Epson DFX-9000 User Manual

®

9-pin Dot Matrix Printer

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
without the pr ior written permission of Seik o Epson Corporation. The info rmation contained
herein is designed only for use with this Epson printer. Epson is not responsible for any use
of this information as applied to other printers.

Neither Seiko Epson Corporation nor its affiliates shall be liable to the purchaser of this
product or third parties for damages, losses, costs, or expenses incurred by the purchaser or
third parties as a result of: accident, misuse, or abuse of this product or unauthorized
modifications, repairs, or alterations to this product, or (excluding the U.S.) failure to strictly
comply with Seiko Epson Corporation’s operating and maintenance instructions.

Seiko Epson Corporation shall not be liable for any damages or problems arising from the
use of any options or any consumable products other than th ose designated as Original Epson
Products or Epson Approved Products by Seiko Epson Corporation.

EPSON and EPSON ESC/P are registered trademarks of Seiko Epson Corporation.

®

Microsoft
Corporation.

IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.

General Notice: Other product names used herein are for identification purposes only and may be
trademarks of their respective owners. Epson disclaims any and all rights in those marks.

Copyright © 2004 Seiko Epson Corporation. All rights reserved.

, Windows®, and Windows NT® are registered trademarks of Microsoft

Reference Guide

Contents

Chapter 1 Safety Instructions

Warnings, Cautions, and Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Hot Parts Caution Symbol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Important Safety Instructions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Chapter 2 Paper Handling

Using the Two-Tractor System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Positioning the paper supply. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

What paper types you can use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Loading Paper onto the Front Tractor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Loading Paper onto the Rear Tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Adjusting the Paper Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Adjusting the top-of-form position. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Adjusting the printing position. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Adjusting the label position. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Tearing Off the Printed Pages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Using the Tear Off button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Adjusting the tear-off position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Switching Between Front and Rear Tractors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Changing the Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Printing on Multi-Part Forms and Labels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Using multi-part forms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Using labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Chapter 3 Printer Software

About Your Printer Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Using the Printer Driver with Windows Me, 98, and 95 . . . . . . . . 44

Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications . . 44

Accessing the printer driver from the Start menu . . . . . . . . . 46

2

Changing the printer driver settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Using the Printer Driver with Windows XP, 2000, and

Windows NT 4.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications . . .49

Accessing the printer driver from the Start menu. . . . . . . . . .51

Changing the printer driver settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

Printer Driver Settings Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

Using EPSON Status Monitor 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

Setting up EPSON Status Monitor 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Accessing EPSON Status Monitor 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

Installing EPSON Status Monitor 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61

Setting Up Your Printer on a Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

Sharing the printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

Setting up your printer as a shared printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Setting for the clients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67

Installing the printer driver from the CD-ROM . . . . . . . . . . .75

Canceling Printing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76

Uninstalling the Printer Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77

Uninstalling the printer driver and

EPSON Status Monitor 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77

Chapter 4 Control Panel

Buttons and Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82

Selecting a Font and Pitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86

About Your Printer’s Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87

Understanding the printer’s settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87

Changing the printer’s settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98

Lock-Out Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103

Turning on or off the lock-out mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103

Chapter 5 Problem Solver

Diagnosing the Problem. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104

Using the error indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105

EPSON Status Monitor 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106

Printing a Self Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107

3

Printing Hex Dump. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

Problems and Solutions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Power supply problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Paper loading or feeding problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Printing position problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Printing or printout quality problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Option using problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Network problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Correcting USB Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Clearing Paper Jams. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Aligning Vertical Lines in Your Printout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126

Canceling Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Contacting Customer Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

Technical Support Web Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Chapter 6 Options and Consumables

Ribbon Cartridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130

Genuine Epson ribbon cartridge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130

Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130

Using the Pull Tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

Installing the pull tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

Using the pull tractor with the front tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

Using the pull tractor with the rear tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

Removing the pull tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144

Using the Perforation Cutter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145

Installing the perforation cutter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146

Attaching the perforated paper output attachment and

output tray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

Paper handling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

Removing the perforation cutter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154

Interface Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

Installing an interface card. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

Using a serial interface card. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160

Print Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161

Setting the IP address from the control panel. . . . . . . . . . . . 161

4

Appendix A Product Information

Printer Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163

Printer Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166

Mechanical. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166

Electronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168

Electrical. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .170

Environmental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .171

Paper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .171

Printable area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .181

Command Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .183

EPSON ESC/P control codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .183

IBM PPDS emulation control codes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .185

Standards and Approvals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .186

Cleaning the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .186

Transporting the Printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .187

Glossary

Index

5

Chapter 1

Safety Instructions

Warnings, Cautions, and Notes

Warnings

must be followed carefully to avoid bodily injury.

w

Cautions

must be observed to avoid damage to your equipment.

c

Notes

contain important information and useful tips on the operation of your
printer.

Hot Parts Caution Symbol

This symbol is placed on the print head to indicate that

K

it may be hot. Never touch this part just after the
printer has been used. Let it cool for a few minutes
before touching it.

Important Safety Instructions

Read all of these safety instructions before using the printer. In
addition, follow all warnings and instructions marked on the
printer itself.

6 Safety Instructions

When setting up the printer

❏ Because the printer weights approximately 34 kg, you should

not lift or carry it alone. Two people should carry it by the
bottom.

❏ Do not place the printer on an unstable surface or near a

radiator or heat source.

❏ Place the printer on a flat surface. The printer will not operate

properly if it is tilted or placed at an angle.

❏ Do not place this product on a soft, unstable surface like a bed

or a sofa, or a small, enclosed area, as this restricts ventilation.

❏ Do not block or cover the slots and openings in the printer’s

cabinet, and do not insert objects through the slots.

❏ Use only the type of power source indicated on the printer’s

label. If you are not sure of the power supply specifications in
your area, contact your local power company or consult your
dealer.

❏ Connect all equipment to properly grounded electrical

outlets. Avoid using outlets on the same circuit as
photocopiers or air control systems that regularly switch on
and off.

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

❏ Do not use a damaged or frayed power cord.

❏ The power cord should be placed to avoid abrasions, cuts,

fraying, crimping, kinking, and other damage.

❏ If you use an extension cord with the printer, make sure the

total ampere rating of all devices plugged into the extension
cord does not exceed the cord’s ampere rating. Also, make
sure the total ampere of all devices plugged into the electrical
outlet does not exceed the electrical outlet’s ampere rating.

Safety Instructions 7

1

1

1

1

❏ Use only the power cord that comes with this product. Use of

another cord may result in fire or electric shock.

❏ This product’s power cord is for use with this product only.

Use with other equipment may result in fire or electric shock.

When maintaining the printer

❏ Unplug the printer before cleaning it, and always clean it with

a piece of damp cloth only.

❏ Do not spill liquid onto the printer.

❏ Except as specifically explained in this guide, do not attempt

to service the printer yourself.

❏ Unplug the printer and refer servicing to qualified service

personnel under the following conditions:

i. If the power cord or plug is damaged.

ii. If liquid has entered the printer.

iii. If the printer has been dropped or the cabinet damaged.

iv. If the printer does not operate normally or exhibits a

distinct change in performance.

❏ Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating

instructions.

❏ If you plan to use the printer in Germany, observe the

following:

To provide adequate short-circuit protection and
over-current protection for this printer, the building
installation must be protected by a 16-amp circuit breaker.

8 Safety Instructions

Bei Anschluss des Druckers an die Stromversorgung muss
sichergestellt werden, dass die Gebaudeinstallation mit einer
16 A-Sicherung abgesichert ist.

1

When Handling the paper

❏ Never feed labels backward using the Micro Feedd button.

When fed backward, labels can easily peel off the backing
sheet and cause a paper jam.

❏ Because labels are sensitive to temperature and humidity, use

them only under normal operating conditions described
below:

Temperature 15 to 25°C (59 to 77°F)

Humidity 30 to 60% RH

❏ Do not leave labels loaded in the printer between jobs; they

may curl around the platen and jam when you resume
printing.

❏ Do not load paper that is curled or has been folded.

When operating the printer

❏ Adjust only those controls that are covered in the user

documentation. Improper adjustment of other controls may
result in damage requiring extensive repair by a qualified
technician.

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

❏ Whenever you turn off the printer, wait at least five seconds

before turning it back on; otherwise, you may damage the
printer.

❏ Do not turn off the printer while it is printing the self test.

Always press the Pause button to stop printing and then turn
off the printer.

Safety Instructions 9

1

1

❏ Do not turn off the printer while it is printing the hex dump.

Always press the Pause button to stop printing and then turn
off the printer.

❏ Do not reconnect the power cord to an electrical outlet that

has the wrong voltage for your printer.

❏ Never replace the print head yourself; you may damage the

printer. Also, other parts of the printer must be checked when
the print head is replaced.

❏ You need to move the print head by hand to replace the ribbon

cartridge. If you have just used the printer, the print head may
be hot; let it cool for a few minutes before touching it.

ENERGY STAR

The International ENERGY STAR® Office Equipment Program is
a voluntary partnership with the computer and office equipment
industry to promote the introduction of energy-efficient personal
computers, monitors, printers, fax machines, copiers, scanners,
and multifunction devices in an effort to reduce air pollution
caused by power generation. Their standards and logos are
uniform among participating nations.

®

Compliance

As an

ENERGY STAR

has determined that this product meets
the

ENERGY STAR

energy efficiency.

®

Partner, Epson

®

guidelines for

10 Safety Instructions

Chapter 2

Paper Handling

Using the Two-Tractor System

Your printer’s paper handling system consists of a front push

tractor and a rear 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 the paper

loaded when the Platen gap setting is set to Auto in the SelecType

mode. See “SelecType mode” on page 88 for details.

You can print on continuous paper from 3 inches (76.2 mm) to

16.5 inches (419.1 mm) wide. Your printer senses the paper width

automatically.

When using more than two types of paper, load the paper you use

most often onto the front tractor. The front tractor, which is easier

to reach, will be available for the paper you change more

frequently.

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Note:

❏ Before using your paper, check that it matches the specifications

described in this manual. See “Paper” on page 171 for details. Also
make sure your paper has a straight edge.

❏ If continuous paper is fed past the sprocket (on the last page, for

example), the paper may not feed properly.

❏ When the optional perforation cutter (#C81507X) is installed, the

printable width is from 4 inches (101.6 mm) to 16 inches (406.4
mm).

Paper Handling 11

2

2

2

2

Positioning the paper supply

You can load continuous paper from both the front and the rear,
so be sure to leave enough room around the printer for the two
stacks of fresh paper and for the printed stack. Make sure you
align your paper supply with the paper loaded in the tractor so
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.

Note:

❏ When loading paper from the front, be sure to put the paper

someplace that is lower than the stand where the printer is placed.
Placing the paper on the same level as the printer or higher may
cause a paper jam.

❏ Make sure that your stack of printed pages does not interfere with

the rear tractor’s paper supply.

12 Paper Handling

What paper types you can use

You can use the continuous paper types listed below.

Continuous Paper Types Front Tractor Rear Tractor

Single-sheet available available

Multi-part available available

Labels available available

Continuous forms with labels available available

Overlapping multi-part forms available available

Loading Paper onto the Front Tractor

Follow these steps to load paper onto the front tractor:

1. Turn off the printer.

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Paper Handling 13

2

2

2

2

2. Open the printer’s front cover by lifting up the middle of its
bottom edge until it locks in place, as shown below.

front cover

3. Release the sprocket lock levers on both the right and left
sprockets by pulling each lever down.

sprocket lock lever

Caution:

Do not try to pull on or remove the elastic cord from the

c

tractor.

14 Paper Handling

4. Position the left sprocket so that the sprocket pins are to the
left of the arrow mark on the scale. Lock it into place by
pushing up the sprocket lock lever.

2

arrow mark on the scale

5. Now slide the right sprocket to approximately match the
width of your paper. (Do not lock it in place yet.)

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Paper Handling 15

2

2

2

6. Slide the two paper supports so that they are spaced evenly
between the two sprockets.

paper supports

Note:

To use the paper that is less than four inches wide, remove the paper
supports.

7. Open both sprocket covers.

sprocket cover

16 Paper Handling

8. Be sure your paper has a clean, straight edge, and then fit the
first few holes in the paper over the sprocket pins as shown
below. The side of the paper that you want to print on should
be facing you. Now close the sprocket covers.

2

2

2

2

2

Note:

When loading paper from the front, be sure to put the paper
someplace that is lower than the stand where the printer is placed.
Placing the paper on the same level as the printer or higher may
cause a paper jam.

9. Slide the right sprocket so that the paper is straight and has
no wrinkles. Lock the sprocket in place by pushing up the
sprocket lock lever. After you lock the right sprocket, it may
still move slightly; this is normal.

sprocket lock lever

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Paper Handling 17

Note:

Be careful not to pull the paper too tightly when adjusting the right
sprocket.

10. Pull the printer’s front cover out slightly and lower it until it
is closed.

Caution:

❏ Do not push the front cover directly down; always pull

c

it out slightly before closing.

❏ Before turning on the printer, be absolutely sure you

have removed all protective materials. (See the
Unpacking instructions that are provided with the
printer for more details.) Turning on the printer while
the print head cannot move may seriously damage the
mechanism.

18 Paper Handling

11. Turn on the printer. The print head moves to the left and the
LCD turns on. Also, either the front or rear tractor arrow on
the Tractor Select indicator lights up, depending on which
tractor was selected when the printer was turned off last.

12. Check the Tractor Select indicator to see which tractor is
selected:

If the front tractor arrow light is red, press the LF/FF Load
button to load the paper.

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

If the rear tractor arrow light is red, press the Front/Rear
button to switch to the front tractor. When the printer
switches tractors, it also loads the paper automatically.

Paper Handling 19

2

2

2

2

2

The Tractor Select indicator changes to green. 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, adjust the paper position. See
“Adjusting the Paper Position” on page 26 for instructions.

Loading Paper onto the Rear Tractor

Follow the steps below to load paper onto the rear tractor. (You
do not need to remove the paper from the front tractor first.)

1. Turn off the printer.

2. Open the printer’s top cover as shown below.

20 Paper Handling

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

2

rear flap

4. Release the sprocket lock levers on the rear tractor’s right and
left sprockets by pulling each lever forward.

sprocket lock lever

Caution:

Do not try to pull on or remove the elastic cord from the

c

tractor.

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Paper Handling 21

2

2

2

5. Position the right sprocket so that the sprocket pins are to the
right of the arrow mark on the scale. Lock it in place by
pushing the sprocket lock lever back.

arrow mark on the scale

6. Now slide the left sprocket to approximately match the width
of your paper. (Do not lock it in place yet.)

22 Paper Handling

7. Open both sprocket covers.

2

sprocket cover

2

2

2

8. Make sure your paper has a clean, straight edge. With the side
of the paper you want to print on facing down, insert your
paper through the opening at the rear of the printer.

Note:

You may find it easier to load the paper by standing to the side. That
way you can feed the paper with one hand and pull it through with
the other.

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Paper Handling 23

9. Fit the first few holes in the paper over the sprocket pins as
shown below. Now close the sprocket covers.

10. Slide the left sprocket to remove any slack in the paper. Make
sure the paper is straight and has no wrinkles. Push the
sprocket lock lever back to lock the sprocket in place. After
you lock the left sprocket, it may still move slightly; this is
normal.

sprocket lock lever

24 Paper Handling

Note:

Be careful not to pull the paper too tightly when adjusting the left
sprocket.

11. Close the top cover and the rear flap. The paper is now loaded
in the standby position.

2

2

2

2

2

12. Turn on the printer. The print head moves to the left and the
LCD turns on. Also, either the front or rear tractor arrow on
the Tractor Select indicator lights up, depending on which
tractor was selected when the printer was turned off last.

13. Check the Tractor Select indicator to see which tractor is
selected:

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Paper Handling 25

If the rear tractor arrow light is red, press the LF/FF Load
button to load the paper.

If the front tractor arrow light is red, press the Front/Rear
button to switch to the rear tractor. When the printer switches
tractors, it also loads the paper automatically.

The Tractor Select indicator changes to green. 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, adjust the paper position. See
“Adjusting the Paper Position” on page 26 for instructions.

Adjusting the Paper Position

You can adjust the top-of-form position as well as the printing
position at any point on the page by using the Micro Feed, and
Top of Form buttons. The printer then remembers the new
top-of-form position. When you use the optional pull tractor, you
can adjust the paper position as described below.

26 Paper Handling

Note:

The printing position (based on the top-of-form position) is controlled
by your software. To change the print position, adjust your software’s
print settings. Use the following procedure only if your software does
not allow print position adjustment.

Adjusting the top-of-form position

The top-of-form position is the position to which the printer feeds
the paper when it loads it or performs a form feed. This position
is important because it determines where the printing begins on
each page. If the printing is too high or low on the page, you can
adjust the top-of-form position either permanently or temporarily
depending on how you use the Top of Form button.

❏ When you want to permanently change the top-of-form

position, you enter the top-of-form mode using the Top of
Form control panel button. The printer remembers the new
top-of-form position even after the printer is turned off, reset,
or initialized. (The printer remembers separate top-of-form
positions for the front and rear tractors.)

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

❏ When you want to temporarily change the top-of-form

position, you adjust the position using the Micro Feed
buttons during pause status without entering top-of-form
mode. The printer remembers the temporary top-of-form
position until the next time you load paper, switch tractors,
or turn off the printer.

You can set the top-of-form position from 4.2 mm (0.17 inch) to

33.9 mm (1.33 inch) below the top edge of the paper. The factory

setting is 8.5 mm (0.33 inch).

Follow the steps below to reset (permanently change) the
top-of-form position.

Paper Handling 27

2

2

2

2

2

Caution:

To adjust the top-of-form position when you are printing on

c

labels, continuous forms with labels, or overlapping multi-part
forms, use the Micro Feedu button only; do not enter the
top-of-form mode. Never feed labels backward through the printer.

1. Make sure the printer is turned on and the desired tractor is
selected (the corresponding tractor arrow should be lit).

2. Open the upper cover.

3. Press the Top of Form button to enter top-of-form mode. The
printer beeps once, and the Top of Form light turns on.

28 Paper Handling

4. Use the Micro Feed buttons to feed the paper to the desired

top-of-form position. The letter “A” on the ribbon protector
shows you where the bottom edge of your first line of text will
print. This position is based on the first printable line of text.
If your software inserts a top margin of five lines, your text
will actually print five lines below the top-of-form position.

2

2

2

2

2

5. Press the Top of Form button again to exit and save your new

top-of-form position. Then close the top cover.

Note:

If you enter top-of-form mode right after loading paper, you can set the
loading and top-of-form positions at the same time. (When you use the
optional pull tractor, you cannot adjust the loading position.)

Adjusting the printing position

You may need to adjust the printing position in the middle of a
page, or to adjust the top-of-form position when using labels.

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Paper Handling 29

When you move the printing position, you temporarily change
the top-of-form position by the same amount. For example, if you
adjust the printing in the middle of the page so that it falls a
half-inch lower, the next page will begin printing a half-inch lower
as well. The printer remembers this temporary top-of-form
position until the next time you load paper, switch tractors, or
turn off the printer. To adjust the printing position or top-of-form
position, follow these steps:

1. Start printing your document. When you reach the text that
you want to align at a particular spot on the page, press the
Pause button to stop printing.

2. Use the Micro Feed buttons to adjust the position where you
want your next line of text to fall. Press the button once to feed
the paper forward or backward in 1/216-inch increments, or
hold it down to move the paper continuously.

Caution:

To adjust the printing position when you are printing on

c

labels, continuous forms with labels, or overlapping
multi-part forms, use the Micro Feedu button only. Never
feed labels backward through the printer. When fed backward,
labels may easily peel off the backing sheet and cause a paper
jam.

3. When you are finished, press the Pause button to resume
printing your document.

Adjusting the label position

Follow the steps below to adjust the label position:

Note:

See “Changing the settings in the SelecType mode” on page 98 to find
how to make settings in the SelecType mode and see “Changing the
settings in the default-setting mode” on page 101 to find how to make
settings in the default-setting mode.

30 Paper Handling

1. Make sure that the printer is turned on.

2. Set the position for the settings listed below in the
default-setting mode.

Label base pos.

Label top pos.

Label length

Label left pos.

Label width

Base sheet PG (Base sheet PG position number)

Label paper PG (Label paper PG position number)

3. Make the settings in the SelecType mode as shown below.

Forms w/labels: On

Pge length front: paper length when using the front

tractor

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Pge length rear: paper length when using the rear

tractor

Tearing Off the Printed Pages

After you finish printing, you can use the tear-off feature to
advance continuous paper on the push tractor to the tear-off edge
of the printer. You can then easily tear off printed sheets. When
you resume printing, the printer automatically feeds paper back
to the loading position.

Paper Handling 31

2

2

2

2

This feature lets you save paper that would normally be lost
between documents.

If the perforation between pages is not aligned with the tear-off
edge, you can adjust the tear-off position using the micro-feed
feature. The printer remembers this new tear-off position.

Caution:

Never use the tear-off feature to reverse feed labels, overlapping

c

multi-part forms, or continuous forms with labels.

Using the Tear Off button

Whether or not the printer is in tear-off mode, you can use the
Tear Off button to advance continuous paper to the tear-off
position by following the steps below.

1. Make sure printing has finished. Then press the Tear Off

button. The printer advances the paper to the tear-off edge
and the Tear Off light comes on.

2. Tear off all printed pages. If the perforation is not aligned with
the tear-off edge, adjust the tear-off position. See “Adjusting
the tear-off position” on page 32 for instructions.

3. When you resume printing, the printer feeds the paper back
to the loading position and begins printing. (You can also
manually feed the paper back to the loading position by
pressing the Tear Off button again.)

Adjusting the tear-off position

If the paper’s perforation is not aligned with the tear-off edge,
follow these steps:

1. Turn on the printer and select the desired tractor.

32 Paper Handling

2. Open the paper separator cover (the flap on the top part of the
printer’s top cover). This exposes the printer’s tear-off edge.

3. Press the Tear Off button to enter the tear-off mode. The Tear
Off light comes on and the printer feeds the paper’s
perforation to the printer’s tear-off edge.

2

2

2

2

2

4. If the paper is not aligned with the tear-off edge, press the
Micro Feed buttons to feed the paper forward or backward
in 1/216-inch increments. (You can also hold down either

Micro Feed button to feed the paper continuously.)

tear-off-edge

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Paper Handling 33

Note:

You can reset the tear-off position only when you are in tear-off mode
(after you press the Tear Off button once and the Tear Off light is
on). The printer remembers the new tear-off position even after the
printer is turned off, reset, or initialized.

5. Tear off the page using the tear-off edge on the printer’s top
cover.

6. Press the Tear Off button to feed the paper back to the
top-of-form position. You are now ready to print your next
document.

Caution:

Always tear off the printed document before you feed the

c

paper back to the top-of-form position. Never feed paper
backward more than one page.

34 Paper Handling

Switching Between Front and Rear Tractors

You can easily switch between paper loaded on the front tractor
and paper loaded on the rear tractor. The instructions below
explain how to switch 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.

Caution:

Never switch between tractors if labels are already loaded in the

c

printer. First remove the labels by tearing off the fresh supply
below the tractor and pressing LF/FF Load to eject the remaining
labels.

2

2

2

2

Before you start, make sure the printer is turned on and that the
front tractor is selected (the front tractor arrow on the Tractor
Select in di ca tor sho uld be l it) . If y ou a re i n th e mi ddl e of pri nti ng
a document, wait for the printer to finish printing before you
switch tractors. Then follow these steps:

1. If no paper is loaded in the rear tractor, load paper to the
standby position (the first five pins of the sprockets). See
“Loading Paper onto the Rear Tractor” on page 20 for
instructions.

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Paper Handling 35

2. If you have a printed document or excess paper still in the
printer, use the tear-off feature described in the previous
section to tear off the document or excess paper.

Caution:

Always tear off the printed document and any excess paper

c

before switching tractors. Never feed more than one page
backward through the printer.

3. Press the Front/Rear button to switch to the rear tractor. The
front-loaded paper automatically feeds back to the standby
position and the rear-loaded paper advances to the
top-of-form position.

36 Paper Handling

Changing the Paper

This section describes how to change 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.)

2

2

2

Caution:

Never change paper using this procedure if labels, continuous

c

forms with labels, or overlapping multi-part forms are already
loaded in the printer. Remove the labels by tearing off the fresh
supply below the tractor and pressing LF/FF Load to eject the
remaining labels. Then load the new paper. See “Loading Paper
onto the Front Tractor” on page 13 (or “Loading Paper onto the
Rear Tractor” on page 20) for instructions.

1. If you have a printed document still in the printer, use the
tear-off feature to tear off the document or excess paper.

Caution:

Always tear off printed documents before changing the paper.

c

Never feed more than one page backward through the printer.

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Paper Handling 37

2

2. Press the Front/Rear button to switch to the rear tractor. The

front-loaded paper automatically feeds back to the standby
position.

3. Open the printer’s front cover. (To change the rear-loaded
paper, open the printer’s top cover and the rear flap.)

38 Paper Handling

4. Open the sprocket covers and remove the paper from the
tractor.

sprocket cover

5. Load the new paper. See “Loading Paper onto the Rear
Tractor” on page 20 (or “Loading Paper onto the Front
Tractor” on page 13) for instructions.

Printing on Multi-Part Forms and Labels

2

2

2

2

2

2

Your printer can print on both single-sheet and continuous
multi-part forms, as well as on labels.

You can print on various types of paper, including multi-part
forms and labels. Your printer can also handle a variety of paper
thicknesses, from thin paper to ten sheets (or seven sheets on the
rear tractor) including the original. The printer automatically
adjusts to the thickness of your paper when the Platen gap setting
is set to Auto in the SelecType mode. See “SelecType mode” on
page 88 for details.

When you print on multi-part forms and labels, the positioning
of your text on the page can be critical. See “Adjusting the Paper
Position” on page 26 for more information on aligning your text.
You should also check both your printer and your software page
length settings before you load labels or forms.

Paper Handling 39

2

2

2

2

2

2

If you are using multi-part forms or labels, you may want to use
the optional pull tractor. See “Using the Pull Tractor” on page 135
for details.

Caution:

When printing on labels, be absolutely sure that your printing

c

stays within the printable area of the label to prevent damage to
the print head. See “Paper” on page 171 for more information on
the printable area.

Using multi-part forms

You can use multi-part (carbonless or carbon-backed) forms with
up to seven sheets, including the original, on the rear tractor. On
the front tractor, you can use forms with up to ten sheets.

You load continuous multi-part forms the same way you load any
other type of continuous paper. Before loading multi-part forms,
however, make sure the paper has a clean straight edge and does
not separate or tear apart. See “Loading Paper onto the Front
Tractor” on page 13 or “Loading Paper onto the Rear Tractor” on
page 20 for instructions.

40 Paper Handling

The DFX-9000 can print on multi-part forms that vary in
thickness, such as forms with labels on them or forms that overlap
slightly where they are glued together. These forms are thicker in
the label area and in the places where they overlap or are joined
together, as shown below. When you use forms with labels, set
the Continuous forms with labels setting to On. When you use
overlapping multi-part forms, set the Overlapping multipart
forms setting to On and the Platen gap setting to 0 to 14 according
to the paper thickness you are using. See “Changing the settings
in the SelecType mode” on page 98 for details.

2

2

2

2

2

2

Overlapping multi-part forms

Caution:

Be sure to set the Overlapping multi-part forms setting or

c

Continuous forms with Label setting to On before you print on
the respective forms. See “Changing the settings in the SelecType
mode” on page 98 for instructions.

When you print on these forms, make sure that the printing fits
within the printable area and that the top-of-form position is set
properly. See “Paper” on page 171 for more information about the
printable area.

Continuous forms with labels

Paper Handling 41

2

2

2

2

2

2

Using labels

When selecting labels for printing, always choose the type
mounted on continuous paper with sprocket holes for use with a
tractor. See “Loading Paper onto the Front Tractor” on page 13
for instructions for loading continuous paper.

Caution:

Never use the Tear Off, Front/Rear, or Micro Feedd button

c

when labels are loaded in the printer. Never feed labels backward
through the printer because they can easily come off the backing
and jam the printer.

Although you must never feed labels backward, you can still use
the automatic paper handling features if you follow these
precautions:

❏ Instead of using the Tear Off button to remove printed labels,

press the LF/FF Load button until the last printed label is at
the point where you can tear it off easily.

❏ Before using the Front/Rear button to switch tractors or

change paper, remove the entire supply of labels. Remove
labels by tearing off the fresh supply at a perforation below
the tractor. Then press the LF/FF Load button to eject the
remaining labels.

❏ When adjusting the top-of-form or printing position, use only

the Micro Feedu button.

Caution:

Because labels are especially sensitive to extreme temperatures

c

and humidity, use them only under normal operating conditions.

42 Paper Handling

Chapter 3

Printer Software

About Your Printer Software

The Epson software includes the printer driver software and
EPSON Status Monitor 3.

The printer driver is software that allows your computer to
control the printer. You need to install the printer driver so your
Windows software applications can take full advantage of the
printer’s capabilities.

EPSON Status Monitor 3 program allows you to monitor the
status of your printer, alerts you when errors occur, and provides
you with troubleshooting tips. EPSON Status Monitor 3 is
automatically installed when you install the printer driver. If you
want to install EPSON Status Monitor 3 later, see “Installing
EPSON Status Monitor 3” on page 61 for instructions.

Note:

❏ The network printers can not be monitored with EPSON Status

Monitor 3 in Windows 95.

❏ Before proceeding, make sure you have installed the printer driver

on your computer described in the Start Here.

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

❏ Make sure the software setting is set to ESC/P. The printer driver

software and EPSON Status Monitor 3 can only function in ESC/P
mode.

Printer Software 43

3

3

3

Using the Printer Driver with Windows Me, 98, and 95

You can access the printer driver from your Windows
applications or from the Start menu.

❏ When you access the printer driver from a Windows

application, any settings you make apply only to the
application you are using. See “Accessing the printer driver
from Windows applications” on page 44 for more
information.

❏ When you access the printer driver from the Start menu, the

printer driver settings you make apply to all your
applications. See “Accessing the printer driver from the Start
menu” on page 46 for more information.

See “Changing the printer driver settings” on page 47 to check
and change printer driver settings.

Note:

While many Windows applications override the settings made with the
printer driver, some do not, so you must verify that the printer driver
settings match your requirements.

Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications

Follow these steps to access the printer driver from a Windows
application:

44 Printer Software

1. Select Print Setup or Print from the File menu of your
application software. In the Print or Print Setup dialog box
displayed, make sure that your printer is selected in the Name
drop-down list.

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

Printer Software 45

3

3

3

3

3

2. Click Printer, Setup, Properties, or Options. (The button you

click depends on your application and you may need to click
a combination of these buttons.) The Properties window
appears, and you see the Paper, Graphics, and Device Options
menus. These menus contain the printer driver settings.

3. To view a menu, click the corresponding tab at the top of the
window. See “Changing the printer driver settings” on page
47 for information on how to change the settings.

Accessing the printer driver from the Start menu

Follow these steps to access the printer driver from the Start
menu:

1. Click the Start button, and then point to Settings.

2. Click Printers.

46 Printer Software

3. Right-click your printer icon, and click Properties. The screen

displays the Properties window, which contains the Paper,
Graphics, Device Options, and Utility menus. These menus
display the printer driver settings.

3

4. To view a menu, click the corresponding tab at the top of the
window. See “Changing the printer driver settings” on page
47 for information on how to change the settings.

Changing the printer driver settings

Your printer driver has seven menus: Paper, Graphics, Device
Options, General, Details, Utility, and Sharing. For an overview
of the available settings, see “Printer Driver Settings Overview”
on page 54. You can also view online help by right-clicking items
in the driver and selecting What’s this?

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

Printer Software 47

3

3

3

When you finish making printer driver settings, click OK to apply
the settings, or click Restore Defaults to return the settings to
their default values.

Once you have checked your printer driver settings and made any
necessary changes, you are ready to print.

Using the Printer Driver with Windows XP, 2000, and Windows NT 4.0

You can access the printer driver from your Windows
applications or from the Start menu.

❏ When you access the printer driver from a Windows

application, any settings you make apply only to the
application you are using. See “Accessing the printer driver
from Windows applications” on page 49 for more
information.

❏ When you access the printer driver from the Start menu, the

printer driver settings you make apply to all your
applications. See “Accessing the printer driver from the Start
menu” on page 51 for more information.

To check and change printer driver settings, see “Changing the
printer driver settings” on page 53.

Note:

While many Windows applications override the settings made with the
printer driver, some do not, so you must verify that the printer driver
settings match your requirements.

48 Printer Software

Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications

Follow these steps to access the printer driver from a Windows
application:

Note:

The examples in the following section are from the Windows 2000
operating system. They may vary in appearance from what actually
appears on your screen; however, the instructions are the same.

3

3

3

1. Select Print Setup or Print from the File menu of your
application software. In the Print or Print Setup dialog box
displayed, make sure that your printer is selected in the Name
drop-down list.

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

Printer Software 49

3

2. Click Printer, Setup, Properties, or Options. (The button you

click depends on your application and you may need to click
a combination of these buttons.) The Document Properties
window appears, and you see the Layout and Paper/Quality
menus. These menus contain the printer driver settings.

50 Printer Software

3. To view a menu, click the corresponding tab at the top of the
window. See “Changing the printer driver settings” on page
53 to change the settings.

Accessing the printer driver from the Start menu

Follow these steps to access the printer driver from the Start
menu:

Note:

The screen shots used in this procedure are from the Windows 2000
operating system. They may vary in appearance from what actually
appears on your screen; however, the instructions are the same.

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

1. Click the Start button, and then point to Settings.

2. Click Printers.

Printer Software 51

3

3

3. Right-click your printer icon, and click Printing Preferences
(in Windows XP or 2000) or Document Defaults (in
Windows NT 4.0). The screen displays the Default Document
Properties window, which contains the Layout and
Paper/Quality menus. These menus display the printer
driver settings.

52 Printer Software

When you click Properties in the menu displayed by
right-clicking the printer icon, the Properties window
appears, which includes menus used to make the printer
driver settings.

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

4. To view a menu, click the corresponding tab at the top of the
window. See “Printer Driver Settings Overview” on page 54
for information on how to change the settings.

Changing the printer driver settings

Your printer driver has two menus from which you can change
the printer driver settings; Layout and Paper/Quality. You can
also change settings on the Utility menu in the printer software.
For an overview of the available settings, see “Printer Driver
Settings Overview” on page 54. You can also view online help by
right-clicking items in the driver and selecting What’s this?

Printer Software 53

3

3

3

3

3

When you finish making your printer driver settings, click OK to
apply the settings, or click Cancel to cancel your changes.

Once you have checked your printer driver settings and changed
them if necessary, you are ready to print.

Printer Driver Settings Overview

The following tables show the Windows printer driver settings.
Note that not every setting is available in all versions of Windows.

54 Printer Software

Printer settings

Settings Explanations

Paper Size Select the size of the paper you want to use. If you do

not see your paper size, use the scroll bar to scroll
through the list. If your paper size is not included in the
list, see “Definition of Custom Paper Size” on page 56
for instructions.

Orientation Select Portrait or Landscape.

Paper Source Select the paper source you want to use.

Resolution/
Graphics
Resolution

Dithering You can leave this option set to Fine, which is the

Intensity Move the slider to make your printout lighter or darker.

Print Quality Select a print quality option from the Print quality list.

Select the printing resolution you want. The higher the
resolution you select, the more detailed your printout
will be; however, increasing the resolution slows
printing.

default setting, or select another dithering pattern
depending on the kind of printout you want.

If you set Hi-speed to On, you will enter bidirectional
printing mode and printing speed will increase. Settin g
Hi-speed to Off will return the printer to unidirectional
printing mode. Printing speed will decrease, but
printing precision will improve. Printing with the default
settings uses the settings stored in the printer.

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

Halftone
Setup.../Halftone
Color
Adjustment...

Halftoning Select the type of halftoning to use when printing

Click this button to set the brightness and contrast,
input the RGB gamma, or make other settings. The
Halftone Color Adjustment dialog box appears. For
details, click the Help button in this dialog box.

graphics. To let the printer determine the best halftone
quality, use Auto Select.

Printer Software 55

3

3

3

3

Settings Explanations

Printer Fonts
Support

Print Text as
Graphics*

Metafile
Spooling*

Paper Order* Select whether to print from front to back or back to

Pages Per Sheet* Select the number of pages that you want to print

Copy Count* When you select more than one in the Number of

Advanced
Printing Features*

Select a character table group to use. You can select
one of three character table groups, Standard,
Expanded, and None (Bit Image printing).

When Standard or Expanded is selected, the printer
uses the device fonts. Expanded includes more fonts
than Standard.

When None is selected, the printer uses bit map
images instead of the device fonts.

For details on the fonts which are included in each
table, see “Electronic” on page 168.

Select Off when the printer uses the device fonts and
select On when the printer does not use the device
fonts.

Select whether to use EMF spooling.

front.

onto a single page.

copies box, this check box appears and you can
select whether to collate the pages of the copies.

Select Enable or Disable for the metafile Spooling.

Print
Optimizations*

* For details, see Windows help.

Select Disable when the printer uses the device fonts
and select Enable when the printer uses the device
fonts.

Definition of Custom Paper Size

If your paper is not included in the Paper Size drop-down list, you
can add the size to the list.

56 Printer Software

For Windows Me, 98, and 95:

Click Custom or User Defined Size and enter the paper size in
the dialog box that appears.

For Windows XP, 2000, and Windows NT 4.0:

1. For Windows 2000 or Windows NT 4.0, click Start, point to
Settings, and click to Printers.

For Windows XP Professional, click Start, and click Printers
and Faxes.

For Windows XP Home Edition, click Start, and click Control
Panel, then click Printers and Faxes.

2. Click the EPSON DFX-9000 ESC/P icon.

3. Select Server Properties from the file menu.

4. Check the Create a New Form.

5. Enter the paper size in the Measurement fields.

6. Click Save From and then click OK.

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

Printer Software 57

3

3

3

3

Monitoring settings

Settings Explanations

EPSON Status
Monitor 3

Monitoring
Preferences

You can access EPSON Status Monitor 3 when you
click this button. To monitor the printer, make sure the
Monitor the printing status check box is selected.

Click this button to open the Monitoring Preferences
dialog box where you can make settings for EPSON
Status Monitor 3. See “Setting up EPSON Status Monitor
3” on page 59 for more information.

Using EPSON Status Monitor 3

EPSON Status Monitor 3 is available for Windows XP, Me, 98, 95,
2000, and Windows NT 4.0. It allows you to monitor your printer’s
status, alerts you when printer errors occur, and provides
troubleshooting instructions when needed.

EPSON Status Monitor 3 is available only when:

❏ The printer is connected directly to the host computer via the

parallel port [LPT1] or the USB port.

❏ Your system is configured to support bidirectional

communication.

EPSON Status Monitor 3 is installed when you install the printer
driver as described in the Start Here.

Note:

If you install the driver using the “Point and Print” method, EPSON
Status Monitor 3 may not function properly. If you want to use EPSON
Status Monitor 3, reinstall the driver as described in the Start Here.

58 Printer Software

Before using EPSON Status Monitor 3, be sure to read the
README file on the User CD-ROM. This file contains the latest
information on the utility.

3

Setting up EPSON Status Monitor 3

Follow these steps to set up EPSON Status Monitor 3:

1. Open the Utility menu as described in “Using the Printer
Driver with Windows Me, 98, and 95” on page 44 or “Using
the Printer Driver with Windows XP, 2000, and Windows NT

4.0” on page 48.

2. Click the Monitoring Preferences button. The Monitoring
Preferences dialog box appears.

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

Printer Software 59

3

3

3

3. The following settings are available:

Select Notification Displays the error item check box On/Off status.

Turn on this check box to display the selected
error notification.

Select Shortcut
Icon

Receive error
notification for
shared printers

Allow monitoring
of shared printer

The selected icon is displayed on the taskbar.
The setting’s example is shown on the right
window. By clicking the shortcut icon, you can
access the Monitoring Preferences dialog box
easily.

Error notification for a shared printer can be
received when this check box is selected.

When this check box is selected, a shared
printer can be monitored by other PCs.

Note:

Click the Default button to revert all items to the default settings.

Accessing EPSON Status Monitor 3

Do one of the following to access EPSON Status Monitor 3;

❏ Double-click the printer-shaped shortcut icon on the taskbar.

To add a shortcut icon to the taskbar, go to the Utility menu
and follow the instructions.

❏ Open the Utility menu, then click the EPSON Status Monitor

3 icon. To find out how to open the Utility menu, See “Using

the Printer Driver with Windows Me, 98, and 95” on page 44
or “Using the Printer Driver with Windows XP, 2000, and
Windows NT 4.0” on page 48.

60 Printer Software

When you access EPSON Status Monitor 3 as described above, the
following printer status window appears.

You can view printer status information in this window.

Installing EPSON Status Monitor 3

3

3

3

3

3

Follow the steps below to install EPSON Status Monitor 3.

1. Make sure that the printer is off and that Windows is running
on your computer.

2. Insert the printer software CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drive.

Note:

❏ If the language selection window appears, select your country.

❏ If the EPSON Installation Program screen does not appear

automatically, double-click the My Computer icon,
right-click the CD-ROM icon, click OPEN in the menu that
appears, then double-click Epsetup.exe.

3. Click Continue. When the software license agreement screen
appears, read the statement, then click Agree.

4. Click Custom.

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

Printer Software 61

5. Select the EPSON Status Monitor 3 check box, then click

Install.

6. In the dialog box that appears, make sure that your printer

icon is selected, and click OK. Then follow the on-screen
instructions.

7. When the installation is complete, click OK.

Setting Up Your Printer on a Network

Sharing the printer

This section describes how to share the printer on a standard
Windows network.

The computers on a network can share a printer that is directly
connected to one of them. The computer that is directly connected
to the printer is the printer server, and the other computers are
the clients which need permission to share the printer with the
printer server. The clients share the printer via the printer server.

According to the versions of Windows OS and your access rights
on the network, perform the appropriate settings of the printer
server and clients.

Setting the printer server

❏ For Windows Me, 98, or 95, see “With Windows Me, 98, or

95” on page 63.

❏ For Windows XP, 2000, or Windows NT 4.0, see “With

Windows XP, 2000, or Windows NT 4.0” on page 65.

62 Printer Software

Setting the clients

❏ For Windows Me, 98, or 95, see “With Windows Me, 98, or

95” on page 68.

❏ For Windows XP or 2000, see “With Windows XP or 2000” on

page 70.

❏ For Windows NT 4.0, see “With Windows NT 4.0” on page 73.

Note:

❏ When sharing the printer, be sure to set EPSON Status Monitor 3

so that the shared printer can be monitored on the printer server.
See “Setting up EPSON Status Monitor 3” on page 59.

❏ When you are Windows shared printer user in a Windows Me or

98 environment, on the server, double-click the Network icon in

Control panel and make sure that the “File and printer sharing for
Microsoft Networks” component is installed. Then, on the server
and clients, make sure that the “IPX/SPX-compatible Protocol” or
the “TCP/IP Protocol” is installed.

❏ The printer server and clients should be set on the same network

system, and they should be under the same network management
beforehand.

❏ The on-screen displays on the following pages may differ depending

on the version of Windows OS.

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

Setting up your printer as a shared printer

With Windows Me, 98, or 95

When the printer server’s OS is Windows Me, 98, or 95, follow
these steps to set the printer server.

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and click Control Panel.

2. Double-click the Network icon.

Printer Software 63

3

3

3

3. Click File and Print Sharing on the Configuration menu.

4. Select the I want to be able to allow others to print to my
printer(s). check box, then click OK.

5. Click OK to accept the settings.

Note:

❏ When “Insert the Disk” appears, insert the Windows Me, 98,

or 95 CD-ROM in the computer. Click OK and then follow the
on-screen instructions.

❏ When the prompt to restart the computer appears, restart the

computer and continue with the settings.

6. Double-click the Printers icon on the control panel.

7. Right-click your printer icon, and click Sharing in the menu
that appears.

8. Select Shared As, type the name in the Share Name box, and
click OK. Type a Comment and Password if needed.

Note:

❏ Do not use spaces or hyphens for the share name, or an error

may occur.

64 Printer Software

❏ When sharing the printer, be sure to set EPSON Status

Monitor 3 so that the shared printer can be monitored on the
printer server. See “Setting up EPSON Status Monitor 3” on
page 59.

3

You need to set the client computers so that they can use the
printer on a network. See the following pages for details.

❏ “With Windows Me, 98, or 95” on page 68

❏ “With Windows XP or 2000” on page 70

❏ “With Windows NT 4.0” on page 73

With Windows XP, 2000, or Windows NT 4.0

When the printer server’s OS is Windows XP, 2000, or Windows
NT 4.0, follow these steps to set the printer server.

Note:

You must access Windows XP, 2000, or Windows NT 4.0 as the
Administrators of the local machine.

1. For a Windows 2000 or Windows NT 4.0 printer server, click

Start, point to Settings, and click Printers.
For a Windows XP Professional printer server, click Start, and
click Printers and Faxes.
For Windows XP Home Edition printer server, click Start,
click Control panel, then click Printers and Faxes.

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

2. Right-click your printer icon, and click Sharing in the menu

that appears.

Printer Software 65

3

3

3

For Windows XP, if the following menu appears, click either

Network Setup Wizard or If you understand the security
risks but want to share printers without running the wizard,
click here.

In either case, follow the on-screen instructions.

3. For a Windows 2000 or Windows NT 4.0 printer server, select
Shared as (for Windows 2000) or Shared (for Windows NT

4.0), then type the name in the Share name box and click OK.

66 Printer Software

For a Windows XP printer server, select Share this printer,
then type the name in the Share name box and click OK.

Note:

Do not use spaces or hyphens for the share name, or an error may
occur.

You need to set the client computers so that they can use the
printer on a network. See the following pages for details:

❏ “With Windows Me, 98, or 95” on page 68

3

3

3

3

3

3

❏ “With Windows XP or 2000” on page 70

❏ “With Windows NT 4.0” on page 73

Setting for the clients

This section describes how to install the printer driver by
accessing the shared printer on a network.

Note:

❏ To share the printer on a Windows network, you need to set the

printer server. For details, see “Setting up your printer as a shared
printer” on page 63 (Windows Me, 98, or 95) or “With Windows
XP, 2000, or Windows NT 4.0” on page 65 (Windows XP, 2000,
or Windows NT 4.0).

Printer Software 67

3

3

3

3

3

3

❏ This section describes how to access the shared printer on a standard

network system using the server (Microsoft workgroup). If you
cannot access the shared printer due to the network system, ask the
administrator of the network for assistance.

❏ This section describes how to install the printer driver by accessing

the shared printer from the Printers folder. You can also access the
shared printer from Network Neighborhood or My Network on the
Windows desktop.

❏ When you want to use the EPSON Status Monitor 3 at clients, you

have to install both of the printer driver and the EPSON Status
Monitor 3 in each client from the CD-ROM.

With Windows Me, 98, or 95

Follow these steps to set Windows Me, 98, or 95 clients.

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and click Printers.

2. Double-click the Add Printer icon, then click Next.

3. Select Network printer, then click Next.

4. Click Browse, and the Browse for Printer dialog box appears.

Note:

You can also type “\\(the name of the computer that is locally
connected to the shared printer)\(the shared printer’s name)” in the
Network path or queue name.

68 Printer Software

5. Click the computer or server that is connected to the shared

printer, and the name of the shared printer. Then click OK.

Note:

The name of the shared printer may be changed by the computer or
server that is connected to the shared printer. To make sure of the
name of the shared printer, ask the administrator of the network.

3

3

3

3

3

3

6. Click Next.

Note:

❏ If the printer driver is installed in the client beforehand, you

need to select the new printer driver or the current printer
driver. When the prompt to select the printer driver appears,
select the printer driver according to the message.

❏ If the printer server’s OS is Windows Me, 98, or 95, go to the

next step.

❏ If the printer server’s OS is not Windows Me, 98, or 95, go to

“Installing the printer driver from the CD-ROM” on page 75.

7. Make sure of the name of the shared printer, and select
whether to use the printer as the default printer or not. Click
OK, and then follow the on-screen instructions.

Printer Software 69

3

3

3

3

3

3

Note:

You can change the shared printer’s name so that it appears only on
the client computer.

With Windows XP or 2000

Follow these steps to set Windows XP or 2000 clients.

You can install the printer driver of the shared printer, if you have
Power Users or more powerful access rights even if you are not
the Administrator.

1. For Windows 2000 clients, click Start, point to Settings, and
click Printers.
For Windows XP Professional clients, click Start, and click
Printers and Faxes.
For Windows XP Home Edition clients, click Start, click
Control panel, then click Printers and Faxes.

2. For Windows 2000, double-click the Add Printer icon, then
click Next.

For Windows XP, click the Add a printer in the Printer Tasks
menu.

70 Printer Software

3. Select Network printer (for Windows 2000) or A network
printer, or a printer attached to another computer (for

Windows XP), then click Next.

4. For Windows 2000, select Type the printer name, or click
Next to browse for a printer, then click Next.

Note:

You can also type the shared printer’s name or network path in the
Name box, such as “\\(the name of the computer that is

locally connected to the shared printer)\(the shared
printer’s name).”

For Windows XP, select Browse for a printer, then click Next.

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

Printer Software 71

3

3

3

3

5. Click the icon of the computer or server that is connected to
the shared printer, and the name of the shared printer. Then
click Next.

Note:

❏ The name of the shared printer may be changed by the computer

or server that is connected to the shared printer. To make sure
of the name of the shared printer, ask the administrator of the
network.

❏ If the printer driver is installed in the client beforehand, you

need to select either the new printer driver or the current printer
driver. When the prompt to select the printer driver appears,
select the printer driver according to the message.

❏ If the printer server’s OS is Windows XP or 2000, go to the next

step.

❏ If the printer server’s OS is not Windows XP or 2000, go to

“Installing the printer driver from the CD-ROM” on page 75.

6. For Windows 2000, select whether to use the printer as the
default printer or not, then click OK.

For Windows XP, if another driver is already installed, select
whether to use the printer as the default printer or not, then
click OK.

72 Printer Software

7. Make sure of the settings, then click Finish.

.

With Windows NT 4.0

Follow these steps to set Windows NT 4.0 clients.

You can install the printer driver of the shared printer, if you have
Power Users or more powerful access rights even if you are not
the Administrator.

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and click Printers.

2. Double-click the Add Printer icon.

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3. Select Network printer server, then click Next.

Printer Software 73

3

3

3

3

4. Click the icon of the computer or server that is connected to
the shared printer and the name of the shared printer. Then
click OK.

Note:

❏ You can also type “\\(the name of the computer that is locally

connected to the shared printer)\(the shared printer’s name)”
in Network path or queue name.

❏ The name of the shared printer may be changed by the computer

or server that is connected to the shared printer. To make sure
of the name of the shared printer, ask the administrator of the
network.

❏ If the printer driver is installed in the client beforehand, you

need to select the new printer driver or the current printer
driver. When the prompt to select the printer driver appears,
select the printer driver according to the message.

❏ If the printer server’s OS is Windows NT 4.0, go to the next

step.

❏ If the printer server’s OS is not Windows NT 4.0, go to

“Installing the printer driver from the CD-ROM” on page 75.

74 Printer Software

5. Select whether to use the printer as the default printer or not,

then click OK.

6. Click Finish.

Installing the printer driver from the CD-ROM

3

3

This section describes how to install the printer driver in the
clients when the computers of the server and clients use different
OS.

The on-screen displays on the following pages may differ
depending on the version of Windows OS.

Note:

❏ When installing in Windows XP, 2000, or Windows NT 4.0 clients,

you must access Windows XP, 2000, or Windows NT 4.0 with the
Administrator.

❏ If the computers of the server and clients use the same OS, you do

not have to install the printer drivers from the CD-ROM.

1. Access the shared printer and a prompt may appear. Click

OK, and then follow the on-screen instructions to install the
printer driver from the CD-ROM.

2. Insert the CD-ROM, then the EPSON Installation Program
dialog box appears. Cancel the dialog box by clicking
Cancel, then type the appropriate drive and folder names in
which the printer driver for clients is located, then click OK.

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

Printer Software 75

3

3

When installing drivers in Windows XP or 2000, “Digital
Signature is not found.” may appear. Click Yes (for Windows

2000) or Continue Anyway (for Windows XP) and continue
installing.

The folder name differs depending on the OS being used.

Client’s OS Folder Name

Windows 95 \<Language>\WIN95

Windows 98 \<Language>\WIN98

Windows Me \<Language>\WINME

Windows XP, 2000 \<Language>\WIN2000

Windows NT 4.0 \<Language>\WINNT40

3. Select the name of the printer, then click OK. Then follow the

on-screen instructions.

Note:

If you also want to install EPSON Status Monitor 3, see “Installing
EPSON Status Monitor 3” on page 61 for instructions.

Canceling Printing

If the printouts are not what you expected and display incorrect
or garbled characters or images, you may need to cancel printing.
When the printer icon is displayed on the taskbar, follow the
instructions below to cancel printing.

1. Double-click the printer icon on the task bar, then click Purge
Print Documents on the Printer menu.

76 Printer Software

2. When canceling all printing documents, select Purge Print
Documents (For Windows Me or 98) or Cancel All
Documents (For Windows XP, 2000, or Windows NT 4.0) on

the Printer menu.
When canceling a specified document, select a document you
want to cancel and select Cancel Printing (For Windows Me
or 98) or Cancel (For Windows XP, 2000, or Windows NT

4.0) on the Document menu.

3

3

3

3

3

The printing job is canceled.

Uninstalling the Printer Software

When you wish to reinstall or upgrade the printer driver,
uninstall the printer driver that has been installed already.

Uninstalling the printer driver and EPSON Status Monitor 3

1. Quit all applications.

2. Click Start, point to Settings, and click Control Panel.

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

Printer Software 77

3. Double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon.

4. Select EPSON Printer Software, and click the Add/Remove.

1

Note:

When using the Windows XP or Windows 2000 computer, click

Change or Remove Programs, select the EPSON Printer
Software, then click Change/Remove.

78 Printer Software

2

5. Click the Printer Model tab, select the EPSON DFX-9000
ESC/P icon, then click OK.

3

3

3

3

3

6. If you uninstall Monitored Printers, click Yes in the displayed
dialog box.

Note:

You can uninstall only the Monitored Printers utility of EPSON
Status Monitor 3. When the utility is uninstalled, you cannot
change the setting of Monitored Printers from EPSON Status
Monitor 3.

7. If you uninstall EPSON Status Monitor 3, click Yes in the
displayed dialog box.

8. Follow the on-screen instructions.

Uninstalling the USB device driver

When you connect the printer to your computer with a USB
interface cable, the USB device driver is also installed. When you
uninstalled the printer driver, you also need to uninstall the USB
device driver.

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

Printer Software 79

Follow these steps to uninstall the USB device driver.

Note:

❏ Uninstall the printer driver before uninstalling the USB device

driver.

❏ Once you uninstalled the USB device driver, you cannot access any

other Epson printers connected with a USB interface cable.

1. Follow steps 1 through 3 of “Uninstalling the Printer
Software” on page 77.

2. Select EPSON USB Printer Devices, and click Add/Remove.

1

Note:

❏ EPSON USB Printer Devices appears only when the printer is

connected to Windows Me or 98 with a USB interface cable.

80 Printer Software

2

❏ If the USB device driver is not installed correctly, EPSON USB

Printer Devices may not appear. Follow these steps to run the
“Epusbun.exe” file in the CD-ROM.

1. Insert the CD-ROM in your computer’s CD-ROM drive.

2. Access the CD-ROM drive.

3. Double-click the \<Language>\WIN98 or
\<Language>\WINME folder.

4. Double-click the Epusbun.exe icon.

3. Follow the on-screen instructions.

See the Start Here to reinstall a printer driver.

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

Printer Software 81

3

3

3

3

3

Chapter 4

Control Panel

Buttons and Lights

a

b

cdefghij k l

m

a Tractor Select Front indicator

On when the front tractor is selected. The light is green
when paper is loaded, and red when the tractor is out of
paper.

b Tractor Select Rear indicator

On when the rear tractor is selected. The light is green
when paper is loaded, and red when the tractor is out of
paper.

82 Control Panel

cFront/Rear button

Selects the front or rear tractor. If you have been using
paper loaded on one tractor, first remove the printed
output before pressing this button to switch the tractor.

dFont (ItemU) button

❏ Selects one of the fonts. To select a font, see “Selecting

a Font and Pitch” on page 86.

❏ When the printer enters the SelecType mode and

default-setting mode, the button works as an ItemU
button. You can press the ItemU button to select the
previous menu. See “Changing the printer’s settings”
on page 98 for details.

e Reset

When you press both the Font and Pitch buttons
simultaneously, the printer clears buffer and returns to its
default settings.

fPitch (ItemD) button

❏ Selects one of the pitch settings. To select a pitch, see

“Selecting a Font and Pitch” on page 86.

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

❏ When the printer enters the SelecType mode and

default-setting mode, the button works as an ItemD
button. You can press the ItemD button to select the
next menu. See “Changing the printer’s settings” on
page 98 for details.

Control Panel 83

4

4

4

4

g Tear Off (SetU) button

❏ Feeds continuous paper forward to the tear-off

position.

❏ When the printer enters the SelecType mode and

default setting mode, the button works as the SetU
button. You can press the SetU button to select the
previous value of a setting item. See “Changing the
printer’s settings” on page 98 for details.

Tear Off light

On when the paper is in the tear-off position.

hMenu

When you press the Tear Off and Top of Form buttons at
the same time, the printer enters or exits the SelecType
mode and you can set the various printer settings. See
“Changing the settings in the SelecType mode” on page
98 for details.

84 Control Panel

iTop of Form (SetD) button

❏ Enters the top-of-form position mode and sets the

new top-of-form position after it has been adjusted
with the Micro Feed buttons.

❏ When the printer enters the SelecType mode and

default setting mode, the button works as the SetD
button. You can press the SetD button to select the
next value of a setting item. See “Changing the
printer’s settings” on page 98 for details.

Top of Form light

On when the printer is in the top-of-form and tear-off
modes.

j LF/FF Load button

❏ Loads continuous paper when the printer is out of

paper.

❏ Feeds paper line by line when pressed briefly.

❏ Advances continuous paper to the next top-of-form

position when held down for a few seconds.

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

k Micro Feed buttons

Adjust the paper position, such as the top-of-form
position and tear-off position.

4

4

4

4

Control Panel 85

lPause button

Stops printing temporarily, and resumes printing when
pressed again.

Pause light

❏ On when the printer is paused.

❏ Flashes when the print head overheats.

mPaper Out light

❏ On when the printer is out of paper.

❏ Flashes when paper jams or the printer fails to eject

paper.

Selecting a Font and Pitch

You can select one each of the printer’s fonts and pitches by using
the buttons on the printer’s control panel, as described below.

Note:

❏ Settings you make in application programs usually override settings

you make from the printer’s control panel. For best results, use your
application to select a font and make other settings.

❏ The available pitch depends on the font you select. See the table below

for more information.

Font Pitch

HSD 10, 12, 15, 17, 20

Draft 10, 12, 15, 17, 20, PS

86 Control Panel

Font Pitch

Roman 10, 12, 15, 17, 20, PS

Sans Serif 10, 12, 15, 17, 20, PS

1. Make sure that the printer is not printing.

2. Press the Font button. The first available font is displayed on
the LCD. Press the Font button until the font that you want
to use is displayed. The LCD goes back to the original state in
a few seconds and the font you selected is set.

3. Press the Pitch button. The first available font is displayed on
the LCD. Press the Pitch button until the pitch that you want
to use is displayed. The LCD goes back to the original state in
a few seconds and the pitch you selected is set.

About Your Printer’s Settings

You can make many settings that control printer functions with
the printer’s control panel. While you can often set these functions
through your software or printer driver, you may sometimes need
to change a setting from the control panel by using the SelecType
mode and default-setting mode.

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

For a detailed description of the settings you can change in the
SelecType mode and default-setting mode, see “Understanding
the printer’s settings” on page 87. For instructions on changing
the settings, see “Changing the printer’s settings” on page 98.

Understanding the printer’s settings

This section describes the settings and options available in the
SelecType mode and default-setting mode.

Control Panel 87

4

4

4

4

SelecType mode

The settings that are available in the SelecType mode are shown
in the following table and explained in detail after the table.

Menu Values (default in bold)

Language English, French, German, Italian, Spanish,

Portuguese

Print settings

*1

Execute

Page length for rear tractor 3 inches, 3.5 inches, 4 inches, 5.5 inches,

Page length for front tractor 3 inches, 3.5 inches, 4 inches, 5.5 inches,

Skip over perforation Off, On

Line spacing 1/6 inches, 1/8 inches

Left margin 0 columns to 80 columns

Right margin 1 columns to 136 columns

Platen gap Auto, 0 to 14

Auto tear off Off, On

Auto line feed Off, On

Print direction Bi-D, Uni-D

Software ESC/P, IBM PPDS

0 slash Off, On

I/F (Interface) mode Auto, Parallel, Serial, USB, Optional

6 inches, 7 inches, 8 inches, 8.5 inches,
11 inches, 70/6 inches, 12 inches,
14 inches, 17 inches

6 inches, 7 inches, 8 inches, 8.5 inches,
11 inches, 70/6 inches, 12 inches,
14 inches, 17 inches

Auto I/F (Interface) wait time 10 seconds, 30 seconds

Parallel I/F bi-directional
mode

Packet mode Auto, Off

88 Control Panel

Off, On

Menu Values (default in bold)

Serial baud rate 19200 BPS, 9600 BPS, 4800 BPS, 2400 BPS,

1200 BPS, 600 BPS, 300 BPS

Serial parity None, Odd, Even, Ignore

Serial data length 8-bit, 7-bit

Character table Standard version: PC437, PC850, PC860,

Auto CR (IBM PPDS)

IBM character table (IBM

*2

PPDS)

*2

PC863, PC865, PC861, BRASCII,
Abicomp, Roman8, ISO Latin 1, PC858,
ISO 8859-15, Italic U.S.A., Italic France,
Italic Germany, Italic U.K., Italic Denmark
1, Italic Sweden, Italic Italy, Italic Spain 1

NLSP version: PC437, PC850, PC860,
PC863, PC865, PC861, BRASCII,
Abicomp, Roman8, ISO Latin 1, PC858,
ISO 8859-15, PC437 Greek, PC853, PC855,
PC852, PC857, PC866, PC869, MAZOWIA,
Code MJK, ISO 8859-7, ISO Latin 1T,
Bulgaria, PC774, Estonia, ISO 8859-2,
PC866 LAT., PC866 UKR, PC APTEC,
PC708, PC720, PCAR864, PC771, PC437
Slovenia, PC MC, PC1250, PC1251, Italic
U.S.A., Italic Fra nce, Italic Germany, Italic
U.K., Italic Denmark 1, Italic Sweden, Italic
Italy, Italic Spain 1

Off, On

Table 2, Table 1

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

Buzzer Off, On

Low-noise mode Off, On

Auto cut mode

Auto cut/back mode

Overlapping multipart forms Off, On

Continuous forms with labels Off, On

Skip over binding Off, On

Get IP address

*3

*3

*4

Off, On

Off, On

Panel, Auto, PING

4

4

4

4

Control Panel 89

Menu Values (default in bold)

IP address

Subnet mask

Default gateway

Save settings?

*1

After this is displayed, press the SetD (Top of Form) button to print all current
settings.

*2

This setting is available only in IBM PPDS emulation mode.

*3

This setting is available only when the optional perforation cutter (#C81570X)
is installed.

*4

These settings are available only when the optional Print Server is installed.

*5

This setting is available only when the optional Print Server is installed and the
Get IP address setting is set to Panel or PING.

*6

This menu appears by pressing the Menu (Tear Off and Top of Form) buttons
in the SelecType mode.

*5

*4

*4

*6

000.000.000.000 to 255.255.255.255

000.000.000.000 to 255.255.255.255

000.000.000.000 to 255.255.255.255

Yes, No

Page length for rear tractor

This setting allows you to set the page length (in inches) for the
continuous paper loaded on the rear push tractor.

Page length for front tractor

This setting allows you to set the page length (in inches) for the
continuous paper loaded on the front push tractor.

Skip over perforation

When you turn on this feature, the printer provides a one-inch
(25.4 mm) margin between the last line printed on one page and
the first line printed on the next page. Because most application
program margin settings override margin settings from the
control panel, you should use this setting only if you cannot set
your top and bottom margins using your application.

90 Control Panel

Line spacing

You can select 1/6 inches or 1/8 inches for line spacing.

Left margin

This setting allows you to set the margin (in columns) from the
left edge. The margin is set in columns of 10 cpi, regardless of the
pitch that is set.

Right margin

This setting allows you to set the margin (in columns) from the
right edge. The margin is set in columns of 10 cpi, regardless of
the pitch that is set.

Platen gap

This setting allows you to set the paper thickness. When you select
Auto, the printer automatically adjusts to the thickness of the
paper loaded. If you want to set it manually, select 0 to 14. When
using overlapping multi-part forms, select 0 to 14 according to the
paper thickness you use.

Auto tear off

When auto tear off is on and you are using continuous paper with
the front or rear push tractor, the printer automatically advances
the paper perforation to the tear-off position, where you can easily
tear off the printed page(s). When the printer receives data again,
it automatically moves the paper back to the top-of-form position
and starts printing, so you can use all of the next page.

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

When auto tear off is off and you are using continuous paper with
the front or rear push tractor, you need to move the perforation
to the tear-off position manually by pressing the Tear Off and
Micro Feed buttons. See “Tearing Off the Printed Pages” on page
31 for more information.

Control Panel 91

4

4

Auto line feed

When auto line feed is on, the printer accompanies each carriage
return (CR) code received with a line feed (LF) code.

Print direction

You can select bidirectional printing (Bi-D) or unidirectional
printing (Uni-D). Printing is normally bidirectional; however,
unidirectional printing allows for precise vertical printing
alignment.

Software

When you select ESC/P, the printer operates in the EPSON ESC/P
mode. When you select IBM PPDS, the printer emulates an IBM
printer.

0 slash

The zero character has a slash ( ) when this feature is on; it has
no slash (0) when this feature is off. The slash allows you to easily
distinguish between the uppercase letter “O” and a zero.

I/F (Interface) mode

The printer provides a slot for an optional interface in addition to
its built-in parallel interface, serial interface, and USB interface.
You can choose Auto (automatic), Parallel, Serial, USB, or
Optional for the interface mode. When you select Auto, the
printer automatically selects the interface that is receiving data,
and uses that interface until the end of the print job. The Auto
setting allows you to share the printer among multiple computers
without changing the interface mode.

If only one computer is connected to the printer, you can select
Parallel, Serial, USB, or Optional, depending on which
interface your computer uses.

92 Control Panel

Auto I/F (Interface) wait time

When the printer is in the auto interface mode and it receives no
data from the currently selected interface for the amount of time
specified with this setting, it determines which interface is
receiving data and switches to that interface. You can specify
either 10 seconds or 30 seconds for the auto interface wait time.

Parallel I/F bi-directional mode

The Parallel Interface bidirectional transfer mode is used when
this feature is on. If bidirectional transfer mode is unnecessary,
turn this off.

Packet mode

Make sure to select Auto when you print from Windows
applications using the printer driver included in the Printer
Software CD-ROM that comes with the printer. Turn this feature
off if you have connection troubles while printing from
applications based on other operating systems such as DOS.

Serial baud rate

This setting is available only when data is transferred via a serial
interface. Use this option to set the data transfer rate (baud) for
the serial interface. The baud rate is measured in bits per second
(bps). See your computer manual and software documentation
for the proper setting.

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

Serial parity

This setting is available only when data is transferred via a serial
interface. The parity bit is added to data and detects errors on the
data. When this option is set to None, the parity bit is not added
to data. When this option is set to Ignore, the parity is added to
data, but the printer receives the data even if an error is detected.

Control Panel 93

4

4

4

Serial data length

This setting is available only when data is transferred via a serial
interface. Set the data length of the serial interface to 8-bit or
7-bit. See your computer manual and software documentation
for the proper setting.

Character table

You can select among various character tables including several
international character sets for the italic character table. This
setting is used when you print without using the printer driver.

When using the printer driver, change the settings on the printer
driver. For details, see “Printer Driver Settings Overview” on
page 54.

Auto CR (IBM PPDS)

This setting is available only in IBM PPDS emulation mode. When
auto carriage return is on, each line feed (LF) code or ESC J code
is accompanied by a carriage return (CR) code so the printer
moves the next printing position to the left margin. When this
setting is off, you must send a CR code after the line feed code to
move the printing position to the left margin.

IBM character table (IBM PPDS)

This setting is available only in IBM PPDS emulation mode. You
can select Table 2 or Table 1 for the IBM character table.

Buzzer

The printer beeps when an error occurs. See “Using the error
indicators” on page 105 for more information on printer errors. If
you do not want the printer to beep when an error occurs, turn
off this setting.

94 Control Panel

Low-noise mode

When this mode is set to On, the noise is reduced, but the printing
speed is slower.

Auto cut mode

This function is available only when the optional perforation
cutter (#C81570X) is installed in the printer. When this setting is
set to On, the perforation cutter cuts each page at the perforation
automatically. Note the following when you turn on this
functions:

❏ Make sure the paper is at least 4 inches long.

❏ Do not change the top of form position using the Top of Form

button.

❏ Do not feed the paper using the Micro Feed buttons.

❏ Never cut labels, continuous paper with labels, and

overlapping multi-part forms.

❏ If you set the cutting method through the printer driver’s

paper source setting, it overrides Auto cut mode.

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

Auto cut/back mode

This function is available only when the optional perforation
cutter (#C81570X) is installed in the printer. When you turn on
this feature, the printer automatically cuts each page at the
perforation and feeds the paper to the top-of-form position while
it is printing.

Overlapping multipart forms

When this setting is set to On, you can print on overlapping
multi-part forms that vary in thickness.

Control Panel 95

4

4

4

4

Continuous forms with labels

When this setting is set to On, you can print on continuous forms
with labels. You can set the label position in the default-settings
mode. See “Adjusting the label position” on page 30 for details.

Skip over binding

When this setting is set to On, the print head avoids the binding
area along the right and left edges of multi-part forms during
paper feeding. This makes paper feeding easier and prevents
paper jams.

Get IP address

This setting is available only when the optional Print Server is
installed. You can select the method of getting the IP address.
Select Panel to get the IP address from the control panel. See
“Setting the IP address from the control panel” on page 161 for
details. For information on the settings when this feature is set to
Auto or Ping, see a manual for the Print Server that you use.

IP address

This setting is available only when the optional Print Server is
installed and the Get IP address setting is set to Panel or Ping.
You can set the printer’s IP address with this setting.

Subnet mask

This setting is available only when the optional Print Server is
installed. You can set the printer’s subnet mask with this setting.

Default gateway

This setting is available only when the optional Print Server is
installed. You can set the printer’s default gateway with this
setting.

96 Control Panel

Save settings?

This menu appears by pressing the Menu (Tear Off and Top of
Form) buttons in the SelecType mode. When you select Yes, the

current settings in the SelecType mode are saved.

default-setting mode

You can make settings for continuous forms with labels and the
panel lock out mode in the default setting mode. These settings
are shown in the following tables.

Continuous forms with labels

The following settings are available only when the Continuous
forms with label setting is set to On in the SelecType mode.

Menu Values (default in bold)

Label base position Paper left edge, First dot

Label top position 0 to 4752/216 (by 1/216 inches)

Label length 0 to 4752/216 (by 1/216 inches)

Label left position 0 to 1440/120 (by 1/120 inch)

Label width 0 to 1440/120 (by 1/120 inch)

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

Base sheet PG position
number

Label paper PG position
number

0 to 14

0 to 14

4

4

4

4

Control Panel 97

Panel lock out

Menu Values (default in bold)

Pause function Unlock, Lock

Micro Feed function Unlock, Lock

Load function Unlock, Lock

LF function Unlock, Lock

FF function Unlock, Lock

Top of Form function Unlock, Lock

Tear Off function Unlock, Lock

Font function Unlock, Lock

Pitch function Unlock, Lock

Front/Rear function Unlock, Lock

Menu function Unlock, Lock

Reset function Unlock, Lock

If a setting is set to Unlock, you can use the button, regardless of the panel
lock out mode. If a setting is set to Lock, you cannot use the button when
the printer is in the panel lock out mode.

Changing the printer’s settings

Changing the settings in the SelecType mode

The following table shows the basic function of each button in the
SelecType mode.

Button Basic function

Menu (Tear Off and Top
of Form) buttons

ItemU (Font) button Selects the previous menu parameter.

98 Control Panel

Enters or exits the SelecType mode.

Button Basic function

ItemD (Pitch) button Selects the next menu parameter.

SetU (Tear Off) button Select the previous value in the selected menu.

SetD (Top of Form)
button

Follow these steps to enter the SelecType mode and change the
settings:

Note:

If you turn off the printer prior to exiting the SelecType mode, any
changes you may have made are canceled and not saved.

1. Make sure paper is loaded.

2. Press the Menu (Tear Off and Top of Form) buttons to enter
the SelecType mode.The LCD displays the selected language
for this mode.

3. If the language you want is not selected, press the SetU (Tear
Off) or SetD (Top of Form) button until the LCD displays the
language you want.

4. Press the ItemD (Pitch) button to set the desired language.

Select the next value in the selected menu.

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

Note:

The language you select is also used for other settings, modes, and
test print outs, such as default-settings mode and printing a Hex
Dump.

5. If you select Print Settings, press the SetD (Top of Form)
button to print the current settings.

6. Press the ItemU (Font) or ItemD (Pitch) button to select the
menu parameters which you wish to change.

Control Panel 99

4

4

4

4

Note:

You can scroll the menu by holding the ItemU (Font) or ItemD
(Pitch) button for a few seconds.

7. Press the SetU (Tear Off) or SetD (Top of Form) button to

select the values within the selected parameter until you find
the desired setting.

Note:

You can scroll the value by holding the SetU (Tear Off) or SetD
(Top of Form) button for a few seconds.

8. After setting the selected parameter to the desired setting, you
may either continue to make changes to other parameters by
pressing the ItemD or ItemU button, or exit the SelecType
mode.

Note:

The menu selection returns to the first menu after the selection of
the last menu parameter is done.

9. When you finish making settings, press the Menu (Tear Off
and Top of Form) buttons.

10. The LCD displays Save Setting. If you want to save the
settings, select Yes by pressing the SetU (Tear Off) button. If
you do not want to save the settings, select No by pressing the
SetD (Top of Form) button.

The printer exits the SelecType mode.

Note:

If you turn off the printer prior to exiting the SelecType mode, any
changes you may have made are canceled and not saved.

100 Control Panel