Dymo LabelWriter SE300, User Manual

Page: 18 / 132

4-14
EL Mode
The LabelWriter SE300 command sets includes the entire
command set of the LabelWriter EL, as well as the ASCII
commands that will be discussed later. EL mode refers to printing
using the LabelWriter EL printing commands. Because the
LabelWriter EL commands are an inherent part of the
LabelWriter SE300, there are no special commands to switch to
LabelWriter EL emulation. Data may be sent exactly as though it
were being sent to a LabelWriter EL and the LabelWriter SE300
will process it and print correctly.
At its most basic level, a LabelWriter is a direct thermal printer
that creates images on a label by heating the individual elements
of its print head. On a LabelWriter SE300, the print head has 448
elements (or dots). When it prints, some of these dots will be
turned on (heated), and the printer’s motor will advance the paper
by a step. Any thermal paper that is under a heated element will
then turn black. For each motor step, a dot line is printed. By
controlling the length of each step, the LabelWriter can print in
either 203x203 dpi or 203x138 resolution, as a longer step makes
larger dots and therefore results in lower resolution.
Each dot line is a complete object and is printed by the
LabelWriter as soon as it is processed. Because of this, an EL dot
line should not be sent while a portrait object or a landscape page
is being constructed.