Shareware Overload/ShartewareOverload.cdr/utils/prntutil.zip/SETIT.DOC

Text File | 1988-01-07 | 22KB | 592 lines

                    ╔══════════════════════════════════════╗
                    ║                                      ║
                    ║            PEAK ENTERPRISES          ║
                    ║              P.O. Box 120            ║
                    ║            Hadlock,Wa.98339          ║
                    ║                                      ║
                    ║                 SETIT                ║
                    ║                                      ║
                    ║  A Program to Set Epson FX Printers  ║
                    ║                                      ║
                    ╚══════════════════════════════════════╝





































            Page 1

    OVERVIEW

    This program to set Epson FX series printers is very easy to use as
it is completely menu driven. Just follow the screen prompts and you will
have no problems. It will set left and right margins, line spacing,
print style,etc. I am kind of a printer freak, and I use my printer
quite a lot, and I like to take advantage of all the options that
are available. Presto Chango -- SETIT appeared.


    FUNCTION

     SETIT is written in GW-basic and should run on most machines able
to use it. The registered version is compiled to produce a stand alone
program that will run on most MS /PC-DOS machines. I have an FX-86e,so the
codes used are for the FX series printers, specifically the FX-86e and
the FX-286e.  At one time I used an Epson MX series printer. I feel
that this program will probably work with the MX and RX printers
also, although I do not know for certain, not having the opportunity
to test this. All I can say is try it and see.

    On to business.  SETIT can be run from any drive,including a
hard disk. Hard disk use will be covered later. First, make a backup
copy of your program disk.  DO NOT use the original to work with.
Put the original in a safe place.

    Place the disk in the default drive, and from basic,load SETIT
and type RUN <ENTER>. First, a couple of notices will appear (3 to be
exact). Please read them and follow the screen prompts. (By the way,
if you like this program, thank Bessie, my Siamese  cat, who must
feel that I am not qualified to do anything by myself,as She insists
on sitting in my lap and overseeing everything I do.)

    MAIN MENU

    There are eight sections in the main menu.
        1. Printer Operations
        2. Overall Printing Style
        3. Word Processing
        4. Vertical Motion
        5. Horizontal Motion
        6. Print Size and Enhancement
        7. Character Sets
        8. End Program


    Select #1, Printer Operations.  The menu will change to  the
Printer Operations Menu.  In this menu, there are Seven options
listed:

1. Enable Paper Out Sensor        4. Disable Paper Out Sensor
2. Turn Half Speed Mode On        5. Turn Half Speed Mode Off
3. Turn Auto Sheet Feed On            6. Turn Auto Sheet Feed OFF

    The options will be covered in order.

    1. Enable Paper Out Sensor.  This is the default when your







            Page 2

printer is powered up.  It is mostly used if you are using single
sheet paper, either with the auto sheet feeder or manually. It
sounds a beeper in the printer, and causes a little red light to
blink on the printer console.It also stops operation of the printer
until a new piece of paper is inserted, or this function is set to
off. It goes into operation approximately three-quarters of an
inch from the end of the paper. I strongly reccomend using this
function if you are using single sheets, as it will keep the
printhead pins from contacting the bare platten.
Obviously, option #4 disables this function.  I myself can see no
need to do so, but included it anyway.

    Option # 2 is Turn Half Speed Mode On.  This function slows
the speed of printing. This means that in draft elite, you will
get about 120 CPS instead of 240, about 100 CPS in draft Pica
instead of 200, and around 20 CPS in Near Letter Quality Pica.
Option # 5 turns this mode off, and puts the printer back to
the default.

    Option # 3 is Turn Automatic Sheet Feeder On.  This command
should only be used if you have the optional automatic sheet feeder
installed in your printer. This command overrides the setting of
DIP switch 2-2 on the printer, which also sets this command on or
off.  Option #6 turns  the automatic sheet feeder off.

    Option #7 will return you to the Main Menu.

    Back at the Main Menu now, select Option #2, Overall Printing
Style. Up comes the overall style printing Menu. In this menu, you
have the option of selecting either draft or Near Letter Quality
printing mode.  Selection of draft gives you the fastest printing
speed, about 240 characters per second. The printer prints each line
once, in a Sans Serif style print. This mode can be used in either
elite or pica print style. Elite print is slightly smaller in width
than pica. Printing in draft uses whatever print style the printer
happens to be in.  (pica or elite)  Selection of NLQ allow you to
also set which print style you want. When you select NLQ, you will
see another menu, which asks which print style you want. The default
print style is set with DIP switch 1-5.  This command will override
the setting of this switch.
    When you select either one of these options, the printer will
print a test string to show you what you have selected and how it
looks.This holds true with almost all the options in this program
that make some sort of visible change in the style or format of
your printing, SO MAKE SURE YOUR PRINTER IS ON AND READY TO GO,
OR THE PROGRAM WILL PROMPT YOU TO DO SO. THERE IS ALSO THE CHANCE
THAT THE PROGRAM WILL ABORT AND YOU WILL HAVE TO START OVER.
However, if this happens, no damage or problems will occur. On my
computer, the program prompts -- on some compatibles it may abort.

    Once you have selected NLQ, the menu will change to a choice
of either Roman style print, or Sans Serif.  Try both of them, and
see what the test string on the printer looks like.  Roman is like
the type you get on a typewriter, and will print in either pica or
elite, whichever is the current default. Sans Serif is more like
computer printing, in that the characters are somewhat squared.
This also will print in whatever is the default, pica or elite.
Option # 3 will return you to the Main Menu.






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    Back at the Main Menu, select Option # 3, Word Processing.
Once again, you are now at another menu.  This menu lists
three options, one of which is return to menu. The two main options
are:
    1. NLQ Justification
    2. Set Intercharacter Space.

Select #1, NLQ Justification.  Here is another Menu. This one lists
four main options. They are:
                1. Left Justification
                2. Centering
                3. Right Justification
                4. Full Justification

    NOTE: Justification is only operable in NLQ mode. It does not work
in DRAFT. If you want to print in draft, exit this menu.

    1. Left Justification : This will print every line up against the
left margin default setting. Look at the test string, and you will see
that the tail end of the line is printed over on the left margin. When
you are composing your document or letter, you should run a test print
after setting the justification to see how it will come out. If your
lines are too long,using anything but the default left justification
can produce some real strange results.

    2. Center Justification: This prints the tail end of the line
in the center. Try it and see how it looks. This function is best used
for documents that are specifically formatted to use center justification.

    3. Right Justification :  The tail of the test string will be
printed on the right margin setting. Once agin, this is best used
for documents specifically formatted for this.

    4. Full Justification: Means what it says. Try it and see what
it does.

    NOTE: The default setting is for left justification.  Full justification
is performed when the printer buffer becomes full, or when a carriage
return, line feed, vertical tab, or a form feed is recieved by the
printer.  Horizontal tabs are invalid except in left justification
mode. Justification of any kind will not work in draft mode.

    Back to the Word Processing Menu. Choose #2, Set Intercharacter
Space.  This function sets the amount of space added to the right of
each character as it is printed. This space is in ADDITION to the space
already allowed in the basic design of the character.  You may enter
a number from  1  to  63.  The higher a number you enter, the more space
will be printed between characters.  Try a couple of experiments to see
what kind of results you get. Each number higher that you enter increase
the amount of space between characters by  1 / 120 th of one inch. If
you enter 63, the space will be 63 /120 ths of an inch, in addition to
the design space.  This comes out to about one - half an inch between
characters. In effect, you will get about sixteen characters on one line
of print.  Have fun  ! !









            Page 4


    At the Main Menu again.  Select Option #4, Vertical Motion.
This section allows you to send a form feed to the printer, and to
set different line spacings. You can choose line spacings of 1/8,
7/72 inches,or reset to the default of 1/6 inch from whatever it was.
Try each one, and see what it looks like. Once again it is suggested
that you make a test print of your document after changing the line
spacing, to make sure you like it, and that it does what you want.

    Main Menu again.  Select # 5, Horizontal Motion.  This section
allows setting the left and right margins, up to twenty spaces on
either end of the line.  Twenty spaces was arbitrarily selected by
me.  If feedback from you users indicates a need for more, that will
be expanded in future updates.

    Try the left margin settings first.  Set it at ten and then twenty
and look at the test string printed. Now select right margin and set
that at twenty and see what you get.  For normal use, a setting of
between five and ten on the left margin, and zero on the right margin
is recommended. This will print a line of seventy five spaces long
without overlap.

    Back to the Main Menu.  Select Option # 6, Print Size and Enhancment.
You are now at another Menu.

    Option #1 : Select  Pica/Elite

This function selects either pica print, or elite print. Pica is larger
than the elite.  Pica runs ten characters to the inch, while elite runs
at twelve characters per inch. Using elite produces a line that can
squeeze a few more characters into the line. Pica is the default setting
on power up of the printer. Try each one and see how it looks.  Elite
can be somewhat difficult for people  like me who need glasses to read.

    Select # 2, Proportional Print.

    The width of proportional print varies from character to character.
Therefore, a narrow character such as an "i" will recieve less space
than a wide character such as a "w".  This function will not work on
FX-86e printers, but if used, WILL OVERRIDE THE CONDENSED PRINT FUNCTION.
If your printer will not go into condensed, set the proportional to OFF.
On FX-286e printers, this function works,and also overrides the condensed
function.

    Select # 3, Condensed Mode.

This command sets the printer to the condensed mode.  In this mode, the
print is approximately 60%  of normal width.  For example, the condensed
pica print has 17 characters per inch as against 12 characters per inch
in normal width.  This mode cannot be selected in the printer is in the
proportional mode. Proportional mode cannot be condensed. It does, however,
work in both pica and elite print styles, as well as NLQ and Draft.

    Select # 4, Double Wide Mode.

This command sets the printer to Double Wide.  In effect, each characte
is printed twice as wide as in the normal width. Look at the test string







            Page 5

printed to see what it looks like. This command can be combined with others
in this section to produce some very striking printing. For example, try
this: Select # 4, Double Wide, and then select #5, Double High. Check the
test string.  How about that ?

    Another one you can try is to select #4, Double Wide, #6, Emphasized,
and #3, Condensed. If you are in NLQ mode, this prints large, very nice
looking characters which are easy to read. I like this one because I can
read it without my glasses. Feel free to experiment with the various
commands and combinations.  You will not hurt your printer. If it does,
you had better return it to your dealer. It isn't right.

    Select # 5, Double High.  Check the test string. This prints the
characters about twice as tall as normal. The width remains the same.
If you choose to use this, then make sure you double space what you are
printing, otherwise there will be no space between lines.

    Select # 6, Emphasized Mode.

This command puts your printer into the emphasized print mode.  What this
does is the print head will make two passes at each line, and on the second
pass, it prints slightly out of register to the right with the first pass
which gives your print a bolder look.

    Select # 7, Double Strike Mode.

This command does basically the same as the emphasized mode, in that on
the second pass, it prints slightly out of register with the first pass.
The difference between the two is that Double Strike prints out of register
below the first pass instead of to the right.  Using both of these commands
produces a very bold print.  In the NLQ mode, this function is not
available, but is not cancelled.  This is a normal function of the NLQ
mode, as the print head makes two passes with the second slighty out of
register.

    Select # 8, Superscipt Mode.

This command sets the printer to print letters about two - thirds the
normal height, and prints them in the upper portion of the character
space. If you have good eyes, and really want to cram a lot of text onto
one page, try this.

    Select # 9, Subscript Mode

This is basically the same as the superscript mode, except it prints in
the lower portion of the character space. Try it and check your test string.

    Select # 10, Underline Mode.

This command prints in normal or condensed mode, pica,elite,NLQ,draft,etc.
It prints an underline on the whole line, including all spaces. Try it
to see what it does.

        Back to the Main Menu !

The last option is # 7, Character Sets. This menu is used to select the
following:







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        1. Character Graphics  (ASCII codes 128 - 255)
        2. Italics
        3. International Character Sets.

    Option # 1: Character Graphics.

    This command duplicates the setting of DIP switch 1-3. It also will
override the setting of this switch. This command does not disable the
printing of Italic characters, as italic printing can be selected by option
# 2.  What this function does is enables your printer to print the ASCII
codes from 128 to 155 as graphic characters . Instead of treating these
codes as control codes, your printer will print them.  Notice the cover
sheet of this document. The border around the printed information was
created using these codes.  If this function was disabled, what you would
get instead of the nice double line borde would be letters of the alphabet
printed in Italics. In normal usage, you will see no difference in the
print, unless the program you are running uses these codes. In some of
the form printing programs, it will print nice lines instead of dotted
lines.

    Select Option # 2, Italics.

    This command will cause your printer to print the letters of the
alphabet, numbers, puncuation marks,brackets,parentheses,etc., in Italics.
This command is valid even if Character Graphics has been selected, but
the character graphics printed will NOT be italicized.

    Select Option # 3, International Character Sets.

    This command enables you to select one of thirteen different character
sets tailored for different countries. There is one each character set
for countries such as  USA, France, Germany, UK, Sweden, Italy, Japan,
Norway, and Latin America. There are two each sets for Denmark, and Spain.
The difference between these sets is small, mostly in punctuation, and the
dollar sign. The USA set uses the regular dollar sign, while the UK set
uses the pound sign.Check the test string printed and you can see the
differences.



        System Requirements

    This program was written for  MS-DOS / PC-DOS machines with a monochrome
monitor, at least one disk drive, and at least 128K of system memory.
Computers that are not very closely compatible may or may not run this
program. I make no promises.


        Hard Disk

    Copy this program to your hard disk, preferably in your boot directory
and then load SETIT and RUN it.  As far as I know, there should be no
problems running from a hard disk.  If there is, let me know. SETIT can
also be used in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file to bring it up first, whether
you are using a hard disk or not. Consult your manual for the proper syntax.









            Page 7



        ACKNOWLEDMENTS

    EPSON, FX-86e, FX-286e are registered Trademarks of Epson America,Inc.
    MS-DOS is a registered Trademark of Microsoft, Inc.
    PC-DOS is a registered Trademark of IBM, Inc.
    GW-Basic is a registered Trademark of Microsoft,Inc.

        DISCLAIMER

    Neither the author, Robin Peak, nor Peak Enterprises makes any waranty
of any kind.  This program is provided "AS IS" and the entire risk of use
or quality or performance lies with the user. No representations as to
SETIT 's suitability for any purpose are made. Robin Peak and/or Peak
Enterprises will not be responsible for any loss or damage of any kind
whatsoever, even if Robin Peak and/or Peak Enterprises has been notified
of same. SETIT is a copyrighted work and is supplied under the User
supported Software concept, and all rights remain the property of
Robin Peak and Peak Enterprises.


        REGISTRATION OF SETIT

    Registration fee is Twenty Five Dollars in U.S.funds.

For registering, you get the following

    1. A registered, serialized copy of SETIT with all the warning screens
    removed. It is compiled to run stand alone, and is much faster and
    easier to start and run. No loading of basic and all that stuff.

    2. Twenty Five Dollar discount on the purchase of updates.

    3. Purchase of Source Code (either printed or on disk)
       for the sum of Fifteen Dollars in U.S. Funds

    4. Free telephone support.  (You pay for the phone call)
    5. Free written support.

    6. Any registered user who submits suggestions for changes that
       are used will recieve a free copy of updates including that change.


Registered copies of SETIT are not copy protected. I have no desire to
go into the problems of copy protection. Registered users may make as
many copies of their registered disk as is needed for backup, etc. The
registered disk may NOT be sold, given or lent to any person who has
the opportunity to make an illegal copy of same.  Source code is strictly
for the individuals use.  It may not be sold,given away or lent to any
one. It may not be used for any commercial purpose, nor can portions
of it be included in any other program except for personal use only.
It is wholly owned by Robin Peak and Peak Enterprises and all rights
are reserved. No representations of suitability for any purpose whatsoever
is made regarding SETIT or the source code thereof.









            Page 8


    Send registration fee to:

            Robin Peak
            Peak Enterprises
            P.O.Box 120
            Hadlock, Wa. 98339

    When you register, you get my phone number. If you are not a res
registered user, don't bother to call me.  All you will get is a lecture
regarding TANSTAAFL.  (There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch ....
Robert A. Heinlein) Any one who has any suggestions as to changes or
upgrades, please feel free to write to me at the above address.

        USER SUPPORTED SOFTWARE

Writing software takes a lot of time and effort on the part of the author.
By registering your shareware copy with the author and making a suitable
contribution, you are doing your share to keep this concept viable.
    Software prices are quite reasonable under this method. Help keep
prices down.

    You can also help by making your shareware version accesible to as
many people as possible. If you like the program, share it. Pass it around.
Write revues for your computer club magazine.  Put it on the bulletin
boards, for others to download.


            U P D A T E S

    I have a number of plans for this program, some of which are to
include a section to cover IBM Printer Emulation.  A lot of the control
codes are the same, and SETIT as it is now will work on IBM printers.
The commands that will NOT work are as follows:

        1. Set left and right Margins.
        2. Select Pica / Elite Pitch
        3. Turn Proportional Mode  ON / OFF
        4. Cancel Condensed Mode
        5. Select Double High Printing.
        6. Select International Character Sets.

    Use of SETIT on IBM Printers may produce some very strange results
and all I can say is if you want to try it, it is your choice and your
responsibility. However, if you should run into problems, you can always
shut the printer off and re - power up. This will reset the printer to
its' default values.

    I plan to look into using windows in future versions of this program.
There are some commands not included in this program , such as setting
non standard line spacing that I intend to include in future updates.

    Any suggestions for changes or additions to SETIT are actively
encouraged.  After all, SETIT was written for the user, so any feature
the user would like, I will do my best to accomodate.

         Copyright (c) By Peak Enterprises   1988

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       E N D   O F   S E T I T   D O C U M E N T A T I O N