Microcom 428LT, Operator'S Manual

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Chapter 5 Printer Commands
428LT Operator’s Manual - 880040-0200 5-31
no communications will be possible with the printer until the
next step is completed.
b) To start the print, send a high-going pulse on the PRINT input
line. To ABORT the job, whether printing or not, send a high-
going pulse on the ABORT input line.
c) After the label prints or aborts, the printer will return to its
normal non-sync mode of operation.
The PRINT pulse should go back to “0” before the print ends to avoid a second label being
printed. A 10 millisecond pulse works fine.
Continuous sync mode is similar to single sync mode except after the label is printed the
printer will immediately begin reprocessing the format to prepare another image for printing.
If an external print signal is provided on the General Purpose print input, the printer will
begin printing as soon as the image has completed reprocessing plus approximately 10
msecs. If sufficient time is allowed for the reprocessing to complete prior to the next General
Purpose print input, the printer will begin printing almost immediately (~10 msecs).
The time between the completion of printing and when the next label is available to print is a
function of the size of the image being generated. Larger labels will take longer.
The main difference between the two modes is single sync mode prints one label and exits
sync mode. Continuous sync mode allows a user to print as many labels as they want using
the print signal until the abort is received or a paper-out occurs.
^A ^D Command
116 Synchronous Print Mode
0 Exit all sync. modes.
1 Enter single sync. mode.
2 Enter continuous sync. mode.
WARNING! There is NO time-out on this command! Once the printer receives the ^D116
command and is waiting for the PRINT or ABORT pulse, it will wait forever!
5.4.1 Contrast Adjustment Commands
These commands are used to adjust the darkness of the label print. Print quality will vary
not only with different label stocks, sometimes even in different batches of the same label
stock. It is highly recommended that contrast adjustments be maintained at minimum
settings to achieve desired print quality. Higher contrast settings will reduce the life of the
print head.
5.4.1.1 Adjust Contrast Window (Volatile - ^D35)
This command is useful for adjusting contrast for specific label formats where different label
media is used on a single printer. The command can be entered into specific label formats
rather than affecting print contrast on all label formats.
^A ^D COMMAND
XX 35 Adjust Contrast Window: This is a volatile command used to adjust the
contrast window. The range is 1 to 9 of the base (^D36).