Star Micronics 150 User Manual
Control Codes
PcOS Series 150
Programmer's Guide
Rotated Print
Page 40
Rev G
12/14/99
Print Rotation Commands
To provide printing flexibility on preprinted and various size forms, rotated print capability is
available in validation and receipt modes. Rotated print mode aligns the print in any of three 90
degree orientations.
available in validation and receipt modes. Rotated print mode aligns the print in any of three 90
degree orientations.
In 90° and 270° rotated modes, the print data is first buffered by the printer, processed (rotated), and
then printed. As a result, the print process is slightly delayed. In 180° mode, the print is simply
inverted and mirrored.
then printed. As a result, the print process is slightly delayed. In 180° mode, the print is simply
inverted and mirrored.
Because the rotated 90° and 270° print buffer is limited to 1760 characters, the amount of rotated
print is also limited. The printer can support a limit of 22 lines of rotated print with a maximum line
length of 80 characters. The technique used by the Series 150 Printer is to receive all the print to be
rotated and convert it into graphics. This requires buffer space for all possible characters in each print
line. Each line has a fixed length buffer regardless of how much data is actually sent to the printer.
The printer will space fill the buffer for each line to the maximum size. As a result, a short line of two
characters will take as much buffer space as a long line.
print is also limited. The printer can support a limit of 22 lines of rotated print with a maximum line
length of 80 characters. The technique used by the Series 150 Printer is to receive all the print to be
rotated and convert it into graphics. This requires buffer space for all possible characters in each print
line. Each line has a fixed length buffer regardless of how much data is actually sent to the printer.
The printer will space fill the buffer for each line to the maximum size. As a result, a short line of two
characters will take as much buffer space as a long line.
To make the most efficient use of buffer space, the line length is predefined. The default line length is
80 characters, which leaves room for 22 lines. To allow longer lines to be printed, the line length can
be changed; however, no more than 22 lines with no more than 128 characters per line are allowed.
For example, if the line length is expanded to 128 characters per line, there is buffer space for
1760/128 or 13 lines.
80 characters, which leaves room for 22 lines. To allow longer lines to be printed, the line length can
be changed; however, no more than 22 lines with no more than 128 characters per line are allowed.
For example, if the line length is expanded to 128 characters per line, there is buffer space for
1760/128 or 13 lines.
Specifying the line length is also useful to determine where data is printed on forms. In rotated 90
°
and 270
°
mode, the print field can be extended to print the complete line length specified. Extending
the line length is useful for printing forms such as checks where the form is fixed but the data can
change. This mode is called line formatted mode. In line formatted mode, the line length is set not by
the longest line entered but by the maximum line length. (Line lengths less than 80 will not print
more than 22 lines, only the format will be affected).
change. This mode is called line formatted mode. In line formatted mode, the line length is set not by
the longest line entered but by the maximum line length. (Line lengths less than 80 will not print
more than 22 lines, only the format will be affected).
The space between lines is controlled by a line spacing table. The table is defined by the rotated print
line spacing ([ESC] u ...) command or by inserting [LF] or [ESC] J <n> commands in the rotated
data. The [ESC] u command specifies the number of dots to be added between each printed line. Each
line has an entry in the table. There is room for 22 lines in the table. The minimum spacing (and
default) is one dot or 1/80 inch between lines which results in a total of 10 dots in a line or 10/80 inch
(8 lines per inch).
line spacing ([ESC] u ...) command or by inserting [LF] or [ESC] J <n> commands in the rotated
data. The [ESC] u command specifies the number of dots to be added between each printed line. Each
line has an entry in the table. There is room for 22 lines in the table. The minimum spacing (and
default) is one dot or 1/80 inch between lines which results in a total of 10 dots in a line or 10/80 inch
(8 lines per inch).
The character cell is 7 x 9 with one dot of white space
9
or a total cell size of 7 x 10. The cell is
printed at 80 dots per inch. If three dots are added, there will be a total of four dots, and the cell will
be 7 x 13. The following table specifies lines per inch for various numbers of inserted dots.
be 7 x 13. The following table specifies lines per inch for various numbers of inserted dots.
Number of dots added
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Spacing specified
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Cell size
7 x 10
7 x 11
7 x 12
7 x 13
7 x 14
7 x 15
7 x 16
7 x 17
Line spacing (inches)
0.125
0.1375
0.15
0.1625
0.175
0.1875
0.2
0.2125
Number lines per inch
8
7.27
6.67
6.15
5.71
5.33
5.0
4.7
Table 12 Rotated print spacing
9
Line graphic characters are 7 x 10 which allow touching characters as a default.