Microcom 400 - Manual (Page 65)

Chapter 5 Printer Commands
400 Operators Manual 57
5.3.8 TEXT STRINGS COMMANDS
The following commands support special editing features that allows the positioning of new
text, protects existing text, and enters text without using the ^D25 or ^B delimiter. These
commands are generally used when there is a format already loaded in RAM. They are
used to edit that file in order to print variations, often only the text in one field.
^A ^D Command
60 Clears command 61
XX 61 Mark Text Starting Position: ^A designates which text field to start entering new
data. This is useful for creating variable data fields after a string of fixed data fields.
^AXX^D615 marks the text starting position, where XX is the text string number
where the new text will begin. If XX is a 2, the first line of new text entered following
a ^D25 will overwrite text line two. If two new text strings are entered, the existing
text lines two and three will be over-written. If three new text strings are entered,
the existing lines two, three and four will be overwritten, and so forth.
62 Pre-padded Text: This command is sent after text that is to appear at the
beginning of each field. Text sent after this command will be appended to the pre-
padded text. This is useful, for example, if the first two numbers of a bar code are
always constant and only the new bar code numbers need to be sent. The printer
would automatically update the new bar code with the two fixed numbers. A ^D62
prevents existing text lines from being over-written. Any new text entered after a
^D625 will be appended to the existing lines.
63 Text Mode Control: Allows entry of new text without a ^D2 and/or clears all text
when new text is added. The following ^AXX values have the following effects:
0 Disable 1 & 2.
1 Enable auto-print mode: New text entered after this command are recognized as
text lines and will overwrite existing text. The ^D25 is not needed at the beginning
of new text.
2 Clear all previous text upon receiving new data. When one or more characters of
new text is entered, the existing text area will be erased in its entirety. The printer
can be programmed to enter this mode automatically upon power-up by setting
position 7 of software dip switch 2 (See ^D21, section 5.3.1).
3 Enable 1 & 2.
XX 64 Auto-Print String Count: ^A tells the printer how many text strings to accept
before printing. Used in conjunction with ^A1^D63.
When the printer is put in auto-print mode, it is not necessary to send a ^D25 to
inform the printer that text is coming or send a ^D35 to tell the printer to print a
label. The printer will accept all incoming data as text strings (except control codes)
and will print a label as soon as the number of strings equals the amount specified
by the ^D64 command. At this point, the printer will print a label and continue to
accept data. This mode is useful for interfacing to a device that transmits raw data,
such as a scale or meter.
This is an example of the D63, 64 and 65 Commands...