Microcom 450 User Manual

MICROCOM CORPORATION

LABEL DESIGN SOFTWARE

FOR MODELS

1100, 1400, 2000
2150, M450, M460

M650

LDS100/140/200/250/450/460/650

REV 2.2

NOVEMBER 11, 1988

©1988 Microcom Corporation, All Rights Reserved

1. INTRODUCTION

The Label Design Software (LDS) is a powerful and easy to use package
that allows the user to create his own label formats. LDS supports
printing multiple copies, serial numbering, and logos. It can be
driven from a dumb terminal, PC, or mainframe computer.

A large number of predefined label formats can be stored in EPROM
memory. The maximum amount limited only by the amount of available
memory. The same is true for user defined label formats.

A large variety of character generators are supported which are used
to create the size and style of text desired.

All the popular barcodes are supported. Special or proprietary codes
can be accommodated.

2. CONTROLLING THE PRINTER

2.1 CONTROL CHARACTERS TO THE PRINTER

The following characters control special functions. All other control
characters are ignored.

SOH ^A Enter accumulator mode.

STX ^B Begin text string entry mode.

ETX ^C Start print cycle mode.

EOT ^D Enter command mode.

ENQ ^E Enquiry mode.

ESC ^[ Instructs the printer to leave its current mode
of operation. Only used in special cases.
Also used to implement Epson printer graphic
commands.

CR ^M Terminates a text or data string.

DEL Deletes the last printable character entered.
Cannot delete the effect of a control code.

CAN ^X Deletes all printable characters previously
entered up to the last control code.
Cannot delete the effect of a control code.

BS ^H Same as DEL but has another special function.

LF ^J No effect.

VT ^K Print a test label.

FF ^L Print a blank label.

DC3 ^S Instructs the printer to stop sending data.

DC1 ^Q Instructs the printer to continue sending data.

2.2 ^A ACCUMULATOR MODE

The accumulator mode is used in conjunction with the command mode to
load data or control numbers into the printer. See the section on
command mode.

2.3 ^B TEXT ENTRY MODE

The text entry mode is used to load the information to be printed on
the label. Data is sent in strings of printable ASCII characters
separated by carriage returns. The first string entered is text
string one the next is two and so on. Each label format field
specifies a text string number to retrieve the data from.

2.31 PROTECTED TEXT

A text entry starting position can be specified with the ^An^D61
control sequence (Where n is the text string number). This allows
text entry mode to start at a specific text string number. This
feature is useful in protecting fixed text on a label.

2.32 PRE-PADDED TEXT

Text can also be fixed at the beginning of each text string. The text
that is to be fixed is loaded into the text strings by entering text
mode. Then the ^D62 control sequence will start at the current
starting text position and fix the data at the beginning of the text
strings. If no data is entered in a text string before the ^D62
control sequence is executed then no data will be fixed in that
string.

2.4 ^C PRINT MODE

The print mode instructs the print to start the print cycle.
If the printer has not been instructed to print multiple copies then
only one label will be printed.

2.5 ^D COMMAND MODE

The command mode is used for sending the printer set-up and control
information. Command mode is begun by entering a control-D code
(^D). Then a command number is entered followed by a carriage return
or another control code. Some commands load data or control numbers
into the machine. The accumulator mode is used to send the data,
then a control-D command can use the data in the accumulator.

Example: ^A3^D75^C This sequence will print three labels.

The following is a list of command codes:

1 Enter accumulator mode (Same as ^A)
2 Begin text string entry mode (Same as ^B)
3 Start print cycle (Same as ^C)
5 Send printer status (Same as ^E)
11 Print a test label (Same as ^K)
12 Print a blank label (Same as ^L)
32 Clear machine state (same as power up)
40 Clear 41-53
41 Load number of fields in layout
42 Load label width (X direction)
43 Load label height (Y direction)
44 Load web size (X direction)
45 Load gap size (Y direction)
46 Load stepper speed
47 Load label control byte
48 Load number of steps to activate gap detector
49 Load number of steps past gap
50 Load X direction offset
51 Load Y direction offset
52 Load vertical step count
53 Load print head width
55 Load EPROM layout
56 Load RAM layout
57 Enter label format mode
58 Execute EEPROM commands
59 Load EEPROM
60 Clear 61-62
61 Load text starting position
62 Generate text offsets

63 Load text mode control byte
0 Disable auto text mode entry and clear text control
1 Enable auto text mode entry (^B is optional)
2 Enable clear all text on entry to text mode
3 Enable both

64 Load auto-print string count
65 Load Label Centering and Low Density control byte
0 Disable Label Centering and Low Density Compatible Mode
1 Enable Label Centering
2 Enable Low Density Compatible Mode
3 Enable Both

Note: Low Density Compatible Mode is for the M450 only

66 Load Clear EEPROM function
66 Clear EEPROM formats

69 Load Skip Speed

70 Clear 71-76
71 Disable repeat/copies function
72 Enable repeat/copies function
73 Load copies count
75 Load label count
76 Load inner label delay

(The next commands will only function with a single field)
80 Clear 86, 88, 89
81 Disable serial number function
84 Load text string number
85 Load step value
86 Load inc or dec status
0 Disable increment and decrement
1 Enable increment
2 Enable decrement

(The next commands will function on more than one field)
87 Load field number to clear increment or decrement
88 Load field number to increment
89 Load field number to decrement

93 Load control codes recognition status

0 Enable control code recognition
1 Disable control code recognition