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Programmable function strings, General information – Xerox ALLY PLUSTM 6287 User Manual

Page 75

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PROGRAMMABLE FUNCTION

STRINGS

General Information

Programmable function strings (PFSs) provide a means of storing

frequently used printer data and instruction strings and sending them to the

printer. PFSs are used by the ALLY PLUS to implement special features

found on a variety of printers. These features include bolding, underlining,

overstriking, resetting the printer, etc.
The ALLY PLUS sends the appropriate PFS to the printer whenever some

special formatting or control function is required. PFSs are sometimes sent

to the printer automatically in response to a host command, sometimes in

response to the characteristics of the data stream, and sometimes as a

response to a trigger that the user has embedded in the data stream. For

example, the ALLY PLUS looks up the contents of PFS %02 — Bolding

On and sends it to the printer if: a) the system requests bolding; b) Option

#70 is enabled and a [character-backspace-same character] sequence is

detected in the data stream; or c) the user has placed the command

!ALLY!>02; in the data stream.
If the user chooses a printer type that is listed in General Configuration

Option #00, the ALLY PLUS will automatically program the applicable

PFSs for the selected printer (Xerox, Hewlett-Packard, etc.), and the user

may not have to make any modifications to the ALLY PLUS PFSs.
If the user’s printer type is not listed in Option #00, programming the PFSs

is necessary to access the printer’s special functions. Refer to the printer

user’s manual for a list of escape sequences that control the printer. Enter

the escape sequence in the appropriate PFS number as indicated below.
The user may want to program the ALLY PLUS PFSs in a way not

anticipated by AGILE. For instance, if the user’s printer can double

underline, and if the user would like to use double underlining instead of

single underlining, the %06 — Underlining On and %07 — Underlining

Off PFSs can be replaced with the printer’s escape sequences for double

underlining on and off, respectively.

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