Epson DFX 8000 User Manual

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EPSON

DFX-8000

User’s Manual

FCC COMPLIANCE STATEMENT FOR AMERICAN USERS

This

quipment

device.

p protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may. no guarantee that does cause

turning

one or more of the following measures:

Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

Increase the separation between the

Connect the receiver is connected.

Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

has been tested and found

to Part 15 of the

ursuant

&&e&e ‘-

harmful~@gf&+e,~.radid

the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by

quipment

FCC &da. ‘Yhaee

YtiP

into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the

to.&&

.wtorodioc

not~jttapar&&rin&l#&m.Ifthisquipment

*ion

quipment

with

@te

limits pe designed to provide reasonable

and receiver.

limits for a class B digital

~ca&uu.

*on,

w&h .FM

However, there is

be determined by

WARNING

The connection of a non-shielded printer interface cable to this printer will invalidate the FCC Certification of this device and may cause

establiied

connector, do not leave cables connected to unused interfaces.

Seiko

use of any options or any consumable products other than those designated as Products or Epson Approved Products by Seiko Epson Corporation.

system, or transmitted, in any form

or otherwise, without the prior written is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, Epson America, Inc. assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages from the use of the information contained herein.

by the

FCC

for this

Epson Corporation shall not be liable against any damages or problems

quipment.

interfemnce

If this

levels which exceed the

quipment

has more than one interface

limits

arisii

Origmal

from the

Epson

or by any means, mechanical, photocopying, recording,

permission

of Epson America, Inc. No patent liability

resultiq

FOR CANADIAN USERS

This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class

apparatus as set out in the radio interference regulations of the Canadian Department of

Communications.

Le pr4sent

applicables aux

radidlectrique’

Epson and Epson

IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.

Graphics created with

Torrance, California

appareil

num6rique n&et

appareils nun&iques de

6dicte

par le Minis&e

ESC/P

are registered trademarks of Seiko Epson Corporation.

UniPaint

1989

by Epson America Inc.

pas de bruits radioflectriques

des

by Unison World Inc. and Epson JD-Graph.

limits for radio noise emissions from digital

Classe B prescrites darts le r4glement sur le brouillage

Communications du Canada.

depassant les limites

IlWORTANT

Readall

Follow all warnings and instructions marked on the product.

2. Unphrg this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not

use liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a damp cloth for cleaning.

Do not use this product near water.

Do not product may

Slots and openings in the cabinet and the back or bottom are

6. provid&d

and to protect it from overheating, these openings must not be blocked or covered. The openings should never be blocked by placing the product This product should never be placed near or over a radiator or heat register. unless proper ventilation is provided.

This product should be operated from the type of power source

indicated on the marking label. If you are not sure of the type of

power available, consult your dealer or local power company.

of these instructions and save them for later reference.

pbce

this

fall,

for ventilation; to ensure reliable operation of the product

This$rdduct’should

SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

product on an unstable cart, stand, or table. The

causing serious damage to the product.

.on-a

bed, sofa, rug, or other similar surface.

not be placed in a built-in instAlation

This product is equipped with a &wire grounding-type plug, a plug

having a third (grounding) pm. This plug will only fit into a

grounding-type power outlet.

unable to insert the plug into the outlet, contact your electrician to replace your obsolete outlet. Do not defeat the purpose of the grounding-type

Do not locate this product where the cord will be walked on.

phrg.

This

is a safety feature. If you are

iii

10.

If an

extension cord’is

total of the ampere ratings on the products extension cord does not Also, make sure that the total

used

with‘&

exceed’the

product, make sure that the

piugged

into the

extension cord ampere rating.

.of

all products plugged into the

wall outlet does not exceed 15 amperes.

11.

Never

puih

objects of any kind into this product through cabinet slots as they may touch dangerous voltage points or short out parts that could result in a risk of fire or electric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind on the product.

12.

Except as specifically explained in the User’s Manual, do not

attempt to service this product yourself. Opening or removing

those covers that are marked ‘Do Not

dangerous voltage points or other risks. Refer all servicing

Remove”

may expose you to

compartments to service personnel.

13.

Unplug this product from the wall outlet and refer servicing to

qualified service personnel under the following conditions:

,in

those

A. When the power cord or

If liquid has been spilled into the product.

If the product has been exposed to rain or water.

If the

product.does

instructions are followed. Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions since improper adjustment of other controls may result in damage and will often require extensive work by a qualified technician to restore the product to normal operation.

If the product has been dropped or the cabinet has been damaged.

If the product exhibits a distinct change in performance, indicating a need for service.

~1%

is damaged or frayed.

not operate normally when the operating

Contents

About This Manual

Introduction

Chapter 1 Setting Up the Printer

Unpacking the Printer

Choosing a Place for the Printer Assembling the Printer Testing the Printer

................................................

..................................

...............................................

....................................................

Connecting the Printer to Your Computer Setting Up Your Application Software

Chapter 2

Using the Two-Tractor System

Paper

Handling

....................................

..........................

Switching between Front and Rear Tractors Changing the Paper Printing on Special Paper

Chapter 3 Using the Printer

Operating the Control Panel Setting the DIP Switches Page Length

.............................................................

Skip Over Perforation Using the Paper Memory Feature Adjusting the Top of Form Position Adjusting the Printing Position

Using Short Tear-Off

Selecting Typestyless

...................................................

...........................................

.......................................

............................................

...............................................

.................................

.............................

....................................

.................................................

...................................................

.....................

...................

1-1

1-2 1-7 1-9

1-13

1-26

1-36

2-1

2-2

2-20

2-24 2-29

3-1 3-2

3-7 3-17 3-18 3-20 3-33 3-37

3-40 3-43

Contents

Selecting an International Character Set Choosing a Character Table Data Dump Mode

.....................................................

........................................

........................

3-47 3-49 3-51

Chapter 4 Software and Graphics

Enhancing Graphics

Your Printing

.................................................................

User-defined Characters

Chapter 5 Using the Printer Options

............................................

..............................................

Pull Tractor.............................................................

Paper Cutter Interface Boards

Chapter 6 Maintenance

............................................................

........................................................

Cleaning the Printer..................................................

Replacing the Ribbon

Transporting the Printer

.................................................

.............................................

Chapter 7 Troubleshooting Problems and Solutions

Power Supply

..........................................................

..............................................

Printing...................................................................

Paper Handling........................................................

Options...................................................................

4-1

4-2 4-10 4-22

5-1

5-2 5-19

5-32

6-1

6-2 6-4 6-9

7-1

7-2 7-3 7-4

7-13 7-18

Chapter 8 Technical Specifications

Printer Specifications Interface Specifications Initialization

Contents

.............................................................

.................................................

...............................................

8-1

8-2

8-11

8-17

Chapter 9 Command Summary Using the Command Summary

Commands in Numerical Order Epson ESC/P Commands Arranged by Topic

....................................

...................................

.................

IBM Emulation Mode Commands Arranged by Topic..

....

9-l 9-2

9-5 9-9 9-41

Appendix

Proportional Width Table Character Tables

Glossary

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Index

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A-l A-2

A-6

GL-1

IN-1

Contents vii

About This Manual

This user’s manual provides fully-illustrated, step-by-step instructions for setting up and operating the printer. It also includes information that you will need for your daily use of the printer.

Epson

DFX-8000

Chapter

shows you how to unpack, set up, test, and connect

the printer. Be sure to read and follow the instructions in this chapter first. Inside the back cover of this manual

are

illustrations that identify the parts of the printer. You may want to unfold the cover and refer to these illustrations as you set up and operate the printer.

Chapters

and 3 describe loading paper and using the printer. This information is necessary for -the day-to-day operation of your printer.

Chapter

4 provides, information on enhancing your printing,

using software commands and graphics, and creating your own user-defined characters. Chapter

contains a summary of

printer commands.

Chapter

contains troubleshooting information. If the printer does not operate properly or the printed results are not what you expect, see Chapter recommended solutions

for a list of possible problems and

Other chapters contain information on printer options, general maintenance, and specifications. You will also find an appendix with reference tables, a glossary of printer terms, and an index.

At the back of this manual is a handy Quick Reference card

that lists DIP switch settings and printer commands.

About This Manual

About This

Conventions used in this manual

Manual

WARNINGS must be followed carefully to avoid

damage to your printer and computer.

CAUTIONS must be followed to ensure that your

printer operates correctly.

Notes

containimportant

information and useful tips on the operation

of your printer.

Where to Get Help

Customer support and service for Epson products are provided by a network of authorized Epson dealers and Customer Care Centers throughout the United States. Epson

information and support to its Therefore, we a& that you

dealem

contact the business where you purchased

America

and Customer Care

provides product

Centers.

your Epson product to request assistance. If the people there do not

have the answer to your question, they can obtain it through our dealer support program.

Epson is confident that this policy will provide you with the assistance you need. Call the Epson Consumer Information Center at

1-800-922-8911

The location of the nearest Epson dealer

The location of the nearest Customer Care Center

Information on Epson User Groups.

for the following:

About This Manual

Introduction

The Epson

DFX-8000

printer is an advanced dot matrix printer designed for business applications. The printer combines high performance and reliability with a wide range

of-f-es,

including

high speed printing and automatic paper handling.

Features In addition to the high-quality printing and ease of operation you

expect from Epson printers, the

Extra-fast printing speeds of up to

(characters per inch) or

DFX-8000

1066 characters

960

characters per second at

offers the following:

per

second at

I.2 cpi,

Two built-in push tractors (front and rear) for convenient paper handling. This dual system lets you switch between types of continuous paper quickly

and.easily. The printer remembers

separate top of form positions for each tractor, An automatic paper back-out feature that allows you to switch

between paper loaded on the front or rear tractor without removing either paper supply.

A short tear-off feature that saves paper. When a sheet of continuous paper is torn off at the end of a printout, the printer reverse-feeds the remaining paper so that printing can begin at

the top of the next sheet.

cpi

A paper memory feature that produces high quality printing on your multi-part forms by using stored paper format and thickness information to adjust the print head.

A width detection feature that automatically adjusts the printing to match the width of the paper loaded in the printer. This prevents the printer from printing directly on the platen, which damages the print head.

Introduction

l A micro-adjustment feature that allows you to feed the paper

forward or backward to finely adjust the top of form, loading, and short tear-off positions.

l An improved control panel design that lets you select almost

any feature with a single button.

l Compatibility with the Epson

FX-850/1050

l An

IBM@

and

DFX-5000 ,printers.

emulation mode that provides compatibility with

ESC/P@

commands used by

application programs written specifically for IBM printers.

Options The following options are available for use with your

DFX-8000 printer. For detailed information on installing and using these options, see Chapter

Pull

Tractor 4~8309)

This option improves the handling of heavy multi-part forms

and labels. It also enhances printing alignment on preprinted forms.

Introduction

l Paper Cutter

(C815001)

This option allows you to handle continuous paper more easily by cutting off printed documents for you.

l Interface Boards

You can use several optional interface boards to supplement the

printer’s built-in parallel and serial interfaces. Chapter 5 provides guidelines for choosing the right interface and instructions for installing an interface board.

Introduction 5

Introduction

Coax and Twinax interface boards Two

interface

DFX-8000

boards (Coax and

as a local printer

Twinax)

fez

an IBM mainframe or

let. you use the

minicomputer. These boards connect directly to the printer and allow it to function as a local IBM printer without the addition of any other circuitry or components.

Inkduction

Chapter

Setting Up the Printer

Unpacking the Printer

Checking the parts

Removing the protective materials Choosing a Place Assembling the Printer

Installing the ribbon cartridge

Testing the Printer

Plugging in the printer Running the self test

Solving any self test problems

................................................

.................................................

.............................

for

the Printer

..................................

...............................................

...................................

....................................................

............................................

...............................................

..................................

Connecting the Printer to Your Computer

The parallel interface The serial interface

Setting Up Your Application Software

..............................................

.................................................

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

.....................

1-2 1-3 1-4

1-7

l-9

1-13 1-13 1-15 1-24

l-26 1-27 1-31

l-36

Setting

Up the Printer l-l

Unpacking the Printer

Because the printer weighs approximately

lbs.

(29

kg),

you should not lift or carry it alone. Two people should carry it by the bottom, as shown here:

1-2

Setting Up

the Printer

Checking the parts

Unpacking the Printer

When you unpack the printer, make sure that you shown

below

and that none have

been

damaged during

transportation.

optional connector

have all the parts

power cable

lock

nuts

ribbon cartridge

cross-head screwdriver

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

Setting Up the Printer

1-3

Unpacking the Printer

WARNING: There are several different versions of the

printer designed for different electrical power

supply voltage is shown on the label on the back

standards.

The

of the printer. If the voltage shown is not correct for your country, contact your dealer. It is not possible to adjust the printer for use with different voltages.

After you unpack the printer, save the packaging materials in case you ever need to transport your printer.

Removing the protective materials

The printer is protected during shipping by two brackets, a carriage

guide support bar, and a plastic print head protector. Your printer

may also be protected by several pieces of foam packaging. These protective items must be removed before you turn on the printer.

After removing the protective materials

as described below, store

them with the other packaging material.

Open the top cover by lifting its front edge up and away from you. Remove any packing materials in the printer.

1-4

Setting Up the Printer

Unpacking the Printer

Use the enclosed cross-head screwdriver to remove the five

screws and the two transport locking brackets from the inside of the printer.

Remove the print head protector, as shown below. Then lift up the paper bail and remove the piece of foam packing underneath

it.

Setting Up the Printer

1-5

Unpacking the Printer

Using the enclosed cross-head screwdriver, remove the carriage

guide support bar.

WARNING: Be sure to remove all protective materials

before you turn on the printer.

1-6

Setting Up the Printer

Choosing a Place for the Printer

When you select a location for your printer, keep the following in mind:

l Place the printer on a flat, stable surface. l Place the printer close enough to the computer for the printer

cable to reach.

l Leave plenty of room around the printer for your front and rear

stacks of continuous paper as well as your printed output.

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

WARNING: Avoid locations that are subject to direct

sunlight, excessive heat, moisture, or dust.

Avoid using electrical outlets that are controlled by wall switches or automatic timers. Accidental interruption of power can wipe out information in your computer’s and your printer’s memory.

Avoid using outlets on the same circuit with large motors or electrical

appliances

that might cause fluctuations in line voltage.

Keep the entire computer system away from potential sources of electromagnetic interference; such

as loudspeakers or the base

units of cordless telephones.

Setting Up the Printer

1-7

Choosing a Place for the Printer

The illustration below shows a good printer location.

Notes: If you plan to use a printer stand, follow these guidelines

to select and set up the stand:

The stand should be able to support at least which is twice the weight of the

DFX-8000

128 lbs. (58

printer.

kg),

Never use a stand that supports the printer at an angle. The printer should always be kept level.

If you keep your paper supply underneath the printer stand,

be sure there is enough clearance to prevent the paper from

catching on the underside of the stand. Also, check to see that the distance between the stand supports is wide enough to accommodate the paper you will be using.

Position your printer’s power cable and interface cable so that they do not interfere with paper feeding. If possible, fasten the cables to the printer stand to keep them away from the paper.

1-8

Setting Up the Printer

Assembling the Printer

After you’ve decided on the best place to set up your printer, you need to install the ribbon cartridge.

Installing the ribbon cartridge

Before installing the ribbon cartridge, make sure that the printer is not plugged into an electrical outlet. Remove the ribbon cartridge from its box and plastic wrapper and ‘then follow these steps to install the ribbon cartridge:

Open the top cover by lifting its front edge up and away from you.

Setting

Up the Printer

1-9

Assembling the Printer

2..

Slide the print head to the exposed part of the paper bail as shown below.

3..

Remove the separator from the middle of the ribbon cartridge and discard it. Then cartridge (but

not

tightening knob in the

from

detach

the ribbon guide from the ribbon

the ribbon) and turn the ribbon-

direction

of the arrow to take up any

slack in the ribbon.

1-10

setting Up the Printer

Assembling the Printer

Hold the ribbon cartridge with both hands and lower it into the

printer.

Pulling

the cartridge toward you, slide the hooks in the sides of the cartridge over the two corresponding pins in the printer. Then push the cartridge down into position until the other two hooks snap into place over the mounting pins in the

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

5..

Insert the ribbon guide over the metal pins on each side of the print head. The its angled edge knob again to remove any

smaller

toward

end of the guide should be on top, with

the

platen.

slack in

Turn the ribbon-tightening

the ribbon.

Setting Up the Printer

1-11

Assembling the Printer

Slide the print head from side to side to make sure that it moves

6. smoothly and that the ribbon is not twisted or

the top cover.

creased.

1-12

Setting Up the Printer

Testing the Printer

Now that your printer is fully assembled, you can use its built-in self test function to be sure the printer is working correctly before you connect it to a computer. You should perform this test to make sure that your printer was not damaged during shipping and that

the ribbon is correctly installed. Before performing the self test, you need to plug in your printer and

load paper.

Plugging in the printer

Make sure that the printer is turned off.

Check the label on the printer’s back panel to make sure the

voltage required by the printer matches that of your electrical

outlet.

Setting Up the Printer

1-13

Testing the Printer

WARNING: If the rated voltage and your outlet voltage

r!!!b

do not match, contact your Epson dealer. Do not plug in the power cable.

If necessary, connect the power cable to the AC inlet on the

printer’s rear panel.

Plug the power cable into a properly grounded electrical outlet.

!!9

1-14

Setting Up the Printer

WARNING: Whenever you turn off the power, wait at least

five seconds before the power on and off can damage the printer.

turning

it back on. Rapidly switching

Running the self test

Testing the Printer

The self test can be run in draft or Near Letter Quality

(NLQ)

mode, depending on which button you hold down as you turn on

the printer.

Be sure the printer is turned off.

Open the front cover by lifting its bottom edge up and toward

2..

you.

Setting Up the Printer

1-15

Testing the Printer

Release the sprocket lock levers on both the right

sprocket units by pulling each lever down.

Slide the left sprocket unit all the way to the left. Lock it in

4.. place by pushing the sprocket lock lever up.

and

left

1-16

Setting Up the

Printer

Testing the Printer

Now slide the right sprocket unit to approximately match the

width of your paper. (Do not lock it in place yet.)

Slide the two paper supports so that they are spaced evenly

6.. between the two

sprocket

units.

Setting Up the Printer

1-17

Testing the Printer

Open both sprocket covers.

Be sure your paper has a clean, straight edge, and then fit the

8.. first four holes in the paper over the pins of both Then close the

sprocket

covers.

(The side

of the paper that you

want to print on should be facing you.)

sprocket

units.

1-18

Setting Up the Printer

Testing the Printer

9..

Slide the right sprocket unit so that the paper is straight and has

wrinkles.

Lock the sprocket

unit

in place by

pushing

sprocket lock lever up.

CAUTION: Be sure the sprocket units are not too far apart.

If they pull your paper too tightly or if they tear the

ed&s of the paper holes, a paper jam

remove

sprocket once

any

excess

tension in your paper, release the right

and lock

it again.

may

result. To

the

10.

Close the front cover.

Setting Up the Printer

1-19

Testing the Printer

WARNING: Before turning on the printer, be absolutely

sure you have removed all protective materials. Turning on the printer while the print head cannot move may seriously damage the mechanism.

11.

While holding down

the FORM FEED button (for POWER

rear tractor arrow

and

PAPER OUT lights come on. Also,

the

LINE

FEED button (for draft mode) or

NLQ

mode), turn on the printer. The

either

the front

the PAPER SELECT indicate lights up.

Notes:

When

test runs in the NLQ mode even if you press the

button.

If you open the top cover while the

beeps four times, goes off line, and stops printing. To resume printing, close the top cover and press the ON LINE button.

1-20

NLQ

mode is selected using DIP switch l-5, the self

setting up the Printer

LINE

DFX

is printing, the printer

FEED

Testing the Printer

12.

Press the

LINE

FEED/LOAD button to load your paper. (If the

paper does not load, the front tractor may not be selected. Press the FRONT/REAR button to select the front tractor. This loads the paper automatically.)

13.

Press the ON LINE button to start the self test. (The ON LINE light

does not go on.) A list of your printer’s DIP switch settings is printed first, followed by a series of characters. The self test continues until the paper runs out or you press the ON LINE button.

14.

If the test results are satisfactory and you wish to stop the test,

press the see page

Note: To resume the test, press the ON

ON LINE

l-24 for possible causes and solutions.

button. If the test results are not satisfactory,

LINE

button again.

Setting Up the Printer

1-21

Testing the Printer

15.

Press the

FORM

FEED button to advance the paper. Then open

the paper separator cover (the back flap

tear off the paper at the perforation.

the top cover)

and

16.

Turn off

1-22

printer.

thee

WARNING:

Whenever you turn

five seconds before

the Power on

Setting

Up the Printer

and off.

turning

can

off

the power,

wait at least

it back on. Rapidly switching

damage

the

printer.

Here are parts of typical self test printouts:

Testing the Printer

High-speed

Uw~~~ar::tc~r p:i. tc:h

Shape

draft mode

a9z e

table

(#OH-OFFH)

Normal draft mode

Character

Shal:)e CG

table

pitch

zern

(SOH-OFFH)

I”0

l4wvnal Nat. slashed

T. tnli.c

ESC/F mode

Normal

Not slashed

Italic

ESC/F

mode

W1. ZW1. GWL-

SWl*

SWl* SWl*

SWl*

rox+,-

‘O#+,-.

( If+,-./0123456789:

./0123456789:

/0123456789r;<=>?CBCDEFGHIJKLMNOPOf

;

&~?IABCDEFGHIJKLMNOP[

;~<=>?@ABCWEFGtiIJKLMNOFQR~

Note: Your printer’s default setting is high-speed draft mode. If

you want to run the self test in normal draft mode, you need to select normal draft mode using DIP Switch

2-2. See the section on

setting DIP switches in Chapter 3 for instructions.

Setting Up the Printer

1-23

Testing the Printer

NLQ

mode

character

Ditch Normal

Not slashed

Solving

any self test

problems

If the self test does not print properly, check the list of possible problems and solutions below. Also be sure there are no packing materials remaining inside

The paper is jammed.

the printer.

Turn off the printer, remove the jammed

paper, and then load fresh paper. See page

l-15.

printer does not

The print.

The printer sounds like it is printing, but nothing is printed.

The ribbon cartridge may not be installed properly. Turn off the printer and remove

the ribbon cartridge. Then reinstall it and

take up any slack in the ribbon. See page

1-9

The ribbon may be worn out. Replace the

The test did not print when you pressed the

ON LINE

button.

ribbon cartridge. See page Turn off the printer and follow the steps

under

Running the Self Test again. Be sure

to hold down the FORM FEED or LINE FEED

6-4.

button longer while you turn on the printer. See page 1-20

1-24

Setting Up the Printer

Testing the Printer

Problem

The printout is faint or uneven.

The printout is faint.

Parts of printed characters are missing, as shown here:

Solution

ABCD

The bottom parts of printed characters are missing as shown here:

ABCD

The ribbon may be worn out. A worn ribbon can damage the print head and should be replaced. Install a new ribbon cartridge as soon as

There is either too much slack in the ribbon or the ribbon is caught on something. Stop printing, turn off the printer, and reinstall the ribbon cartridge. See page

The ribbon cartridge may not be installed properly. Turn off the printer, remove the

ribbon cartridge, and then reinstall it.

Make sure the cartridge hooks are inserted

securely into the printer. See page 1-11.

1-9.

possible.

See page

6-4.

A blank line runs through your characters, as shown

here:

If the printer still does not print the self test correctly, contact your Epson dealer.

The print head is damaged. Stop printing and contact your Epson dealer to have the print head replaced.

Setting Up the Printer

1-25

Connecting the Printer to

If the self test printed correctly, you are now ready to connect your

printer to the computer.

Your

DFX

printer has two separate interface connections: a parallel

interface and an sure which one is required by your computer, check your computer

manual.

RS-232C

compatible serial interface. If you are not

Your

Computer

parallel interface

If you have a suitable shielded cable, you should be able to connect the printer to most computers immediately. If your computer requires another type of interface, you need to use an optional interface board. See the section on interface boards in Chapter

The parallel interface is the printer’s default use the built-in settings as shown in Chapter

1-26

Setting Up the Printer

serial

interface, be sure to change the DIP switch

serial interface

setting.

If you need to

Connecting the Printer to Your Computer

The parallel interface

Follow these steps to connect the parallel interface cable to the printer:

Turn off both the printer and computer.

Open the rear cover by grasping it by the handholds on each

side and pulling it out and down.

Setting Up the Printer

1-27

Connecting the Printer to Your Computer

Plug the cable connector securely into the parallel interface (the

socket on the left).

WARNING: Do not plug more than one interface cable

into the printer at one time.

Squeeze the wire clips together until they lock in place on either

This may damage the printer.

side of the connector.

1-28

Setting Up the Printer

Connecting the Printer to Your Computer

your cable has a ground wire,

connect it

ground connector.

Open

the plastic clamp to the right of the parallel and

interfaces by pressing down on its top tab. Insert the

the plastic clamp and close the clamp.

to the

Pnter s

cable

serial

Setting Up the Printer

1-29

Connecting the Printer to Your Computer

Close the rear cover.

CAUTION: Always close the rear cover before using the

printer.

Plug

the other end of the cable into the computer. (If there is a ground wire at the computer end of the cable, attach it to the ground connector at the back of the computer.)

1-30

Setting

Up the Printer

Connecting the Printer to Your Computer

The

serial

interface

Follow these steps to connect the serial interface cable to the

printer:

Turn off both the printer and computer.

2..

Open the rear cover by grasping it by the handholds on each side and pulling it out and down.

Setting Up the Printer

1-31

Connecting the Printer to Your Computer

3..

Plug the cable connector securely into the serial interface

socket on the right).

WARNING: Do not plug more than one interface cable

into the printer at one time. This may damage the printer.

(the

If your cable connector has screws that you need to tighten using a screwdriver, open the top cover of the printer.

1-32

Setting Up the Printer

Connecting the Printer to Your Computer

Insert a screwdriver through the hole in the rear paper guide and fasten the screws of the cable connector.

Note: If the screws that come with the cable do not fit into the connector lock nuts on the interface, replace the lock nuts with the optional lock nuts provided with the printer.

Close the top cover.

Setting Up the Printer

1-33

Connecting the Printer to Your Computer

If your cable has a ground wire, connect it to the printer’s

ground connector.

Open the plastic clamp to the right of the parallel and

8. interfaces by pressing down on its top tab. Insert the cable the plastic clamp and close the

l-34

Setting

Up the Printer

clamp.

serial

Close the rear cover.

CAUTION: Always close the rear cover before using the

printer.

Connecting the Printer to Your Computer

10.

Plug the other end of the cable into the computer. (If there is a

ground wire at the computer end of the cable, attach it to the ground connector at the back of the computer.)

Setting Up the Printer

1-35

Setting Up Your Application Software

Now that you have set up and tested the using it with your application software programs.

Most software programs let you specify the type of printer you are using so that the program can take full advantage of the printer’s features. If your application program has an installation or setup procedure that lets you select your printer from a list of printers, choose the Epson DFX-8000, preference:

DFX-5000 FX-1050 (FX-850) FX-286e Ex-l000 FX-185 (FX-85) FX-lOO+ (FX-80+) FX-100 (FX-80)

If these printers are not listed, select one of the following printers, listed in order of preference:

FX EX LX RX MX Epson printer 9-pin

Standard printer

Draft printer

choose one of the following’ printers, listed in order of

(FX-86e)

(EX-800)

printer

DFX-8000

printer. If

DFX-8000,

the

list does not include the

you can start

1-36

Setting Up the Printer

Setting Up Your Application Software

If you plan to use IBM emulation mode, select one of the following

printers, listed in order of preference:

IBM

Proprinter

XL IBM Graphics printer IBM Printer

Note: To use all the features of the program with does not list the see if an update is

the

DFX-8000

DFX-8000,

available.

on its menu. If your software program contact the software manufacturer to

DFX-8000,

it is best to use a

Setting Up the Printer

1-37

Paper Handling

Using the Two-Tractor System

Positioning the paper supply Loading paper onto the front tractor Loading paper onto the rear tractor

....................................

.........................

...........................

Switching between Front and Rear Tractors

Changing the paper

Printing on Special Paper

Copy mode

...........................................................

Multi-part forms Labelss

..................................................................

..................................................

...........................................

....................................................

...................

2-2

2-2 2-4

2-11

2-20

2-24

2-29 2-29 2-30 2-32

Paper

Handling 2-l

Using the Two-Tractor System

The

DFX-8000’s push tractor. Both tractors are easy to load and operate, and both accommodate a wide variety of paper types, including labels and multi-part forms. The printer automatically adjusts to the thickness of your loaded paper, so you don’t need to set the paper thickness manually. You can use any width continuous paper, from 4 inches

(101

mm) to 16 inches

paper width automatically.

If you plan to use more than two types of paper, it is best to load

the paper you use most often onto the rear tractor. That way you can use the front tractor, which is easier to reach, for paper you change more often.

paper handling system consists of a front and a rear

(406

mm) wide. Your printer also senses the

Positioning the

Since the

the front and the rear, be sure to leave enough room around the printer for two stacks of fresh paper and a third stack of printed

output. It is also important to keep your stacks of fresh paper

aligned with the paper loaded in the tractor so that the paper feeds

smoothly into the printer.

The following illustration shows three ways to position your printer

and paper: with the front tractor loaded, with the rear tractor

loaded, and with both tractors loaded.

2-2

DFX-8000

Paper Handling

paper

supply

can be loaded with continuous paper from both

Using the Two-Tractor System

CAUTION:

Make sure that your stack of printed pages

does not interfere with the rear tractor’s paper supply.

front-loaded paper

rear-loaded

CAUTION: Be sure your printed output folds properly as it

paper

comes out of the printer. It should fold at the perforation between

pages.

Paper Handling

2-3

Using the Two-Tractor System

Loading paper onto

The

foIlowing steps

tractor.

Turn off the printer.

Open the front cover by lifting its bottom edge up and toward

2.. you.

the

front tractor

show you how to load paper onto the front

Using the Two-Tractor System

Release the sprocket lock levers on both the right

sprocket units by pulling each lever down.

Slide the

left

sprocket unit all the way to the left., Lock it in

place by pushing the sprocket lock lever up.

and

left

Paper

Handling 2-5

Using

the Two-Tractor System

Now slide the right sprocket unit to approximately match the

5..

width of your paper. (Do not lock it in place yet.)

Slide the two paper supports so that they are spaced evenly

6.. between the two sprocket units.

2-6

Paper Handling

Using the Two-Tractor System

Open both sprocket covers.

Fit the first four holes in the paper over the pins of both

8.. sprocket units. (The side of the paper that you want to print on should be facing you.). Then close the sprocket covers.

CAUTION: Make sure your paper has ‘a clean, straight

edge before inserting it into the printer.

Paper

Handling 2-7

Using the Two-Tractor System

9..

Slide the right sprocket unit so that the paper is straight and has no wrinkles. Then lock the sprocket unit in place by pushing the sprocket lock lever up.

CAUTION: Be sure the sprocket units are not too far apart.

If they pull your paper too tightly or tear the edges of the paper holes, a paper jam may result. To remove any excess

in your paper, release the right sprocket

and

lock it again.

tension

10.

Close the front cover. The paper is now loaded to the standby

position.

2-8 Paper Handling

Using the Two-Tractor System

11.

Turn on the printer. The POWER and PAPER OUT lights go on.

Also, either the front or rear tractor arrow on the PAPER SELECT

indicator lights up, depending

which tractor was selected

when the printer was turned off last,

12.

Check the PAPER SELECT indicator to see which tractor is

selected:

l If the front tractor arrow is lit up, press the

button to load the paper.

Paper Handling

LINE FEED/LOAD

2-9

Using the Two-Tractor System

l If the rear tractor arrow is lit up, make sure the printer is

off line and then press the FRONT/REAR button to switch to

the front tractor. When the printer switches tractors, it also loads the paper automatically.

13.

Press the ON LINE button to put the printer on line so it is ready

to print. The paper is now loaded to it looks like the printing will start too high or low see the section on Chapter

adjusting the top of form position in

the

top of form position. If

on the page,

2-10

Paper Handling

Using the Two-Tractor System

Notes:

l Before you begin printing, be sure to check the page length

and skip over perforation settings, and readjust the settings if necessary. See the sections perforation in

Cha#qr 3.

on page length and skip over

l If you open the top cover while the

beeps four

times,

goes off line, and stops printing. To resume

DFX

is printing, the printer

printing, close the top cover and press the ON LINE button.

Loading paper onto the rear tractor

The following steps show you how to load paper onto the rear

tractor. You can load the paper from the front

Turn off the printer.

paper onto the rear tractor without removing

tractor.

Paper Handling

2-11

Using the Two-Tractor System

Open the top cover by lifting its front edge up and away from you.

Open the rear flap at the back of the top cover.

2-12

Paper Handling

Facing the front of the printer,

on the rear

tractor’s

right and

each lever back.

Using the Two-Tractor

release the sprocket

left

sprocket

units by Pushing

lock

System

levers

the

Slide

place by pulling the sprocket lock lever forward.

left sprocket unit all the way to the

left.

Lock it in

Paper

Handling

2-13

Using the Two-Tractor System

Now slide the right sprocket unit to approximately match the

width

of your paper. (Do not lock it in place yet.)

Slide the two paper supports so that they are spaced evenly between the two sprocket units.

2-14

Paper Handling

Using the Two-Tractor System

Open both sprocket covers.

With the side of the paper you want to print on facing down,

insert the paper through the opening at the rear of the printer.

You may find it easier to load the paper by standing to the side

of the printer. That way, you can feed the paper through the rear opening with one hand and pull it through with the other.

Paper

Handling

2-15

Using the Two-Tractor System

CAUTION: Make sure your paper has a clean, straight

edge before inserting it into the printer.

10. Fit the first four holes in the paper over the pins of the sprocket

units. Then close the sprocket covers.

11.

Slide the right sprocket unit so that the paper is straight and has

no wrinkles. Then lock the sprocket unit in place by pulling the sprocket lock lever forward.

2-16

Paper Handling

Using the Two-Tractor System

CAUTION:

Be sure the sprocket units are not too far apart. If they pull your paper too tightly or tear the edges of the paper holes, a paper jam may result. To remove any excess tension in your paper, release the right sprocket and lock it again.

12. Close the top cover and the rear flap. The paper is now loaded

to the standby position.

13.

Turn on the printer. The POWER and PAPER OUT lights go on.

Also, either the front or rear tractor

arrow on the PAPER SELECT

indicator lights up, depending on which tractor was selected when the printer was turned off last.

Paper

Handling

2-17

Using the Two-Tractor System

Check the PAPER SELECT indicator to see which tractor is

14..

CU.

selecte

11’

the rear tractor arrow is lit up, press the LINE

button to load the paper.

If the front tractor arrow is lit up, make sure the printer is

off line and then press the FRONT/REAR button to switch to the rear

loads

tractor. When the printer switches tractors, it also

the paper automatically.

FEED/LOAD

2-18

Paper

Handling

Using the Two-Tractor System

15.

Press the ON

LINE

button to put the printer on line so it is ready

to print. The paper is now loaded to the top of form position. If it looks like the printing will start too high or low on the page,

see the section on adjusting the top of form position in

Chapter

Notes:

l Before you begin printing, be sure to check the page length

and skip over perforation settings, and readjust the settings if necessary. See the section on page length and skip over perforation in Chapter

l If you open the top cover while the

3. DFX

is printing, the printer beeps four times, goes off line, and stops printing. To resume printing,close

the

top

cover and press the ON LINE button.

Paper Handling

2-19

Switching between Front

You can easily switch between paper loaded on the front tractor and paper loaded on the rear tractor with the FRONT/REAR button.

The following steps describe the procedure for switching from the front tractor to the rear tractor, but you can follow the same steps to switch from the rear tractor to the front tractor. (To switch tractors when the optional pull tractor is installed, see Chapter

WARNING: Never switch between tractors when labels are

!!!!!b

Before you start, make sure the printer is turned on and that the front tractor is selected. (The front tractor arrow on the PAPER SELECT indicator should be lit up.) If you are in the middle of printing a document, wait for the printer to finish printing before you switch tractors. Then follow these steps.

loaded in the printer or a paper jam may result. Instead, completely remove the labels first by tearing off the fresh supply below the tractor and pressing the LINE FEED button to eject the remaining labels.

If the printer is on line, press the ON LINE button to take line.

and

Rear Tractors

FORM.

5.)

FEED or

it off

2-20

Paper Handling

Switching between Front and Rear Tractors

If there is no paper loaded in the rear tractor, load paper to the standby position. (See the section on loading paper onto the rear

tractor in this chapter for instructions.)

Open the paper separator cover at the back of the top cover.

If you have a printed document still in the printer,

OF excess

paper that has been fed through the printer, use the short off feature

de&&d

in Chapter 3 to tear off the document or

excess paper.

tear-

Paper Handling

2-21

Switching between Front and Rear Tractors

WARNING: Always tear off the printed document and any

excess paper that has been fed through the printer before switching tractors. Never feed more than one page backward

Close the paper separator cover.

Make sure the top cover is closed and then press the FRONT/REAR button to switch to the rear tractor. The-printer feeds the front-loaded paper back to the standby position and advances the rear-loaded paper to the top of form position.

2-22

Paper Handling

Switching between Front and Rear Tractors

7..

Press the ON LINE button to put the printer on line so it is ready to print.

Note: If you open the top cover while the

DFX

is printing, the

printer beeps four times, goes off line, and stops printing. To resume printing, close the top cover and press the ON LINE button.

Paper Handling

2-23

Changing the Paper

The following steps describe the procedure for changing paper on

the front tractor, but you can follow the same steps when you

change the paper on the rear tractor. Before you start, make sure

the printer is turned on and the front tractor is selected. (If you are

changing the paper on the rear tractor, the rear tractor should be

selected instead.)

WARNING:

I!!!!!9

if labels are already loaded in the printer. Instead, completely

remove the labels first by tearing off the fresh supply below

the tractor and pressing the

button to eject the remaining labels. Then load new paper as described in this chapter,

If the printer is on line, press the ON LINE button to take it off

line.

Never change paper using the following procedure

FORM

FEED or LINE FEED

2-24

Paper Handling

Changing the Paper

If you have a printed document still in the printer, or excess paper that has been fed through the printer, use the short tearoff feature described in Chapter

to tear off the document or

excess paper.

WARNING: Always tear off printed documents beforeWARNING: Always tear off printed documents before

changing the paper. Never feed more than one pagechanging the paper. Never feed more than one page

backward through the printer.backward through the printer.

Press the FRONT/REAR button to switch to the rear tractor. The

front-loaded paper automatically feeds back to the standby

position.

Paper

Handling

2-25

Changing the Paper

Open the front cover. (To change the rear-loaded paper, open

4..

the top cover and the rear flap.)

Open the sprocket covers and remove the paper from the

5..

tractor.

2-26

Paper

Handling

Changing the Paper

6..

Load the new paper onto the front tractor as described in the section on loading paper onto the front tractor in this chapter. (If

you are loading paper onto the rear tractor, see the section

on loading paper onto that tractor.)

Close the front cover (or close the top cover and the rear flap).

Paper Handling

2-27

Changing the Paper

Press the FRONT/REAR button to switch to the front (or rear) tractor and load the paper to the

top of

form position. Then press the ON LINE button -to -put the printer on line so it is ready to print.

DFX

Note: If you open the top cover while the

is printing, the

printer beeps four times, goes off line, and stops printing. To resume printing, close the top cover and press the ON LINE button.

2-28

Paper

Handling

Printing on Special

The

DFX-8000

can print on various types of paper, including

Paper

multipart forms and labels. It can also handle a variety of paper thicknesses, from thin paper to six-part forms. The printer automatically adjusts to the thickness and width of your paper.

When you print on multi-part forms and labels, the positioning of your text on the page can be critical. For aligning your text, see the sections on adjusting the top. printing positions in Chapter

You should also check both your

more.

information on

of form and

printer and your software page length settings before you load labels or forms. See the

section on

page length

Chapter 3.

If you are using labels or want to use the optional pull tractor. See Chapter

WARNING: When printing on multi-part forms or labels,

preprinted or

multi-part forms, you may

make sure that your printing stays within the printable area of the paper to prevent damage to the print head. For more information on the printable area, see page

8-6.

Copy mode If the printing on the last pages of your multi-part forms is too

faint, you can use the

DFX-8000’s

copy mode to print clearer,

darker characters on each page. In copy mode, which is available

only for draft, not

NLQ,

the

DFX-8000

prints at half the normal

speed. To select or cancel copy mode, press the FORM FEED/COPY button

when the ON LINE light is on. When you select copy mode, the printer beeps twice; when you cancel copy mode, the printer beeps

once.

Paper

Handling

2-29

Printing on Special Paper

Multi-part forms

You can use continuous multi-part forms with up to four sheets, including the can use forms with up

or@inal,

on the rear tractor. On the front tractor, you

ito

six sheets.

Be sure to use multi-part forms that meet the requirements listed in

the section on paper in Chapter

WARNING: Never use multi-part forms

thst

have metal

staples.

You load continuous

multi-part forms the same way as you load

any other type of continuous paper. Before loading multi-part forms, make sure that the not separate or tear

‘paper has a clean straight edge and does

apart. See the sections on loading paper earlier

in this chapter.

2-30

Paper Handling

Printing on Special Paper

When you use the paper memory feature described in Chapter

the

DFX-8000 such as forms with labels on them or forms that overlap slightly where they

area and in the places where they overlap and are joined together, as

shown

overlapping multi-part forms

can print on multi-part forms that vary in thickness,

are.glued together. These forms are thicker in the label

below.

multi-part forms with labels

CAUTION: Be sure to use the paper memory feature before

you print on multi-part forms that vary in thickness.

See Chapter 3 for instructions.

When you print on these forms, make sure that the printing fits within the printable area and the top of form position is set properly. The printable area is shown in Chapter

Paper Handling

2-31

Printing on Special Paper

Labels When using labels, always choose the type mounted on a continuous

backing sheet with sprocket holes should be used in

the

front tractor only. You load labels the same

for

use with a tractor. Labels

way that you load continuous paper. See the section on loading paper onto the front tractor earlier in this chapter.

WARNING:

reverse-feeding (bottom)

Never

use the TEAR OFF, FRONT/REAR,

MICRO FEED

button when labels are

through the printer because they can easily come off the

Although you must never feed labels backward through the printer, you can still use the

DFX-8000’s

automatic paper handling features

if you follow these precautions:

Instead of’ using the TEAR OFF button to remove printed labels, take the printer off line and press the FORM FEED or LINE

FEED

button until the last printed label is at the point where you can

tear it off easily. Before using the FRONT/REAR button to

&itch

tractors

,or

change paper, remove the entire supply of labels. To remove labels, always tear off the fresh supply at a perforation tractor and then press the FORM FEED or

LtNE FEED:

below

the

button to

eject the remaining labels. When you adjust the top of form or printing position, use only

the forward-feeding (top) MICRO FEED button.

2-32

Paper Handling

Printing on Special Paper

Before you print a large number of labels, print only one page of labels to make sure all the text is printed within the label area.

WARNING:

Since labels are especially sensitive to extreme temperature and humidity, always use them under normal operating conditions.

Paper Handling

2-33

Chapter

Using the Printer

Operating

the Control Panel

...........................

But&3

................................................................

Other control panel features

Setting the DIP Switches

Changing a DIP switch setting The DIP switch tables The DIP switch functions

Page Length

.............................................................

Skip Over Perforation

Using the Paper Memory Feature

Saving paper format and thickness information

Loading paper format from memory Adjusting the Top of Form Position Adjusting the Printing Position

.......................................

.....................................

............................................

..................................

.............................................

........................................

...............................................

.................................

...........

..........................

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Using Short Tear-Off. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3-2 3-2 3-4 3-6

3-7

3-7 3-10 3-14

3-17

3-18 3-20

3-21

3-31 3-33 3-37

3-40

3-43 3-43 3-45 3-46

Selecting Typestyles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Character fonts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Character spacing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Condensed mode

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Selecting an International Character Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-47

Choosing a Character Table

........................................

Data Dump Mode.....................................................

Using the Printer 3-l

3-49

3-51

Operating the Control Panel

The

DFX-8000’s features. The control panel buttons let primer settings, and more. The control panel indicator lights you status information such as which mode the printer is in, which tractor is loaded with paper, and which The following sections describe the functions of the control panel’s lights and buttons.

The indicator lights on the control panel let you check the current status of the printer. Below is an illustration of the control panel lights and a description of their functions.

Lights

control panel gives you access to several powerful

you control

tractor is ready

paper loading,

give

to print.

POWER

On when the power switch is on and power is supplied to the printer.

READY

On when the printer is on line and ready to receive data from your computer. This light flickers during printing.

3-2

(green)

Using the Printer

Operating the Control

Panel

PAPER OUT

(red) On when the printer is out of paper. This light goes on whenever there is

no:

paper positioned behind the print head, even if there, is paper loaded on the tractors in the standby position. (The printer also beeps when it is out of paper.)

LINE

(green)

On when the printer is on line and ready to receive and print data from the computer, Also, when the print head overheats, the ON

LINE light blinks. The printer stops printing, waits several minutes while the print head cools, and then resumes printing.

TEAR OFF

(green)

On when the printer is in tear-off mode.

TOP OF FORM

On when the printer is in top of form mode.

(green)

tvhen

this light blinks,

you can adjust the loading and top of form positions.

PAPER SELECT

(red/green) The front tractor arrow goes on when the front tractor is selected. The rear tractor arrow goes on when the rear The light is green

when&paper

is loaded, even if

.tractor

is selected.

,the

paper is in the

standby position, and red when the tractor is completely out of

paper.

Using

the Printer

3-3

Operating

the Control Panel

Buttons

The control panel buttons let you perform printer operations quickly and easily. Below is an

Uustration of the control panel

buttons and a description of their functions.

OPOWER

FORM

FRONT/REAR

FEED

c1-

LINE

ON LINE

FEED LINE FEED TEAR OFF

This button controls the printer’s on line status. Press this button to put the printer on line or take it off line. When the printer is on line,

the ON LINE light is on and the printer can receive and print

data from the computer. When the printer is in top of form mode, you can press the ON LINE

button to exit the mode without setting a new top of form position. You can sections on

Also

press the ON LINE button to

adjtisting

the top of form position and using short tear-

&it

tear-off mode. See the

off in this chapter.

FORM FEED/COPY

When the printer is off line, press this button to advance the paper to the top of the next page. To adjust the position the paper is fed to, see the section on adjusting the top of form position in this chapter. When the printer is on line, press this button to select or cancel copy mode. See the section on printing on special paper in

Chapter

3-4 Utdng

2 for more information.

the Printer

Operating the Control Panel

LINE

FEED/LOAD

When the printer is off line, you use this button to load paper or to advance the paper after you load it. To advance the paper one line, press this button once. To advance the paper continuously, hold down

the button.

TEAR OFF

The TEAR OFF button feeds the paper to the printer’s tear-off edge so you can tear off your document without losing the paper. normally

lost between printing jobs. To use this feature, take the printer off

line after your document finishes printing and press the TEAR OFF button. The printer feeds the paper to the printer’s tear-off edge. After you tear off the document, press the TEAR OFF or ON LINE button to feed the paper back to the top of form position.

If the perforation of tear-off edge, you

your

can

paper does not align exactly with the printer’s

use the

MICRO FEED

buttons to adjust the tear-off

position. See the section on using short tear-off in this chapter.

WARNING Never use the TEAR OFF

Press the

FORM FEED

LINE FEED

button with labels.

button instead to feed

the printed labels to a point where you can tear them off.

MICRO FEED

When the printer is off line, the two MICRO FEED buttons advance or reverse the loaded paper in these buttons to adjust the

1/216th-inch

paper memory, top of form, loading,

increments. You can use

printing, and tear-off positions. For more information, see the sections on using the paper memory and short tear-off features and adjusting the top of form and printing positions in this chapter.

TOP OF FORM

When the printer is off line, press this button to enter or exit top of form mode. You can also use this button to enter paper memory settings. For more information, see the sections on adjusting the top of form position and using the paper memory feature in this chapter.

Using the Printer

3-5

Operating the Control Panel

FRONT/REAR

When

the

printer

rear tractor. If you have been

is off line,

press

this button to select the

using paper

loaded on one

front or

tractor, first remove the printed output before switching to the other tractor. When you switch tractors, the printer feeds the paper that is already

loaded backward to the standby position and loads paper

on the newly selected tractor.

Other control panel

The control panel also Self test:

You can run the self test to check whether your printer

f@ures

gives

you

access

operates properly. The self test prints the current DIP switch

settings

and

the characters in the printer’s ROM

(Read Only Memory). Your printer offers both draft

and

NLQ

self tests. To start the self test, hold down

the LINE FEED or FORM FEED button and turn on the printer. See the section on running the self test in Chapter

l’for

more information.

Data dump: To enter data dump mode,

and’ FORM FEED buttons and turn on the printer. This feature prints the codes that are sent advanced users can determine the cause of communication problems between the computer and printer. See the section on data dump mode in this chapter for more information.

to several special functions.

hold

down the LINE FEED

to’the

printer so that

3-6

Using the Printer

Setting the DIP Switches

The

DFX-8000

has three sets of DIP (Dual

Inline

Package) switches located under a small cover below the front tractor. By changing the settings of these switches, you can control various printer features, such as the character set, the page length, and the printing speed. The DIP switch tables starting on page

3-11

describe the

functions of the DIP switches.

igned

Because the factory (default) settings are

the needs of most users, you probably settings very

often. WAenyoudo

need to &t a DIP switch, follow

MM t

to accommodate

change DIP switch

the steps below. Be sure to turn off the printer before you start and turn it on again when you are effect only after you

tum

done. Neti

DIP switch settings take

on or reset the printer.

Changing a DIP switch setting

To change a DIP switch setting, follow these steps:

Turn off the printer.

Using the Printer

3-7

Setting the

Open the front cover. If there is paper loaded on the front

2..

DIP

Switches

tractor, remove it.

Open the DIP

3-8

Using the Printer

switch cover as shown below.

Setting the DIP Switches

Use a pointed instrument, such as the tip of a pen or pencil; to

turn a switch on or off, A DIP switch is on when it is up, and

off when it is down.

CAUTION: Always make sure the printer is turned off

before you change the DIP switch

setti~&~.

5. Close the DIP switch cover.

Using the Printer

3-9

Setting the DIP Switches

6..

Replace the paper and close the front cover,

The new DIP switch settings take effect when you turn on the printer.

The DIP switch tables

The tables on the next page describe the functions of the DIP switches. The shaded boxes show the default or factory settings. See the page numbers listed on the right for more information about each feature.

3-10 Using

the Printer

Setting the DIP Switches

DIP Switch

DIP Switch 2 1 SW 1

Default character set

Description

OFF

Page

2-5

Interface

2-6 2-7

Baud rate

2-8

The default setting for DIP switch l-3 varies depending on the country.

When DIP switch

functions of DIP switches this table. See the table on page

mode.

type/parity

1-4

is on and the printer is in IBM emulation mode, the

1-3, 1-6, 1-7,

3-13

Seee

table

page

3-13. 3-15

Seee

table

page

3-13. 3-16

1-8 and

for their functions in IBM emulation

2-1

differ from those listed in

Using the Printer

3-11

Setting the

DIP

Switches

DIP Switch 3

3-2

Page

length l-inch skip over perforation Paper memory

Ovf&laooinh m&i-oat-t Multi-part

Skip over binding Handshaking

The default setting for DIP switch

forms with labels

protocol

forms

International character set

inches

Memory 2

Valid

X-on/X-&f

3-2

varies depending on the

inches I3-17

3-18 I 3-20 1

3-16 1 3-16

country.

The default settings for these DIP switches vary depending on the country.

3-12

Using the Printer

Setting the DIP Switches

Interface/Parity selection

Baud rate selection

When you select IBM emulation mode by turning on DIP switch

1-4,

DIP switches l-3,

1-6, 1-7,

l-8, and 2-l function differently

than they do in Epson ESC/P mode. The tables below show the

functions of these switches in IBM emulation mode. DIP switch functions in IBM emulation mode

1-3 1-6 1-7

1-8

2-1

Automatic cafriaae return

Default character table See table below.

command at the top of form position

Q8scriptiin ON

OFF

Invalid Valid

IBM emulation mode character tables

Default

The Appendix shows the characters included in each character table.

character

Table 1

Table 2*

table SW

ON ON

Table 2 is selected when any one of these switches is turned off.

l-6

SW 1-7

Using the Printer

1-8

3-13

Setting the DIP Switches

The DIP switch

This section describes the different features you can control with the

printer’s

Slashed

DIP switches.

zero

When DIP switch l-2 is on, the printer prints slashed When the DIP switch is off, the printer prints open zeros

functions

zeros(0).

(0).

This

feature is useful for clearly distinguishing between uppercase 0 and zero when printing documents such as program lists.

Printer mode

When DIP switch l-4 is on, the printer operates in IBM emulation mode. When the DIP switch is off, the printer operates in Epson

ESC/P mode. The functions of DIP switches

2-1

in IBM emulation mode differ from their functions in Epson

1-3,

1-6,

1-7, 1-8, and

ESC/P mode. The tables on the previous page describe the special

functions of these DIP switches in IBM emulation mode.

Default character set

When DIP switch default. User-defined characters

2-l

is on, the user-defined character set is the

are maintained in the printer’s

memory even when the power is turned off, so you can select the user-defined character set simply by turning on this DIP switch. However, when the switch is on, you cannot define new

defined characters. The setting of this DIP switch takes effect only if

DIP switch

l-4 is set for Epson ESC/P mode. See Chapter 4 for

user-

more information on user-defined characters.

Draft printing speed

When DIP switch

2-2

is off, high-speed draft mode is selected.

When the switch is on, normal draft mode is selected. This switch

only affects the printer if DIP switch

(turned high-speed draft mode, the characters per second at

3-14

off) or if draft mode is selected through your software. In

DFX-8000

cpi

(characters per inch). In normal

Using the Printer

1-5

is set for draft mode

can print up to

1066

Setting the DIP Switches

draft mode, the

cpi.

Normal draft mode produces characters that are more fully

formed than

Note: High-speed draft mode is available only for

DFX-8000

characters

prints up to

800

characters per second at

produced in high-speed draft mode.

cpi

printing.

Also, underlining and double-wide are the only print enhancements

that work in high-speed

emphask$:double-strike,

draft

mode. If you use a feature such as

or italics in

highqmd

draft mode, the

printer temporarily slows to the normal draft speed until the feature is turned off. This allows you to use any print enhancement without cancelling

Bit length for serial interface

When DIP switch

high-speed draft mode.

2-3

is on, the bit length for the serial interface is

set to 7 bits. When the DIP switch is off, the bit length is set to 8 bits.

Auto line feed

DIP,

When

switch

2-4

is on, the printer adds a line feed

(LF) command to every carriage return (CR) code sent by the application program. When the switch is off, line feeds occur only

when the

software sends line feed commands to the printer. Since most computers and application programs automatically add line feeds to carriage returns, you should use this feature only if your text is printing all on one line.

Interface parity

If your computer is set up for serial communication, you need to change DIP switches

2-5

and

2-6

so that your printer and computer can communicate properly. These DIP switches control the interface type and parity. (You may also need to select a different baud rate as described in the next section.)

The table on page interface and a

3-13

shows the DIP switch settings for a parallel

serial interface with odd, even, or no parity. If you

Using the Printer

3-15

Epson DFX 8000 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

About This Manual

Introduction

Unpacking the Printer

Checking the parts

Removing the protective materials

Choosing a Place for the Printer

Assembling the Printer

Installing the ribbon cartridge

Testing the Printer

Plugging in the printer

The parallel interface

Setting Up Your Application Software

Using the Two-Tractor System

Loading paper onto the rear tractor

Changing the Paper

Multi-part forms

Operating the Control Panel

Lights

Buttons

Setting the DIP Switches

Changing a DIP switch setting

The DIP switch tables