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EasyCoder E4 Direct Protocol v2.10 – Programmer’s Reference Manual
43
Chapter 5
Feeding and Printing Commands
When a
FORMFEED
,
TESTFEED
, or
PRINTFEED
command
is executed, the photoelectrical label stop sensor (LSS) detects
the forward edge of each new label or the forward edge of each
detection gap, and the black mark sensor (BMS) detects the
forward edge of each black mark, as the media is fed past the
sensor.
By performing a
TESTFEED
operation after loading a new
supply of media, the fi rmware is able to measure the distance
between, for example, the forward edges of two consecutive
labels, thereby determining the label length, so that it can adjust
the media feed accordingly. The same principle applies to tickets
or tags with detection gaps and to tickets with black marks.
In the case of strip, the LSS will only detect an out-of-paper
condition; the amount of media feed is decided in two different
ways:
•
Fixed length strip
The amount of paper fed for each
FORMFEED
and
PRINT-
FEED
operation is decided by the Media Size: Length setup.
•
Variable length strip
After executing a
PRINTFEED
, the printer will stop feeding
as soon as printing stops. Note that a blank space character or
“white” part of an image is also regarded as a printable object.
The amount of media fed by
FORMFEED
is decided by the
Media Size: Length setup.
The Detection setup allows you to perform two global adjust-
ments to the media feed described above:
• Start Adjust
• Stop Adjust
By default, both these parameters are set to 0, which allows for
proper tear-off operation when there is no requirement of print-
ing immediately at the forward edge of the label (equivalent).
•
Start Adjust
decides how much media will be fed out or
pulled back
before
the
FORMFEED
or
PRINTFEED
is exe-
cuted. There is a small distance between the dispenser shaft
or tear off edge and the printhead. Thus, if you want to start
printing directly at the forward edge of the label, you must
pull back the media before printing by means of a negative
start adjust value.
•
Stop Adjust
decides how much more or less media will be fed
out
after
the
FORMFEED
or
PRINTFEED
is executed.
1. Media Feed, cont.
Recommended Adjustments:
See the User’s Guide of the
EasyCoder E4 printer model
in question.