ SANS SERIF!“#%%&‘()S+,-./0123456769:;<=>?@~BCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZC\J*~’ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u vWXYZC : I”

W e ’ v e j u s t s e e n y o u r excellent ad fo rminiature zebras in a recent back issue ofT rader ’s Times. What is the price schedulefor quantities over one gross?



Condensed modeYou can use the condensed mode to change the character size. Inthe condensed mode, characters are approximately 60% of thewidth of normal characters. Hence, condensed printing is veryuseful for spreadsheets and other applications where you need toprint the maximum amount of information on a page. Both 10 and12 cpi in draft mode can be condensed but NLQ cannot.

To select or cancel condensed mode, press the CONDENSED(LOAD/EJECT) button when the printer is on line. When thecondensed mode is selected, the beeper sounds once. When thecondensed mode is canceled, the beeper sounds two times.

The following printout compares normal 10 and 12 cpi withcondensed 10 and 12 cpi.

T h i s i s 1 0 c p i p r i n t i n g .This is condensed 10 cpi printing.This is 12 cpi printing.This is condensed 12 cpi printing.

3 - 2 2 Using the Printer

Selecting an International Character Set

International character sets provide you with the characters andsymbols used in other languages. You can select one of eightinternational character sets by changing the DIP switch settings.

Whenever the printer is turned on, reset or initialized, thecharacter set selected by the DIP switches becomes the defaultcharacter set.

To select an international character set, set DIP switches 1-6, 1-7,and 1-8 according to the table below.

This table also shows the characters which differ in eachinternational character set.

CAUTION: To change the setting of a DIP switch, firstturn off the printer, change the DIP switch setting, andthen turn the printer back on.


Selecting an International Character Set

In addition to the eight DIP-switch selectable character sets shownon the previous page, the five international character sets shownbelow are also available by use of software commands. For moreinformation, refer to the ESC R command in Chapter 9.

CountryASCII code hex

23 24 40 58 5C 50 5E 60 78 7C 7D 7E

8 Japan #t$@c*l-‘c 1 -I9 Norway #nBWBAU6s0Ati

10 Denmark II #$184iBAU6s0AQ11 Spain II #$A;t3&6‘ i A 6 1312 Latin America #$&if4 i6tiiK66


Choosing a Character Table

You can select either the italics character table or the EpsonExtended Graphics character table by setting DIP switch 1-3. TheEpson Extended Graphics character table contains internationalaccented characters, Greek characters, mathematic symbols, andcharacter graphics for printing lines, corners, and shaded areas.

If you have an IBM computer or IBM compatible, select the EpsonExtended Graphics table when you wish to print the charactergraphics as they are displayed on the screen. Even if you select theEpson Extended Graphics table, you can still print normal text anditalics. For italics, see the ESC 4 command description in Chapter 9.

Sample printouts of the italics characters and the Epson ExtendedGraphics characters are shown below.

Italics

Epson Extended Graphics


Choosing a Character Table

To select a character table, set DIP switch 1-3 according to thetable below.

Character table DIP SW 1-3

1 Italics 1 OFF I

Graphics 1 ON I

CAUTION: To change the setting of a DIP switch, firstturn off the printer, change the DIP switch, and thenturn the printer back on.

Tables showing what characters are printed in each of the charactertables are listed in the Appendix.


Data Dump Mode

Data dump mode is a special feature that makes it easy forexperienced users to identify the cause of communicationsproblems between the printer and computer. In data dump mode,an exact printout of the codes reaching the printer is produced.

To use the data dump mode, follow these steps:

1. Make sure that paper is loaded. Either the tractor unit or thecut sheet feeder can be used for printing in data dump mode.

2. If the printer is on, switch it off, then hold down the FORMFEED and LINE FEED buttons at the same time you turn on theprinter.


Data Dump Mode

3. Run any program. Your printer prints out all the codes sent tothe printer in hexadecimal format as shown below.

Data Dump Node

0000 18 40 1B 52 00 1B 74 01 16 36 12 LB 50 20 20 20 [email protected] 20 20 54 68 69 73 20 69 73 20 61 6E 20 65 78 61 This is an exa0020 60 70 6C 65 20 6F 66 20 61 20 64 61 74 61 20 64 mple of a data d0030 75 6D 70 20 70 72 69 6E 74 6F 75 74 ZE 20 54 68 ump printout. Th0040 69 73 20 69 73 20 66 65 61 74 75 72 65 20 6D 61 is is feature ma0050 6B 65 73 20 69 74 20 65 61 73 79 20 66 6F 72 20 kes it easy for

On the printout’s left side, the codes are printed in hexadecimalformat. On the right side, printable ASCII characters are printednormally, but non-printable control codes (00 to 1F hex) areportrayed by dots.

4. To cancel the data dump mode, press the ON LINE button to setthe printer off line. Then turn off the printer.

By comparing the characters printed in the text field on the rightside of the data dump printout (see Step 3) with the printout ofhex codes, you can check which codes are being sent to theprinter. If characters are printable, they appear as their true ASCIIcharacters. Non-printable codes, such as control codes, arerepresented by dots.


Data Dump Mode

To interpret the data dump printout examine the first three hexcodes on the second line of the printout sample (20 20 54). Eachhex code 20 represents a space; hex code 54 represents the letter T.The corresponding text field line on the right side of the printoutcontains the letter T preceded by two spaces.

The chart below interprets the first six codes.

Hex codes Command

1B 40 ESC @1B 52 00 ESC R 01B 74 01 ESC t 11B 36 ESC 612 DC21B 50 ESC P

Function

Initialize printerSelect USA character setSelect Epson Extended Graphics characterEnable printable charactersCancel condensed modeSelect 10 cpi


Chapter 4Software and Graphics

Enhancing Your Printing.......................................................... 4-2Print quality and fonts............................................................ 4-2Character spacing ................................................................. 4-3Character size ..................................................................... 4-4Special effects and emphasis ............................................. 4-5Selecting typestyles with Master Select ................................ 4-7

Graphics .................................................................................... 4-9The print head.. ...................................................................... 4-10The graphics command ...................................................... 4-12Column reservation numbers....... ............................................ 4-13Printing simple patterns...... ..................................................... 4-14Printing taller patterns..... ....................................................... 4-15Designing your own graphics.... ............................................. 4-16Individual graphics commands..... ........................................ 4-19The reassignment command .............................................. 4-20

User-defined Characters . .......................................................... 4-21Designing your characters.. ..................................................... 4-21Sending information to your printer......... .............................. 4-23Printing user-defined characters.. ........................................ 4-24Copying ROM characters to RAM........ ................................. 4-25Mixing print styles..... ............................................................. 4-26Defining NLQ characters..... ................................................. 4-27

Software and Graphics 4-1

Enhancing Your Printing

You can obtain a wide variety of printing effects with your printer,from changing the number of characters per inch to using specialeffects on selected words and phrases. This section gives you asampling of the features you may select with your software.

For software control of these features, see the instructions for yourapplications program or look up their specific commands inChapter 9.

Print quality and fontsThe most apparent change you can make to print quality is tochange fonts.

Your printer has three levels of print quality: high-speed draft,normal draft and NLQ (Near Letter Quality). High-speed draftprinting is ideal for rough drafts and large documents that youneed to print quickly. Normal draft printing is a bit slower, butoffers higher resolution characters. NLQ printing takes a littlelonger, but produces darker, more fully-formed characters suitablefor presentation-quality documents. For NLQ printing, the printeroffers two fonts: Roman and Sans Serif.

The printout below shows the difference between high-speed draft,normal draft, NLQ Roman, and NLQ Sans Serif characters so youcan compare the different styles and densities.

I-Ii g II-% pee?cl cl ra f t zi. III c?ven f as te I” I,

Draft printing is fast.NLQ Roman is clear and typewriter-like.NLQ Sans Serif is crisp and distinctive.

4-2 Software and Graphics


You can choose between the draft and NLQ fonts with eithersoftware commands or the SelecType feature. However, high-speeddraft printing can only be selected by setting DIP switch 1-5 (seethe section on setting the DIP switches in Chapter 3).

Note: High-speed draft printing is only available when 10 cpiprinting is selected. The only print enhancements that can becombined with high-speed draft printing are underline mode anddouble-wide mode. If other enhancements or character sizes areselected, high-speed draft is ignored and replaced by normaldraft.

Character spacingTo add greater variety to your documents, the printer has twotypes of character spacing, 10 and 12 cpi (characters per inch). Eachis selected with a software command or a DIP switch (see thesection on setting the DIP switches in Chapter 3). The printoutbelow compares the two types.

This is 10 cpi printing.This is 12 cpi printing.

Note: High-speed draft printing is available only in 10 cpi. Ifyou select 12 cpi, the print speed temporarily switches to normaldraft speed until 12 cpi is turned off.



Character sizeIn addition to the basic cpi spacings, the printer offers two othermodes that can change the size of your printing. These modes aredouble-wide and condensed.

The double-wide mode doubles the width of any size character.This mode is useful for emphasizing report headings and creatingpresentations, but is usually not suitable for large amounts of text.You can also combine double-wide mode with other enhancementsto obtain even more impressive printing results.

This is normal 10 cpi printing.T h i s i s d o u b 1 e-w i d e.

Both 10 and 12 cpi printing can be reduced to about 60% of theirnormal width using the condensed mode. This mode is especiallyuseful for printing wide spreadsheets because condensed 12 cpiallows you to print up to 160 characters on an B-inch line.

The condensed mode can be selected with software commands orwith the SelecType feature.

Condensed 10 cpi gives you more characters on a line.Condensed 12 cpi qives you even more.

Note: Both 10 and 12 cpi normal draft printing can becondensed but NLQ printing cannot.



Widening or narrowing the characters also widens or narrows thespace between words and letters. Because word processors usuallycreate a left margin by printing spaces, you may need to changethe left margin and the number of characters on a line to keep themargins correct if you change character widths.

Special effects and emphasis

The printer offers two ways of emphasizing text and also allowsyou to use underlining, superscripts, subscripts, and italics. Thesefeatures can be controlled directly by software commands. Manyapplication programs can also produce these effects if they areproperly installed. Refer to your application program manual fordetails.

Emphasized and double-strike printing

Emphasized and double-strike printing can give text addeddistinction. In emphasized mode, each character is printed twice asthe print head moves across the paper, with the second characterprinted slightly to the right of the first. This process producesdarker, more fully formed characters.

In double-strike mode, the print head goes over each line twice,making the text bolder. For even greater prominence, you cancombine emphasized and double-strike modes.

T h i s i s n o r m a l d r a f t p r i n t i n g .This is emphasized draft printing.T h i s i s d o u b l e - s t r i k e i n d r a f t m o d e .This is double-str ike and emphasized combined.

Note: When using an NLQ font, double-strike mode is ignoredbecause NLQ characters are already formed by two passes of theprint head.



Italic printing

You can print italics by sending a software command. You can useitalics for special emphasis or as an alternative typeface.

This is Roman printing.This is italicized Roman printing.

Underlining

The underline mode provides an automatic way of fullyunderlining any piece of text. This mode underlines spaces,superscripts, and subscripts without a break. Most word processorstake advantage of this feature, but some programs use theunderline character instead. If this happens, check your programfor an underlining option.

Superscripts and subscripts

Superscripts and subscripts can be used for printing footnotenumbers and mathematical formulas. The example below showsunderlining and subscripts combined in a mathematical formula.

a v e r a g e = &+ RQ + - - - - - - - - - - + an1n



Selecting typestyles with Master SelectYour printer has a special ESCape code called Master Select thatallows you to choose many possible combinations of eightdifferent printing modes:

0 10 cpi l double-strike0 12 cpi l double-widel condensed 0 italicsl emphasized l underline

The format of the Master Select code is shown below:

ASCIIDecimalHexadecimal

:ESC ! n: 27 33 n

: 1B 21 n

The variable n is a number that identifies the desired mode orcombination of modes. To find the value of n, refer to the tablebelow and add up either the decimal or hexadecimal numbers forthe features you want to combine.

Feature Dec. Hex.

10 cpi 0 0012 cpi 1 01condensed 4 04emphasized 8 08double-strike 16 1 Odouble-wide 32 20italics 64 40underline 128 80



For example, to print a title you may want to use double-wide 12cpi characters and print them in double-strike mode. You wouldadd three decimal numbers together to calculate the value of n.

12 cpi 1Double-strike 16Double-wide 32

n = 49

After calculating the value of n, you use the Master Selectcommand to send the value to the printer.

ASCII :ESC ! nDecimal :27 33 49Hexadecimal : 1B 21 31

The font must be set separately by using the ESC x and ESC kcommands. The draft font printing speed must be set using DIPswitch 1-5 (see the section on setting the DIP switches in Chapter3).

There are two more things to consider when using the MasterSelect command:

l Master Select cancels any of the listed features that you do notset. For example, if you have already set 12 cpi characterspacing, and you use Master Select to set emphasized double-strike printing, the character spacing is reset to 10 cpi.

l Only 10 cpi, underline, and double-wide can be used withhigh-speed draft printing.

For more information on sending ESCape codes to your printer, seeChapter 9.


Graphics

The dot graphics mode allows your printer to produce pictures,graphs, charts, or almost any other graphic image you can think of.

Because many commercial software programs use graphics, youmay be able to print pictures and graphs, like the ones on thispage and the next, by simply giving your software a fewinstructions.

The quickest and easiest way to print graphics on your printer isto use a commercial graphics program. With such programs youusually create an image on your monitor and then give a commandto send the image to the printer.

If you use commercial software that produces graphics, all youneed to know about dot graphics is how to use the software. If, onthe other hand, you wish to do your own programming or merelyto understand how the printer produces graphics, read on.


Graphics

The print headTo understand dot graphics you should first learn how yourprinter’s print head works.

The print head has nine pins arranged in a vertical column. As theprint head moves across the page, electrical impulses cause the pinsto fire. Each time a pin fires, it strikes the inked ribbon and pressesit against the paper to produce a small dot. The pins fire time aftertime in different patterns that produce letters, numbers, andgraphic symbols.

Dot patterns

The print head is able to print both graphics and text becausegraphic images are formed on the printer in the same way thatnewspaper and magazine pictures are printed. If you look closely ata newspaper photograph, you can see that it is made up of manysmall dots. Your printer also forms its images with patterns ofdots, as many as 240 dot positions per inch horizontally and 72dots per inch vertically. The images printed by this printer can beas finely detailed as the one at the beginning of this section.

In its main graphics mode, your printer uses only the top eight ofthe nine pins to print one column of dots for each code it receives.Your graphics program, therefore, must send one code for eachcolumn in a line. Each code specifies the dot pattern for thatcolumn.

To print graphic images taller than eight dots, the print head mustmake more than one pass. After printing one line, the printeradvances the paper and prints another, just as it does whenprinting text.

To keep the print head from leaving gaps between graphics lines asit does between text lines, the line spacing must be changed usingthe ESC A command described in Chapter 9. Since an 8-dotcolumn prints lines that are 8/72-inch high, you generally want toset the line spacing to 8/72nds, as you’ll see in a sample programlater in this chapter.


Graphics

Pin labels

To tell the printer which pins to fire in each column, you need anumbering system that separately identifies each of the eight pinsas shown below. This system allows you to specify all 256 possiblepin combinations with a single number.

128

ii16

:21 I

To fire any one pin, you just send its number to the printer. Tofire more than one pin at the same time, add up the numbers ofthe pins and send the total. Using the pin labels shown above, youfire the top pin by sending 128. To fire the bottom pin, you send1. If you want to fire only the top and bottom pins, you simplyadd 128 and 1, and send 129.

By adding the appropriate label numbers together, you can fire anycombination of pins. Below are three examples of how to calculatethe number that will fire a certain pattern of pins.

With this numbering system, any combination of the eight pinsadds up to a decimal number between 0 and 255, and no numbersare duplicated. Before you can use these numbers in a graphicsprogram, however, you need to know the format of the graphicscommand.


Graphics

The graphics commandsThe graphics mode commands are quite different from othercommands used by the printer. For most of the other printermodes, such as emphasized and double-wide, one ESC code turnsthe mode on and another turns it off. The graphics commands aremore complicated because the code that turns on the graphicsmode also specifies how many columns of graphics will be printed.After the printer receives this command, it interprets allsubsequent numbers sent to the printer as column patterns, untilthe specified number of columns has been printed.

While there are alternate commands for four of the mostcommonly used options (see Chapter 9), your printer has onespecial command that allows you to use any of the seven graphicsoptions. The format of the command is:

ESC * m n1 n2 data

In this command, m selects the graphics option and n1 and n2specify the number of columns to reserve for graphics. Theavailable graphics options are listed below.

Option m Horiz. density (dots/in.)

Single-densityDouble-densityHigh-speed double-density*Quadruple-density*CRT IPlotter (1:l)CRT II

60120120240

807290

* Adjacent dots cannot be printed in this mode.


Graphics

Column reservation numbersHigh-density graphics may require thousands of columns to printone line. The printer, however, cannot use decimal number’s largerthan 255. Therefore, the graphics commands use two numbers, n1and n2, to reserve columns.

To calculate n1 and n2, divide the total number of columns by256. The result is n2; the remainder is n1. Since the commands areset up for two numbers, you must supply two even if you needonly one. When you need fewer than 256 columns, just make n1the number of columns you are reserving and make n2 a zero.

For example, if you wish to send 1632 columns of graphics data,n1 should be 96 and n2 should be 6 because 1632 = 96 + (6 x256).

If you are using a programming language with MOD (modulus)and INT (integer) functions, you can use the following formulas tocalculate n1 and n2, in which c is the total number of columns:

n1 = c MOD 256n2 = INT(c/256)

For all subsequent bytes sent to the printer after n1 and n2, theprinter interprets the number of bytes specified by n1 and n2 asgraphics data, no matter what codes they are. This means that youmust be sure to supply enough bytes of graphics data or theprinter will stop and seem to be locked while waiting for moredata. If, on the other hand, you supply too much graphics data, theexcess will be interpreted and printed as regular ASCII text.


Graphics

Printing simple patternsThe first example is just a simple program to show you how agraphics command, column reservation numbers, and data can beused in a BASIC program.

Type in and run the following program; be especially careful toinclude all semicolons. The program produces the printout you seebelow.

10 WIDTH "LPT1:",25520 LPRINT CHR$(27);"*n ;cHR$(O);CHR$(4O);cHR$(o);jOFORX=lTO4040LPRINTCHR$(1'10);50 NEXT X

Line 20 specifies single-density graphics mode and also reserves 40columns for ‘graphics. Line 30 begins a loop to supply 140 bytes ofdata. Line 40 contains the number 170, which produces the firstpin pattern shown in the section on pin labels, and line 50 finishesthe loop.

Note: Some software programs (including most version ofBASIC) automatically insert carriage return and line feed codesafter every 80 or 130 characters. This is usually no problem withtext, but it can spoil your graphics. For every CR-LF pairinserted in your program, two extra columns of graphics areprinted in the middle of the ones you send, and two datanumbers are left over and printed as text.

In some versions of BASIC you can prevent this unwantedcontrol code insertion by putting a WIDTH statement at thebeginning of all graphics programs. The format in many formsof BASIC is either WIDTH “LPT1:“, 255 or WIDTH LPRINT255. Check your software manual for the proper format.


Graphics

Printing taller patternsThe next example shows how several lines of graphics can beformed into a figure taller than eight dots. It uses programmingtechniques for producing textured or repetitive patterns.

In the following program, the lines inside each pair of FOR andNEXT statements have been indented so that you can see how theprogram works; the spaces are not needed for the program to run.

100 WIDTH "LPT1:"110LPRINTCHR$;2;;&;CHR$(8);120FORR=lTO6130 LPRINT CHR$(27);"K";CHR$(lOO);CHR$(O);140 FORX=lTO 50

150 LPRINTCHR$(170);CHR$(85);160 NEXT X : LPRINT170 NEXT R180 LPRINT CHR$(27);"@"

If you run the program you will see how it combines six printlines into a pattern.

There are five basic steps that the program goes through toproduce this kind of pattern:

1. The computer is prevented from adding any extra characters bythe WIDTH statement (line 100).

2. The line spacing is changed to 8/72 of an inch. This is theheight of the dot patterns used in the program (line 110).

3. The program goes through the graphics command the requirednumber of times (line 120 and 170).


Graphics

4. A new graphics command is used for each line printed (lines130 to 160). This part of the program is similar to the lastexample, but two columns are printed each time through theloop, making a total of 100.

5. Finally, the program resets the printer to its initial settings,including the normal line spacing (line 180). This is animportant step that you should include in every program.

Notice that graphics commands can be in effect for only one printline. To print more than one line of graphics, a graphics commandmust be issued before each line.

Designing your own graphicsThis section takes you through the development of a graphicsprogram. The example here is not especially complicated, but itdoes include the same steps you would use for a more complexfigure.

First you must decide which graphics density you want. Theillustration below shows the differences between three commondensities so that you can choose the one you want. See page 4-12for a list of available graphics densities.

Single High-speeddouble

Double


Graphics

In the illustration on the previous page, you can see the main rulesfor graphics design:

l In single-density, no dots can be placed on vertical lines.

. In high-speed double-density, dots can be placed on verticallines, but no dots can overlap.

. In double-density, dots can be placed on vertical lines, andthey can overlap.

After choosing the desired density, you design your figure byplotting dots on graph paper.

The high-speed double-density design shown below illustrates thecorrect way to plot a figure. It should point you in the rightdirection for your own work.


Graphics

After plotting the dots on a grid, you calculate the numbers foreach column’s pin pattern by dividing the design grid into separateprint lines. The grid was divided into two lines for this example,each seven dots high. By adding together the pin label numbers ofthe dots in each column, you can calculate the number needed toproduce the desired column pin pattern. The results for the firstline are shown in the figure below; the numbers needed to producethe second line were calculated in the same manner. The pin labelsare on the grid’s left and the pin totals are at the bottom of eachcolumn.

1 2 86 43 21 6

8421 t I f3 I I I f I I / I I I

046088646464e422l6 8 8 8 8 8 (I 88184328 23282000000000000008)184

Once the pin pattern numbers are calculated, you incorporate theminto the program using DATA statements, separating each numberwith a comma.

The following program is similar to the example on page 4-15.This program selects 7/72inch line spacing because only sevenpins are used. Because the design is not repetitive, the programcannot use loop constructions to send the same column patternrepeatedly to the printer. Instead, the program must individuallyread and send each column of graphics data from the DATAstatements. The design is 41 columns wide; therefore, both lines130 and 140 use the number 41.


Graphics

lOOWIDTH "LPT1:',255llOLPRINTCHR$(27);'A";CHR$(7);120 FOR ROW=lTO 2130 LPRINT CHR$(27);"Y';CHR$(41);CHR$(O);140 FORCOLUMN=lTO 41150 READ N

160 LPRINTCHR$(N);170 NEXT COLUMN180 LPRINT190 NEXT ROW200 END210 ~~~~64,32,80,8,68,2,64,0,6'+,0220 DATA64,0,64,0,32,0,16,0,8,0230~~~~8,0,8,0,8,0,8,0,8,0,8,0,8,0240~~~~184,64,32,16,8,4,2250~~~~8,16,40,64,136,0,8,0,8,0260~~~~8,0,8,0,16,0,32,0,64,0,64,0270~~~~64,0,64,0,64,0,64,0,64,0,64,0280~~~~116,8,16,32,64,128,0

When you run this program, it produces the following printout.

If you want to see the figure in other densities, change the Y inline 130 to L or Z.


Graphics

Individual graphics commandsThere are four individual graphics commands that are very muchthe same as the ESC * command, but each one works for only onegraphics option. Note that these commands contain one lessvariable than the ESC * command because they do not need toselect a graphics option.

They are shown below:

Command Function ESC * Format

ESC K Single-density ESC * 0ESC L Double-density ESC * 1ESC Y Double-density, high-speed ESC * 2ESC Z Quadruple-density ESC * 3

The reassignment commandThe LX-810 has a command that allows you to change the graphicsoption assigned to any of the four individual graphics optionscommands.

The command looks like this:

ESC ? s m

The letter s represents the command that you wish to change theassignment for (K, L, Y, or Z) and m is the number of the graphicsoption that you want to assign to it. For example, to change theESC K command to use the CRT I graphics option, the commandin BASIC is;

LPRINT CHR$(27);“?“;“K”;CHR$(4)

This is a quick way to change the aspect ratio of the design thatyou are printing. Changing the graphics option will change thewidth without changing the height.


User-defined Characters

With this printer, it is possible to define and print characters ofyour own design. You can design an entirely new alphabet ortypeface, create characters for use as mathematical or scientificsymbols, or create graphic patterns with user-defined characters toserve as building blocks for larger designs.

Below, you can see sample typefaces created with the user-definedcharacter function.

0 3 P

You can make the task of defining characters easier by using acommercial software program that either assists you in creatingcharacters or just supplies you with sets of characters alreadycreated. Also, some popular commercial software programs takeadvantage of the printer’s user-defined character function toenhance printouts. (These characters are called downloadable fontsin some programs.)

The standard ASCII characters are stored in the printer’s ReadOnly Memory (ROM), and the user-defined characters are storedin the printer’s Random Access Memory (RAM).

Designing your charactersUser-defined characters are like dot graphics because you send theprinter precise instructions on where you want each dot printed. Infact, planning a user-defined character is like planning a small dotgraphics pattern. For simplicity, this section shows you how todesign draft-quality characters. Designing NLQ characters is morecomplicated and is therefore described later in this chapter.



Design grids

To design a draft character you use a grid that has nine rows andeleven columns, as shown below.

128643216

8421

t i i i i i I

1288432168421

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0 1 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0 1 1

The grid on the left shows a design plan for a heart-shapedcharacter. Although there are nine pins in your printer’s print head,note that you can use only eight of them in a single user-definedcharacter. The heart design above uses the top eight pins, but youcan also use the bottom eight by using the grid on the right asexplained later in this section.

You generally don’t want to use row one (below the heavy line onthe grid) except for characters that have descenders, like the lettersy and g. Also, while you can use all 11 columns for a character, it’sbest to leave the two right columns blank to provide spacebetween characters.



Sending information to your printerOnce the character is plotted on the grid, you simply add the pinvalues for each column together, just as you do for graphic images.Then, you write a program that uses the following command toreplace the standard ASCII characters stored in your printer withthe characters you’ve designed.

The format of the command that redefines characters is relativelycomplex:

ESC&0n1 n2 a1 d1 . . . dn

The ESC & is simple enough. The 0 is not ASCII character 0(decimal code 48, hex code 3O), but is the decimal code for theASCII character NUL. (The sample program on the next pageshould make this distinction clear.) You can redefine up to sixcharacters with the command. The values n1 and n2 are thedecimal codes of the first and last ASCII characters you arereplacing. (You can alternatively use the ASCII charactersthemselves in quotation marks.) If you are replacing only onecharacter, n1 and n2 are the same. You can use any codesbetween 58 and 63 decimal for n1 and n2.

For example, if you wanted to redefine the characters : through ?,n1 would be : (decimal code 58) and n2 would be ? (decimal code63). So the command ESC & 0 :? (followed by the appropriatedata) would replace the characters : through ?.

The value a1 specifies whether the top eight pins or the bottomeight pins of the print head are used. If you wish to print with thetop eight pins, a1 should be 128. If, however, you wish to printwith the bottom eight pins, a1 should be 0.

The last part of the command (d1...dn) is the actual data thatdefines the dot patterns for each column of each character. Since acharacter can use up to eleven columns, you must supply elevendata numbers for each character even if some columns are blank. Ifyou redefine six characters, for example, you need to supply 66data numbers.



The following character definition program should help make thisclear:

100 LPRINT CHR$(27);"X";CRR$(O);llOLPRINTCHR$(27);"&";CHR$(O);120 LPRINT ";;";130 LPRINT c11~$(128);l40FORI=lTO11150 READ A: LPRINT CHR$(A);160 NEXT I170 LPRINT ";;;;;"180 LPRINT CHR$(27);"%";CHR$(l);190 LPRINT "ii;;;"200LPRINTCHR$(27);"%";CHR$(O);210 LPRINT ";;;;;"220 END

In line 100, the ESC x 0 command selects draft printing. The twosemicolons (;) in line 120 are n1 and n2, the range of charactersbeing defined (in this case, a range of one). Line 130 contains a1,which in this case specifies to use the top eight pins of the printhead.

Line 180 selects the user-defined character set, and line 200switches back to the normal character set. The actual characterdesign information (contained in the DATA statement in line 230)is sent to the printer in the loop between lines 140 and 160.

Printing user-defined charactersIf you entered the example program above, you defined a heartand placed it in the RAM location for decimal code 59 (replacingthe semicolon). You can now print out a three-line sample of yourwork. The first and third lines (printed by lines 170 and 210 of theprogram) print the normal semicolon; the second line (line 190)prints the heart that you defined.



Run the program to see the printout below.

;:;;:oiiro;;;y5

As you can see, both sets of characters (the original ROMcharacters that the printer normally uses and the user-definedcharacter set) remain in the printer available for your use. Thecommand to switch between the two sets is used in line 180 and200. It is:

ESC % n

If n is equal to 0, the normal ROM character set is selected (this isthe default). If n is equal to 1, the user-defined character set isselected. If you select the user-defined character set before youhave defined any characters, the command is ignored and theROM characters remain in use.

You may switch between character sets at any time, even in themiddle of a line. To try this, place semicolons at the end of lines170 and 190 in the preceding program.

Copying ROM characters to RAMAfter running the previous sample program, if you select theuser-defined character set and try to print other characters, onlythe heart will print. Since no other characters are in the printer’suser-defined RAM area, other characters print as spaces.

In many cases, you will want to redefine only a few of thecharacters to suit your needs; the rest of the alphabet will workfine as it is. As you have seen, it is possible to switch back andforth at will between the normal character set and user-definedcharacter set. It is, however, rather inconvenient.

Therefore, your printer has a command that allows you to copy allof the standard characters from ROM to the user-defined characterset.



The command format is:

ESC : 0 n 0

Note: This command will cancel any user-defined characters youhave created. You must send this command to the printer. beforeyou define characters.

If you use this command at the beginning of a program, thendefine your special characters and select the user-defined characterset, you can print with the user-defined character set as yournormal character set. You never need to switch back and forthbetween sets.

Mixing print stylesThe user-defined character set can be used in combination withmost print styles. For example, emphasized and double-wideprinting both work well with user-defined characters.

The sample below shows the heart character printed in twodifferent styles.

Keep in mind that user-defined characters are stored in RAM,which is not permanent. Whenever the printer power is turned offor your computer sends an initialization (INIT) signal, all of theuser-defined characters are lost. (Some computers do this each timeBASIC is loaded or when certain application programs start up,and most computers do it if you have to reset them.) If theprogram resets the printer with the ESC @ command, the ROMset is selected, but the user-defined characters are not lost.,



Defining NLQ charactersNLQ characters use many more dots than draft characters;therefore, the design grid and programs in this section are a littlemore complex than those you use to design draft characters.

NLQ grid

Because the NLQ characters can use as many as 18 dots verticallyand 12 dots horizontally, you design the characters on a differentgrid than the one used for draft characters. The figure belowshows an NLQ design grid.

128128

8484

3232

1818

884422

11

128128

8484

3232

1 81 8

88

44

22

1 -1 -

128128

84.84.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

On this grid, you can use any numbered line or space. Thisincludes the bottom line and the line on the right side. As withdraft characters, however, you should leave the two right columnsblank to create space between characters.



Since NLQ characters can have up to 18 dots in a column, eachvertical column must be divided into three sections for datanumber calculation.

The figure below shows a single column to make clear how thedata numbers are calculated. When designing NLQ characters, youshould use circles instead of dots to make it easier to see and countoverlapping dots.

Firstdatanumber

Seconddatanumber

Thirddatanumber

128 12864 6432 32188

4

21

12864

4

1

32

18 16

8 8

4 4 I2

1

128

64 64 >

= 229

=28

=64

To calculate the data numbers for this column, just add togetherthe values in each section of the column. If no dots are used in asection, the data number is zero. You must use three numbers,even zeros, for every column when writing the DATA statementsfor a program.



The illustration below shows a sample design. The data numbersare printed at the top or bottom of each column. The sampleprogram on the following page shows how to use the numbers in aDATA statement.

8 32 255 32 8 00 0 255 0 0 00 0 192 0 0 0

128

64

32

16

8

4

21

12864

32

16

94

2

1

128

64

4 16 64 64 16 40 0 0 0 0 00 0 0 0 0 0

NLQ definition program

The following program for NLQ user-defined characters containsthe data numbers for the arrow design shown above. Lines 230-250contain the data numbers.



lOOLPRINTCHR$(27);"x";CHR$(l);110 LPRINT CHR$(27);"&";CHR$(O);";;";120LPRINTCHR$(O);CHR$(12);CHR$(O);13OFORI=lTO36140 READ Dl5O LPRINTCHR$(D);160 NEXT I170 LPRINT w;;;;;"180 LPRINTCHR$(27);"%";CHR$(l);190 LPRINT "j;;;;"200LPRINTCHR$(27);"%";CHR$(O);210 LPRINT "j;;;;"220 END230DATA4,0,0,8,0,0,16,0,0,32,0,0240DATA64,0,0,255,255,192,64,0,0,32,0,0250DATA16,0,0,8,0,0,4,0,0,0,0,0

Run the program to see the printout below:


Chapter 5Using the Printer Options

Cut Sheet Feeder.. ................................................................... 5-2Installing the cut sheet feeder..... ............................................ 5-2Paper handling .................................................................... 5-6Testing the printer in cut sheet feeder mode............ ................ 5-9Operating the cut sheet feeder.... ........................................... 5-12Single sheet insertion.. ................................................................ 5-14Removing the cut sheet feeder...... ........................................ 5-16

Pull Tractor.... ............................................................................ 5-18Installing the pull tractor..... .................................................... 5-18Paper handling.. .................................................................... 5-20Removing the pull tractor..... ................................................... 5-26

Roll Paper Holder.... .................................................................... 5-30Installing the roll paper holder................................................. 5-30Paper handling.. .................................................................... 5-32Removing the roll paper holder....... ...................................... 5-35

Interface Boards.. ..................................................................... 5 - 3 7Choosing an interface.. .......................................................... 5-37Compatible interfaces.. .......................................................... 5-37Installing the interface board...... ........................................... 5-38#8143 New Serial Interface board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-52

I

Using the Printer Options 5-1

Cut Sheet Feeder

The optional cut sheet feeder (C806121) makes it possible tohandle single-sheet paper more easily and more efficiently. Up to150 sheets of standard bond paper (22 lb paper) can be fedautomatically into the printer without reloading.

Installing the cut sheet feeder1. Make sure that the printer is turned off. Then remove the

paper guide and printer cover.

2. Separate the two halves of the printer cover by pressing on thetabs and sliding the clear plastic half of the printer cover off.

5-2 Using the Printer Options

Cut Sheet Feeder

3. Attach the cut sheet feeder cover to the front half of theprinter cover.

4. Make sure that the paper release lever is pushed all the way tothe rear.


Cut Sheet Feeder

5. Tilt the cut sheet feeder slightly forward to fit the notches atthe base of the feeder over the black pins inside the printer,just in front of the push tractor sprockets. Tilt the feeder backuntil it rests on top of the printer.

6. Attach the cut sheet feeder cover.


Cut Sheet Feeder

7. Turn on the cut sheet feeder mode by setting DIP switch 2-2to ON,.

8. Turn on the printer.


Cut Sheet Feeder

Paper handling

1. Make sure that the cut sheet feeder mode is set and turn onthe printer.

2. Pull the paper set levers all the way forward until the papersupports retract and lock open to allow for paper loading.


Cut Sheet Feeder

3. Slide the left paper guide to where the fin on the edge guidealigns with the arrow on the front panel. Next, slide the rightpaper guide to roughly match the width of your paper.

4. Take a stack of paper and fan it as shown. This keeps thepaper from sticking so that only one sheet feeds at a time. Tapthe side and bottom of the paper on a flat surface to even upthe stack.

Note: For best results, use typewriter quality paper. If you planto use paper with a glossy or textured surface, you should test itbefore regular use. Do not use multi-part forms, carbon paper,envelopes, or labels in the cut sheet feeder.


Cut Sheet Feeder

5. Insert the paper between the paper guides, aligning it with theleft edge of the guide. Then, adjust the right paper guide untilthe paper is held firmly, but not so tightly that it causes thepaper to buckle. Make sure the paper can move freely up anddown.

6. Push the paper set levers back until they click into place andclamp the paper against the guide rollers.


Cut Sheet Feeder

Testing the printer in the cut sheet feeder modeWhen you perform the cut sheet feeder self test, the printer countsthe number of lines on the page and prints out this number at thebottom of the first test page as shown in step 2. The number oflines counted by the printer becomes the default page lengthsetting. This setting, however, can be overridden by softwarecommands.

Running the self test is the same as when the cut sheet feedermode is off. The steps below are for a self test in draft mode.

1. Make sure that the printer is turned off and paper is in the bin.Check that the cut sheet feeder mode is selected and the paperrelease lever is pushed to the rear.


Cut Sheet Feeder

2. While holding down the LINE FEED button, turn on the printer.(For an NLQ mode test, press the FORM FEED button instead ofthe LINE FEED button.)

A portion of the printout of the first page of the self test is shownbelow. The printout of the second page is similar to the originalself test described in Chapter 1.

T h i s i s t h e f i r s t l i n e .

This is line XX.


Cut Sheet Feeder

3. The self test continues until the paper runs out or until youpress the ON LINE button. To stop the test, press the ON LINEbutton.

Note: To resume the test, press the ON LINE button once more.

4. To end the self test, press the LOAD/EJECT button if necessaryto eject any loaded sheets. Then turn off the printer.


Cut Sheet Feeder

Operating the cut sheet feederAfter stacking paper in the cut sheet feeder, turn on the printerand make sure that the ON LINE light is on. In on line status, a newsheet of paper loads automatically whenever a printable characteror line feed command is sent to the printer.

Note: If a sheet is not ejected properly when the cut sheetfeeder mode is on, the beeper sounds repeatedly.

Paper out condition

When the printer is on line and receives print data from thecomputer, the first sheet is automatically loaded. Subsequent sheetsare automatically loaded as necessary.

l In the cut sheet feeder mode, the PAPER OUT light goes onwhile a sheet of paper is being fed, but the printer remains online.

l When the paper bin is empty, the printer automatically goesoff line and the beeper sounds repeatedly. Also, the PAPER OUTlight goes on. To resume printing, add more paper, and pressthe ON LINE button.

Note: If you turn off your printer during the time the printerdetects a paper out or paper jam condition, any data remainingin the printer’s buffer is discarded.


Cut Sheet Feeder

Control panel operation

To operate the cut sheet feeder manually from the control panelwhen the printer is in the cut sheet feeder mode, make sure thatthe printer is off line.

LINE FEED When there is paper in the printer, press thisbutton to feed the paper one line, or hold itdown to feed the paper continuously.

FORM FEED When there is no paper in the printer, press thisbutton to load the paper. When there is paper inthe printer, press this button to eject the sheet.

LOAD/EJECT When there is no paper in the printer, press thisbutton to load the paper. When there is paper inthe printer, press this button to eject the sheet.

Software operation

You can use the ESC EM command to turn on or off the cut sheetfeeder mode. This command can be used to override the cut sheetfeeder mode setting made by the DIP switch 2-2. The FF commandcauses the printer to eject the sheet in the printer without loadingthe next sheet.

If the paper reaches the bottom of the print area when any of thefollowing line feed commands is used, the sheet in the printer isautomatically ejected and the next sheet is loaded.

LF:VT:

Line Feed; advances the paper one lineVertical Tab; advances the paper to the next vertical tabposition

ESC J: Line feed by n/216th of an inch

Software is not effective while the printer is off line. Make surethat the printer is on line if you wish to control the cut sheetfeeder using software commands.


Cut Sheet Feeder

Single sheet insertionYour cut sheet feeder also has a single sheet loading feature. Thisfeature is especially useful because it allows you to switch to adifferent type or size of paper (for one sheet only) withoutreplacing the stack of paper in your cut sheet feeder.

1. Press the ON LINE button to set the printer off line.


Cut Sheet Feeder

2. Align the single sheet to be fed with the mark on the leftpaper guide, then slide the sheet into the printer path until youfeel resistance.

3. Press the LOAD/EJECT button to load the sheet.


Cut Sheet Feeder

Removing the cut sheet feeder1. Make sure that the printer is turned off and remove the cut

sheet feeder cover. If any paper remains in the bin, remove it.

2. Tilt the front part of the cut sheet feeder backward to releaseits notches from the pins in the printer and remove the cutsheet feeder.


Cut Sheet Feeder

3. Separate the cut sheet feeder cover from the printer cover andattach the back half of the printer cover.

4. Install the paper guide and printer cover.

Removal of the cut sheet feeder is now completed. Be sure to storethe removed cut sheet feeder in its original box and packingmaterials


Pull Tractor

The optional pull tractor (C800061) provides optimum continuouspaper handling. The pull tractor is especially useful withcontinuous multi-part forms and labels. For best results, use thepull tractor along with the built-in push tractor as described in thissection.

Installing the pull tractor

1. Make sure that the printer is turned off. Then remove theprinter cover and paper guide.

2. Remove the paper tension unit cover.


Pull Tractor

3. Fit the rear notches on the tractor unit over the rear mountingpins in the printer. Then, tilt the tractor unit toward you untilthe front latches click in place over the front mounting pins.Push down on the front latches to be sure they are firmlyseated.

4. Pull the paper release lever to the continuous paper position.


Pull Tractor

Paper handling1. Make sure that the paper release lever is set forward to the

continuous paper position, and then turn on the printer.

2. Position the left sprocket unit of the push tractor about l/4 ofan inch from the left and lock it into place. Then load thecontinuous paper onto the push tractor as described in Chapter2.


Pull Tractor

3. Press the LOAD/EJECT button to load the continuous paper;then press the FORM FEED button. This advances the paper onepage so that you can fit the paper onto the pull tractor.

CAUTION: Never use the platen knob to feed the paperwhile the printer is turned on. If you need to adjust theloading position, be sure to use the micro-adjustmentfeature described in Chapter 3.

4. Open the sprocket covers of the pull tractor and pull thesprocket lock levers toward you to release them.


Pull Tractor

5. Adjust the sprocket units to match the width of the paper,then adjust the paper supports so that they are evenly spacedbetween the sprocket units.

6. Fit the holes in the paper over the tractor pins on the sprocketunits and close the sprocket covers.


Pull Tractor

7. If the paper does not fit exactly onto the tractor pins, press inon the pull tractor knob and turn it in the desired directionuntil the paper fits properly.

8. Make sure the paper is not crooked or wrinkled and lock thesprocket units in place.

CAUTION: Make sure that the sprocket frames of thetwo tractor units are properly aligned.


Pull Tractor

9. Separate the two halves of the printer cover by pressing on thetabs and sliding the clear plastic half of the printer cover off.

10. Attach the tractor cover to the front half of the printer cover.


Pull Tractor

11. Install the paper guide; then slide the edge guides together sothat they meet at about the center of the paper’s width.

12. Install the pull tractor cover as shown below and press the ONLINE button to set the printer on line.

While the pull tractor can be used in combination with the built-inpush tractor as described above, the pull tractor can also be usedby itself. Instead of setting the paper on the pins of the pushtractor, simply insert it through the same paper path as you woulduse with single-sheet paper.

1 Note: Do not use the short tear-off feature with the pull tractor. 1


Pull Tractor

Removing the pull tractor1. Make sure to tear off the printed document, and remove the

tractor cover and paper guide. Then turn on the printer.

2. Press the ON LINE button to set the printer off line. Then, pressthe LOAD/EJECT button until the continuous paper feedsbackward out of the paper path to the standby position. ThePAPER OUT light comes on when the paper is completely out ofthe paper path.

WARNING: Never feed labels backward through theprinter


Pull Tractor

3. Remove the continuous paper from the push tractor unit.

4. Hold both ends of the tractor unit and slowly tilt the unit backuntil the front latches of the unit snap freemounting pins.

from the front


Pull Tractor

5. Lift the tractor unit up and off.

6. Replace the paper tension unit cover as shown below.


Pull Tractor

7. Separate the tractor cover from the printer cover and attach theback half of the printer cover.

8. Install the paper guide and printer cover. Then, push the paperrelease lever to the rear.


Roll Paper Holder

The optional roll paper holder (#8310) allows you to use yourprinter with 8.5-inch roll paper like that used with telex machines.This provides an inexpensive alternative to continuous paper forapplications requiring variable paper lengths.

Installing the roll paper holder1. Make sure that the printer is turned off, then remove the paper

guide.

2. Position the roll paper holder underneath the printer as shownbelow. The holes in the base should fit onto the twocorresponding positioning pegs on the bottom of the printer.


Roll Paper Holder

3. Push the paper release lever back to the single sheet position.

CAUTION: During use, the roll paper holder is held inplace by the weight of the printer. The positioning pegsonly serve to keep the holder from slipping out ofposition. If you pick up the printer, be careful to avoiddropping the roll paper holder.


Roll Paper Holder

Paper handling1. Make sure that the printer is turned off, and the paper release

lever is set to the single sheet position.

2. Cut the loading edge of the roll paper straight across.

3. Insert the roll paper holder shaft into the center of the paperroll as shown.


Roll Paper Holder

4. Set the shaft and paper roll onto the roll paper holder. The rollshould be oriented so that paper feeds from the bottom of theroll. Then turn on the printer.

5. Bring the leading edge of the paper up over the paper pathguide and insert it into the printer path until you feelresistance.


Roll Paper Holder

6. Press the LOAD/EJECT button to load the paper.

7. Install the paper guide and slide the edge guides together sothat they meet at about the center of the paper’s width. Thenpress the ON LINE button to set the printer on line.

Note: When you finish printing, set the printer off line, pressthe LINE FEED button to advance the paper by a suitable amount,and then tear off the paper against the tear-off edge of theprinter cover.

CAUTION: Roll paper cannot be fed backward bypressing the LOAD/EJECT button.

.~__5-34 Using the Printer Options

Roll Paper Holder

Removing the roll paper holder1. Cut across the paper behind the point where it feeds into the

printer. Then use the LOAD/EJECT button to eject the remainingpaper.

2. Turn off the printer.

3. Remove the paper roll and shaft from the roll paper holder.


Roll Paper Holder

4. Lift the printer up and separate the roll paper holder from theprinter.

Be sure to store the roll paper holder in its original box andpacking materials.

5-36 Using the Printer Options-

Interface Boards

A number of optional interfaces are available in case yourcomputer is not provided with a parallel interface.

Choosing an interfaceOptional interfaces can be divided into two main categories whichare briefly described below.

IEEE-488 interfaces offer standardized connections, trouble-freeoperation, and the ability to connect computers, printers andother devices on the same line so that they may share datafreely.

Serial interfaces are required if your computer is not equippedwith a parallel interface or if you need an interface thatconforms to the Current Loop standard instead of RS-232C.These interfaces also provide X-ON/X-OFF datacommunications protocol.

If you are unsure whether you need- an optional interface or wouldlike to know more about interfaces, contact your Epson dealer.

Compatible interfacesThe following is a list of Epson interfaces that are compatible withyour printer. Note that some of these interfaces may not beavailable in your country or region.

Interface number Name

#8143 New Serial interface

#8148 Intelligent serial interface

#8165 Intelligent IEEE-488 interface


Interface Boards

All Epson interfaces have the Epson name printed on them. Ifthe board has an identification code printed on it, it will be a fourdigit number beginning with 8, and should correspond to one ofthe numbers listed in the table above.

Installing the interface board

Removing the upper case

CAUTION: Use caution when removing or attaching theupper case to avoid damaging the printer.

1. Make sure that the printer is turned off, then remove theprinter cover and paper guide.

WARNING: Turn the printer off before unplugging thepower cable from the AC outlet.


Interface Boards

2. Unplug the power cable from the electrical outlet.

L!!!!kWARNING: High voltages are present inside theprinter when the power is or.. Do not attempt toremove the upper case unless the printer is turned offand the power cord is unplugged. Also, try not totouch contacts on the circuit board of the printerbecause many of the components can be destroyed bythe static electricity that may build up in your body.

3. Remove the paper tension unit cover, ribbon cartridge, andplaten knob.

~


Interface Boards

4. Remove the push feed tractor by pressing the tabs on bothsides using a pointed object.

5. To remove the upper case, first position the printer so that itsfront extends slightly over the edge of a table, allowing accessto the openings on the front, underside of the printer.

WARNING: Make sure that the printer is not so farforward that it is in danger falling off the table.


6.

7.

Interface Boards

Insert a screwdriver into the openings on the underside of theprinter. Push the screwdriver up, press the handle of the screwdriver toward the back of the printer to release the clips on thecase.

Partially raise the upper case, taking care not to strain the flatcable attached to the control panel.


Interface Boards

8. Carefully disconnect the flat control panel cable from theconnector labeled CN3 on the main board.

9. Tilt the upper case backward and remove it from the printer.


Interface Boards

10. Remove the shield plate by pressing in on the plastic clipslocated at the back of the plate.

11. Using a cross-head screwdriver, remove the screw labeled CGfrom the main board.


Interface Boards

Installing the board

There are two basic interface board designs, which differ withrespect to how the frame ground (FG) wire is attached. This slightdifference changes the way the boards are installed in the printer,but does not affect the operation of the interface in any way.Check to see which type of interface board you have.

FG wire not attachedSee the next page

uFG wire attachedSkip to page 5-47


Interface Boards

FG wire not attached

1. Use the CG screw to attach the round end of the FG wire tothe main board and position the other end as shown.

2. Carefully insert the pins on the optional interface board intothe mating connector on the main board; then secure the boardwith the three screws provided.


Interface Boards

3. Attach the plug end of the FG wire onto the FG pin located ontop of the interface board.

4. If you have the #8148 or #8165 interface boards, set theinterface DIP switches according to the accompanying manual.If you have the #8143; see page 5-52.

5. Reattach the upper case as described in the section beginningon page 5-49.


Interface Boards

FG wire attached

1. Carefully place the interface board next to the printer as shownbelow. 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 intoposition and attach it to the main board. Make sure that theconnector pins are properly inserted into the mating connector.


Interface Boards

3. Secure the board with the three screws provided.

4. If you have the #8148 or #8165 interface board, set theinterface DIP switches according to the accompanying manual.If you have the #8143, see page 5-52.

5. Reattach the upper case as described in the following section.


Interface Boards

Attaching the upper case

1. Fit the hinges of the upper case into the openings in the lowercase; then partially lower the upper case.

CAUTION: Take care not to pinch the FG wire betweenthe upper and lower cases.

2. Thread the control panel cable through the metal plate asshown below.


Interface Boards

3. Carefully insert the control panel cable into the connectorlabeled CN3 on the main board.

4. Close the upper case. Make sure you press down on the frontof the case until it locks into place.


Interface Boards

5. Reattach the push feed tractor.

6. Reattach the ribbon cartridge, paper

CAUTION: When an optional interface board is installed,be sure to disconnect the printer cable from the printer’sbuilt-in parallel interface. Two interface cables must notbe connected at the same time.

7. Reattach the printer cover and paper guide.


Interface Boards

#8143 New Serial Interface boardIf you are using an optional interface, it may be necessary for youto alter the communications protocol of the printer or the computerso that they can communicate properly. In most cases, you shoulduse the information in your optional interface manual or yourcomputer’s manual to match the computer with the interface.

If you are using the #8143 optional interface board with theprinter, make sure that you read through the sections below onbaud rate selection and handshaking timing.

For all other data transfer conventions, such as word structure orcommunications protocol, use the information in the manualsupplied with your #8143 optional interface.

Baud rate selection

You can select baud rates from 75 to 9600 BPS (Bits Per Second).When setting the baud rate, make sure you use the bit rateselection table for printers with buffers (in the #8143 interfacemanual).

Handshaking timing

When the vacant area for data in the input buffer drops to 256bytes, the printer outputs an X-OFF code or sets the DTR flag to"1" (MARK) indicating -that it cannot receive data.

Once the vacant area for data in the buffer recovers to 528 bytes,the printer outputs an X-ON code or sets the DTR flag to “0”(SPACE) indicating that it is ready to receive data.


Chapter 6Maintenance

e

c

Cleaning the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2

Replacing the Ribbon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . 6-4

Transporting the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9

Maintenance 6-1

Cleaning the Printer

To keep your printer operating at its best, you should clean itthoroughly several times a year as follows:

1. Make sure that the printer is turned off, then remove the paperguide or, if it is installed, the cut sheet feeder.

2. Use a soft brush to carefully remove all dust and dirt.

6-2 Maintenance

Cleaning the Printer

3. If the outer case or paper guide is dirty or dusty, clean it witha soft, clean cloth dampened with a mild detergent solution.Keep the printer cover in place to prevent water from gettinginside the printer.

!!!!!!f WARNINGS:l Never use alcohols or thinners to clean the printer,

since these chemicals can damage the components aswell as the case.

l Be careful not to get the printer mechanism orelectronic components wet.

l Do not use a hard or abrasive brush.

l Do not spray the inside of the printer with lubricants;unsuitable oils can damage the mechanism. Contactyour Epson dealer if you think lubrication is needed.

Maintenance 6-3

Replacing the Ribbon

Replace the ribbon when the printout becomes too faint to read.Use only the #8750 standard ribbon cartridge for your printer.

1. Make sure that the printer is turned off, then remove theprinter cover.

2. Open the paper tension unit cover.

6-4 Maintenance


WARNING: If the printer has just been used, the printhead may be hot. Let it cool before attempting to replacethe ribbon.

3. To remove the ribbon cartridge, grip it by the black plastic taband lift the cartridge straight up and out of the printer.

4. Slide the print head to the middle of the printer.

Maintenance 6-5


5. To remove excess slack in the new ribbon, turn the ribbon-tightening knob in the direction of the arrow.

6. Push the new ribbon cartridge firmly into position, making surethe plastic hooks fit into the slots, as shown below.

Note: Press lightly on both sides of the cartridge to make surethe hooks are properly inserted.

6-6 Maintenance


7. Use a pointed object, such as a ball-point pen, to guide theribbon into place between the print head and ribbon guidewhile you turn the ribbon-tightening knob. Be careful not topuncture the ribbon.

8. Slide the print head from side to side to make sure that itmoves smoothly. Also make sure the ribbon is not twisted orcreased.

Maintenance 6-7


9. Close the paper tension unit cover.

10.Insert the hooks of the printer cover into the printer, then tiltthe printer cover back into place.

6-8 Maintenance

Transporting the Printer

Before you transport your printer some distance, carefully repack itin the original box and packing materials according to thefollowing instructions.

1. Make sure that the printer is turned off. Then remove anyinstalled options, as well as the paper guide and printer cover.

WARNING: Turn the printer off before unplugging thepower cable from the AC outlet.

2. Unplug the power cable from the electrical outlet and from theback of the printer. Coil the cable and tie it, then disconnectthe interface cable from the printer and the computer.

1

Maintenance 6-9

Transporting the Printer

3. Remove the ribbon cartridge and platen knob.

4. Reattach the printer cover. Then, replace the packing materialsand put the printer in its box.

6-10 Maintenance

Chapter 7Troubleshooting

Problems and Solutions.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..I............ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-2

Power Supply.. .......................................................................... 7-3

Printing. ...................................................................................... 7-4

Paper Handling.. ........................................................................ 7-14

Options. ..................................................................................... 7-22

Troubleshooting 7-1

Problems and Solutions

This chapter discusses problems you may encounter whileoperating your printer, and their likely solutions. If you are havingdifficulty achieving the desired printing result, first locate theproblem in the table below and refer to the appropriate page forthe solution.

Power supplyl Power is not being supplied.

Printingl The printer does not print.l The print is faint or uneven.l Dots are missing in the printed characters or

graphics.l Printed characters are not what you expected.l The print position is not what you expected.

Paper handlingl Single sheets do not feed properly.l Continuous paper does not feed properly.l Switching between continuous paper and single

sheets cannot be performed properly.

Optionsl Using the cut sheet feeder, paper does not

feed properly.l Using the pull tractor with the push tractor,

continuous paper does not feed properly.l Using the roll paper holder, paper does not

feed properly.l Using an optional interface, the printer does not

operate properly.

Refer to 7-3

Refer to 7-4Refer to 7-5

Refer to 7-6Refer to 7-6Refer to 7-9

Refer to 7-14Refer to 7-16

Refer to 7-20

Refer to 7-22

Refer to 7-26

Refer to 7-29

Refer to 7-31

7-2 Troubleshooting

Power Supply

Problem SolutionPower is not beingsupplied.

The P O W E R l i g h tdoes not go on.

The P O W E R l i g h tcomes on briefly andthen goes off. Thelight stays off evenwhen the power isswitched on again.

The power cable may be loose or notproperly plugged into the electrical outlet.Turn off the printer and check the powercable connections between the printer andthe electrical outlet.

The power switch is off. Turn on theswitch.

Power is not being supplied to theelectrical outlet. Check to see if theelectrical outlet is controlled by an outsideswitch or automatic timer; if so, use adifferent outlet. Plug another electricaldevice into the outlet to determinewhether the outlet is working properly.

The voltage may not be correct for yourprinter. Check the label on the printer’srear panel and confirm that the printer’svoltage rating matches the voltage of yourelectrical outlet. If the voltages do notmatch, unplug the printer and contact yourEpson dealer immediately. Do notreconnect the power cable to an electricaloutlet. Refer to 1-15.

The problem may lie with the electricaloutlet. Plug another electrical device intothe outlet to determine whether the outletis operating properly.

Troubleshooting 7-3

Printing

Problem SolutionThe printer does notprint.

The ON L INE l ight ison but nothing isprinted.

The ON L INE l ight is

off.

T h e P A P E R O U T l i g h tis on.

The software may not be installedproperly for your printer. Check theprinter settings and make the necessarychanges. Refer to 1-29.

The interface cable may be loose. Checkboth ends of the cable between the printerand the computer. Secure the connectorusing the wire retaining clips.Refer to 1-26.

You may not be using the correct interfacecable. Make sure your interface cablemeets the printer and the computerspecifications.

The printer may be off line and cannotreceive data. Press the ON LINE button. TheON LINE light should go on. Refer to 3-3.

The paper may be set too far to the right,so that the paper detector cannot sense it.Move the paper a little to the left. ThePAPER OUT light should go off. Refer to2-4.

The printer may be out of paper. Loadmore paper into the printer. Refer to 2-2.

7-4 Troubleshooting

Printing

Problem SolutionThe printer soundslike it is printing,but nothing isprinted.

The printer makes astrange noise, thebuzzer soundsseveral times, andthe printer stopsabruptly.

The print is faint oruneven.

Printed charactershave parts missingat the bottom asshown here.

ABCD

The printout isfaint.

The ribbon cartridge may not be installedproperly. Turn off the printer, reinstall theribbon cartridge and take up any slack inthe ribbon. Refer to 1-8.

The ribbon may be worn. Replace theribbon cartridge. Refer to 6-4.

This indicates an error in printer operation.Turn off the printer, check for paper jamsor other problems, then turn the printerback on. If the printer still does not printcorrectly, contact your Epson dealer.

The ribbon cartridge may not be installedproperly. Remove the ribbon cartridge andreinstall it. Make sure the cartridge hooksare inserted securely into the printer.Refer to 1-8.

The ribbon may be worn out. A wornribbon can damage the print head andshould be replaced. Install a new ribboncartridge as soon as possible.Refer to 6-4.

The paper thickness lever may not be setcorrectly for the paper you are using. Setthe paper thickness lever to match thethickness of your paper. Refer to 2-22.

Troubleshooting 7-5

Printing

Problem SolutionDots are missing inthe printedcharacters orgraphics.

A line of dots ismissing in theprintout.

A B C D

Dots are missing inrandom positions.

A B C D

Printed charactersare not what youexpected.

The typestyle orcharacters that areset by the softwarecannot be printed.

The print head is damaged. Stop printingand contact your Epson dealer to have theprint head replaced.

There is either too much slack in theribbon or the ribbon has come loose andgotten caught on something. Stop printing,turn off the printer, and reinstall theribbon cartridge. Refer to l-8.

The software may not be correctlyinstalled for your printer. Use theprogram’s setup (or install) procedure tocheck the printer settings, and reset asneeded.

7-6 Troubleshooting

Printing

Problem SolutionThe Roman, SansSerif or draft font isselected in yoursoftware, but thecharacters areprinted in adifferent font.

Italic characters areprinted instead ofthe selected graphic“line” characters.

Graphic charactersor lines are beingprinted instead ofthe selected italiccharacters.

The wrong font is selected. If yourprogram accepts control codes, set thecodes to the values below to select thefonts:

Roman: ESC k 0Sans Serif: ESC k 1Draft: ESC x 0

Refer to 3-19, 9-22.

The wrong character table is selected. Ifyour application program is capable ofsending control codes, specify the EpsonExtended Graphics character table usingESC t 1. Refer to 9-31.

You can also select the graphics charactertable by changing a DIP switch setting. Todo this, turn off the power, set DIP switch1-3 to ON, then turn on the power. Referto 3-25.

The wrong character table is selected. Ifyour application program is capable ofsending control codes, specify the italiccharacter table using ESC t 0. Refer to9-31.

You can also select the italic charactertable by changing a DIP switch setting. Todo this, turn off the power, set DIP switch1-3 to OFF, then turn on the power. Referto 3-25.

Troubleshooting 7-7

Printing

Problem SolutionPrinted charactersare not what youexpected (continued).

The wronginternationalcharacters are beingprinted.

The charactersprinted are smallerthan expected.

The wrong international character set isselected. If your application program iscapable of sending control codes, specifythe desired international character setusing ESC R n. Refer to 9-31.

You can also select the internationalcharacter set by changing the DIP switchsetting. To do this, turn off the power andset DIP switches 1-6, 1-7 and 1-8 to thecorrect positions for the character set youwant. Refer to 3-23.

The condensed mode may be set. Set theprinter on line and press the CONDENSEDbutton once or twice to cancel the mode.The beeper sounds twice to indicate thatthe condensed mode is canceled. Refer to3-19.

If your application program is capable ofsending control codes, you can cancel thecondensed mode by sending the DC2 codeto the printer. Refer to 9-24.

7-8 Troubleshooting

Printing

Problem SolutionThe font selected bySelecType is notprinted.

The print position isnot what youexpected.

Printing starts toohigh or too low onthe page.

Line spacing isincorrect.

The software may not be properlyinstalled for your printer. Use theprogram’s setup (or install) procedure tocheck the printer settings and reset asneeded.

Your software may be overriding yourSelecType setting. If your program allowsyou to change the printing style, softwarecontrol will override the SelecTypesettings. Make sure that the printingcommands used in the software arecorrect, then try printing again.

The loading position may be incorrect. Usemicro-adjustment to adjust the loadingposition. Refer to 3-12. If the problempersists, check the top margin set by yourapplication software and adjust it.

Line spacing is too tight or too far apart. Ifyour application program is capable ofsending control codes, specify the linespacing using ESC 0, ESC 1, ESC 2, ESC 3or ESC A. Refer to 9-15, 9-16.

Troubleshooting 7-9

Printing

Problem SolutionThe printed positionis not what youexpected (continued).

One line of printinghas taken up twolines.

All the text isprinted on the sameline.

The text is printedwith an extra blankline in between.

The margins may not be set correctly. Ifyour application program is capable ofsending control codes, set the left andright margins using ESC 1 or ESC Q. Referto 9-19.

In BASIC, enter either of the followingstatements:

WIDTH LPRINT 255orWIDTH “LPT1:“, 255

If the printer still does not print properly.set the right margin to the maximumsetting using ESC Q.

A line feed signal is not being sent at theend of each line. Set DIP switch 2-4 toON so that the printer automatically addsa line feed code to each carriage return.Refer to 3-8.

Two line feed signals are being sent. SetDIP switch 2-4 to OFF.

7-10 Troubleshooting

Printing

Problem SolutionThe number of linesprinted does notmatch the length ofthe paper.

Regular gaps occurin the printout.

Skip over perforationis set, but theperforation does notfall in the center ofthe skip.

The page length may be set incorrectly.Change the page length setting with DIPswitch 2-1. Refer to 3-9. If your programallows you to send control codes to theprinter, specify page size by sendingESC C or ESC C 0. If this does not resolvethe problem, check the page length set byyour application software and adjust it ifnecessary.

If you are using the cut sheet feeder, theself test function prints the number ofprintable lines that can fit on a singlesheet. Use this feature to determine thecorrect page length setting. Refer to 5-9.

One inch skip over perforation may be set.Set DIP switch 2-3 to OFF. If yourprogram allows you to use control codes,use ESC 0 to cancel skip over perforation.Refer to 3-10.

The page length for continuous paper maybe set incorrectly. Make sure the setting ofDIP switch 2-1 matches your paper length.Refer to 3-9. If your program allows youto use control codes, you can also useESC C or ESC C 0 command to set thepage length. Refer to 9-13.

Troubleshooting 7-11

Printing

Problem SolutionThe printed positionis not what youexpected (continued).

Vertical printedlines do not align.

The loading position of the paper may betoo high or too low. Use the micro-adjustment feature to reset the loadingposition so that the perforation is centeredwithin the skip area. Refer to 3-12.

Your application program may be settingthe top and bottom margins. If this is thecase, turn off skip over perforation bysetting DIP switch 2-3 to OFF. Refer to3-10.

The printer may be set for bidirectionalprinting. This can cause a slightmisalignment of graphics characters. Whenprecise printing of vertical lines isnecessary, select the unidirectional printmode by sending ESC U or ESC < to theprinter. Refer to 9-9, 9-10. Unidirectionalprinting is somewhat slower.


Printing

Note: You can also use the data dump mode to find the causeof communication problems between the printer and yourapplication programs. In data dump mode, an exact printout ofthe codes reaching the printer is produced. See the section onthe data dump mode in Chapter 3.

If the printer still does not print, try the self test described inChapter 1. If the self test works properly, the printer is all right,and the problem probably lies in the computer, the software or thecable. If the self test does not work, contact your Epson dealer.


Paper Handling

The following section guides you through problems in handlingsingle sheets and continuous paper. If you are having problemsusing the optional cut sheet feeder, pull tractor, or roll paperholder, refer to the section on Options starting on 7-22.

Problem SolutionSingle sheets do notfeed properly.

When theL O A D / E J E C T buttonis pressed, theplaten does notrotate and paperdoes not feed.

When theL O A D / E J E C T buttonis pressed, theplaten rotates butpaper does not feed.

You may be trying to feed paper while theprinter is on line (ON LINE light is on).Press the ON LINE button once to set theprinter off line; then feed the paper. Afterfeeding the paper, press the ON LINEbutton again to set the printer on line.Refer to 3-3.

The paper may be set too far to the right,so that the paper detector cannot sense it.Move the paper a little to the left. ThePAPER OUT light should go off.

The paper release lever may be pulledforward to the continuous paper position.Push the paper release lever back to thesingle sheet position. Refer to 2-2.

The left and right edge guides may be tooclose together, preventing the paper fromfeeding smoothly. Adjust the position ofthe edge guides so that the paper canmove up and down freely. Refer to 2-4.


Paper Handling

Problem Solution

The paper feed is _crooked or the paperjams.

The paper does notf u l l y e j e c t .

The paper may not be inserted firmlyenough: When feeding thicker than normalpaper, such as envelopes, press downlightly on the top of the envelope whilepressing the LOAD/EJECT button.

The cut sheet feeder mode may be turnedon (DIP switch 2-2 is on). When the cutsheet feeder is not in use, DIP switch 2-2should always be off. Refer to 3-7.

The edge guides may be too far apart.Adjust the edge guides to the width of thepaper. Refer to 2-4.

The dimensions of the paper may exceedthe specified limitations. Use only papersizes that are within the specified range.Multi-part forms cannot be used with thisprinter’s single-sheet feeding system.Refer to 2-25, 8-4.

The paper guide may not be attached, or itmay not be in the correct position. Whenprinting on single sheets, use the paperguide in its upright position.Refer to 2-2.

You may be trying to eject the paper usingthe FORM FEED button. The paper may notbe fully ejected if you use the FORM FEEDbutton. Always press the LOAD/EJECTbutton to eject the paper.

The page length setting may be wrong. Ifthe page length is incorrectly set by yoursoftware, the paper may not fully eject.Check your software settings.


Paper Handling

Problem SolutionContinuous paperdoes not feedproperly.


When theLOAD/EJECT buttonis pressed, theplaten rotates butpaper does not feed.

The paper feed iscrooked or the paperjams.

You may be trying to feed paper while theprinter is on line (ON LINE light on). Pressthe ON LINE button once to set the printeroff line, then try feeding paper. Afterfeeding paper, press the ON LINE buttonagain to set the printer on line. Refer to3-3.

The paper release lever may be pushedback to the single sheet position. Whenusing the tractor, be sure the paper releaselever is pulled forward to the continuouspaper position. Refer to 2-8.

Continuous paper may have been in thepaper path. (In this case, the paper feedsbackward to the standby position.) Pressthe LOAD/EJECT button again to load thepaper.

The paper supply may be obstructed by acable or some other object. Make sure thatthe paper feeds smoothly into the printer.Refer to 2-7.

Your supply of continuous paper may betoo far from the printer. Position yourpaper supply within 3 feet (1 meter) of theprinter.


Paper Handling

Problem SolutionThe position of your paper supply may bepreventing it from feeding straight. Referto 2-7.

The paper may be caught on the edgeguides. When using continuous paper,make sure that the paper guide is installedover the paper and that the edge guidesare positioned at the center of the paper’swidth. Refer to 2-13.

The holes on the sides of the paper maynot be aligned with each other. Repositionthe paper on the tractor pins. Refer to2-11.

The sprocket units are incorrectlypositioned for the paper width. Move theright sprocket unit to remove any slackacross the width of the paper. Refer to2-12.

The sprocket lock levers may be unlocked,or the sprocket covers may be open.Position the sprocket units to match thewidth of your paper. Then lock them inplace by pressing the sprocket lock leversaway from you. Refer to 2-12.

The paper thickness lever may be in thewrong position. For printing on ordinarypaper, always set the lever to position 2.Refer to 2-22.


Paper Handling

Problem SolutionContinuous paperdoes not feedproperly (continued).

Regular gaps occurin the printout.

Skip over perforationdoes not function.

Skip over perforationis set, but theperforation does notfall in the center ofthe skip.

The paper dimensions may exceed thespecified limits. Use only paper sizes thatare within the specified range. Yourprinter can print on continuous multi-partforms consisting of 1 original and 2 copies.Refer to 2-25, 8-4.

Skip over perforation may be interferingwith your application program settings. SetDIP switch 2-3 to OFF. If your programallows you to use control codes, you caninstead use ESC 0 to cancel skip overperforation. Refer to 3-10, 9-14.

You may not have turned off the powerafter setting DIP switch 2-3 to ON. Tomake new DIP switch settings effective,turn the power off, then on again. Refer to3-6.

The page length for one page ofcontinuous paper may be set incorrectly.Set DIP switch 2-1 or use control codesESC C or ESC C 0 to set the page lengthcorrectly.


Paper Handling

Problem SolutionThe loading position of the paper may betoo high or too low. Use the micro-adjustment feature to reset the loadingposition.

The loading positionof the paper shiftsslightly whileprinting severalpages.

After printing stops,the paperautomatically feedsforward.

The short tear-off You may not have turned off the powerfunction is selected after changing the DIP switch setting. To(DIP switch 1-4 to make new DIP switch settings effective,OFF) but it does not turn the power off, then on again. Refer towork. 3-6.

-

The paper you are trying to feed may betoo heavy for the built-in push tractor.When highly accurate paper feeding isnecessary, such as when printing carboncopies, use the optional pull tractor.

The short tear-off function may beselected. When you resume printing, thepaper feeds backward to its loadingposition. If you do not need this function,set DIP switch 1-4 to ON. Refer to 3-15.

There may still be data in the print buffer.The short tear-off function works only ifthe data in the print buffer is completelyprinted and the next print position is atthe top of the next page. Your programmay not be sending a form feed commandto the printer. At the end of your programor the page, send a form feed (FF). If youare using BASIC, be sure to add asemicolon (;) after the FF code to preventany unrelated codes from being sent to theprinter. Refer to 3-15, 9-13.


Paper Handling

Problem SolutionContinuous paperdoes not feedproperly (continued).

When theL O A D / E J E C T buttonis pressed to ejectthe paper, the paperdoes not filly ejector it jams.

Switching betweencontinuous paperand single sheetscannot be performedproperly.

When theL O A D / E J E C T buttonis pressed to load asingle sheet from thepaper guide, theplaten rotates inreverse, the singlesheet does not load,and the continuouspaper comes off thesprockets.

You may have tried to reverse-feed toomany pages. Before ejecting the paper,always tear off the last printed page.Refer to 2-15.

You may be trying to eject labels. Labelsjam when they are fed backward, soalways use the FORM FEED button to ejectlabels. Refer to 2-26.

Push the paper release lever back to thesingle sheet position, reattach thecontinuous paper, then press theLOAD/EJECT button.


Paper Handling

Problem SolutionEven with the paperrelease lever setcorrectly to thesingle sheet position,the single sheet andcontinuous paperfeed together andjam.

When theL O A D / E J E C T buttonis pressed to loadcontinuous paper,the platen does notrotate and paper isnot loaded.

The paper releaselever is correctlyswitched to thecontinuous paperposition, but whent h e L O A D / E J E C Tbutton is pressed,the platen rotatesbackward and thepaper comes off thesprockets.

When the paperrelease lever positionis changed, thepr inter beepscontinuously.

The continuous paper may not have fedbackward far enough to reach the standbyposition before you changed the positionof the paper release lever. Remove thejammed paper and try again. Also, checkthat the PAPER OUT light comes on beforechanging the position of the paper releaselever to make sure that the continuouspaper is completely ejected. Refer to 2-15.

The paper release lever may not be in theproper position. Pull the lever forward tothe continuous paper position.Refer to 2-20.

A single sheet may be in the paper guide,causing the continuous paper to come offthe sprockets. When using continuouspaper, always make sure to remove anysingle sheets remaining in the paper guide,and make sure that the paper guide is inthe lowered position. Refer to 2-20.

You may have changed the paper releaselever position with paper in the paperpath. Remove the paper from the paperpath or return the paper release lever tothe previous position. Refer to 2-17, 2-20.


Options

Problem SolutionUsing the cut sheetfeeder, paper doesnot feed properly.


After a printcommand is sentfrom the computer,the platen does notrotate and the paperdoes not feed.

When a printcommand is sentfrom the computer,the platen rotatesbut paper does notfeed.

You may be trying to feed paper while theprinter is on line. Always put the printeroff line before feeding paper. Paper feedsautomatically when the cut sheet feederreceives a print command from thecomputer (only while the printer is online). Refer to 5-12.

The printer may be off line. Press the ONLINE button to put the printer on line.Refer to 3-3.

The cut sheet feeder (CSF) mode may beoff. Set DIP switch 2-2 to ON. If yourprogram allows you to use control codes,use ESC EM4 to set the CSF mode. Referto 5-5, 9-11.

DIP switch 2-2 may be set to OFF. DIPswitch 2-2 must be set to ON in order touse the cut sheet feeder. Refer to 3-7, 5-5.

The cut sheet feeder may be incorrectlyinstalled on the printer. Remove andreinstall the cut sheet feeder, making surethat the mounting notches are properlymated with the pins on the printer. Referto 5-2.


Options

Problem SolutionThe cut sheet feeder may be out of paper.Load more paper in the cut sheet feeder’sbin. Refer to 5-7.

The paper release lever may be forward tothe continuous paper position. Push thelever back to the single sheet position.Refer to 5-3.

The paper set levers may be pulledforward. After loading a stack of paperinto the cut sheet feeder, push the paperset levers backward. Refer to 5-8.

The left and right paper guides may be tooclose together, preventing smooth paperfeeding. Adjust the position of the paperguides so that the paper can move up anddown freely. Refer to 5-8.

Paper may be jammed near the print head.Remove the jammed paper (temporarilyremove the cut sheet feeder if necessary).

You may have loaded too many sheets inthe cut sheet feeder’s bin. Remove some ofthe sheets. Refer to 8-13.

There may be only one sheet left in thebin. (The last sheet in the bin usually doesnot feed.) Add more paper. Refer to 5-7.


Options

Problem SolutionUsing the cut sheetfeeder (continued).

Two or more sheetsfeed at the sametime.

The paper feed iscrooked.

You may have loaded too many sheets inthe cut sheet feeder’s bin. Remove some ofthe sheets. Refer to 8-13.

You may have forgotten to fan the stackof paper before loading it into the bin.Remove the paper and fan it. Then alignthe edges of the stack. Refer to 5-7.

The paper may be old or creased. Use onlynew, clean sheets of paper.

The left and right paper guides may be toofar apart. Adjust the paper guides to thewidth of the paper. Refer to 5-8.

There may be too much paper in thestacker. Never let more than 80 sheets ofpaper accumulate in the stacker. Refer to8-13.

The weight of your paper may be tooheavy or too light for the cut sheet feeder.Refer to the specifications on page 8-14and make sure that your paper is theproper size and quality.


Options

Problem SolutionYou tried tomanually insert asingle sheet, butinstead paper wasfed from the cutsheet feeder’s bin.

One page ofprinting has spreadto two pages.

The single sheet may have been inserted inthe wrong place. Check the position of thepaper and try again. Refer to 5-14.

Your document may be more than onepage long. If so, the first page can be fedmanually, but subsequent pages will feedfrom the cut sheet feeder bin. If you needto print more than one page using manualfeeding, pull the paper set lever forward.

The page length setting may be wrong.Run a self test in CSF mode. The printerwill automatically measure the paperloaded and set the correct page length.Refer to 5-9.


Options

Problem SolutionUsing the pull tractorwith the push tractor,continuous paperdoes not feedproperly.

W h e n t h e F O R MF E E D o r L I N E F E E Dbutton is pressed,platen does notrotate and paperdoes not feed.

The printer may be on line. Before usingthe control panel buttons to feed paper,always put the printer off line (ON LINElight is out.)

Paper feed is crookedor the paper jams.

Something may be obstructing the paperfeed. Make sure that the paper can feedsmoothly into the printer.

The supply of paper may be too far fromthe printer. Position the paper supply sothat it is no more than 3 feet (1 meter)from the printer.

The paper may be caught on the edgeguides. When using continuous paper,make sure that the paper guide is loweredover the paper and that the edge guidesare positioned at the center of the paper’swidth. Refer to 5-25.

The pull tractor and push tractor sprocketsare not aligned correctly. When using bothtractors, be sure that the sprockets on bothare positioned evenly.


Options

Problem Solution

Several lines ofspace occur in theprintout.

Skip over perforationis set, but does notwork.

Skip over perforationis set, but the skiphas shifted from theperforation, or theperforation does notfall in the center ofthe skip.

The paper may have too much slack.Adjust the position of the sprockets totake up any slack along the width of thepaper. Remove slack lengthwise bypressing in and rotating the pull tractorfeed knob on the right. Refer to 5-23.

The paper thickness lever may not be setcorrectly. Set the paper thickness lever tomatch the thickness of your paper. Referto 2-22.

The paper may not meet the specifications.Check that your paper is of the propersize, weight, and thickness. Refer to 8-3.

Skip over perforation may be set. Set DIPswitch 2-3 to OFF.

You may have changed the DIP switcheswith the power on. To make new DIPswitch settings effective, turn the poweroff, then on again.

The page length for one page of thecontinuous paper may be set incorrectly.Set DIP switch 2-1 or use control codesESC C or ESC C 0 to set the correct pagelength. Refer to 3-10, or 9-13.

The loading position of the paper may betoo high or too low. Use the micro-adjustment feature to reset the loadingposition. Refer to 3-12.


Options

Problem SolutionUsing the pull tractorwith the push tractor(continued).

When the printingends, the paper feedsabruptly, and as itresumes printing,the paper feedsbackward and comesoff the pull tractorsprockets.

When theL O A D / E J E C T buttonis pressed to ejectthe paper, the papercomes off the pulltractor sprockets.

The short tear-off function may beselected. The short tear-off functioncannot be used with the pull tractor, so besure to set DIP switch 1-4 to ON.

When the paper release lever is in thecontinuous paper position, the paper feedsbackward to eject. When using the pulltractor, press the FORM FEED button tofeed the paper forward.


Options

Problem SolutionUsing the roll paperholder, paper doesnot feed properly.


When theL O A D / E J E C T buttonis pressed, theplaten rotates butpaper does not feed.

The paper feed iscrooked or the paperjams.

You may be trying to feed paper while theprinter is on line (ON LINE light is on).Press the ON LINE button once to set theprinter off line; then feed the paper. Afterfeeding the paper, press the ON LINEbutton again to set the printer on line.Refer to 3-3.

The paper release lever may be pulledforward to the continuous paper position.Push the paper release lever back to thesingle sheet position. Refer to 5-31.

The position of the roll paper may bewrong. Position the paper roll so that thepaper feeds off of the bottom of the roll.Refer to 5-33.

The roll paper holder may not be installedcorrectly. Check that the holes in the basefit onto the two corresponding pegs at thebottom of the printer. Refer to 5-30.

The shaft with the paper roll may not beproperly mounted on the roll paper holder.Make sure the shaft fits securely onto theroll paper holder. Refer to 5-33.


Options

Problem SolutionUsing the roll paperholder (continued).

The position of the roll paper may bewrong. The roll should be oriented so thatpaper feeds from the bottom. Refer to5-33.

The paper may be caught on the edgeguides. Make sure that the paper guide isinstalled over the paper and that the edgeguides are positioned at the center of thepaper’s width. Refer to 5-34.

The paper guide may be in the uprightposition. Make sure that the paper guide isin the lowered position so it can act as apaper separator. Refer to 5-34.

The paper may be creased. Make sure theleading edge of the roll paper has a clean,straight edge. Refer to 5-32.

The roll paper may not meet thespecifications. Be sure to use only papersizes or weights that are within thespecified range. Refer to 8-5.


Options

Problem SolutionUsing an optionalinterface, the printerdoes not operateproperly.

The printer does notprint or the printoutis not what youexpected.

The interface board may be loose or notproperly connected. Check that theinterface board is correctly inserted intothe connector on the main board. Refer to5-45, 5-47.

You may not be using the correctinterface. Check the specifications to makesure that you can use the interface withthis printer. Refer to 5-37.

You may not be using the correct cable.Make sure that the cable matches thespecifications of the interface.

The DIP switches or jumpers on theinterface board may not be set correctly.Refer to the interface manual for thecorrect settings.

The computer and interface settings maynot match. Match the settings for eachcondition.


Chapter 8Technical Specification

Printer Specifications..... ............................................................ 8-2Printing................................................................................... 8-2Paper ...................................................................................... 8-3

Mechanical... .......................................................................... 8-7Electrical ................................................................................ 8-7Environment. ......................................................................... 8-8

Interface Specifications... .......................................................... 8-9Pin assignments for the parallel interface....... ...................... 8-9Interface timing... .................................................................... 8-11Printing enabled/disabled signals and control conditions..... ....................................................... 8-12

Option Specifications.................................................................. 8-13Single-bin cut sheet feeder.................................................... 8-13

Initialization.. .............................................................................. 8-15

Default settings... .................................................................... 8-15

Technical Specification 8-1

Printer Specifications

Printing

Print method:

Print speed:

9-pin impact dot matrix

Quality

High-speed draft

Normal draft

NLQ

Character per inch Character/second/line

1O 200

10 150

12 180

10 25

12 30

Printing direction :Bidirectional logic-seeking for textprinting. Unidirectional for graphics (canalso be switched to bidirectional by usingthe proper software command).

Line spacing:

Paper feed speed:

1/6 or 1/8 inch, or programmable inincrements of 1/216th of an inch.

Approx. 75 ms/line at 1/6-inch linespacing during continuous feeding.Approx. 95 ms/line at 1/6-inch linespacing during intermittent feeding.

Printable columns:

Character sizes

10 cpi

10 cpi condensed

Maximum printed characters

80

137

1 12 cpi

E-cii condensed 1 160 I

8-2 Technical Specification


Input buffer:

Character fonts:

4K byte

FontAvailable sizes

(Character per inch)

Epson High-speed draft 10

Epson Draft 10, 12

Epson NLQ Roman 10, 12

Epson NLQ Sans Serif 10, 12

Characters: 96 standard ASCII character set (includingitalic characters)13 international character sets (includingitalic characters)Epson Extended Graphics character set

Paper

Paper width and length:

Paper

Single sheet Width:Length:

Width and length

182 to 257 mm (7.2 to 10.1”)182 to 364 mm (7.2 to 14.3”)

Continuous paper

Roll paper

Envelope

Labels

Width:

Width:Diameter:

No.6No.10

101 to 254 mm (4.0 to 10.0”)

216 ± 3 mm (8.5 ± 0.12”)127 mm (5.0”) maximum

166 X 92 mm (6.5 X 3.6”)240 X 104 mm (9.4 X 4.1”)

63.5 X 23.8 mm (2.5 X 0.94”)minimum



Printable area: Single sheet

8.5 mm (0.33") or more,,)3 mm (0.12

or more3 mm (0.

‘or more

13.5 mm (0.53") or more

Continuous paper

12")

9 mm (0.35")

13 mm (0.15”) or more (both sides) when the 101 mm to242 mm (4 to 9.5") width paper is used. 26 mm (1.02")or more (left side) and 24 mm (0.94") or more (right side)when the 254 mm (1O”) width paper is used.



Roll paper

50 mm (1.97") or more

or more3 mm (0.12’)

I L-I_ --II,

3 mm (O.12)

-3 mm (0.12”)or more

60 mm (2.36") or more

Envelope

8 .5 mm (0 .33”)t7r more

1,LT or more

22 mm (0 .87”)

or more

l Envelope printing is only available at normal temperature.l Keep the longer side of the envelope horizontally at setting.l Align the left edge of the envelope to the guide mark of the

paper guide.



Paper weight: Single sheet:

Continuous paper:

Multi-part forms:

Roll paper:

Envelope:

Paper thickness: Single sheet:

Continuous paper:

Roll paper:

Envelope:

Label:

14 lb to 24 lb(52 g/m2 to 90 g/m2)14 lb to 22 lb(52 g/m2 to 82 g/m2)[12 lb to 15 lb] X N([45 g/m2 to 58 g/m2]X N)Ns314 lb to 17 lb(52 g/m2 to 64 g/m2)12 lb to 24 lb(45 g/m2 to 90 g/m2)

0.065 to 0.140 mm(0.0025 to 0.0055")0.065 to 0.250 mm(0.0025 to 0.0098")0.070 to 0.090 mm(0.0028 to 0.0035")0.160 to 0.520 mm(0.0063 to 0.0197")0.160 to 0.190 mm(0.0063 to 0.0075")including the basesheet

Copy capacity: Up to 3 sheets including the original. Totalthickness must not exceed 0.25 mm(0.0098").

l 24 lb paper printing is only available at normal temperature.

l Label with a pressure sensitive paper jointed by dotted orpasting and its total thickness is less than or equal to 0.3 mm(0.0118") can be printed out under the condition of 5°C to35°C and 10% to 80% RH.



Mechanical

Paper feedingmethods:

Ribbon:

MCBF:

MTBF:

Print head life:

Dimensionsand weight:

Electrical

Voltage:

Power consumption:

Frequency:

FrictionPush tractorCut sheet feeder (optional)Pull tractor (optional)Roll paper holder (optional)

Cartridge ribbon, available in black:#8750Life expectancy at 14 dots/character:3 million characters

For all components excluding print head:3 million lines

4000 power-on hours (duty 25%)

200 million strokes/wire

Height: 141 mmWidth: 418 mm (excluding platen knob)Depth: 339 mmWeight: approx. 5.8 kg

120 VAC ± 10% (120 V model)220 VAC ± 10% (220 V model)240 VAC ± 10% (240 V model)

28 W (self test printing: draft mode)

50.0 ± 0.5 Hz, 60.0 ± 0.5 Hz

Insulation resistance: 10M ohms between AC power line andchassis



Dielectric strength(between AC line andchassis):

Environment

Temperature:

Humidity:

Shock:

Vibration:

Operation angle:

120 V model can withstand 1.00 kV rmsapplied for one minute.220/240 V model can withstand 1.25 kVrms applied for one minute.

Operation:Storage:

Operation:

Storage:

Operation:Storage:

Operation:

Storage:

+5°C to +35°c-30°C to +6O°C

10% to 80%(without condensation)5% to 85%(without condensation)

Up to 1 G within 1msUp to 2 G within 1ms

Up to 0.25 G at up to55HzUp to 0.50 G at up to55Hz

Less than 15" (without cut sheet feeder)0° (with cut sheet feeder)


Interface Specifications

Your printer is equipped with an 8-bit parallel interface. Forspecifications on optional interfaces, refer to their manuals.

Pin assignments for the parallel interfaceConnector pin assignments and a description of their respectiveinterface signals are shown in the following table.



l The column heading “Direction” refer to the direction of signalflow as viewed from the printer.

. “Return” denotes the twisted-pair return, to be connected atsignal ground level. For the interface wiring, be sure to use atwisted-pair cable for each signal and to complete theconnection on the return side. These cables should be shieldedand connected to the chassis of the host computer and theprinter.

l All interface conditions are based on TTL level. Both the riseand the fall times of each signal must be less than 0.2microseconds.

l Data transfer must be carried out by observing the ACKNLGor BUSY signal. Data transfer to this printer can be carried outonly after receipt of the ACKNLG signal or when the level ofthe BUSY signal is LOW.

Interface timingThe figure below shows the timing for the parallel interface.



Printing enabled/disabled signals and control conditionsThe table below shows the relationship between printing beingenabled or disabled, the on line/off line status, and the receipt ofthe data on/off control characters, DC1 or DC3.

* While printing is disabled, character data is being received andacknowledged so that the printer can look for another DC1character, which would allow it to resume printing.


Option Specifications

Single-bin cut sheet feeder (optional)

Dimensionsand weight:

Bin capacity:

Stacker capacity: Single sheet:

MCBF:

Environmentalcondition:

444 mm (W) x 434 mm (D) x 423 mm (H)(mounted on the printer)Approx. 1.1 kg

Single sheet: Up to 100 sheets of90 g/m2 (24 lb) paperUp to 150 sheets of82 g/m2 (22 lb) paperUp to 185 sheets of64 g/m2 (17 lb) paper

(Total thickness should not exceed 15 mm)

Up to 55 sheets of90 g/m2 (24 lb) paperUp to 80 sheets of82 g/m2 (22 lb) paperUp to 100 sheets of64 g/m2 (17 lb) paper

100,000 cycles

TemperatureOperation: +5°C to +35°cStorage: -30°C to +6O°C

HumidityOperation: 15% to 80%

(without condensation)Storage: 5% to 85%

(without condensation)


Option Specifications

Paper:

Storage conditionof paper:

Printable area:

Width:

Length:

Thickness:

Weight:

182 to 216 mm(7.17 to 8.50”)257 to 364 mm(10.12 to 14.30”)0.07 to 0.14 mm(0.0028 to 0.0055”)64 g/m2 to 90 g/m2

(17 lb to 24 lb)

Temperature: +18°C to +22°CHumidity: 40% to 60%

8.5 mm (0.33") or more

3 mm (O.12")-or more

3 m m ( 0 . 1 2 ’ )-or more

13 .5 mm (0.53") or more


Initialization

There are two ways that the printer can be initialized (returned tothe default settings) through the hardware and one through thesoftware. These are described in the following table:

Hardware initialization

Software initialization

. The power is turned on.

. The printer receives an INIT signal at the paral-lel interface (pin 31 goes LOW).

. The software sends the ESC @ (initialize theprinter) command.

Default settingsThe table below shows the default conditions that become validwhen the printer is initialized.

Item Reset to:

Top of form position Current paper position

Left and right margins Cancelled

Line spacing 1/6-inch line spacing

Vertical tab position Cleared

Horizontal tab positions Every eight characters

VFU channel Channel 0

Font selection The current SelecType setting

Condensed mode The current SelecType setting

Character spacing The current DIP switch setting

Justification Left justification

Special printing effects Cancelled

Graphic mode assignment E S C K = E S C * O , E S C L = E S C * 1 ,ESC Y = ESC *2, ESC Z = ESC * 3


Initialization

Also, the data buffer is cleared when the printer is initialized byturning on the power or by an INIT signal.

Note: The user-defined character set is not cleared when theprinter is initialized with the software command (ESC @).


Chapter 9Command Summary

Using the Command Summary...... ........................................... 9-2Control key chart.... ................................................................. 9-4

Commands in Numerical Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5

Commands Arranged by Topic...... ........................................... 9-8Printer operation... .................................................................. 9-8Data control.... ....................................................................... 9-12Vertical motion...... .................................................................. 9-13Horizontal motion....... ............................................................. 9-19Overall printing style....... ......................................................... 9-22Print size and character width.................................................. 9-23Print enhancement.... ............................................................... 9-26Word processing.... ................................................................ 9-30Character tables...................................................................... 9-31User-defined characters......................................................... 9-32Graphics ............................................................................... 9-34

Command Summary 9-1

Using the Command Summary

This chapter lists and describes all the commands available on theprinter.

The first part of this chapter lists all commands in numerical orderand gives the number of the page where each is fully described. Ifyou know which command you are looking for, consult thenumerical list.

Note: The Quick Reference card at the end of the book alsocontains a list of the commands divided by topic, with page

‘number references that direct you to full explanations of thecommands.

The second part of this chapter lists and describes each commandseparately; the commands are divided into the following subjects:

Printer operationData controlVertical motionHorizontal motionOverall printing stylePrint size and character widthPrint enhancementWord processingCharacter setsUser-defined charactersGraphics

Each command description has a format section and a commentsection. The format section gives the ASCII, decimal, andhexadecimal values for the command. These three formats areequivalent, and it should be easy to pick the one most suited toyour purpose. The comment section describes the effect of thecommand and gives any additional information necessary for usingit

9-2 Command Summary


Note: Some application programs can use control key sequences.See the Control key chart on page 9-4 for information on using

The simplest type of command consists of a single character to besent to the printer. For instance, to print in condensed mode thecode format is:

ASCII code: SIDecimal: 15Hexadecimal : OF

This code can be sent from a program by sending the code 15directly.

More complex commands consist of two or more character codes.For example, to print in double-wide mode the code format is thefollowing:

ASCII code: ESC W nDecimal: 27 87 nH e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 57 n

In this case n can be either 1 or 0, to begin or end double-wideprinting. You can use either of the following commands to turnON double-wide print from BASIC:

LPRINT CHR$(27);CHR$(87);CHR$(l)LPRINT CHR$(27);"W";CHR$(l)

For the following commands that use only 0 or 1 for the variable,either the decimal or hexadecimal values 1 and 0 or the ASCIIcharacters 1 and 0 can be used:

ESC U, ESC x, ESC W, ESC S, ESC s, ESC -, and ESC %

Command Summary 9-3


For example, in BASIC you can select the draft mode with eitherof these statements:

LPRINT CHR$(27);"x";CHR$(0)LPRINT CHR$(27);"x";"0"

Control key chartSome application programs use control key codes for decimalvalues O-27. The table below gives you the proper values. TheControl Key column indicates that you press the control key at thesame time you press the key for the letter or symbol in thecolumn. For example, you press the control key and A at the sametime to send the value 1.

Some application programs that use this system cannot use control-@, and many programs use the control keys for other purposes.

Dec.

01

:456789

10111213

Hex.

000102030405060708090A-0B0C0D

Ctrl. Key

7

:DE

LH

I

;:LM

Dec. Hex. Ctrl. Key

14 0E15 OF16 1017 1118 1219 1320 1421 1522 1623 1724 1825 1926 1A27 1B

EFlRSTUvWXYZ[

9-4 Command Summary

Commands in Numerical Order

The following list shows control codes and ESC sequences (withtheir decimal and hexadecimal values), and the page number wherethe complete command can be found.

ASCII Dec. Hex. Description Page

BEL 7BS 8HT 9LF 10VT 11FF 12CR 13SO 14

0708090A0B0C0D0E

SIDC1DC2DC3DC4

15 OF17 1118 1219 1320 14

CANDELESC SO

24 18127 7F14 0E

ESC SIESC EM

15 0F25 19

ESC ! 33 21ESC % 37 25ESC & 38 26

Beeper.. ................................................. 9-11Backspace ............................................. 9-20Tab Horizontally ................................. 9-21Line Feed.. ............................................ 9-15Tab Vertically.. .................................... 9-17Form Feed ............................................ 9-13Carriage Return ................................... 9-12Select Double-wide Mode(one line) .............................................. 9-25Select Condensed Mode .................... 9-24Select Printer.. ...................................... 9-8Cancel Condensed Mode ................... 9-24Deselect Printer ................................... 9-9Cancel Double-wide Mode(one line) .............................................. 9-25Cancel Line .......................................... 9-12Delete Character.. ................................ 9-12Select Double-wide Mode(one line). ............................................. 9-25Select Condensed Mode.. ................... 9-24Turn Cut Sheet Feeder ModeOn/Off.. ............................................... 9-11Master Select ....................................... 9-23Select User-defined Set ...................... 9-33Define User-defined Characters (draftmode). ................................................... 9-32Define User-defined Characters (NLQmode) .................................................... 9-33

Command Summary 9-5



ESC * 42 2AESC - 45 2DESC / 47 2FESC 0 48 30ESC 1 49 31ESC 2 50 32ESC 3 51 33ESC 4 52 34ESC 5 53 35ESC 6 54 36ESC 7 55 37ESC 8 56 38ESC 9 57 39ESC : 58 3AESC < 60 3C

ESC ? 63 3FESC @ 64 40ESC A 65 41ESC B 66 42ESC C 67 43ESC C 0 67 43ESC D 68 44ESC E 69 45ESC F 70 46ESC G 71 47ESC H 72 48ESC J 74 4AESC K 75 4B

ESC L 76 4C

ESC M 77 4DESC N 78 4EESC 0 79 4F

Select Graphics Mode .......................... 9-35Turn Underlining Mode On/Off.. ... 9-29Select Vertical Tab Channel .............. 9-18Select l/8-inch Line Spacing.. ........... 9-15Select 7/72-inch Line Spacing.. ......... 9-15Select l/6-inch Line Spacing.. ........... 9-16Set n/216-inch Line Spacing ............. 9-16Select Italic Mode.. .............................. 9-28Cancel Italic Mode .............................. 9-29Enable Printable Characters ............... 9-32Enable Upper Control Codes.. ........... 9-32Disable Paper Out Detection ............ 9-10Enable Paper Out Detection.. ............ 9-10Copy ROM to RAM .......................... 9-33Select Unidirectional Mode(one line) .............................................. 9 - 9Reassign Graphics Mode.. .................. 9-36Initialize Printer.. ................................. 9-8Set n/72-inch Line Spacing ............... 9-16Set Vertical Tabs.. ............................... 9-17Set Page Length in Lines.. .................. 9-13Set page length in Inches.. .................. 9-13Set Horizontal Tabs ............................ 9-21Select Emphasized Mode.. .................. 9-26Cancel Emphasized Mode .................. 9-26Select Double-Strike Mode.. .............. 9-27Cancel Double-Strike Mode .............. 9-27Perform n/216-inch Line Feed .......... 9-17Select Single-density GraphicsMode.. ................................................... 9-34Select Double-density GraphicsMode.. ................................................... 9-34Select 12 cpi.. ....................................... 9-23Set Skip Over Perforation.. ................. 9-14Cancel Skip Over Perforation.. ........... 9-14

9-6 Command Summary



ESC P 80 50ESC Q 81 51ESC R 82 52ESC S 0 83 53ESC S 1 83 53ESC T 84 54ESC U 85 55ESC W 87 57ESC Y 89 59

ESC Z 90 5A

ESC cL 94 5EESC a 97 61

ESC b 98 62ESC e 101 65ESC f 102 66ESC k 107 6BESC 1 108 6CESC s 115 73ESC t 116 74ESC x 120 78

Select 10 cpi.. ....................................... 9-23Set Right Margin.. ............................... 9-19Select an International Character Set 9-31Select Superscript Mode.. ................... 9-27Select Subscript Mode ........................ 9-28Cancel Superscript/Subscript Mode .... 9-28Turn Unidirectional Mode On/Off. ..9-10Turn Double-width Mode On/Off. ..9-26Select High-Speed Double-densityGraphics Mode .................................... 9-34Select Quadruple-density GraphicsMode.. ................................................... 9-35Select 9-pin Graphics Mode .............. 9 - 3 6Select Near Letter QualityJustification .......................................... 9 - 3 0Set Vertical Tabs in Channels ........... 9-18Set Tab Increments ............................. 9-20Horizontal/Vertical Skip .................... 9-21Select Typestyle Family.. .................... 9-22Set Left Margin ................................... 9-19Turn Half-Speed Mode ON/Off.. .... 9-9Select Character Table.. ...................... 9-31Select Near Letter Quality or Draft...9-22

Command Summary 9-7

Commands Arranged by Topic

The following lists and describes all the commands by topics. Seethe Quick Reference Card-at the end of this book for the list ofcommands by topic.

Printer Operation

ESC @ Initialize PrinterFormat:

ASCII code: ESC @Decimal: 27 64Hexadecimal: lb 40

Comments:Resets the printer mode and clears the current print linepreceding the command.

DC1 Select PrinterFormat:

ASCII code:Decimal:Hexadecimal:

Comments:

DC11711

Return the printer to the selected state if it has been deselectedby the printer deselect code (DC3). Does not select the printer ifit has been switched to off line by pressing the ON LINE button.

9-8 Command Summary


DC3Format:

Deselect Printer


Comments:

DC31913

Puts the printer into the deselected state until select printer code(DC1) is received. The printer cannot be reselected with the ONLINE button.

ESC sFormat:

Turn Half-speed Mode On/Off

ASCII code: ESC S nDecimal: 27 115 nH e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 73 n

Comments:The following values can be used for n.1: Mode is turned ON.0: Mode is turned OFF.

ESC <Format:

Select Unidirectional Mode (one line)

ASCII code: ESC <Decimal: 27 60H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 3C

Comments:Printing is normally bidirectional. This command selectsunidirectional printing for one line only. It is cancelled by acarriage return. The print head moves to the extreme left (home)position, and printing takes place from left to right.

Command Summary 9-9


ESC UFormat:

Turn Unidirectional Mode On/Off

ASCII code: ESC U n

Decimal: 27 85 n

H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 55 n

Comments:The following values can be used for n:1: Mode is turned ON.0: Mode is turned OFF.Text printing is normally bidirectional. This command selectsunidirectional printing for more accurate positioning.

ESC 8Format:

Disable Paper Out Detection

ASCII code: ESC 8

Decimal: 27 56

Hexadecimal 1B 38

Comments:Disables paper out detection. When disabled, the printer doesnot stop printing even when it runs out of paper.

ESC 9Format:

Enable Paper Out Detection

ASCII code: ESC 9

Decimal: 27 57

H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 39

Comments:Enables paper out detection. When paper out detection isenabled, the printer automatically stops printing when it runsout of paper.

9-10 Command Summary


ESC EM Turn Cut Sheet Feeder Mode On/OffFormat:

ASCII code: ESC EM nDecimal: 27 25 nH e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 19 n

Comments:The following values can be used for n:4: Mode is turned ON.0: Mode is turned OFF:The command should not be used unless the cut sheet feeder isinstalled. It is ignored if any value other than 0 or 4 is used forn.The ON/OFF status of cut sheet feeder mode can also beselected by DIP switch 2-2.

BELFormat:

Beeper

ASCII code: BELDecimal: 7Hexadecimal: 07

Comments:Sounds the printer’s beeper.

Command Summary 9-11


Data control

CRFormat:

Carriage Return

ASCII code: CRDecimal: 13H e x a d e c i m a l : 0 D

Comments:Prints the data in the buffer and returns the print position to theleft margin. A line feed may be added if DIP switch 2-4 is ONor the AUTO FEED XT line on the parallel interface is heldLOW.

CANFormat:

Cancel Line

ASCII code: CANDecimal: 24Hexadecimal: 18

Comments:Removes all text on the print line, but does not affect controlcodes.

DELFormat:

Delete Character

ASCII code: DELDecimal: 127Hexadecimal: 7F

Comments:Removes the last text character on the print line but does notaffect control codes.



Vertical motion

FFFormat:

Form Feed

ASCII code: FFDecimal: 12H e x a d e c i m a l : 0 C

Comments:Prints the data in the print buffer and advances the paper to thetop of the next form according to the current page length.

ESC CFormat:

Set Page length in Lines

ASCII code: ESC C nDecimal: 27 67 nH e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 43 n

Comments:Sets the page length to n lines in the current line spacing. Thevalue of n must be from 1-127. The top of form position is setto the current line. Overrides the DIP switch page length setting.

ESC C 0Format:

Set Page Length in inches

ASCII code: ESC C 0 nDecimal: 27 67 0 nH e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 43 00 n

Comments:Sets the page length to n inches. The value of n must be from1-22. The top of form position is set to the current line.Overrides the DIP switch page length setting.



ESC N Set Skip-over-perforationFormat:

ASCII code: ESC N nDecimal: 27 78 nH e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 4E n

Comments:The variable n is the number of lines skipped between the lastline printed on one page and the first line of the next page. Forexample, with the standard settings for line spacing (1/6-inch),and page length (66 lines), ESC N 6 cause the LX-810 to print60 lines and then skip 6. DIP switch 2-3 performs the samefunction. This setting is cancelled by ESC 0 and also by ESC Cor ESC C 0. The value of n must be from 1-127. Overrides theDIP switch 2-3 for the l-inch skip-over-perforation setting.

ESC O Cancel Skip-over-perforationFormat:

ASCII code: ESC ODecimal: 27 79H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 4F

Comments:Cancels the skip-over-perforation set by ESC N. Also, cancelsthe DIP switch 2-3 for the l-inch skip-over-perforation setting.



LF Line FeedFormat:

ASCII code: LFDecimal: 10H e x a d e c i m a l : 0 A

Comments:When this commands is received, the data in the print buffer isprinted and the paper advances one line in the current linespacing.

ESC 0Format:

Select l/B-inch Line Spacing

ASCII code: ESC 0Decimal: 27 48H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 30

Comments:Set the line spacing to l/8 of an inch for subsequent line feedcommands. The 0 is the character zero and not ASCII code 0.

ESC 1Format:

Select 7/72-inch Line Spacing


Comments:Sets the line spacing to 7/72 of an inch for subsequent line feedcommands. The 1 is the character one and not lower case L orASCII code 1.



ESC 2 Select 1/6-inch Line SpacingFormat:


Comments:Sets the line spacing to 1/6 of an inch for subsequent line feedcommands. The “2” is the character two and not ASCII code 2.This is the default at power on.

ESC 3Format:

Select n/216-inch Line Spacing

ASCII code: ESC 3 nDecimal: 27 51 nH e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 33 n

Comments:Sets the line spacing to n/216 of an inch for subsequent linefeed commands. The “3” is the character three and not ASCIIcode 3. This is the value of n must be from 0-255.

ESC AFormat:

Select n/72-inch Line Spacing

ASCII code: ESC A nDecimal: 27 65 nH e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 41 n

Comments:Sets the line spacing to n/72 of an inch for subsequent line feedcommands. The value of n must be from 0-85.



ESC I Perform n/216-inch Line FeedFormat:

ASCII code: ESC J nDecimal: 27 74 nH e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 4A n

Comments:Advances the paper n/216 of an inch. The value of n must befrom 0-255. this command produces an immediate line feed butdoes not affect subsequent line spacing and does not produce acarriage return.

VT Tab VerticallyFormat:

ASCII code: VTDecimal: 11H e x a d e c i m a l : 0 B

Comments:Advances the paper to the next tab setting. If no vertical tabshave been selected, the paper advances one line.

ESC BFormat:

Set Vertical Tabs

ASCII code: ESC B n1 n2 . . . . . 0Decimal: 27 66 n1 n2 . . . . . 0H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 4 2 n 1 n 2 . . . . . 0 0

Comments:Sets up to 16 vertical tabs in the current line spacing. Tabsettings are not affected by subsequent changes in line spacing.The tab settings are entered as n1, n2, etc., all from 1-255, inascending order. The 0 character indicates the end of thecommand. All settings are stored in channel 0 (see ESC b). ESCB0 clears the tab settings.



ESC bFormat:

Set Vertical Tabs in Channels

ASCII code: ESC b c n1 n2 . . . . . 0Decimal: 27 98 c n1 n2 . . . . . 0Hexadecimal: 1B 62 c n1 n2 . . . . . 00

Comments:Functions the same as ESC B, except that the variable c selects achannel for the vertical tabs, which must be between 0-7.Therefore, up to eight sets of vertical tabs can be set. Thechannels are selected by ESC /. To clear the tabs in channel cuse ESC b c 0.

ESC /Format:

Select Vertical Tab Channel

ASCII code: ESC / C

Decimal: 27 47 C

H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 2F C

Comments:This command is used to select the vertical tab channel, withthe value of c from 0-7. All subsequent VT commands use thechannel selected by this command.



Horizontal motion

ESC 1Format:

Set Left Margin

ASCII code: ESC 1 nDecimal: 27 108 nH e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 6C n

Comments:Sets the left margin to n columns in the current pitch. Thiscommand clears previous tab settings and all previous charactersin the print line. Use lowercase 1 (for left), not the numeral one.The minimum space between the margins is the width of onedouble-width 10 cpi character.

ESC QFormat:

Set Bight Margin

ASCII code: ESC Q nDecimal: 27 81 nH e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 51 n

Comments:Sets the right margin to n columns in the current size. Thiscommand clears previous tab settings and all previous charactersin the print line. The minimum space between the margins is thewidth of one double width 10 cpi character.



BSFormat:

Backspace

ASCII code: BSDecimal: 8Hexadecimal: 08

Comments:Prints out data in the print buffer, then moves the print positionone space to the left. Backspacing can be performed up to, butnot beyond, the left margin setting. The BS code is also ignoredif ESC a2, or a3 has been sent. If this code is receivedimmediately after graphics printing, the print position ofsubsequent data is moved back to the point at which graphicsprinting started.

ESC eFormat:

Set Tab Increments

ASCII code ESC e n S

Decimal: 27 101 n S

H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 65 n S

Comments:This command sets the horizontal or vertical tab increments.When n is 0, the horizontal tabs are set at intervals of s spaces.Maximum values are 21 in 10 cpi, 25 in 12 cpi and 36 incondensed text modes. When n is 1, the vertical tabs are set to sline feeds .



ESC fFormat:

Horizontal/Vertical Skip

ASCII code: ESC f n S

Decimal: 27 102 n S

H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 66 n S

Comments:Prints spaces or line feeds without carriage returns. When n is 0,s spaces will be inserted up to a maximum of 127. If n is set to1, s line feed will be performed.

HTFormat:

Tab Horizontally

ASCII code: HTDecimal: 9Hexadecimal: 09

Comments:Advances the print position to the next horizontal tab setting.

ESC DFormat:

Set Horizontal Tabs

ASCII code: ESC D n1 n2 . . . . . 0Decimal: 27 68 n1 n2 . . . . . 0Hexadecimal: 1B 44 nl n2 . . . . . 00

Comments:This command allows setting of up to 32 horizontal tabs, whichare entered as n1, n2, n3, etc (from 1-137) with the 0 characterterminating the command. ESC D 0 clears all tabs. The settingson power up or after anESC @ command are every eight characters. The tab settings donot change if the character size is changed.



Overall printing style

ESC x Select NLQ or Draft

ASCII code: ESC X n

Decimal: 27 120 n

H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 78 n

Comments:The following values can be used for n:0: Selects the draft mode.1: Selects the Near Letter Quality (NLQ) mode.

ESC k Select NLQ Font

ASCII code: ESC k nDecimal: 27 107 nH e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 6B n

Comments:This command affect only the Near Letter Quality typestyle, notdraft.The following values can be used for n:0 = Roman1= Sans Serif



ESC !Format:

Master Select

ASCII code: ESC ! n

Decimal: 27 33 nH e x a d e c i m a l : 1B 21 n

Comments:Select any valid combination of the following modes: 10 cpi, 12cpi, condensed, emphasized, double-strike, double-wide, italic,and underlined. For details on how to set n, see the section onselecting type styles with Master Select in Chapter 4.

Print size and character width

ESC PFormat:

Select 10 cpi

ASCII code: ESC PDecimal: 27 80H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 50

Comments:Selects 10 cpi (10 characters per inch). This command is normallyused to cancel 12 cpi.

ESC MFormat:

Select 12 cpi

ASCII code: ESC MDecimal: 27 77H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 4D

Comments:Select 12 cpi (12 characters per inch).



SIFormat:

Select Condensed Mode


Comments:

SI150F

Prints characters at about 60 percent of their normal width. Forexample, the condensed 10 cpi mode has 17 characters per inch.NLQ mode cannot be condensed, and NLQ will overridecondensed.

ESC SI Select Condensed ModeFormat:

ASCII code: ESC SIDecimal: 27 15H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 0F

Comments:Duplicates the SI command.

DC2 Cancel Condensed ModeFormat:

ASCII code: DC2Decimal: 18Hexadecimal: 12

Comments:Cancels condensed printing set by SI or ESC SI.



soFormat:

Select Double-wide Mode (one line)


Comments:

SO140E

Double-wide mode doubles the width of all characters. Thismode is cancelled by a carriage return or DC4.

ESC SOFormat:

Select Double-wide Mode (one line)

ASCII code: ESC SODecimal: 27 14H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 0E

Comments:Duplicates the SO command.

DC4Format:

Cancel Double-wide Mode (one line)

ASCII code: DC4Decimal: 20H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 4

Comments:Cancels one-line double-wide printing selected by SO orESC SO, but not double-wide mode selected by ESC W orESC !.



ESC W Turn Double-wide Mode On/OffFormat:

ASCII code: ESC W nDecimal: 27 87 nH e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 57 n

Comments:The following values can be used for n:1: The mode is turned ON.0: The mode is turned OFF.Double-wide mode doubles the width of all characters.

Print enhancement

ESC EFormat:

Select Emphasized Mode

ASCII code: ESC EDecimal: 27 69H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 45

Comments:Makes text bolder by printing each dot twice, with the second dotslightly to the right of the first.

ESC FFormat:

Cancel Emphasized Mode

ASCII code: ESC FDecimal: 27 70H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 46

Comments:Cancels emphasized, the mode selected by ESC E or ESC !.



ESC GFormat:

Select Double-strike Mode

ASCII code: ESCDecimal: 27H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B

Comments:

G7147

Makes text bolder by printing each line twice, with the secondprinting slightly below the first. In high-speed draft and NLQ,the mode is not available, but is not cancelled.

ESC HFormat:

Cancel Double-strike Mode

ASCII code: ESC HDecimal: 27 72H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 48

Comments:Turns off the double-strike mode selected by ESC G or ESC !.

ESC S 0Format:

Select Superscript Mode

ASCII code: ESC S 0

Decimal: 27 83 0H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 53 00

Comments:Prints characters about two-thirds of the normal height in theupper part of the character space.



ESC S 1Format:

Select Subscript Mode

ASCII code: ESC S 1Decimal: 27 83 1Hexadecimal: 1B 53 01

Comments:Prints characters about two-thirds of the normal height in thelower part of the character space.

ESC TFormat:

Cancel Superscript/Subscript

ASCII code: ESC TDecimal: 27 84H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 54

Comments:Cancels either superscript or subscript.

ESC 4Format:

Select Italic Mode


Comments:Causes characters from the italic character set to be printed. Thiscommand is valid even if the Epson Extended Graphics characterset has been selected by ESC t or the DIP switch 1-3, butcharacter graphics cannot be italicized.



ESC 5Format:

Cancel Italic Mode

ASCII code: ESC 5Decimal: 27 53Hexadecimal: 1B 35

Comments:Cancels the mode selected by ESC 4 or ESC !.

ESC -Format:

Turn Underlining Mode On/Off

ASCII code: ESC - nDecimal: 27 45 nH e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 2D n

Comments:The following values can be used for n:1: Mode is turned ON.0: Mode is turned OFF.This mode provides continuous underlining, including spaces.



Word processing

ESC aFormat:

NLQ Justification

ASCII code: ESC a nDecimal: 27 97 nH e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 61 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 performedwhen the buffer becomes full or when one of the following isreceived: CR, VT, LF, FF. The commands DEL, HT, BS, CAN,and ESC f 0 are invalid in n =3 mode. For n =3 there must beno carriage returns within a paragraph. Justification can be usedin NLQ only, not draft.



Character tables

ESC tFormat:

Select Character Table

ASCII code: ESC t nDecimal: 27 116 nH e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 74 n

Comments:Selects the character table used by codes 128-255. SelectingEpson Extended Graphics does not disable italic printing. Italicprinting can still be selected by ESC 4.

The following values can be used for n:0: Selects italics.1: Selects Epson Extended Graphics.

Duplicates the function of DIP switch 1-3. Note that the valueof n must equal 00 hex or 01 hex.

ESC R Select an International Character SetFormat:

ASCII code: ESC R nDecimal: 27 82 nH e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 52 n

Comments:The following values can be used for n:0=USA 5 = Sweden 9=Norway1= France 6 = Italy 10 = Denmark II2 = Germany 7=Spain I 11 = Spain II3=UK 8 = Japan 12=Latin America4 = Denmark I



ESC 6Format:

Printable Code Area Expansion

ASCII code: ESC 6Decimal: 27 54Hexadecimal: 1B 36

Comments:Enables the printing of codes 128 through 159 (decimal)as characters, not control codes. This allows the use of thesecharacters for user-defined characters. See the Appendix forcharacters printed.

ESC 7 Enable Upper Control CodesFormat:


Comments:This code caused codes 128 through 159 to be treated as controlcodes. This is the default.

User-defined characters

ESC &Format:

Define User-defined Characters (draft mode)

ASCII code: ESC & 0 n1 n2 a1 d1 d2 . . . . . dnDecimal: 27 38 0 n1 n2 a1 d1 d2 . . . . . dnHexadecimal: 1B 26 00 n1 n2 a1 d1 d2 . . . . . dn

Comments:This command allows characters to be redefined in ‘the draftmode. The variables n1 and n2 must be between 58 and 63 (3Athrough 3F hex).


ESC &Format:

Define User-defined Characters (NLQ mode)

ASCII code: ESC & 0 n1 n2 a0 a1 a2 d1 . . . . . dnDecimal: 27 38 0 n1 n2 a0 a1 a2 d1 . . . . . dnHexadecimal: 1B 26 00 n1 n2 a0 a1 a2 d1 . . . . . dn

Comments:This command allows characters to be redefined in the NLQmode. The variables n1 and n2 must be between 58 and 63 (3Athrough 3F hex).

ESC :Format:

Copy ROM into RAM

ASCII code: ESC 0 n 0Decimal: 27 58 0 n 0H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 3A 00 n 00

Comments:This code copies the characters in the ROM into RAM so thatspecific characters can be redefined. One of the NLQ fonts iscopied depending on the value specified for n.0 = Roman1= Sam Serif

ESC %Format:

Select User-defined Set

ASCII code: ESCDecimal: 27H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B

% n37 n25 n

Comments:ESC & is required to define the character set. The followingvalues can be used for n:0: Selects the normal set.1: Selects the user-defined set.


GraphicsSee Chapter 4 for sample graphics programs. Also see the tableunder ESC * for graphics modes.

ESC K Select Single-density Graphics ModeFormat:

ASCII code: ESC K n 1 n 2Decimal: 27 75 n 1 n 2H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 4B n 1 n 2

Comments:Turns on eight-pin single-density graphics mode. The totalnumber of columns = n1 + (n2 X 256)

ESC LFormat:

Select Double-density Graphics Mode

ASCII code: ESC L n 1 n 2Decimal: 27 76 n 1 n 2H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 4C n 1 n 2

Comments:Turns on eight-pin low-speed double-density graphics mode.The total number of columns = n1 + (n2 X 256).

ESC YFormat:

Select High-speed Double-density Graphics Mode

ASCII code: ESC Y n 1 n 2Decimal: 27 89 n 1 n 2H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 59 n 1 n 2

Comments:Turns on eight-pin high-speed double-density graphics mode.The total number of columns = n1 + (n2 X 256).


ESC ZFormat:

Select Quadruple-density Graphics Mode

ASCII code: ESC Z n 1 n 2Decimal: 27 90 n 1 n 2H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 5A n 1 n 2

Comments:Turns on eight-pin quadruple-density graphics mode (24 dotsper inch). The total number of columns = n1 + (n2 X 256).

ESC *Format:

Select Graphics Mode

ASCII code: ESC * m n 1 n 2Decimal: 27 42 m n1 n 2H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 2A m n 1 n 2

Comments:Turns on graphics mode m. Set the table below for details onthe available modes. The total number of columns = n1 + (n2x 256).

OptionAlternate

I IHoriz. density

Codem

(dots/in.)

Single-density I ESC K I 0 I 60

Double-density I ESC L I 1 I 120

High-speed double-density* ESC Y 2 120

Quadruple-density” ESC Z 3 240

CRT I I none I4 I 80

Plotter (1: 1)

CRT II

none 5 72

none 6 90

* Adjacent dots cannot be printed in this mode,


ESC ?Format:

Reassign Graphics Mode

ASCII code: ESC ? S nDecimal: 27 63 S nH e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 3F S n

Comments:Changes one graphics mode to another. The variable s is acharacter (K, L, or Z), which is reassigned to a mode n (0-6).

ESC AFormat:

Select 9-Pin Graphics Mode

ASCII code: ESC LDecimal: 27 94H e x a d e c i m a l : 1 B 5E

m n 1 n 2m n 1 n 2m n 1 n 2

Comments:Turns on 9-pin Graphics Mode. For this command the variablem defines density of print (0 for single and 1 for double). Thetotal number of column = n1 + (n2 X 256). This moderequires two data items for each column of print.


Appendix

Character Tables ....................................................................... A-2Italic character table .............................................................. A-2Epson Extended Graphics character table .......................... A-3

A p p e n d i x A - l

Hex.NO. o 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 6 9 A B C D E F-.

Ch

ara

cter Ta

bles

Epson Extended Graphics character table

Ap

pe

nd

ix A

-3

Character Tables

Note: Characters in the shaded areas can not be printed unlessthe ESC 6 command is sent to the printer. Until then, theshaded area contains the same control codes found in the rangeof 0 to 31 and 127.

A-4 Appendix

Glossary

The following definitions apply specifically to printers. Manywords used in a definition may themselves be defined elsewhere inthis glossary.

application programA software program that helps you carry out a particular task, suchas word processing or financial planning.

ASCIIAcronym for American Standard Code for Information Interchange.A standardized coding system for assigning numerical codes toletters and symbols.

auto line feedWhen this feature is enabled using a DIP switch, the printerautomatically feeds the paper one line after receiving a carriagereturn (CR) code.

baud rateA measure of the speed of data transmission. Usually expressed inbits per second or bps.

bidirectional printingPrinting in which the print head alternates printing a line left toright, then the next line right to left, and so on. Because the headprints in both directions, this increases the overall printing speedby eliminating wasted (non-printing) movement.

binarySee number systems.

Glossary GL-1

bit

A binary digit (0 or l), which is the smallest unit of informationused by a printer or computer. See also number systems.

bufferSee memory.

byteA unit of information consisting of eight bits.

carriage return (CR)The control code that returns the print position to the left margin.When issued together with a line feed, the print position moves tothe left margin of the next line. In bidirectional printing, the printhead may not actually move to the left margin.

character setA collection of letters, numbers, and symbols that provides youwith the characters used in a particular language.

character tableA portion of the printer’s standard ASCII character set that can beused for either graphic symbols or italic characters. See also EpsonExtended Graphics character table and italic.

characters per inch (cpi)A measure of the size of text characters.

condensedPrinting in which each character is approximately 60 percent of thewidth of standard characters. For example, condensed 10 cpiprinting actually has 17 characters per inch. Useful for fitting widetables or spreadsheets onto the paper.

~-GL-2 Glossary

continuous paper

Paper that has sprocket-feed holes on both long edges, isperforated between pages, and is supplied in a folded stack. Alsocalled fanfold paper.

control codeIn addition to the codes for printable characters, the ASCIIstandard also includes 33 other codes which are called controlcodes. These control codes perform such functions as sounding thebeeper and performing a carriage return or line feed.

cpiSee characters per inch.

cut sheet feeder (CSF)An optional, detachable device that automatically feedssingle-sheet paper into the printer.

data dumpSometimes called hex dump. A troubleshooting feature. When theprinter is in data dump mode, it prints both the hexadecimal valueand the ASCII character for each code that it receives. Non-printable control codes (0-21 hex) are depicted by dots in theASCII portion of the printout.

decimalSee number systems.

defaultA value or setting that takes effect when the printer is turned on,reset, or initialized.

DIP switchesSmall switches in the printer that control various printer functionsand set the default status of the printer when it is turned on orinitialized. DIP stands for Dual In-line Package.

Glossary GL-3

dot graphics

A graphic design formed by patterns of dots. Also called bit imagegraphics.

dot matrixA method of printing in which each letter or symbol is formed bya pattern (matrix) of individual dots.

double-strike printingA way of producing bolder characters. Each character is printedtwice in a single pass of the print head; the second time, the dotsare printed slightly below the original dots. Can be used only indraft mode.

double-wide printingA print width in which each character is twice as wide as normalcharacters.

draftOne of three print qualities available on your printer. Draft usesfewer dots per character for faster printing. See also near letterquality.

emphasized printingA way of producing darker characters. Each character of a line isprinted in two passes of the print head; the second time, the dotsare printed slightly to the right of the original dots.

Epson Extended Graphics character tableThe Epson Extended Graphics character table contains internationalaccented characters, Greek characters, and character graphics forprinting lines, corners, and shaded areas.

ESC (escape) codeA special control code used to begin most printer commands.

GL-4 Glossary

ESC/P

Abbreviation for Epson Standard Code for Printers. The system ofcommands lets you perform software control of your printer fromyour computer. It is standard for all Epson printers and supportedby most applications software for personal computers.

fontA font is a style of type designated by a family name.

formIn printer terminology, a form normally refers to a page.

form feedRefers to both a control code and a panel button that advances thepaper to the top of the next page.

hexadecimal (hex)See number system.

initializeTo completely reset the printer settings to their initial defaultstatus by turning the printer on or by sending an INIT signal. Thisalso clears the input data buffer.

input bufferThe memory in the printer in which data sent from the computeris stored while waiting to be printed.

interfaceThe means of connection between the computer and printer. Seealso parallel interface and serial interface.

Glossary GL-5

italic

A typestyle in which the characters slant. This sentence isitalicized. Also, a character table that contains italicized characterand symbols.

line feedBoth a control code and a panel button that advances the paperone line space.

loading positionThe position to which the paper is automatically loaded. It can beadjusted by using the micro-adjustment feature.

memoryThe printer, like a computer, has a memory. When you print a filefrom a computer, the contents of the file are transferred quicklyfrom the computer’s memory to the printer’s memory. The printerthen prints information from its own memory at a much slowerrate. This way of printing frees the computer to do other workwhile the printer is still working. The printer memory is sometimescalled the buffer memory or input buffer.

micro-adjustmentA feature that adjusts the paper loading and short tear-offpositions by the smallest possible increments.

near letter quality (NLQ)One of three print qualities available on your printer. Near letterquality reduces the print speed and increases the number of dotsper character to produce high-resolution characters. See also draft.

GL-6 Glossary

number systems

Three number systems are commonly used with printers:

decimal is base 10 and uses the digits 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and9. (This is the most familiar system.)

hexadecimal (hex) is base 16 and uses the digits 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E, and F. This is frequently used byprogrammers. Any decimal number between 0 and 255 can beexpressed by a two-digit hex number.

binary is base 2 and uses only the digits 0 and 1. Allinformation in computer systems is handled in binary formrepresented by electrical signals that are ON or OFF. A binarydigit is often called a bit; any decimal number between 0 and255 can be expressed by an eight-bit decimal number.

on lineWhen the printer is on line, it is able to communicate with thecomputer connected to it.

paper-out sensorA small switch behind the platen that sends a signal when it is notin contact with paper, causing the PAPER OUT light to go on, andinforming the printer and computer that there is no paper loaded.

paper tension unitThe part of the printer that fits above the platen to assure properpaper tension.

parallel interfaceAn interface that connects the computer and the printer. A parallelinterface transmits data one character or code at a time. See alsoserial interface.

Glossary GL-7

platen

The black roller that provides the backing for the paper duringprinting.

print qualityYour printer has two types of print quality; draft and near letterquality (NLQ). Draft is for high-speed, draft-quality jobs; Nearletter quality is used to produce more polished documents.

pull tractor unitAn optional device that feeds continuous paper and multi-partforms through the printer.

push tractorA built-in device that feeds continuous paper through the printer.

Random Access Memory. The portion of the printer’s memoryused as a buffer and as a place for storing user-defined characters.All data stored in RAM is lost when the printer is turned off.

resetTo completely reset the printer settings to their initial defaultstatus using the ESC @ command. Unlike initializing the printer,however, a reset does not clear the user-defined character set fromthe input data buffer.

self testA method of checking the operation of the printer. When the selftest is run, the printer prints out its current DIP switch settingsand the characters that are stored in its ROM (Read OnlyMemory).

serial interfaceA serial interface transmits data one bit at a time. See also parallelinterface.

GL-8 Glossary

short tear-off

A feature that automatically feeds the perforation of continuouspaper to the tear-off position for removal and then draws thepaper back to the loading position. This position can be adjustedusing the micro-adjustment feature. See also micro-adjustment andloading position.

slashed zero

open zero (0). Useful for clearly distinguishing between upper caseO and zero when printing program lists, etc.

standby positionThe position of continuous paper after you manually load it ontothe first few pins of the tractor sprockets or after you eject loadedcontinuous paper using the LOAD/EJECT button. When continuouspaper is in the standby position, you can load single sheets.

subscriptPrinting in which each character is printed about two-thirds of thenormal height in the lower part of the character space.

superscriptPrinting in which each character is printed about two-thirds of thenormal height in the upper part of the character space.

10 cpiA character spacing with 10 characters per inch, sometimes calledpica pitch. This is often the standard or default spacing.

tractorThe part of the printer that feeds continuous paper through theprinter by gripping holes along the paper’s edge.

Glossary GL-9

12 cpi

A character spacing in which each character is slightly narrowerthan normal, so that there are 12 characters per inch across thepage. Sometimes called elite pitch.

unidirectional printingPrinting in one direction only. Allows more precise verticalalignment than bidirectional printing. Often used for printinggraphics.

user-defined charactersCharacters that are defined and stored in the printer by the user.Also known as download characters.

GL-10 Glossary

Index

AApplication programs, 1-29ASCII, 9-2Assembling the printer, 1-7-14Auto line feed,

setting with DIP switch, 3-7,3-8

BBeeper, 3-19, 9-11Bidirectional printing, 8-2,

9 - 9 - 1 0Bit image graphics. See

GraphicsBottom margin. See Skip over

perforationBuffer, 8-3Buttons, 3-3

FORM FEED, 3-3, 3-5LINE FEED, 3-3, 3-5LOAD/EJECT, 3-3ON LINE, 3-3

Buzzer. See Beeper

C

Cables,parallel interface, 1-26-28power, 1-2, 1-15-16

Carbon Paper. See Multi-partforms

Character fonts, 3-20-21,4-2-3, 8-3selecting with button, 3-4,

3 -19-21selecting with software

command, 9-22Character size, 4-4-5, 9-24-26Character spacing, 4-3

setting with DIP switch, 3-8,4-3

setting with softwarecommand, 9-23

Character tables, 3-25-26,A - 2 - 3setting with DIP switch, 3-7,

3-26setting with software

commands, 9-31Choosing a place for the printer,

1 - 4 - 6Choosing from a menu,

1 - 2 9 - 3 0Cleaning the printer, 6-2-3Commands,

arranged by topic, 9-8-36description of command format,

9 - 2 4in numerical order, -5-7

Index IN-l

Computer,connecting to, 1-26-28

CONDENSED button, 3-4, 3-19,3-22

Condensed printing, 3-22, 4-4setting with button, 3-4, 3-19,


command, 9-24Connecting,

to your computer, 1-26-28to the power supply, 1-15-16

Continuous paper. See PaperControl panel, 3-2-5Copying ROM to RAM, 4-26Cover,

cut sheet feeder, 5-3, 5-17printer, 1-9, 1-14, 5-2, 5-17pull tractor, 5-24, 5-29

CSF mode. See Cut sheet feedermode

Cut sheet feeder, 5-2-17Cut sheet feeder mode, 3-7, 5-5

page length, 5-9self test, 5-9-11setting with DIP switch, 3-7,


command, 9-11specifications, 8-13-14

DData Dump, 3-5, 3-27-29Default settings, 8-15-16Dimensions of printer, 8-7DIP switches, 3-6-8

Double-strike printing, 4-5, 9-27Double-wide printing, 4-4,

9 - 2 5 - 2 6Download. See User-defined

charactersDRAFT button, 3-4, 3-19-20Draft font, 1-17, 1-21-22, 3-4

self test, 1-17, 1-21-22,5 - 9 - 1 1

Draft printing speed, 3-7, 3-8,3-20, 4-3

EEdge guide,

with single sheet, 1-18, 2-3with continuous paper, 2-13,

5-25with roll paper, 5-34

Electrical specifications, 8-7-8Elite. See Character spacingEmphasized printing, 4-5, 9-26Envelopes, 2-27-28, 8-3, 8-5Epson Extended Graphics

character table, A-3setting with DIP switch,

3-7, 3-25-26setting with software

command, 9-31Escape code (ESC).

See Commands

FFonts, 4-2-3

setting with SelecType, 3-4,3 - 1 9 - 2 2

setting with softwarecommands, 9-22

IN-2 Index

Foreign language characters. SeeInternational characters

FORM FEED button, 3-3

GGraphics, 4-9-20

command, 9-34-36Graphics character table. See

Epson Extended Graphicscharacter table

Guide mark, 1-18, 2-3

HHexadecimal (hex) dump. See

Data dumpHigh-speed draft, 1-22, 3-8,

3-21

IIEEE-488 interfaces, 5-37Initialization, 8-15-16Input buffer capacity, 8-3Interface,

specifications, 8-9-12timing, 8-11

Interface boards,#8143 New Serial Interfaceboard, 5-52

choosing, 5-37installation, 5-38-51optional, 5-37-52

International characters,3 - 2 3 - 2 4setting with DIP switch, 3-8setting with software

command, 9-31

Italic character table, A-2setting with DIP switch, 3-7,

3 - 2 5 - 2 6setting with software

command, 9-31Italic printing, 4-6

JJustification, 9-30

LLabels, 2-26, 8-3, 8-5Lights, 3-2LINE FEED button, 3-3Line spacing, 8-2, 9-15-16LOAD/EJECT button, 3-3Loading paper,

continuous paper, 2-8-14cut sheet feeder, 5-6-8,

5 - 1 4 - 1 5envelopes, 2-27-28labels, 2-26pull tractor, 5-20-25single sheet paper, 2-2-6switching Between continuous

and single sheets, 2-15-21Loading position, 3-12

adjusting, 3-12-14Location for printer, 1-4-6

MMaintenance, 6-l-10Margins, 9-19Master Select, 4-7-8, 9-23Maximum paper widths, 8-3-5Mechanical specifications, 8-7

Index IN-3

Micro-adjustment, 3-5, 3-12-14Moving the printer, 6-9-10Multi-part forms, 2-25, 8-6

NNear Letter Quality (NLQ),

1-23,3-19 -21,4-2 -3NLQ button, 3-4, 3-19 -21NLQ ROMAN, 3-4, 3-19 -21NLQ SANS SERIF, 3-4, 3-19 -21Normal draft, 1-21, 3-8,

3-20-21

OON LINE,button, 3-3light, 3-2

Options,cut sheet feeder, 5-2 -17interface boards, 5-37 -52pull tractor, 5-18 -29roll paper holder, 5-30 -36

PPage length, 3-9

setting with DIP switch, 3-7setting with software

commands, 9-13Panel, 3-2 -5Paper,

loading continuous paper,2-8 -14

loading single sheets, 2-2 -6size, 8-3 -5single sheet insertion, 5-14 -15switching between continuous

and single sheet, 2-15 -21

Paper guide,installing, 1-13 -14with continuous paper, 2-12with roll paper, 5-34with single sheet paper, 2-2

Paper handling,continuous paper, 2-7-14,5-20 -25

envelopes, 2-27 -28labels, 2-26multi-part forms, 2-25roll paper, 5-32 -34single sheets, 2-2 -6, 5-6 -8

PAPER OUT light, 3-2, 5-12Paper release lever, 2-2, 2-8Paper tension unit cover, 5-18Paper thickness lever, 2-22-24Paper width, 8-3-5Parallel interface, 1-26 -28Pica. See Character spacingPin assignment, 8-9 -11Pitch. See Character spacingPlaten knob, 1-2installing, 1-7 -8

Position for paper supply, 1-6,2-7

Power cable, 1-2,1-15 -16POWER light, 3-2Power supply,connecting to, 1-15 -16

Print direction, 8-2, 9-9 -10Print head,life, 8-7operation during graphics,

4-10 -11Print quality, 4-2 -3

IN-4 Index

Print speed, 3-8, 8-2, 9-9Printer,

cleaning, 6-2 -3options, 5-2 -52, 8-13 -14parts. See inside back coversetting up, 1-2 -30specifications, 8-2 -8testing, 1-15 -25transporting, 6-9 -10troubleshooting, 7-2 -31unpacking, 1-2 -3

Printer cover, 1-9, 1-14, 5-2,5-17

Printer stand, 1-6Problems and solutions. See

T r o u b l e s h o o t i n gPull tractor, 5-18-29Push tractor, 2-7-14

RREADY light, 3-2Ribbon,

installing, 1-8 -12life, 8-7replacing, 6-4 -8

Roll paper holder, 5-30 -36Roman, 3-21RS-232C-compatible serial

interface, 5-37

SSans Serif, 3-21SelecType, 3-4, 3-19-22Self test, 1-15-25, 3-5

in cut sheet feeder mode,5 - 9 - 1 1

Setting up the printer, 1-2 -30

Shape of zero, 3-7, 3-8Short tear-off, 3-15 -18

adjusting, 3-17 -18Single-bin cut sheet feeder. See

cut sheet feederSingle sheet, 2-2 -6

in cut sheet feeder, 5-2 -17loading, 2-2 -6

Skip over perforation, 3-10 -11setting with DIP switch, 3-7,

3-10 -11setting with software

command, 9-14Slashed zero, 3-7, 3-8Software commands, 9-2 -36Special effects and emphasis,

4-5 -6Special paper,

printing on, 2-22 -28Specifications, 8-2 -16

interface, 8-9 -11printer, 8-2 -8options, 8-13 -14

Subscript, 4-6, 9-28Superscript, 4-6, 9-27 -28Switches. See Buttons

TTear-off mode, 3-7, 3-15Technical specifications, 8-2 -16Testing,

self test, 1-15 -25using data dump, 3-27 -29

Tractor,pull, 5-18 -29push, 2-7 -14

I n d e x I N - 5

Transporting the printer,6-9 -10

Troubleshooting, 7-2 -31Typestyles,

character fonts, 3-20 -21,4-2 -3

character spacing, 4-3selecting with Master Select,

4-7 -8special effects and emphasis,

4-5 -6

UUnderlining, 4-6, 9-29Unidirectional printing, 8-2,

9-9 -10Unpacking, 1-2 -3User-defined characters,

4-21 -30, 9-32- 33

VVoltage, 8-7

power supply, 1-15 -16

WWord processing, 9-30

ZZero,

slashed, 3-7, 3-8

IN-6 Index

EPSON®L X - 8 1 0

Quick Reference

Control and ESCape Codes by Function

The following control codes are listed briefly for quick reference. For a more detailedexplanation, see the page reference in Chapter 9. Variables are not included in this quickreference due to their complexity. For those codes that contain variables, such as ESC Q nfor setting the right margin, see Chapter 9.

Printer Operation

ASCII Dec. Hex. Description Pg.ESC @ 64 40 Initialize Printer 9-8DC1 17 11 Select Printer 9-8DC3 19 13 Deselect Printer 9-9ESC s 115 73 Turn Half-weed Mode On/Off 9-9

L

ESC < 60 3C Select Unidirectional Mode (one line) 9-9ESC U 85 55 Turn Unidirectional Mode On/Off 9-10ESC 8 56 38 Disable Paper Out Detection 9-10ESC 9 57 39 Enable Paper Out Detection 9-10ESC EM 25 19 Turn Cut Sheet Feeder Mode On/Off 9-11BEL 7 07 Beeper 9-11

Data Control

ASCII Dec. Hex. Description Pg.CR 13 0D Carriage Return 9-12CAN 24 18 Cancel Line 9-12DEL 127 7F Delete Character 9-12

Vertical Motion

I

I

I I I

t

I ’ I

I II

Horizontal Motion

Overall Printing Style

ASCII

ESC xESC k

ESC !

Dec.

120107

33

Hex.

7060

21

Description Pg Select Near Letter Quality or Draft 9-22

Select NLQ Font 9-22

Master Select 9-23

Print size and Character Width

Print Enhancement

Word Processing

ASCII [ Dec. 1 Hex. 1 Description

ESC a 1 97 1 61 1 NLQ JustificationI Pg1 9-30

Character Tables

ASCII Dec. Hex. Description PgESC t 116 74 Select Character Tables 9-31

ESC R 62 52 Selects an International Character Set 9-31

ESC 6 54 36 Enable Printable Characters 9-32

ESC 7 55 37 Enable Upper Control Codes 9-32

User-defined Charactera

DIP Switch Settings

DIP Switch 1

DIP Switch 2

paper guide

printer

control panel

---..

paper tension unit cover

EPSON AMERICA, INC. 2780 Lomita Boulevard, Torrance, California 90505

EPSONPrinted in Japan 89.03.S.5A

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User’s Manual - Epson America · About This Manual This user’s manual provides fully...

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Transcript of User’s Manual - Epson America · About This Manual This user’s manual provides fully...