Ref: "Ap1400ProgGuide1_2.docx"
Page 7 of 42
Document Revision: “1.2”
Document Date: “9 Apr. 2013”
USB Interface
The Ap1400 printer has a full speed USB client interface allowing the unit to be connected to a
Windows based host via USB allowing simple configuration and access. There are two ways of
printing from the Ap1400;
1)
Spool printing. This is the way a ‘standard’ desktop printer works and will enable you to print
in the normal way from applications such as Word, Excel or any other application that
supports spool printing. Spool printing requires the installation of windows drivers and allows
all applications access to the printer. To use the Ap1400 as a spool printer you will need to
install the following:
- Ap1400 USB driver
2)
API interface. The API interface, takes exclusive control of the printer and allows either text or
graphical printing. In addition, the full printer command set is available to the user allowing
much tighter tailoring of the printed output to suit this form of printer & application
combination. To use the API Interface you will need to install the following:
- LIBUSB
- USBPrintDLL
Please refer to section 7 for details on how to install the correct driver for your application.
Paper Out, Paper Low and Head Up Sensors
The Ap1400 series printers typically use an FTP-628MCL103 print head which has a paper out
sensor and optionally a head up sensor. The reflective optical Paper Out sensor within the
mechanism detects an out-of-paper condition, and/or senses black marks to register with pre-printed
forms. The optional head up sensor is a mechanical switch that detects when the lid is opened.
The printer is set as standard to enter Spool mode when the sensors become active. Spool mode can
be automatically exited, when the sensors become inactive again. This behaviour may be modified.
See the section on SETTING INTERNAL CONFIGURATION INFORMATION for details.
The state of the sensors is reported in the STATUS BYTE.
