Microcom 438TM, Operator'S Manual

Page: 103 / 231

Chapter 5 Printer Commands
438TM Operator’s Manual - 880049-0113 5-35
6 Diagnostic Mode that does not step the motor while displaying the readings
from the printers sensors to determine the media’s proper ^D90 and ^D91
settings. When using this mode, the media is manually moved through the
printer. This is also referred to as “silent tick-tick” mode.
5.5 AutoLoad Media Commands
The printer provides an easy way for new media to be loaded into the printer thru the use of
the AutoLoad function. When this feature is turned ON, the printer will sense the presence
of new media as the operator is pushing it into the printer, automatically feeding the media
into the printer, and then registering the media using either a TOF sensor or a Form Feed.
There are two types of AutoLoad:
Au Form Feed
Au Top-of-Form.
Refer to Section 5.2.1.5 for details on how Soft Switch #5 (^D25) controls the AutoLoad
function.
5.5.1 Au Form Feed
This command is useful to load media without having to press the Print Button to start
printing again. The operator must insert the label stock into the printer until it stops against
the drive roller. The printer will automatically begin to turn the drive roller after the stock is
sensed by the transmissive sensor. A delay (^D120) may be set from when the stock is first
sensed and when the drive roller starts to turn. The printer will advance a blank label,
based on the current or last processed label, before starting to print properly registered
labels.
These are the steps for Au FF:
1. With the head mechanism latched in its normal print position, the user
inserts new media until it stops at the drive roller.
2. The printer senses the new media and waits the programmable amount of
time set by the ^D120 command (default is 1.5 seconds).
3. After the ^D120 time delay, the printer advances the media until the first
registration mark is sensed based on the current or previously executed
form size.
4. Label printing will resume if a job is pending.
Set ^D25 bit #6 to “1” to enable the use of Au Form Feed.
The Au FF may be used in conjunction with a saved format that acts as a template
for the form size used by the autoload feature. This method assures that the correct form
size used is loaded at power up enabling the autoload feature to be used when the printer is
powered on before sending print jobs. The saved format or template is typically a format
with the header configured for the media size/type being used and is configured to not print
automatically. Below is an example of a format that is being saved into memory that is used
as an autoload template and sent to the printer as part of the printer’s configuration.