Datamax-O'Neil PrintPAD AN-12 (Line Printer and Easy Print Modes) - Manual

AN-12 (Line Printer and Easy Print Modes)
April 4, 2006
HOW TO USE JOB STATUS REPORTING
Job Status Reporting is used to assure the application that data delivered to the printer was printed without some
detectable errors such as paper out or user cancellation.
In Line Printer mode, each print job to be monitored begins with an “ESC s n” command, where the “ESC s” marks the
start of the print job, and bit fields within ‘n’ specify the level of error reporting. The end of the print job is marked by an
“ESC e” command.
In Easy Print mode, a global parameter JOBSTATUS is added which turns ON all job status options (same as Line Printer
ESC e s with the bitfield in s set to turn ON all available reports- but not cancel timeout). This option for Easy Print can
also be configured to be ON so the JOBSTATUS does not need to be sent with each print job and can be used with the
emulations.
When Job Status Reporting is turned ON, any of several errors such as paper out, timeout, or user cancellation can
automatically reported to the host immediately upon detection without the need to query the printer. In addition, the
printer will automatically send the status when the last print line or FormFeed within the Line Printer start/end markers or
the Easy Print job is complete.
The Automatic Job Status response string is the same as the string returned when the “Status Query” is sent (ESC{ST?}),
however some of the data returned is event data and therefore appropriate only for the Job Status reporting and is so
noted below. Even while the Job Status reporting is in effect, the “Status Query” can be sent to retrieve current status.
In Line Printer mode, the n in ESC s n is a bit field where individual features can be turned ON. In Easy Print mode, all
options are turned ON automatically. The definition of the bit field is as follows:
bit 0 = if set auto report status at end of job
Line Printer - when last line/FormFeed before ESC e is complete
Easy Print – at end of the current print job
bit 1 = if set auto report status if paper out during print job
bit 2 = not used (impact printers only)
bit 3 = not used (impact printers only)
bit 4 = if set auto report status if unit times out during print job (e.g. paper remained out too long)
bit 5 = if set auto report if red button is pressed during print job (to cancel print)
bit 6 = if set cancels timeout so printer will always stay ON temporarily until end of this job
bit 7 = zero (reserved)
Note: In line printer mode, if the n bit field contains all zeroes then all existing print job status reporting flags set are
cancelled
Note: In line printer mode, bit 6 for canceling timeout is treated differently than the ESC t command, also used to cancel
timeout. If either or both are set to cancel timeout, the printer will not “go to sleep” Whichever command was used to
cancel the timeout must be used to restart the timeout. If there is a paper out condition while the timeout is cancelled, the
printer will remain awake while the paper out condition remains. If bit 1 is set, the printer will report the paper out
condition to the host. When paper is reloaded, if bit 3 is set or if bit 0 is set, the printer will report that paper has been
reloaded. At that point, all reporting flags are cleared (as if ESC s 0x00 had been sent, or the ESC e had been
processed). In addition, if the timeout was cancelled using ESC t n or ESC s n, the timeout is restarted. The paper out
condition will cause ALL data that has been received to be flushed and the printer begins anew when paper is reloaded.