Printek FormsPro 4300 User Manual
FormsPro 4300, FormsPro 4500
and FormsPro 4503
SERIAL MATRIX PRINTERS
Operation Manual
Copyright 1994
Printek, Inc.
1517 Townline Road
Benton Harbor, MI 49022
(616) 925-3200 Printek Part Number 2975
USER NOTIFICATION OF FCC RULES PART 15, SUBPART A FOR CLASS A
DEVICES (Sections 15.105 and 15.21)
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A Digital
Device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a
commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause
harmful interference in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his
own expense.
The user is cautioned that any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party
responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate the equipment.
VDE - GENERAL PERMIT USERS MANUAL INFORMATION
Certificate of Manufacturer/Importer
This is to certify that the FormsPro 4300, FormsPro 4500, and FormsPro 4503 printers are
shielded against radio interference in accordance with the provisions of VDE 0871/6.78.
The German Postal services have been advised that this device is being put on the market and
are entitled to inspect the series for compliance with the regulations.
Interface cables: All interface cables to and from this device must be shielded.
Equipment which can be operated within a system together with other devices must comply
with the requirements of the class B limits as specified in DIN/VDE 0871/6.78, Section 3.2 as
well as the provisions specified in
is made of a General (Operating) Permit.
Bescheinigung des Herstellers/Importeurs
Hiermit wird bescheinigt, daß der FormsPro 4300, FormsPro 4500, und FormsPro 4503
printer in Ubereinstimmung mit den Bestimmungen der VDE 0871/6.78 funk-entstört ust,
Der Deutschen Bundespost wurde das Inverkehrbringen dieses Gerätes angezeigt und die
Berechtigung zur Überprufung der Serie auf Einhaltung der Bestimmungen eingeräumt.
Schnittstellenkabel: Alle Schnittstellenkabel zu und von diesem Gerät Müssen abgeschirmt
sein.
Geräte, die zusammen mit anderen Geraten innerhalb eines Systems betrieben werden
können, müssen sowohl den Anforderungen der Beschränkungen fur die Klasse B wie in
DIN/VDE 0871/6.78, Absatz 3.2 festgelegt, als auch die in
Vfg 1046/1984 festgelegten Bestimmungen entsprechen, wenn eine allgemeine (Betriebs-)
Erlaubnis verwendet wird.
Generell werden diese Bestimmungen nur erfüllt, wenn das Peripheriegerät in einem
serienmäßig hergestellten System betrieben wird, das mit dem VDE-Funkshutzaufkleber und
dem Index "0871-B" versehen ist.
s
2 section 1 and section 3 of the Vfg 1046/1984 when use
s
s
2, Absatz 1 und Absatz 3 des
s
Acknowledgements:
IBM and Proprinter are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Co., DEC
is a registered trademark of Digital Equipment Corporation, Epson is a registered trademark
of Seiko Epson, Printek and FormsPro are registered trademarks of Printek, Inc.
Specifications subject to change without notice.
Page ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 1-1
HOW TO USE THIS MANUAL 1-1
CHAPTER 2 - INSTALLATION AND QUICK SETUP 2-1
SELECTING AN APPROPRIATE INSTALLATION LOCATION 2-1
INSTALLING THE RIBBON 2-3
INSTALLING PAPER 2-5
TESTING THE PRINTER 2-8
CONNECTING THE PRINTER TO A COMPUTER 2-8
Entering the Interface Menu at the Control Panel 2-9
MATCHING THE PRINTER TO YOUR APPLICATION SOFTWARE 2-11
CHAPTER 3 - OPERATION 3-1
INTRODUCTION 3-1
CONTROL PANEL DISPLAY AND INDICATORS 3-1
CONTROL PANEL BUTTONS 3-3
INTRODUCTION TO SETUP 3-6
Entering the Forms Setup Menu 3-6
Entering the Interface Setup Menu 3-10
CHANGING THE PAPER 3-13
CHANGING THE RIBBON 3-16
Using Printek Ribbons 3-16
Removing the Old Ribbon 3-16
Installing the New Ribbon 3-17
CHAPTER 4 - USING SPECIAL FEATURES 4-1
UNLOADING AND SELECTING FORMS 4-1
HANDLING A PAPER ERROR CONDITION 4-2
Standard Paper Error Handling 4-2
Page Reprint 4-2
USING THE RIBBON CHECK FEATURE 4-4
Matching the Ribbon Wear Indicator to Printer Use 4-4
Turning Off Ribbon Checking 4-4
CHECKING SETUP CONFIGURATION 4-4
PRINTING SETUP INFORMATION 4-5
PARKING THE FORMSPRO 4503 TRACTORS FOR SHIPMENT 4- 5
CHAPTER 5 - IN CASE OF DIFFICULTY 5-1
INTRODUCTION 5-1
SYMPTOMS AND POSSIBLE CAUSES 5-1
USING THE HEX DUMP MODE 5-4
SELECTING A QUALITY FORM 5-5
REPLACING THE AC POWER FUSE 5-5
APPENDIX A - ADVANCED CONTROL PANEL FEATURES A-1
SETUP: OPTIONS A-1
SETUP: SECURITY A-4
Page iii
Table of Contents
APPENDIX B - OPTIONAL RS-422 INTERFACE B- 1
APPENDIX C - OPTIONAL COAXIAL/TWINAXIAL INTERFACE C- 1
COAXIAL OPERATION C- 1
Option Switches When Configured for Coaxial Operation C- 2
TWINAXIAL OPERATION C- 4
Option Switches When Configured for Twinaxial Operation C- 5
Twinaxial Address Switch C- 5
Twinaxial Installation Preparation C- 6
Getting On-line C- 6
Twinaxial Verification Problems C- 7
COAXIAL/TWINAXIAL INTERFACE DIAGNOSTICS C- 8
APPENDIX D - OPTIONAL BUFFER EXPANSION D- 1
APPENDIX E - ASCII CHARACTER TABLES E- 1
ASCII CONTROL CODE DEFINITIONS E- 1
EPSON FX FONT SAMPLES E- 2
PC FONT SAMPLES E- 3
EBCDIC FONT SAMPLES E- 4
PC LATIN 2 (SLAVIC) FONT SAMPLES E- 5
OCR A FONT SAMPLE E- 6
OCR B FONT SAMPLE E- 6
DECIMAL-TO-ASCII CONVERSION TABLE E- 7
APPENDIX F - CONTROL CODE & ESCAPE SEQUENCE SUMMARIES F- 1
ANSI x3.64 EMULATION F- 1
EPSON FX EMULATION F- 2
IBM PROPRINTER EMULATION F- 4
LA-120 EMULATION F- 5
SIMPLE TTY EMULATION F- 6
PRINTEK EMULATION F- 7
APPENDIX G - PRINTER RESET CONDITIONS G- 1
APPENDIX H - CLONING PRINTER SETUP H- 1
CLONING FROM PRINTER TO PRINTER H- 1
Possible Cloning Errors H- 2
Information that is Cloned H- 2
USING A SETUP UNIT FOR CLONING H- 2
Cloning from a Printer to a Setup Unit H- 3
Cloning from a Setup Unit to a Printer H- 3
APPENDIX I - PRINTER SPECIFICATIONS I- 1
APPENDIX J - SETUP MENU SUMMARIES J- 1
GLOSSARY GLOSSARY- 1
Page iv
INTRODUCTION
HOW TO USE THIS MANUAL
This manual provides information on how to install and operate your FormsPro 4000 series
printer. Below is a brief description of the information that is presented in each section. For
your convenience, a glossary of printer related terms is included at the back of this manual.
Introduction Provides you with an introduction to the capabilities and
operation of the FormsPro 4300, FormsPro 4500 and the
FormsPro 4503 printers.
Installation and Quick Setup Helps you select an appropriate location for the printer, and
then test and perform the initial setup of the unit.
Operation Describes the control panel and ways to modify the
operating parameters which may be set for each of the ten
form setups and the host computer interface. Changing the
paper, using the three tractor paths in the FormsPro 4503,
and changing the ribbon are also described.
Using Special Features Describes special messages which you may encounter when
you unload forms, how paper-error conditions are handled,
how ribbon usage is monitored, and how to use the Page
Reprint feature.
In Case of Difficulty Describes what you should do in the event you encounter
difficulty using your printer, and provides you with a list of
possible causes for various symptoms and error messages.
Also included is information about where you can obtain
service, if it is required.
Following the above sections are appendices containing ASCII character tables and font
samples, additional control panel features, detailed interface specifications for the optional
interfaces, information on how to clone setup information from one printer to another, and
printer specifications.
Page 1-1
Introduction
PRINTER MODEL DESCRIPTIONS
AND KEY FEATURES
The Printek FormsPro 4000 series printers are heavy duty serial dot matrix printers. The
FormsPro 4300 is a medium speed printer and the FormsPro 4500 and FormsPro 4503 are
high-speed printers. They have been specifically designed for printing on hard to print forms
which are often not printed adequately by other printers. Of course, the FormsPro 4000 series
printers will also print on lighter forms.
All models provide straight paper paths for jam-free paper motion and a zero waste tear bar
for demand document applications.
You can permanently record up to ten complete sets of form parameters, which may then be
selected either at the printer's control panel or from the host computer. The FormsPro 4503
provides three sets of tractors, any of which may be selected in the form parameters for a
particular form. This allows the printer to automatically unload one form and load another
when it is selected either via the front panel buttons or a software command from the host
computer. When loading forms, the printer will automatically adjust the print head position
to match the thickness of the newly loaded form.
The printers come equipped with basic bar code capability, an industry standard parallel
interface and an RS-232C serial interface.
You can also order the printers with an optional RS-422 serial interface, or a
coaxial/twinaxial interface which emulates an IBM 3287 or 3262 printer, or an IBM 4214,
5225, or 5256 printer.
Other options include a 32K buffer, which increases the standard 4K character input buffer to
28K characters, the Imager and ImagerPlus bar code capabilities, and the FormsCutter which
may be used to cut each form as it is printed or to separate reports.
A specially designed print stand, which holds multiple paper supplies, is also available.
Page 1-2
INSTALLATION AND QUICK SETUP
SELECTING AN APPROPRIATE INSTALLATION
LOCATION
The FormsPro 4000 series printers are designed to be installed on a Printek print stand, or on
an open-top print stand that allows paper to be fed through the paper supply slot on the
bottom of the printer. Since the printer also draws air through this slot for cooling, make sure
that no part of the print stand obstructs this slot. After cooling the electronics, the motors,
and the print head, the air is exhausted through the paper exit slot on top of the printer.
The installation location also requires power for the printer, support for cabling requirements
to your computer, and space for the paper supply(s) and printed paper collection.
After you unpack the printer as described in the unpacking instructions (make sure all
packing materials are removed as described) and place the printer at the desired location,
connect the power cord to the rear of the unit and plug the other end into a proper wall outlet.
3
1
2
Page 2-1
Installation and Quick Setup
1. Power Switch on Side of Printer.
2. Power Cord Connector.
3. Mounting Screws for Static Suppression Tinsel.
Page 2-2
Installation and Quick Setup
INSTALLING THE RIBBON
To install the ribbon, first lift the lid on the top of the printer; then lift the ribbon loading bail
as shown below.
1
2
1. Ribbon Loading Bail in up (open) position.
2. Ribbon Support Brackets.
Unpack the ribbon from its shipping container and remove the retainer from the slot on top of
the cartridge if present. Make sure the ribbon fabric is not twisted where it enters the
cartridge; then tighten the ribbon by turning the knob on top of the cartridge in the direction
indicated by the arrow on the cartridge.
Place the right end of the ribbon on the support bracket while you align the plastic tabs with
the slots in the bracket as shown on the next page. Then align and lower the left end of the
ribbon onto the left support bracket until it snaps into place. While doing so, the ribbon
fabric should lower into the area between the print head and the pins which support the metal
nose shield.
Page 2-3
Installation and Quick Setup
Ribbon Cartridge Installation.
Next lower the ribbon loading bail as shown below. This automatically places the ribbon
between the ribbon guides and the print head as the print head is placed back into the printing
position.
Page 2-4
Lowering (closing) Ribbon Loading Bail.
Installation and Quick Setup
INSTALLING PAPER
If the printer is not currently turned on, push the ON-1 side of the power switch on the right
side of the printer. After you turn on the printer, it performs several self tests. If the printer is
a FormsPro 4503, these tests also make sure that the tractors are properly positioned after
shipment.
Paper is installed through the slot in the bottom of the printer. To open the unit so you can
install paper, pull outward on the bottom of the lower front panel of the printer as shown to
release the latch.
Opening Latch Panel.
While you pull outward on this panel, lift the front of the unit to expose the paper tractors.
The top of the unit will support itself in the up position while you load paper.
Caution: Do not open the unit in this fashion while the
printer is printing or forms are loaded. Doing so may
cause data to be printed incorrectly or paper to jam
when the cover is closed. Refer to the "Operation"
section for information about unloading forms.
Page 2-5
Installation and Quick Setup
To load paper or forms, open the door on each tractor and position the holes in the paper over
the pins in the tractors; then close the doors. If the tractors are not set at the proper width for
the paper you are loading, simply move the lever beside the tractor door to the open position
and the tractor(s) will slide sideways. The tractors should be spaced far enough apart so that
the paper does not buckle in the center, but not so tight that the holes in the paper become
distorted by the pins in the tractors. A properly installed form is shown below. Note that the
form does not extend above the top of the tractor doors.
FormsPro 4503 With Form Installed
in Front Tractors.
Note that the forms do not extend above the tractor doors.
The FormsPro 4300 and FormsPro 4500 have only one set of tractors which are positioned in
the same location as the front tractors in the above picture. To install forms in the other sets
of tractors in the FormsPro 4503, press the FORM SELECT button on the front panel until
the desired form setup and tractor path is selected on the LCD display (this button's sequence
is 0 through 9, and back to 0, and may be operated while the case is either opened or closed).
Then press the LOAD button. This causes the selected tractors to move into position for
loading. Now load the paper or forms in the tractors as described in the previous paragraph.
Now close the case, select the form you desire (0 through 9), and press the LOAD button.
This places the form you have selected into position for printing. The following picture
shows a FormsPro 4503 with forms installed in all three sets of tractors and the center tractors
in place for operation.
Page 2-6
Installation and Quick Setup
FormsPro 4503 With Forms in All Tractor Paths.
Center Path Positioned for Loading.
Page 2-7
Installation and Quick Setup
TESTING THE PRINTER
When you turn the printer on, it automatically performs a series of self tests to assure that the
electronics and printer mechanisms are operational. In the FormsPro 4503, the shuttle
mechanism, which positions the tractors, also realigns itself if there is no paper installed or
the paper is not positioned above the tear bar.
If you wish to perform an actual printing test, perform the following steps to print a
barberpole test pattern:
1. Load plain paper that is eleven inches long. The pattern that is printed will be a
maximum of 80 columns wide.
2. Make sure that the printer is offline (the ONLINE indicator is not lit). If the printer is
on line, press the ONLINE button to turn the indicator off.
3. Press and hold the SETUP button until the second menu "Setup: INTERFACE" is
displayed; then release the SETUP button. Note that one beep will sound when the first
setup menu for forms is displayed, and two beeps will sound when the second menu for
interface is displayed.
4. Press the FUNCTION UP button until "Mode:" is displayed. The current emulation
mode will now be displayed. Remember which mode is currently displayed because
you will have to return to this value later for normal operation. If you wish, you can
record the mode here for future reference. Mode: ______________.
5. Press the VALUE UP button until "Mode: BarberPole" is displayed.
6. Press the SETUP button to exit setup mode. The printer will now reset and perform the
normal power-up diagnostics. Once these complete, the printer will begin to print the
barberpole pattern. To stop or resume printing the pattern, use the ONLINE button.
7. Once you have printed the pattern long enough to be sure the printer is operating
properly, press the ONLINE button to stop printing.
8. Press the FORM FEED button to advance the top of the next page to the tear bar and
tear off the printed page(s).
9. Return to the interface setup menu as described in step 3 above, and set the Mode value
back to its previous setting that you noted in step 4.
10. Press SETUP to exit setup mode. The printer will reset and return to normal operating
mode.
CONNECTING THE PRINTER TO A COMPUTER
The FormsPro 4000 series printers are supplied with an industry standard parallel interface
and an RS-232C interface as standard equipment. The printers are also available with an RS422 interface, or a coaxial/twinaxial interface.
Page 2-8
Installation and Quick Setup
When the printer is shipped from the factory, the default configurations for these interfaces
are as shown below. If these are not appropriate for your installation, refer to the "Parallel
Interface" or "RS-232C Interface" sections which follow, or to one of the appendices if you
are using an optional interface.
Parallel and RS-232 Interface
Mode: Epson
I/O: Parallel
Data Bits: 8
RS-422 Interface
Mode: Epson
Baud Rate: 9600
Data Bits: 8
Parity: None
XON/XOFF: On
Coaxial/Twinaxial/Parallel and RS-232 Interface
Mode: Epson
I/O: CX/TX
Data Bits: 8
ENTERING THE INTERFACE MENU
AT THE CONTROL PANEL
In each of the following descriptions for connecting the printer to a computer, you may need
to access the printer's interface setup menu. The following paragraphs show you how to do
this.
After you connect the appropriate cable(s), as described in the section for the interface being
installed, turn the printer on.
If the printer is online (ONLINE indicator is on), press the ONLINE button on the front of the
printer to take the printer offline. This will cause the ONLINE indicator to turn off, and the
display will momentarily show an “OFFLINE” message to indicate that the printer is now
offline.
Next, press and hold the SETUP button. After approximately one second, the display will
show “Setup: FORMS” and beep once. Continue to hold the SETUP button for
approximately one more second until the display shows “Setup: INTERFACE” and beeps
twice. Then release the button. You have now entered the printer's interface setup menu and
can now proceed with the instructions listed below for the interface you desire to use.
Page 2-9
Installation and Quick Setup
Parallel Interface
The 36-pin connector for the parallel interface is located on the rear of the printer
immediately above the power cord connector. Connect a shielded cable between your
computer and this connector. The pin-out for this connecter is shown in the following
diagram.
Pin Signal Definition Pin Signal Definition
____________________
1
DATA STROBE
19
DATA STROBE
RTN*
2
DATA 1
20
DATA 1 RTN*
3
DATA 2
21
DATA 2 RTN*
4
DATA 3
22
DATA 3 RTN*
5
DATA 4
23
DATA 4 RTN*
6
DATA 5
24
DATA 5 RTN*
7
DATA 6
25
DATA 6 RTN*
8
DATA 7
26
DATA 7 RTN*
9
DATA 8
27
DATA 8 RTN*
____________
10
ACKNLG
28
ACKNLG RTN*
A host generated signal
which signals that data
lines are stable and that
the data may be stored in
the printer buffer.
Host data bit 1 (LSB).
Host data bit 2.
Host data bit 3.
Host data bit 4.
Host data bit 5.
Host data bit 6.
Host data bit 7.
Host data bit 8 (MSB).
A printer generated
signal which is
transmitted after the
receipt of each data
character and negation of
the BUSY.
*RTN = Signal ground.
11
BUSY
29
BUSY RTN*
12
PE
13
SLCT
14
±0V
16
±0V
___________________
31
INPUT PRIME
30
INPUT PRIME
RTN*
_________
32
FAULT
A printer generated
signal which indicates
that the printer is unable
to receive data. Busy
will be set under the
following conditions:
Character received.
Input buffer is full.
Printer is not on line
(see SLCT).
Paper error (see PE).
Fault (see FAULT).
A printer generated
signal which indicates a
paper out or paper
jammed condition.
A printer generated
signal which indicates
that the printer is on line
and ready to receive data.
Signal ground.
Signal ground.
Ignored.
A printer generated
signal which indicates
that the printer requires
attention.
Parallel Interface Connector.
Enter the interface menu as described above. Then press the FUNCTION UP button to
display the “I/O:” function. Now press the VALUE UP button until “Parallel” is displayed
(or CX/TX if that option is installed). Now press the FUNCTION UP button again to display
the “Data Bits:” function. Use the VALUE UP button to select either 7 or 8 data bits as
required by your computer and/or software. This will normally be set to 8.
Finally, press the SETUP button to exit the setup mode and reset the printer. The printer is
now ready to receive parallel data.
Page 2-10
Installation and Quick Setup
RS-232C Serial Interface
A 25-pin female “D” type connector is located on the rear of the printer immediately to the
right of the 36-pin parallel connector (or above it if the coaxial/twinaxial interface is
installed). Connect a shielded cable between your computer and this connector. The pin-out
for this connector is shown below.
Pin Signal
1
Chassis ground.
2
Transmit data. (Printer output).
3
Receive data. (Printer input).
4
Request to send (set). (Printer output).
5
Clear to send (ignored). (Printer input).
6
Data set ready (ignored). (Printer input).
7
Signal ground.
8
Carrier detect (ignored). (Printer input).
11
Printer busy. (Printer output).
20
Data terminal ready. (Printer output).
RS-232C Serial Interface Connector.
To configure the printer for serial data, more information is required than for some of the
other interfaces. In particular, you must know the baud rate, number of data bits, type of
parity checking, and flow control method required by your computer. Check your computer
manual or contact your computer dealer for this information.
Enter the interface menu as described above. Then press the FUNCTION UP button to
display the “I/O:” function. Now press the VALUE UP button until “Serial” is displayed.
Before proceeding, the factory default values for the RS-232C serial configuration are 9600
baud, 8-data bits, no parity, busy-polarity low, and XON/XOFF and ETX/ACK handshakes
off. If your computer requires you to change any of these parameters, please refer to
“Entering the Interface Setup Menu” in the Operation section of this manual. Otherwise,
simply press SETUP again to exit the setup mode and reset the printer. The serial interface
with the above parameters is now active.
MATCHING THE PRINTER TO YOUR APPLICATION
SOFTWARE
Many application programs output only printable characters and simple control codes.
However, some require special printer features and use a particular “language” or set of
control codes and escape sequences to direct the printer to enable or disable these features.
The FormsPro 4000 series printers supply emulations for the control codes and escape
sequences used by the ANSI X3.64 specification, Epson FX series printers, IBM Proprinter,
Digital Equipment Corporation's LA-120, a simple TTY emulation mode (which ignores
most control codes and escape sequences), and a special Printek emulation mode. The
Printek emulation may be used at any time to control features which are not supported by the
Page 2-11
Installation and Quick Setup
other printers being emulated. To review the list of control codes and escape sequences
supported by these emulations, refer to the appropriate section in the Programmer's Manual.
The Programmer’s Manual may be obtained by returning the request form packed with the
printer.
To complete the initial setup of your printer, you will need to know which set of control
codes and escape sequences your applications will use to control the printer. Refer to your
computer and application software manuals or contact your computer and/or software dealer
for this information.
To select the desired emulation, you will need to first enter the interface setup menu as
described in the following paragraphs, and then proceed to the appropriate section below to
select the emulation.
If the printer is online (ONLINE indicator is on), press the ONLINE button on the front of the
printer to take the printer offline. This causes the ONLINE indicator to turn off, and the
display to momentarily show an “OFFLINE” message to indicate that the printer is now
offline.
Next, press and hold the SETUP button. After approximately one second, the display will
show “Setup: FORMS” and beep once. Continue to hold the SETUP button for
approximately one more second until the display shows “Setup: INTERFACE” and beeps
twice. Then release the button. You have now entered the printer's interface setup menu and
can now proceed with the instructions listed below for the emulation you desire to use.
Selecting ANSI X3.64 Emulation
Enter the interface menu as previously described. Press the FUNCTION UP button to display
“Mode: n”. Then use the VALUE buttons to select “ANSI X3.64”. Press SETUP again to
exit the setup mode and reset the printer. ANSI X3.64 emulation is now selected.
Selecting Epson Emulation
Enter the interface menu as previously described. Press the FUNCTION UP button to display
“Mode: n”. Then use the VALUE buttons to select “Epson”. Press SETUP again to exit the
setup mode and reset the printer. Epson emulation is now selected.
Selecting Proprinter Emulation
Enter the interface menu as previously described. Press the FUNCTION UP button to display
“Mode: n”. Then use the VALUE buttons to select “Proprinter”. Press SETUP again to exit
the setup mode and reset the printer. Proprinter emulation is now selected.
Page 2-12
Installation and Quick Setup
Selecting DEC LA 120-RA Emulation
Enter the interface menu as previously described. Press the FUNCTION UP button to display
“Mode: n”. Then use the VALUE buttons to select “LA-120”. Press SETUP again to exit the
setup mode and reset the printer. LA-120 emulation is now selected.
Selecting TTY Emulation
Enter the interface menu as previously described. Press the FUNCTION UP button to display
“Mode: n”. Then use the VALUE buttons to select “TTY”. Press SETUP again to exit the
setup mode and reset the printer. TTY emulation is now selected.
Selecting Printek Emulation
Enter the interface menu as previously described. Press the FUNCTION UP button to display
“Mode: n”. Then use the VALUE buttons to select “Printek”. Press SETUP again to exit the
setup mode and reset the printer. Printek emulation is now selected.
Page 2-13
OPERATION
INTRODUCTION
This section assumes that your printer has already been installed according to the information
in “Installation and Quick Setup”, and describes the daily operation of the FormsPro 4000
series printers. In particular, using the control panel, changing paper or forms, and changing
the ribbon cartridge are discussed.
CONTROL PANEL OPERATION AND SETUP MENUS
The FormsPro 4000 series printers feature an intuitive, easy-to-use control panel which
provides immediate access to the controls required by most operators. Individual indicators
are available which provide a quick indication of printer status, as well as a 16-character
display which provides even more status information.
Many more features, including form and interface parameters, are available through the
SETUP mode. All features which are modified during setup are stored in nonvolatile
memory and are used each time the printer is turned on or reset. For more information, refer
to the appendix on “Printer Reset Conditions”.
The printer's control panel consists of six pushbutton switches, four LED indicators, and a 16character LCD as shown below.
Printer Control Panel.
The pushbutton switches (or buttons), the LCD, and the LED indicators provide you with the
following controls and status information:
CONTROL PANEL DISPLAY AND INDICATORS
Sixteen Character Display This display indicates the printer status. Normally, the
currently-selected form (and tractor path on the
Page 3-1
Operation
FormsPro 4503) is displayed. ONLINE, OFFLINE, and
other informational and error messages are displayed
when the conditions occur and/or you press the ONLINE
button without clearing an error condition. This display
also indicates various parameters and their values when
the printer is in the setup mode.
POWER This green LED indicates that the printer is plugged into
a power source, the power switch is on, and the internal
power supply is functional.
ONLINE This green LED indicates that the printer is ready to
receive printable characters and/or commands from the
host computer, and print or perform as requested.
FAULT This red LED indicates that the printer has detected an
error condition, such as paper out, paper jam, or an
internal diagnostic error. Many internal diagnostics are
performed each time the printer is turned on or reset, and
some continue to monitor operation during printing. For
a list of error messages and suggested remedies, refer to
the “In Case of Difficulty” section of this manual.
SETUP This yellow LED indicates that the setup mode has been
entered.
Bell The printer sounds a tone when it is directed to do so by
a bell character (BEL) from the host computer. Other
tones also alert operators of error conditions, such as
paper out, and indicate when buttons are pressed.
Page 3-2
Operation
CONTROL PANEL BUTTONS
ONLINE This button allows you to place the printer online or
offline, as indicated by the ONLINE indicator, and as
temporarily displayed on the 16-character display. It is
also used for starting and stopping the test pattern while
the printer is in the Barber Pole mode.
NOTE: The printer must be offline before you can use
any of the other buttons.
If you press and hold this button at power-up/reset,
internal printer information is displayed on the LCD.
For more information, refer to “Checking Printer
Configuration” in the “Using Special Features” section
of this manual.
LOAD / FORM FEED When no paper is currently loaded (a paper out condition
exists), this button loads the paper which has been
installed in the tractors by moving the top edge of the
paper to the tear bar. In the FormsPro 4503, this button
may also cause the tractor path to change if a form has
been selected which uses a different path (refer to
UNLOAD/FORM SELECT below).
If paper is already loaded, this button uses the currently
selected form length to advance the paper to the top of
the next form.
For a description of this button while the printer is in
setup mode, refer to “Introduction to Setup” later in this
chapter.
UNLOAD / FORM SELECT If paper is currently loaded (no paper out condition
exists), this button unloads the paper and places the top
edge of the paper in the tractors in the base of the unit.
This allows you to change the paper easily. A paper out
condition is displayed to indicate that the paper was
unloaded successfully.
The printer will attempt to unload up to 36 inches of
paper. If the top edge of the paper is not found, paper
motion will stop and “Too Much Paper” will be
displayed on the LCD. Normally, previous pages should
be torn off before you press UNLOAD. It is
recommended that you not use this method to unload
more than the current form.
When no paper or form is currently loaded, this button
selects one of ten preset form setups. In the
FormsPro 4503, this may also select a different set of
Page 3-3
Operation
tractors to be used the next time you press the LOAD
button.
The printer will not allow you to change the form during
printing. If you press the FORM SELECT button while
there is still a line to print, the button press is rejected,
the bell sounds, and the message “Finish Printing!”
flashes on the LCD. If this happens, you should place
the printer back on-line, allow the form to finish
printing, and then place the printer off-line and select the
desired new form. For more information, refer to
“Finish Printing!” in the “Using Special Features”
section.
If you press and hold this button at power-up/reset on the
FormsPro 4503, and paper has not been loaded, the
tractor shuttle moves all the way forward to its parked
position. NOTE: The tractor shuttle should always be
parked whenever the printer is being transported.
For a description of this button while the printer is in the
setup mode, refer to “Introduction to Setup” later in this
chapter.
ALIGN UP This button is used to adjust the paper in respect to the
current form position. To adjust the top of form
position, you must insure that the printer is at the top of
form before you make this adjustment. You can
accomplish this by performing a Form Feed prior to
making the adjustment. Each time you press this button,
the paper moves up 1/72nd of an inch. If you hold this
button down, the paper advances the amount required to
complete a line feed (LF) at the currently selected line
pitch, and then continues to advance in full line
increments. The longer you hold this button, the faster
the paper will move.
For a description of this button while the printer is in the
setup mode, refer to “Introduction to Setup” later in this
chapter.
ALIGN DOWN This button is used to adjust the paper in respect to the
current form position. To adjust the top of form
position, you must insure that the printer is at the top of
form before you make this adjustment. You can
accomplish this by performing a Form Feed prior to
making the adjustment. Each time you press this button,
the paper moves down 1/72nd of an inch. If you hold
this button down, the paper moves the amount required
to complete a line feed (LF) at the current line pitch, and
then continues to move in full line increments. The
longer you hold this button, the faster the paper will
move.
Page 3-4
Operation
For a description of this button while the printer is in the
setup mode, refer to “Introduction to Setup” later in this
chapter.
SETUP This button enters and exits the setup menus that are
used to set parameters for up to ten unique form
configurations, and for setting the parameters required
for the printer to communicate successfully with your
computer. This button and a detailed description of the
features of the setup mode are described in “Introduction
to Setup” which follows.
If you press and hold this button at powerup/reset, the
current setup configuration may be printed. Refer to
“Printing Setup” in the “Using Special Features” section
of this manual.
Page 3-5
Operation
INTRODUCTION TO SETUP
The setup mode allows you to easily set form parameters for each of the ten form
configurations, and to set interface hardware and emulation parameters. To make it easier,
the menus and their functions are accessed in the order in which they are most often used.
You can access the setup menus by pressing and holding the SETUP button until the desired
menu is displayed on the LCD. When setup has been entered, the yellow SETUP indicator
lights. At this time, the buttons that have yellow labels below them perform as indicated by
those labels. To exit the setup mode, press the SETUP button.
While the printer is in a menu, you can use the FUNCTION UP and FUNCTION DOWN
buttons to select any function. Whenever you select a function, its current value is displayed.
To change the value or setting of a function, use the VALUE UP and VALUE DOWN
buttons. The function values that are entered in all menus are on a “what you see is what you
get” basis. Whatever value you leave displayed for any function will become the default
value until you change it again. All parameter values are saved in a nonvolatile memory that
is used during initialization the next time the printer is turned on or reset. The printer
automatically performs a reset when it exits the setup menus so that values just set can be
adopted immediately. Refer to appendix on “Printer Reset Conditions” for other values that
may be affected.
The next two sections describe the Forms Menu and the Interface Menu. For more advanced
features, Refer to the appendix on “Advanced Control Panel Features”.
ENTERING THE FORMS SETUP MENU
To change parameters for the currently selected form, first take the printer offline. Next,
press and hold the setup button until “Setup: FORMS” is displayed (approximately one
second) and the bell beeps one time to indicate the first setup menu has been reached. At this
time, you are able to view and/or edit the various function values for the currently selected
form.
The function values which may be modified and their respective value ranges for any of the
ten form selections are listed below. Although you can use the FUNCTION UP or
FUNCTION DOWN buttons to select functions, they are listed here in the order of function
up. The first function is “Form #:” which will display the form to be modified as you access
the other functions. This will initially display the form number that was selected when you
first entered setup (see the description of the UNLOAD/FORM SELECT button earlier in this
chapter). You may use the VALUE UP or VALUE DOWN buttons to select a different form
to modify. However, the form that was selected when you entered setup will still be selected
when you exit setup.
In the descriptions below, “F#” refers to “F0” through “F9” to indicate the number of the
form currently accessed. The factory default settings are indicated by an asterisk (*) where
applicable.
Page 3-6
Operation
Function Possible Values Description
Form #: 0 through 9 Allows you to select the desired
form. The printer defaults to the
currently selected form.
F# Path: Front, Center, or Rear Sets the tractor path to be used for
the current form. This function is
available only on the
FormsPro 4503.
F# Auto Cut: Yes or No* Available only when the optional
FormsCutter is installed. See
FormsCutter manual for additional
information.
F# CPI: 10*, 12, 13.3, 15, 16.74,
17.14, or 20
F# Left Mar: 0* through 134 Sets the left margin in columns
F# Right Mar: 1 through 255, or MAX*. Sets the right margin in columns
F# LPI: 6* or 8 Sets the line pitch to 6 or 8 lines
F# Length: 1 through 227 (66*) Sets the form length in lines at the
Sets the character pitch in
Characters Per Inch.
(characters) from the leftmost print
position. Column width is based
upon CPI. The left margin must
be less than the right margin.
(characters) from the leftmost print
position. A value of MAX sets the
margin to the rightmost print
position, regardless of CPI. The
right margin must be greater than
the left margin.
per inch.
current line pitch. For example:
for an eleven inch form, enter 66 if
you are using six lines per inch or
88 if you are using eight lines per
inch.
F# Top Mar: 0* through 255 Sets the top margin by adding the
specified number of lines to the
top of the form.
F# Btm Mar: 0* through 255 Sets the bottom margin in lines
lines from the bottom of the form.
Page 3-7
Operation
Function Possible Values Description
F# Scroll+: 0* through 127 Sets the distance in lines from the
top margin to the first print line of
the form (does not add these lines
to the form as the top margin
does). Scroll can be used to allow
existing software to take advantage
of the zero-waste capability. If the
first line is printed too high on the
paper after aligning the edge with
the tear bar, use Scroll to position
it lower on the page. Scroll does
not modify the top of form
position. It is not recommended to
use this with, or in place of, Top
Margin.
F# Cut Adj: -85 to +84, 0*, or Auto Available only when the optional
FormsCutter is installed. See the
FormsCutter manual for more
information.
F# Prnt Adj: -128 through 0*, or 0
through +127
Sets the print position in 72nds of
an inch from the top of the form.
This may be used to align the
vertical print position to match a
preprinted form which does not
begin at an even number of lines
from the top edge of the paper.
Page 3-8
Function Possible Values Description
Operation
F# Font: FX FD Epson FX
Fast Draft
FX DF Epson FX Draft
FX LQ Epson FX
Letter Quality
PC FD Proprinter PC
Fast Draft
PC DF Proprinter PC
Draft
PC LQ Proprinter PC
Letter Quality
EB FD EBCDIC
Fast Draft
EB DF EBCDIC Draft
EB LQ EBCDIC Letter
Quality
OCRA OQOCR-A
Optical Qual
OCRB OQ OCR-B
Optical Qual
PCL2 FD PC Latin 2
(Slavic) Fast
Draft
PCL2 DF PC Latin 2
Draft
PCL2 LQ PC Latin 2
Letter Quality
Selects the font to be used. Fonts
not installed will not be displayed.
F# Impact: Norm* or High Sets the character printing mode to
normal or high impact.
F# Lang: USA*, France, Germany,
England, Denmark,
Sweden, Italy, Spain, or
Japan
F# Zero: Normal* or Slashed Sets the type of zero to be printed.
F# Unidir: Yes or No* Sets unidirectional printing instead
Sets the character substitution
table to be used for an alternate
language. (Epson font must be
selected).
of bidirectional printing.
Page 3-9
Operation
ENTERING THE INTERFACE SETUP MENU
The setup menu for interface parameters is the second setup menu. To enter this menu, first
take the printer offline (refer to the ONLINE button described earlier). Then press and hold
the SETUP button approximately two seconds until “Setup: INTERFACE” is displayed and
the bell beeps twice to indicate that the second menu has been entered (Note that “Setup:
FORMS” will be displayed and the bell will beep once before the interface menu is
displayed. Continue to hold the button to pass through this menu and proceed to the interface
menu). At this time you are able to view and/or edit the values for the various interface
functions as listed below. While you may select functions with either the FUNCTION UP or
FUNCTION DOWN buttons, they are listed here in the order of function up.
The factory default settings are indicated by an asterisk (*).
Function Possible Values Description
Mode: n = Test, ANSI X3.64,
Epson*, Bar Codes,
Proprinter, LA-120, TTY,
Printek, Barberpole, or Hex
Dump
I/O: Parallel*, Serial, or CX/TX
(optional)
Baud Rate: 150, 300, 600, 1200, 2400,
4800, 9600*, or 19200
Data Bits: 7 or 8* Selects the number of data bits in
Parity: None*, Ignore, Odd, or
Even
Selects the current emulation mode,
barberpole mode, or hex dump
mode. The test mode is for factory
use only.
Selects the active I/O port. If the
CX/TX interface is installed, then
CX/TX also selects the parallel
port. Not available when the RS422 interface is installed.
Selects the baud rate for the serial
interface. Not available when
Parallel or CX/TX is selected.
the serial character frame and the
number of significant data bits in
each character received via all other
interfaces.
Selects the parity checking
requirements for the serial data bits.
Not available when Parallel or
CX/TX is selected.
Busy: Low* or High Selects the polarity of the busy
signal (pin 11 of the RS-232C
interface). Available only when the
RS-232C interface is installed and
Serial is selected.
Page 3-10
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