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1988-06-14
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DOWNLOAD
Version 1.5
Copyright 1987, 1988 by Elfring Soft Fonts
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SUMMARY....................................................... 1
REQUIREMENTS.................................................. 1
FONT CHARACTERISTICS.......................................... 1
RUNNING DOWNLOAD.............................................. 2
ARCHIVE FONT STORAGE.......................................... 5
ERROR MESSAGES................................................ 6
DISTRIBUTION.................................................. 7
WARRANTY...................................................... 7
ORDER FORM.................................................... 8
SUMMARY
DOWNLOAD.EXE is an IBM PC utility program that manages the pro-
cess of downloading soft fonts to a LaserJet, DeskJet, or compatible
printer. DOWNLOAD can also select fonts as they are being downloaded.
The commercial version of DOWNLOAD can send a font, or group of
fonts, through the standard MS-DOS devices to your LaserJet
printer. It can also extract your fonts from an archive file,
which offers significant disk space savings. You have optional
control over the soft font ID number, whether the font is perman-
ent or temporary, and whether it is a primary or secondary font.
A list of fonts may be sent to the printer by specifying the
individual fonts names in an ASCII text file. All fonts resident
in your laser may be optionally deleted before fonts are downloaded.
The public domain version of DOWNLOAD will not work with a
list of file names, nor will it extract files from an archive.
These are the only differences between the public domain and
commercial versions of the program. You may obtain the commer-
cial version of DOWNLOAD by sending me $25. See the end of this
documentation file for an order form.
REQUIREMENTS
DOWNLOAD requires a minimum of 128K of memory, an HP LaserJet, DeskJet,
or compatible printer, and a parallel port to talk to the printer.
Parallel printer ports LPT1:, LPT2:, LPT3: are supported by the program.
If you plan to archive your font files to save disk space you must
have a copy the public domain archive program PKXARC.
FONT CHARACTERISTICS
All soft fonts have three characteristics associated with them.
Each font must have a unique ID number assigned to it. This lets
you select a soft font through software or the front panel of the
printer. Each font must be defined as either temporary or perman-
ent. Temporary fonts are deleted whenever the LaserJet is reset
and are thus not very useful since most software that controls
the LaserJet sends a reset command out first, (deleting all temp-
orary fonts). Finally, a font may be defined as either primary
or secondary. (Note that only one primary and one secondary font
can exist at one time and you don not have to have a primary or
secondary font.) The LaserJet lets you switch between primary
and secondary fonts with simple control characters. Control-N
selects the secondary font, while control-O selects the primary
font. Embedding these characters in your text file will let you
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switch between fonts.
The DOWNLOAD program is designed to send soft fonts to the laser
printer and to help you manage all these font characteristics.
You can select the font ID number, and font status at the same
time that you download the font. You can also make batch files
to manage the process of sending a number of soft fonts to your
printer at one time. Finally, soft fonts may be archived into a
common file and automatically extracted for downloading.
RUNNING DOWNLOAD
DOWNLOAD is easy to use. The only thing you need to remember is
that DOWNLOAD will automatically prompt you with a brief descrip-
tion of how to use it if you want it to. Simply type DOWNLOAD
followed by a carriage return. The program will print a short
explanation of its operation and options as shown below:
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│Send soft fonts to a LaserJet or compatible printer, V1.5 │
│Copyright 1987, 1988 by Gary Elfring │
│ │
│ │
│Use ──> download fontname [device ID ─options] │
│ │
│ where: everything the between '[]'s is optional and... │
│ │
│ fontname = the name of the font to download or the name of │
│ a list of fonts to download preceded by an '@' │
│ character │
│ device = LPT1, LPT2, or LPT3 │
│ ID = starting ID number to assign font to (0 ─ 32767) │
│ options = T to make font temporary, P to make font primary │
│ S to make font secondary, Q for quiet operat, │
│ or D for delete all fonts prior to downloading. │
│ │
│When optional arguments are not present, download defaults to: │
│LPT1, ID = 0, permanent font, and font is NOT selected. If env─│
│ironment variable DOWNLOAD is set to a drive, path, and archive│
│file name─ download will search the archive for the font files │
│using the PKXARC program. │
│ │
│ For example: │
│download he100rpn.usp lpt1: 5 ─tp │
│download @font.lst ─q │
│download od300rpn.usp 1000 ─sq LPT2 │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
2
To run DOWNLOAD you must specify either the name of the soft font
to send to your printer, or the name of a disk file that contains
a list of soft fonts to send to the printer. You can optionally
specify the device to send the file to, LPT1, LPT2, or LPT3. In
addition, you can optionally control the three font attributes,
(ID number, permanent/temporary, primary/secondary),
specified above. To invoke DOWNLOAD type:
download yourfont [port ID# -options]
All items between the "[" and "]" characters are optional. This
means you do not have to include them. Note that the "[" and "]"
characters are not actually used in a command. Also note that
these optional items can be specified in any order.
So, to download a Times-Roman 24 point bold font you would enter:
download tr240bpn.usp
The DOWNLOAD program will find that file, (if it doesn't exist
DOWNLOAD will let you know), and defaults to: printer port LPT1,
soft font ID 0, and permanent status. The font will not be sel─
ected as either primary or secondary. The screen will look as
follows:
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│Send soft fonts to a LaserJet or compatible printer, V1.5 │
│Copyright 1987 by Gary Elfring │
│Sending font tr240bpn.usp with ID 0, 12427 bytes │
│Sent 1 file, with a total of 12427 bytes. │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
A more complicated command might involve using a different print─
er port and assigning a soft font ID number. For example:
download tr100bpn.usp 1000 lpt2 ─s
sends the bold faced Times─Roman font to the LaserJet via LPT2:
and assigns it font ID 1000, permanent and secondary status. The
secondary status lets you select this font in a document by em─
bedding a control─N, (you can change back to your primary font
with a control─O).
DOWNLOAD is capable of using a list of file names created with any
ASCII text editor. To do this type:
download @fonts.lst 10
3
This instructs the program to find the disk file "fonts.lst".
This file is assumed to contain a list of font file names to send
to the LaserJet. All files will be sent in the order they appear
in the list. For example, if the file "fonts.lst" looks as fol─
lows:
he100rpn.usp
he100bpn.usp
he100ipn.usp
he180bpn.usp
he300bpn.usp
then the command "download @fonts.lst 10" will load all five
fonts to your LaserJet through LPT1. The "he100rpn.usp" font
will be assigned font ID 10 and loaded first. Font
"he100bpn.usp" will be loaded next with font ID 11. This process
will continue sequentially until font "he300bpn.usp" is sent to
the printer as font ID 14. All fonts will be assigned permanent
status. The screen will look as follows after the downloading
process is finished:
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│Send soft fonts to a LaserJet or compatible printer, V1.5 │
│Copyright 1987 by Gary Elfring │
│Sending font he100rpn.usp with ID 0, 12427 bytes │
│Sending font he100bpn.usp with ID 1, 18834 bytes │
│Sending font he100ipn.usp with ID 2, 33754 bytes │
│Sending font he180bpn.usp with ID 3, 48531 bytes │
│Sending font he300bpn.usp with ID 4, 68929 bytes │
│Sent 5 files, with a total of 133944 bytes. │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
For a more detailed explanation of soft font ID numbers, and font
status see you LaserJet user's manual.
Another useful option is the "D" command. This command lets you
delete all soft fonts resident in your laser printer prior to
downloading. For example, if you have limited font memory you
can lose track of how many fonts have been sent to the laser
printer. Rather than blindly sending more fonts, (which can
result in a "20" error), you can tell DOWNLOAD to delete
all soft fonts first, and then send the new fonts to the printer.
download @batch.lst 1 -d
Finally, the "quiet" option lets you disable much of the screen
output from DOWNLOAD. This is particularly useful with batch
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files since you are probably not interested in file statistics
when downloading a batch of files. To use the quiet option you
would type:
download @batch.lst 1000 -qt
This would result in the following display:
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│Send soft fonts to a LaserJet or compatible printer, V1.5 │
│Copyright 1987 by Gary Elfring │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Note that the "-t" option used above would give all soft fonts
listed above "temporary" status. They would automatically be
erased after the first reset command is sent the the laser
printer.
ARCHIVE FONT STORAGE
As previously mentioned, soft fonts may be stored in an archive
file. If DOWNLOAD is told that the fonts reside in an archive
file the program will extract each font from the archive file,
download (and optionally select it), and then erase the font from
your disk.
DOWNLOAD operates in exactly the same manner, whether you are
working from an archive file or a disk drive. All options and
control features work in the exact same manner.
So how do you tell DOWNLOAD to look in an archive file instead of
a disk drive? You set a variable in your environment string.
The DOWNLOAD program examines the environment strings when it is
started and uses this information to decide on the source for
soft fonts. An example might help here. Use the MS-DOS SET
command to define the variable DOWNLOAD as follows:
set download=c:\fonts\fontfile.arc
The download program uses this environment variable to construct
a command for the PKXARC program. Thus the above command tells
DOWNLOAD that the \fonts subdirectory on drive C: contains an
archive file named fontfile.arc. If you want to extract the file
HE100RPN.USP from this archive DOWNLOAD will construct the fol-
lowing command to un-archive each font.
pkxarc c:\fonts\fontfile he100rpn.usp
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Note that once the SET command is used to define the DOWNLOAD
environment variable, the DOWNLOAD program assumes all fonts will
be found in the archive file specified by this variable. To
switch DOWNLOAD back to using straight fonts you may use the SET
command as follows, or re-boot your computer.
set download=
When using this archived font option you must have a copy of
pkxarc located on the current path. (The program does not have
to be in the current directory if you have established a search
path using the MS-DOS PATH command.) In addition, since each
font is un-archived, downloaded, and then erased, you must have
enough free disk space to un-archive the single largest font
contained in this archive file.
ERROR MESSAGES
DOWNLOAD automatically checks the status of your laser printer
before sending anything to it. If the printer is off, not con-
nected, deselected, or out of paper DOWNLOAD will display an er-
ror message. For example, if your printer was out of paper you
would see:
download cp300rpn.usp
Send soft fonts to a LaserJet or compatible printer, V1.5
Copyright 1987, 1988 by Elfring Soft Fonts
Sending font cp300rpn.usp with ID 0
Printer I/O error
Printer out of paper
Abort, Retry, Ignore?
Answer with the appropriate letter (A/R/I) followed by a carriage
return. This process lets you select the printer or add more
paper to correct the problem.
6
DISTRIBUTION
This program is provided free of charge to all who are interested
in it. It may be freely exchanged as long as no fee is charged
for it. Please distribute this package with BOTH this documenta-
tion file and the executable program. This program and documenta-
tion are Copyright 1987, 1988 by Elfring Soft Fonts. All rights are
reserved. Commercial use is strictly prohibited. Business users
MUST register this program and pay for this program. Use of this
program on a LAN without a specific LAN license is a violation of
the copyright.
An enhanced version of this program, which lets you use a list of
fonts to download and works with archived font files, is avail-
able for $25.00. This price also includes the DISPFONT & FONTINFO
utilities. I offer a large number of different downloadable fonts
including Roman-Times, Helvetica, Century, Rockford, Broadway, Script,
Old English, Courier, Line Draw, Lotus fonts, and Symbol Sets for both
laser printers and the DeskJet. If you don't see the font you are looking
for, write me. I am always making new fonts. I also do inexpensive
custom fonts. In addition I have a number of soft font utility programs
including: download- send and select fonts to a LaserJet or DeskJet,
dispfont- display a sample sheet of a soft font, and fm- an interactive
English based soft font management program. For more information on these
inexpensive downloadable soft fonts for your LaserJet or DeskJet contact
me at the address listed below.
WARRANTY
None.
Elfring Soft Fonts specifically disclaims all other warranties, ex-
pressed or implied, including but not limited to, implied war-
ranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose
with respect to defects in the disk or documentation, and the
program License granted herein. In no event shall Elfring Soft Fonts
be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damage,
including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential,
or other damages.
7
ORDER FORM
To order a copy of the commercial version of DOWNLOAD and to receive
a copy of my LaserJet & DeskJet font brochure, please fill out the
following form, and mail it along with a check for $25.00 to:
Elfring Soft Fonts
P.O. Box 61
Wasco, Illinois 60183
312-377-3520
Make all checks payable to: Elfring Soft Fonts. The commercial version
of my download program also includes a sampler set of soft fonts for
your LaserJet or compatible printer. These sampler fonts presently
include: 10 point, medium, bold, & italic Roman-Times and Helvetica.
Also included is a 10 point Script and a 10 point Old English. All
sampler fonts are portrait mode. Additional fonts may be included
along with LaserJet utilities. All utilities work with the DeskJet
and the LaserJet printers. Sampler fonts are for the LaserJet.
(Note, LaserJet fonts will not work on a DeskJet, you need a DeskJet
specific font.)
Please send me the current version of DOWNLOAD
Name: _________________________________________
Address: _________________________________________
Address: _________________________________________
City, State, Zip: _________________________________________
Comments: _________________________________________
Source of public domain version: _________________________
Printer: [ ] LaserJet, [ ] DeskJet, [ ] Compatible