Printronix P9000 Series - Manual (Page 69)

4-1 Graphics
CHAPTER 4
GRAPHICS
Introduction
The printer can produce bit image graphics when in Serial Matrix protocol, and P-Series Plot
Mode graphics when in P-Series protocol. You can print text and graphics on the same line
only by using the bit image protocol in Serial Matrix protocol. In either mode, printing text is
the default mode. Consequently, each line of graphics data must include the necessary plot
mode commands to enable the printer to perform the desired graphics functions.
The following graphics information is presented in this chapter:
n Serial Matrix Compatible Bit Image Graphics
n P-Series Compatible Plot Mode
n Combining Graphics and Text
Serial Matrix Compatible Bit Image Graphics
The printer produces bit image graphics in Serial Matrix protocol. Bit image graphics are creĆ
ated by printing a series of vertical bit image data bytes which represent the binary code bit
pattern. This method utilizes the 1" or true" bit from a binary data byte to print dot patterns.
These data bytes are actually the binary equivalent of ASCII character decimal values 0
through 255. When the data byte is rotated vertically, the result is a vertical data byte pattern
with the most significant bit (MSB) at the top.
Plotting a Bit Image Pattern
A Bit Image pattern can be produced by following these steps:
1. Lay out the graphic(s) pattern to be printed on a quadrille pad or graph paper.
2. Determine the decimal equivalent of each bit image data byte required to produce the
pattern (Figure 4-1).
3. Write a program to generate the complete pattern.
4. Enter and run the program on the host computer.