2001/10/02
CHAPTER 6 EPSON - 8
5.
CONTROLLING THE PRINTER
Commands are invoked using either control codes or escape sequences. You can send them to the printer
as part of a program using the same command that you would use to print a string on the printer. For
example in BASIC you would use the LPRINT command.
The printer’s control panel can also be used to set various operating parameters. Try to ensure that the
control panel settings and computer generated settings do not conflict with one another, or you may not
get the results you require.
5.1.
The Control Panel
Refer to the printer User’s Guide for a description of how to use the printer’s control panel switches. You
should be aware, however, that the following can be set using the control panel: automatic line feed (a line
feed is performed with every carriage return), auto mask (two-line top and bottom margins are
automatically used on every page), paper size, top, bottom, left and right margins, the number of lines of
text per page, orientation (portrait or landscape), the current font and the emulation mode. Conflict
between control panel settings and the settings you establish with software commands (o r from
applications software) is by far the most likely cause of unexpected printing results. Use this manual in
conjunction with the printer User's guide to resolve these conflicts.
5.2.
Control codes
Control codes are ASCII codes that instruct the printer to perform a particular operation, such as a line
feed. You can send a control code to the printer by sending the same type of instruction you would use
to print a character using its ASCII code number. For example, the ASCII code for a form feed is 12, so to
make the printer perform a form feed use the following BASIC statement:
LPRINT CHR$(12);
The CHR$ operator is normally used to convert an ASCII code into its corresponding character.
5.3.
Escape sequence
Escape sequences tell the printer what Epson FX-850 mode function to perform. An escape sequence
consists of the
Esc
character followed by one or more characters which define the operation to be
performed. Send an escape sequence to the printer by sending the same type of instruction you would
use to print characters using their ASCII codes. Some escape sequences require parameter values or data
following them, for example, commands which turn a particular feature on and off, or commands for
printing graphic images. Numerical parameter data, too, is sent to the printer as if it were a character code
to be printed. For example, to move the print position to the third column position on the page the
required escape sequence is
Esc HT 3
. In BASIC this would be:
LPRINT CHR$(27); CHR$(9); CHR$(3);
In some instances where a numerical parameter can only take the values 0 or 1, you have a choice between
sending the number or the character code itself as the numerical parameter. Hence you can use CHR$(0)
or CHR$(48) to represent 0, and use CHR$(1) or CHR$(49) to represent 1. The practice of using character
code numbers CHR$(48) and CHR$(49) is not recommended, however, as it is not conducive to clear
programming and, in any case, is not universally available on commands whose parameters can only be
either 0 or 1.
Summary of Contents for HL-1250
Page 15: ...2001 10 02 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ...
Page 20: ...2001 10 02 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 6 ...
Page 21: ...2001 10 02 CHAPTER 2 PCL 1 CHAPTER 2 PCL PRINTER CONTROL LANGUAGE ...
Page 59: ...2001 10 02 CHAPTER 2 PCL 39 ...
Page 76: ...2001 10 02 CHAPTER 2 PCL 56 ...
Page 104: ...2001 10 02 CHAPTER 2 PCL 84 71 71 Lines picture Same as above ...
Page 109: ...2001 10 02 CHAPTER 2 PCL 89 ...
Page 123: ...2001 10 02 CHAPTER 2 PCL 103 ...
Page 131: ...2001 10 02 CHAPTER 3 PCL5C 1 CHAPTER 3 PCL5C ...
Page 149: ...2001 10 02 CHAPTER 4 HP GL 2 1 CHAPTER 4 HP GL 2 GRAPHICS LANGUAGE ...
Page 199: ...2001 10 02 CHAPTER 4 HP GL 2 51 ...
Page 204: ...2001 10 02 CHAPTER 4 HP GL 2 56 ...
Page 205: ...2001 10 02 CHAPTER 5 PJL 1 CHAPTER 5 PJL PRINTER JOB LANGUAGE ...
Page 248: ...2001 10 02 CHAPTER 5 PJL 44 ...
Page 263: ...2001 10 02 CHAPTER 5 PJL 59 ...
Page 264: ...2001 10 02 CHAPTER 6 EPSON 1 CHAPTER 6 EPSON FX 850 ...
Page 286: ...2001 10 02 CHAPTER 6 EPSON 23 LPRINT CHR 27 CHR 37 CHR 1 CHR 0 Select downloaded characters ...
Page 290: ...2001 10 02 CHAPTER 6 EPSON 27 Sample 12 ...
Page 292: ...2001 10 02 CHAPTER 6 EPSON 29 Sample 14 ...
Page 294: ...2001 10 02 CHAPTER 7 IBM PROPRINTER 1 CHAPTER 7 IBM PROPRINTER XL ...
Page 315: ...2001 10 02 CHAPTER 7 IBM PROPRINTER 22 ...
Page 316: ...2001 10 02 CHAPTER 8 BAR CODE CONTROL 1 CHAPTER 8 BAR CODE CONTROL ...
Page 326: ...2001 10 02 CHAPTER 9 HP GL 1 CHAPTER 9 HP GL GRAPHICS LANGUAGE ...
Page 353: ...10 5 2001 APPENDIX A COMPARISON LIST 1 APPENDIX A COMPARISON LIST ...
Page 391: ...10 5 2001 APPENDIX A COMPARISON LIST 39 AUTOSKIP ON OFF ON OFF ON OFF ON OFF ...