Note
This command will cancel any user-defined characters you have
already created. You must send this command to the printer before you
define characters.
Specifying the width and height
The example program uses 136 for al (in line 130 of the definition
program), but you can use other values. The number
a1
specifies two
things: the width of the character and its position on the grid. The
width is used when the character is printed in proportional mode.
If you want a character to use the bottom eight pins, use the third
grid in Figure 5-5.
A value of 136 is suitable for all characters that use the top eight pins
and start in column I and finish in column 9. For a character the same
width, but printed with the bottom eight pins, al should be 8. For any
other character follow these rules to calculate al :
1. If you design a character narrower than nine columns, you can
balance the number of empty columns on either side with the
following method: Starting with
a1
equal to 8, subtract 1 for every
blank column on the right and add 16 for every blank column on
the left.
2. If the character should be printed with the top eight pins, add 128.
For example, if a character uses the top eight pins and starts in
column 3 and ends in column 7, the calculation is as follows:
l
start with al = 8
l
subtract 2 for two blank columns on the right, giving
a1 = 6
l
add 32 for two blank columns on the left, giving
a1 = 38
l
add 128 to print with the top eight pins, so that
a1 =
166.
Mixing print styles
The user-defined characters can be used in combination with most
print styles (except NLQ, of course). For example, emphasized and
double-wide work well with user-defined characters.
Graphics and User-defined Characters
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