Power Utilities

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ Power Utilities / Power Utilities.iso / utility / pro201 / lq.doc < prev next >

Wrap

Text File | 1992-10-15 | 90.6 KB | 2,047 lines

LQ (tm) by Mark Harris Granny's Old-Fashioned Software (tm) Rt 4, Box 216 Boone, NC 28607 (704) 264-6906 July, 1986 Version 2.0 (C) 1985, 1986 by Mark Harris All Rights Reserved The unmodified LQ distribution diskette, containing a copy of this manual, may be freely copied and shared, but printed copies of this document may not be copied. Table of Contents 1. Introduction 1 2. LQ installation 2 3. Using LQ in the resident mode 7 4. Using LQ in the file mode 11 5. Control sequences 14 6. The LQ parameter line 18 7. Creating or modifying a configuration file 21 8. Tips for better printouts 28 9. Character sets available in LQ 30 10. Editing character sets: the EDCHAR program 33 11. The graphics mode 38 Appendix A. About 'Shareware' 40 Appendix B. ASCII codes 41 Introduction 1 LQ Letter quality for dot matrix printers. (C) 1985, 1986 by Mark Harris All rights reserved. 1. Introduction. LQ is a program for the IBM PC and compatible computers which will allow you to produce high-quality text on inexpensive dot matrix printers. Most such printers are supported, but you may have to install or create a configuration file (see Section 5) if yours deviates significantly from an Epson. LQ offers these features: 1. LQ can be 'locked' into memory to function inconspicuously with your favorite word processor or other program, or it can be used only as needed to process disk files. 2. Most control sequences for turning on special modes (boldface, underline, superscript, etc.) will produce the corresponding results with LQ, so you may not have to modify your word processor to accommodate LQ. 3. LQ includes a print spooler which can be set to any length from 1 - 200K characters. The spooler has been customized to work with LQ's long graphics sequences very efficiently (using about 1/40 the space required by a conventional spooler); you can continue using your computer for other tasks while documents print in the back- ground. If you use single sheet feed, LQ will interrupt your work to prompt you to change paper then return to you to the point at which you were interrupted. 4. The spooler and several of LQ's options can be controlled using a 'pop-up window' which is available at any time. This is particularly convenient for toggling letter-quality mode on and off and for flushing the buffer to abort a printout. 2 LQ installation 5. Special modes such as proportional spacing, extra- large and graphics printing are available. Using the graphics mode you can create letterheads and other pictures in the middle of your printouts. (In Version 2 of LQ creating these pictures is a tedious process; Version 3 is expected to include a picture editor to make this easier.) 6. Four fonts are available at any time, and others can be swapped into memory when desired. You can switch between these fonts using codes in your text or by using the LQ Control Window. 7. You can modify an existing character set or edit your own from scratch using the EDCHAR program included in the package. You will probably want to take a look at LQ's output before reading about all the details. Following is a procedure to get some quick results if you have an Epson-compatible printer; if yours is different, skip this test and read on. 1. Boot DOS. 2. Insert the LQ disk and type LQDEMO. 3. Turn on your printer and press a key when prompted. For best results, leave friction on if you have friction feed. If you want to experiment a little with LQ now, try the following: type 'LQ' at the DOS prompt to load the program into memory, then run any other program (such as a word processor) which generates printed output. At any time you can bring up the LQ menu by pressing both shift keys simultaneously. If your output is garbled, don't panic yet - read on! Note: The file READ.ME describes revisions to LQ and other important information. To view this file on the screen enter TYPE READ.ME; to obtain a printed copy enter COPY READ.ME PRN. 2. LQ installation. There is a good chance that LQ is already config- ured properly for your use; if you have an Epson- compatible printer we recommend that you skip this section on first reading of the manual and come back to it later. There are two levels of installation which may need to be performed in order to use LQ. You should LQ installation 3 configure your word processor or other application for an Epson MX 80 (or IBM Graphics Printer) if it uses control codes to exploit a printer (to print italics, emphasized print, etc.), and you should run LQINST if you have a printer which is not Epson-compatible (or if you want to change the size of the buffer, assign a different key combination to bring up the LQ Control Window or change the default character sets used by LQ). LQ will make your printer appear to a word processor as an Epson MX 80 (or IBM Graphics Printer) when printing in the letter-quality mode. Most word processors will let you choose a printer when a documented is printed, so you can maintain one printer description file for draft mode (based on what your printer really is) and another one for LQ mode. For example, PC-Write gives the prompt Print control file name (Esc:exit Enter:none): and MultiMate lets you select a PAT (Printer Action Table) file when documents are printed. LQINST. LQINST alters the LQ.COM program, so it is wise to make a copy of the LQ disk before starting the installation procedure. Insert a working copy of the disk in your computer's default drive and enter 'LQINST'. You will be prompted to enter the disk containing the file LQ.COM; since this file is on the distribution disk, no disk exchange is necessary. Throughout this installation procedure you can ignore messages to insert disks if you are working with a copy of the distribution disk; later on if you use separate disks for different character sets or other LQ data you should swap disks as prompted. The screen should now show: 4 LQ installation _______________________________________________________ LQ installation menu: 1. Change default character sets. 2. Change printer parameters. 3. Change keys for LQ window. 4. Change buffer size. 5. Quit. Which? (1 - 5) _______________________________________________________ Each option will be described below, but if this is your first use of LQ you will probably be content to use only option 2 (and that only if your printer is not Epson-compatible). Option 1: Change default character sets. The LQ.COM program includes four character sets within its code; initially these are the sets COURIER, COURITAL, HELV and PALATINO. (See Section 9 for a listing of these and other available sets.) If your use of other sets is infrequent it is best to load them explicitly using the LQ parameter line (see Section 6) but if you would like different sets to be used by default then this installation option is in order. Installation of a new set is a two-step process: first you indicate which set you want to install, then you assign it the number (1 - 4) used to turn on the set. After this option is selected you are shown a list of character sets and prompted to enter the number of the set to install: _______________________________________________________ 1 COURIER 7 HELVITAL 13 SANS2ITA 2 COURIER2 8 MAIN 14 SANSITAL 3 COURITAL 9 MAINITAL 15 SANSSER 4 GREEK 10 PALATINO 16 SANSSER2 5 HELV 11 ROMAN 17 SPIRAL 6 HELV2 12 ROMANITA Enter number of set to install: (press <Enter> to quit) _______________________________________________________ LQ installation 5 After you enter the number of the set to install you are prompted Enter installed character set number (1-4): This second number is used in control sequences, in the LQ parameter line, or in the LQ Control Window to switch to the corresponding set. Any of the four sets can be used at any time, but the first two sets have special roles of which you should be aware. The first set is used by default, so it should be the one you use most often. The second set can be turned on by the control sequence you normally use to switch to italics, so it is best (but by no means required) to make it the italicized version of the first set. For example, you could make the first set SANSSER and the second SANSITAL. After you enter the 'installed character set number' the cycle is repeated: you are again prompted to choose a set to install. You can continue until all four sets are changed, or you can retain previous sets for those you don't change. When you are finished, press <Enter> without typing a number. The changes you make in this and other LQINST options are not made permanent until you exit the program, so don't worry about doing anything lethal. Even if you do save a revised version of LQ.COM, you can always run LQINST again to restore it to the way it was. Option 2: Change printer parameters. The second option lets you change the default Epson printer parameters to those for another printer. Printer parameters are contained in files with the suffix 'PAR' which you may edit or create yourself. (See Section 7.) If you are a registered LQ user and experience problems installing a non-Epson printer, we will create a parameter file for you on request. See Section 7 for a description of the printer requirements for using LQ. Note: After you have performed this installation process, your LQ/printer combination will act like an Epson MX or IBM Graphics Printer regardless of what kind of printer you actually have. When using LQ you should make certain that your word processor or other 6 LQ installation application 'thinks' you have one of these models. Again, see Section 7. When you select this option you are prompted to insert the LQ disk, then you are shown a list of all parameter files on the disk. Currently these are 1 EPSON 2 IMAGE 3 PROPRINT 4 CITOH 5 STAR A given file may work for more than one type of printer; for example the Epson parameters are appropriate for the IBM Graphics printer. Enter the number of your choice. Some experimentation may be required to find or create the right file. Rest assured that you won't do any harm by installing the wrong parameters; your printer may appear to run amuck, but the only cost is the paper. Option 3: Change keys for LQ window. There are four shift keys on the PC keyboard: Ctrl, Alt, Left Shift, Right Shift. Many background utilities use combinations of these keys to spring into action; for example, 'Sidekick' normally requires that the Ctrl and Alt keys be depressed simultaneously. The LQ Control Window is normally brought up by pressing the left and right shift keys together, but you can change this to any pair of shift keys. Use LQINST to make this change permanent or use the K option to pass the key combination (temporarily) on the LQ parameter line (see Section 6). When the third option is selected the following screen is displayed: LQ installation 7 _______________________________________________________ Key installation. The pop-up window used to control LQ operation is normally brought up by pressing the right and left shift keys simultaneously. You can change this combination to any two of the following: Ctrl Lft Shift Rt Shift Alt Press the two keys you would like to use: _______________________________________________________ As soon as you press the desired key combination, you are returned to the main menu of LQINST. Option 4: Change buffer size. Printing in LQ mode is slow enough that you will not enjoy sitting idly by waiting for a printout to finish. LQ includes a 'print spooler' for printing in the background while you use your computer for other tasks. The default size of the buffer used by this spooler is 16K, which will accommodate about six pages of text. You can change the buffer size to any value from 1K to 200K; when you select option 4 you are prompted to enter this value. For example, if you want a 20K buffer just enter the number 20. Option 5: Quit. The last option is used to exit from LQINST. If you have made changes you are prompted Save modifications? (Y,N) If you press 'N' then LQ.COM is unchanged, otherwise all changes you have made in this LQINST session are made permanent. (You can always run LQINST again to make further changes.) 8 Using LQ in the resident mode 3. Using LQ in the resident mode. The preferred way to use LQ is in the 'resident' mode in which LQ stays in memory while other programs are run; this mode offers print spooling and the Control Window for changing LQ's parameters. The disadvantage of the resident mode is the memory consumption: with the default 16K buffer the program uses about 100K of RAM. If you don't have enough memory to run other programs with LQ installed you should use the file mode described in the next section. While the latter mode is less convenient you can still obtain exactly the same printouts. If you want to use LQ as a resident program for only part of your session on the computer you can enter LQ R to remove LQ from memory. This works only if no other resident programs have been loaded above LQ, so if you plan on using this technique load LQ last (after installing other programs such as Sidekick). To load LQ in the resident mode simply type 'LQ' at the DOS prompt. A variety of options can be set by adding parameters to this entry; for example LQ C1'SANSSER' loads LQ and replaces the first character set with SANSSER.SET. A full description of command line parameters is given in Section 6. Once LQ is loaded you can generally use your accus- tomed software with no changes other than improved printouts. (You may have to change your word proc- essor's printer description table to accommodate an Epson MX 80 or IBM Graphics Printer; see Section 2.) Some interaction with LQ can increase its effec- tiveness. This section describes how to use the Control Window and print spooler to really master your printer. The spooler. A print spooler is a program which directs pending printouts to an area of memory (buffer) and sends characters from this intermediate storage to the printer only when the computer is relatively idle. The process takes place in the background so that you can use your word processing program or other application Using LQ in the resident mode 9 without interruption. A number of fine print spooling programs are available, some of them public domain. LQ obtains its high quality print by printing in the 'graphics mode', and this presents special dif- ficulties for a conventional spooler. Without LQ a character is sent to the printer as a single byte or unit of information, but LQ requires about 40 bytes to 'draw' a single character. A single page of text can balloon to over 100K bytes, more than enough to fill the typical buffer. Once the buffer is full a spooler no longer yields any advantage - other activities must stop until the backlog subsides. LQ includes an integrated spooler with a default buffer of 16K. Characters are spooled in the standard compact form and expanded to graphics in small increments. The default buffer size will accommodate about six pages of text and you can increase the size to as much as 200K (see Section 2). The spooler also works in draft mode (LQ loaded but turned off), so it may be attractive to keep LQ in memory even if your demands for letter-quality print are infrequent. If you find that a pending printout contains an error (such as spelling or formatting) you will probably want to abort the printing and correct your document. To do this you must 'flush the buffer': you must tell LQ to stop printing and to ignore the presence of any remaining characters in its queue. This entails a single keypress in the LQ Control Window described below. The LQ Control Window. There are three ways to select options in LQ: in the LQ command line (as when you enter LQ C1'SANSSER' at the DOS prompt to load the character set SANSSER), using control sequences embedded in your text (such as <Esc> <Esc> '2' to switch to character set 2), using the LQ Control Window. When LQ is in the resident mode you can bring up the Control Window by simultaneously pressing the right and left shift keys (or another pair of shift keys installed with LQINST - see Section 2). You'll see the following menu: 10 Using LQ in the resident mode Buffer 0% full. Flush? Yes Current character set: 1 Wait at form feeds? No Proportional print? No Lines per page: 66 LQ mode enabled: Yes The cursor is initially positioned at the 'Yes' on the first line. The keys you may use are: down arrow: move down a line, up arrow: move up a line, space bar: change this option, 'A': advance the printer a little, <Esc>: exit this menu. The options you can change are: Flush the buffer: If you press the space bar on this line, any pending printout is aborted. Use this option to remove an errant document from the buffer. Change character set: The character set number is rotated in the set 1,2,3,4. If character set number two is currently in use and the space bar is pressed, then set number three will be used at the next opportunity. Wait at form feeds: The space bar toggles the status of LQ's response to a form feed character (ASCII code 12). When this is set to 'Yes', LQ will interrupt a program in progress after a form feed is received and prompt you to change paper. In response to the prompt, <Enter> will continue printing and <Esc> will abort printing. In either case you are returned to the program you were using without interference. Proportional print: You can set proportional print on or off. Using proportional print the sequence 'iiii' will occupy less space than 'MMMM'. This makes text more attractive but disrupts the spacing of tables and text separated by white space. Try this option to see if it is appropriate for your document style. Lines per page: The default line spacing, and the one normally expected by other programs, is 66 lines per page. If you want to change this, press the space bar and then enter the new value (from 1 to 95). Because of physical limitations of your printer, not all these values are possible; for example, if you Using LQ in the resident mode 11 enter the number 58 you may see this rounded to 59 (the nearest acceptable value). LQ enabled: The LQ mode can be toggled on and off. In the 'off' setting your printer will operate as if LQ were not installed, except that print spooling will still be functional. Advance: Pressing 'A' any time the Control Window is open will result in a small (1/216") advance of the paper when the window is closed. With many printers the first line of a printout may appear smudged; advancing the paper with this option will fix the problem. This is done automatically in the LQ file mode (see Section 4) or when LQ is loaded in the resident mode (if the printer is on). You can also perform this action by embedding the <Esc> <Esc> B control sequence in your text (see Section 5). When you are finished using the Control Window, press <Esc> to return to your previous application. 12 Using LQ in the file mode 4. Using LQ in the file mode. When LQ is invoked with the 'F' option a file is printed in letter quality but LQ does not remain resident. An example of this use is LQ F'MYFILE' which prints the file MYFILE. The primary reason for using the file mode is to accommodate systems with insufficient memory for using LQ in the resident mode. (Another use is for using LQ in batch files for printing letterheads and other designs; see Section 11.) Since LQ is not resident in the file mode no spooling is performed and you must wait for a printout to finish before using your computer for other tasks. Also, the Control Window is not available in the file mode. You can use a variety of options in the LQ command line; for example LQ F'MYFILE' W prints MYFILE and waits at form feeds for paper to be changed. See Section 6 for a complete description of avaiable options. When using the F(ile) option, you can stop printing at any time by pressing a key; you will be asked if you want to abort the printout or continue. The way you create files to be printed by LQ varies from one application to another. Most word processors store documents in special formats which make sense only to the program itself; let's call these 'source' documents. You want to print not these but rather the 'output' documents that correspond to the characters which would normally go to the printer. For example when one asks WordStar to print a file the program prompts Output to disk file? and gives the user a chance to channel output to a file which would otherwise go to the printer. Such an output file is also called an ASCII file since it contains only standard ASCII character codes. (See Appendix B.) PC-Write is another popular word processor which produces ASCII files easily. The command PR MYFILE formats and prints the source document MYFILE, and the command PR MYFILE YOURFILE Using LQ in the file mode 13 sends the output to the second file YOURFILE instead of a printer. PC-Write is an outstanding Shareware product; the distribution disk can be obtained for $10 from Quicksoft, 219 First N. #224, Seattle, WA 98109, 206/282-0452. The vast majority of word processing, database and spreadsheet programs on the market can produce ASCII files; consult your program's manual for details. If you have a previously-created text file 'printout' you want to print in a letter quality mode you can take two different approaches. LQ F'filename' [parameter list] will function as described above, or you can enter COPY filename PRN if LQ is resident in memory. In either case, you may want to add additional control codes within the text before printing; Section 5 contains a list of control codes and their functions. For example, suppose you have used your word processor to create an output file with the lines This is a test. This is only a test. The control sequence used to initiate a line of large character is '<Esc> <Esc> L'; let's look a couple of ways to insert these codes before the first line. If you have Sidekick on your system, you can enter a control code such as <Esc> by first pressing <Ctrl P>, so you would position the cursor at the start of the first line and type <Ctrl P> <Esc> <Ctrl P> <Esc> L A more universal (but less convenient) method is to use EDLINE.COM, the line editor which is included with your DOS system disk. You can edit a given line in the same way you edit a line at the DOS prompt; here is a summary of line editing functions from the DOS User's Guide: 14 Using LQ in the file mode DOS Description Editing Key Ins Allows you to insert characters within a line. Del Deletes one character in the input buffer. The character in the buffer is not displayed and the cursor does not move. Esc Cancels the line currently being displayed. The buffer remains unchanged. F1 or -> Displays one character from the buffer each time it is pressed. F2 Displays all characters up to a specified character. F3 Displays all characters in the buffer. F4 Displays all characters after and including the specified character. F4 is the opposite of F2. F5 Accepts the line you edited as the current buffer line. Assuming you had saved the previous file under the name MYFILE, you would begin your EDLIN session by entering EDLIN MYFILE. Find the number of the line you want to edit by using the List or Search commands (see the DOS manual for details), then enter this number to edit the line. In this case we know in advance that we want to edit the first line, so we would enter the number '1'. The screen should show 1:*This is a test. 1:* Control characters can be entered by using the <Ctrl V> prefix; for example, <Ctrl T> can be entered by typing <Ctrl V> T, and <Esc> can be entered by typing <Ctrl V> [. Press Ins to enter the insert mode, then type <Ctrl V> [ <Ctrl V> [ L. Press F3 to display the rest of the buffer ('This is a test.') and press return. To save the modified file, enter 'E'. Many word processors (including PC-Write) allow the direct entry of control codes, so you may not need to go through such an extra step to use LQ's special features. Consult your word processor's manual for details. Control sequences 15 5. Control sequences. A 'control sequence' in a document is a sequence of codes or characters which has a special meaning to your printer (or the program controling it), and which changes the way in which subsequent characters are printed. You have probably used such codes for some time, perhaps without realizing it. When you tell your word processor to print a book's title in boldface or to print a subscript, you are telling your software to insert the appropriate control characters for perform- ing these functions. Regardless of what kind of printer you are using, LQ will make your printer appear to a word processor or other application as an Epson MX 80 (or IBM Graphics Printer). Assuming that you have installed your application program for this printer you can get extensive use out of LQ without any direct involvement with control sequences. If your program does not support all the features of an Epson MX 80 (italics, underlining, emphasized print, superscript/subscript, etc.) or if you want to use some of the special features of LQ (large char- acters, proportional print, graphics), you will need to insert control codes on your own. You can always use EDLIN.COM (a line editor included with your DOS system disk) to do this; you probably have an easier way at your disposal. Read Section 4 for details on inserting control codes. If the LQ feature you want to use will not change during a printout, you can request it in the LQ command line rather than using control sequences. For example, 'LQ C3' turns on character set number three (out of the four in memory) as an alternative to '<Esc> <Esc> 3' within your document. The LQ command line options are described in the following section. You can also use the Control Window to use some LQ features; see Section 3. In addition to inserting control codes or using the Control Window to switch character sets, one other technique is available. Most word processors have a way of turning on italics; since the italic set is expected to be the second of LQ's four sets, you can change to any second set by turning on italics. If you want to use this method, have LQ load the desired 16 Control sequences alternate character set with a command such as LQ C2'SANSSER' (which loads SANSSER.SET as character set number 2, replacing italics). Control functions available in LQ. Following is a list of LQ functions which may be used or changed within a document using control sequences. Those functions which can be renamed (with different control sequences which will have the same effect) are indicated with an asterisk; the renaming is done in a 'configuration file' (see Section 7.) Each control sequence is shown in two forms: the sequence of keys to press, then the corresponding sequence of (decimal) ASCII codes. For example, <Esc> 'E' = 27,69 indicates that the sequence consists of the escape key code followed by the code for the capital E character. Sequences beginning with <Esc> <Esc> are unique to LQ; all others correspond to standard Epson control codes. The standard codes are usually inserted automatically by a word processor when the associated mode is requested, but the additional LQ modes must be added explicitly. * Turn on boldface: <Esc> 'E' = 27,69 or <Esc> 'G' = 27,71 * Turn off boldface: <Esc> 'F' = 27,70 or <Esc> 'H' = 27,72 * Turn on italics (character set #2): <Esc> '4' = 27,52 * Turn off italics (turn on set #1): <Esc> '5' = 27,53 * Turn on double-wide print: <Ctrl N> = 14 * Turn off double-wide print: <Ctrl T> = 20 * Turn on underline: <Esc> '-' # = 27,45,# where # corresponds to any code except 0 or '0'. For example, use <Esc> '-' '1' = 27,45,49. Control sequences 17 * Turn off underline: <Esc> '-' # = 27,45,# where # corresponds to either '0' or 0. For example, use <Esc> '-' '0' = 27,45,48. * Superscript: <Esc> 'S' # = 27,83,# where # corresponds to '0' or 0. For example, <Esc> 'S' '0' = 27,45,48. * Subscript: <Esc> 'S' # = 27,83,# where # corresponds to any code except 0 or '0'. For example, use <Esc> 'S' '1' = 27,45,49. * Superscript/subscript off: <Esc> 'T' = 27,84 Switch to character set n (1 <= n <= 4): <Esc> <Esc> 'n'. For example, <Esc> <Esc> '3' = 27,27,51 turns on character set number 3. Advance paper a little to put tension on paper (recommended for preceding first line of printout; this function is performed automatically when the F(ile) option is used.): <Esc> <Esc> 'B' = 27,27,66 Turn on graphics mode: <Esc> <Esc> 'C' = 27,27,67 The graphics mode suppresses the normal space between characters and between lines so that you can produce letterheads and other pictures. See Section 11 for details. Turn off graphics mode: <Esc> <Esc> 'D' = 27,27,68 Turn on triple-high (large) characters in the current set: <Esc> <Esc> 'L' = 27,27,76 The large mode stays on for the entire line regardless of where in the line it was turned on, and the mode is turned off automatically at the end of the line. Turn on proportional spacing: <Esc> <Esc> 'P' = 27,27,80 Turn off proportional spacing: <Esc> <Esc> 'Q' = 27,27,81 18 LQ parameters Set line space to n units (where one unit is either 1/144" or 1/216" depending on the smallest line advance your printer supports): <Esc> <Esc> 'S' # = 27,27,83,# where # is the number (from 1 to 255) of increments desired. For example, the smallest Epson line advance is 1/216", so <Esc> <Esc> 'S' '$' = 27,27,83,36 sets the line space to 36/216" = 1/6". It is generally easier to use the L(ines per page) parameter when activitating LQ or the lines per page option in the Control Window to determine the number of lines on an 11" page. Wait for key to be pressed at page breaks: <Esc> <Esc> 'W' = 27,27,87 Don't wait at page breaks (the default): <Esc> <Esc> 'X' = 27,27,88 Other control codes. Three additional control codes are recognized by LQ: 10 (line feed), 12 (form feed) and 13 (carriage return). All other control codes (ASCII codes less than 32) besides those listed above (or the substitutes given in a parameter file) are ignored. It is unlikely that your word processor or other application program will insert such codes without your having explicitly requested them, so you should not have any unpleasant surprises in store. However, just in case you see an occasional mystery character in your printouts, here is what could happen: if your word processor puts the sequence <Esc> 'A' in your text, expecting some response from your printer, the <Esc> would be stripped by LQ but the 'A' would be printed. If the <Esc> 'A' corresponds to a needed printer function, you may need to specify it in a configuration file; if the sequence is superfluous when used with LQ then you should install it as one of the sequences to ignore. In either case, see Section 7 for more information. 6. The LQ parameter line. An easy way to set one-shot options LQ is in the command line typed when LQ is installed. For example if you want proportional spacing for all your printing, LQ MP will install LQ with the proportional mode turned on. The 'LQ' file must be loaded each time an LQ command is LQ parameters 19 given, so if LQ is not on the default drive, give the full path name for LQ, e.g. B:LQ MP (if LQ is on the disk in drive B). You select as many options as you like in a single line by separating parameters with spaces. For example, LQ MPE F'MYFILE' W turns on proportional spacing, emphasized printing for the file MYFILE, pausing at form feeds. This section lists all command line options. Parameters are shown in upper case, but you can mix upper and lower case freely. B Set the buffer size (1 - 200) in K bytes. For example LQ B64 dedicates 64K of RAM to the print spooler. (The default is 16K.) The command LQ BF flushes the buffer. (It is easier to flush the buffer using the Control Window.) The buffer can be installed only when LQ is first loaded. To change the buffer size, first remove LQ (see the R option below) then load again. C Specifies a character set in memory, or loads a new set. Four sets are embedded in LQ, and the first of these is normally used as the default. LQ C4 switches printing to the fourth set; when used in this way, 'C' can be followed by one of the digits 1,2,3, 4. The standard sets installed in LQ are: 1 - COURIER.SET 2 - COURITAL.SET 3 - HELV.SET 4 - PALATINO.SET These defaults can be changed with the LQINST program described in Section 2. You can see a list of all character sets on the LQ disk by typing DIR *.SET at the DOS prompt '>'. A printout of current sets is given in Section 9. If the 'C' option is followed by a file name in quotes, the character set having this name is loaded to the indicated set number. For example, LQ C2'PRETTY' would load the character set PRETTY.SET as set number two (without switching to it). The 'SET' suffix is the default; you should stick with this naming convention to maintain compatibility with the character editor EDCHAR. You can simultaneously load a set and switch to it by using 'C' in both contexts; e.g., LQ C2'PRETTY' C2. 20 LQ parameters You can load all four sets in one line: LQ C1'FIRST' C2'SECOND' ... You can also use path names in the file specification: LQ C1'/MYDIR/FIRST' F If you have a file named MYFILE, the command LQ F'MYFILE' will print MYFILE without locking LQ into memory. This is an important option if your computer doesn't have enough memory to keep LQ resident, or if most of your printing is in draft mode. The file to be printed should be a standard text file, possibly containing some of the control sequences described in Section 3. The file mode is described in Section 4. K This lets you override the default key combination used to bring up the Control Window and assign a new pair of keys. Use the following values: 3 - Right Shift + Left Shift, 5 - Right Shift + Ctrl, 9 - Right Shift + Alt, 6 - Left Shift + Ctrl, 10 - Left Shift + Alt, 12 - Ctrl + Alt, N - Disable window. For example, LQ K12 specifies the <Ctrl> <Alt> combination, and LQ KN disables the window. L Sets the number of lines printed on a standard 11" page. The default is 66; LQ L70 changes this to 70. The number entered must be from 1 to 95. Spacing between lines is micro-adjusted using the smallest line advance supported by your printer (1/216" or 1/144"). M Sets one or more of the following modes: P: proportional spacing, W: double-wide printing, E: emphasized printing. For example, LQ MPEW could be used to set all three modes. Modes omitted default to the opposite state. LQ parameters 21 Q Suppresses the display of LQ's 'welcome' screen and begins execution immediately. This is useful in batch files; for example, the commands LQ F'MYFILE' C1'SANSSER' Q LQ F'YOURFILE' C1'HELV' Q could be executed without the need for an operator to press a key to continue. R The command LQ R removes LQ from RAM and returns the memory previously used to your system. This option can be used only if LQ was the last 'memory-resident' utility loaded. S Sets the space per line in units of the smallest possible line advance. For example, on an Epson (which advances in multiples of 1/216"), the command LQ S30 would set the distance between the tops of successive lines to 30/216". The 'L' parameter generally offers an easier way of accomplishing the same objective. W Wait at page breaks. Use this for printing with single-sheet paper. Each time the form feed character (ASCII code 12) is encountered in a printout you will be prompted to Press <Enter> for next page: (In the file mode you can also press <Esc> to abort the printout.) # Specify printer number (0,1 or 2) to be used by LQ. If you have just one printer don't use this parameter; the proper value (0) is set by default. 22 Configuration files 7. Creating or modifying a configuration file. If your printer is compatible with an Epson or another printer for which a configuration file (with suffix PAR) exists on the LQ disk, just follow the directions in Section 2 for letting LQ know what you have. If neither the built-in configuration nor any of the PAR alternatives work, you will have to write your own configuration file. If you have problems, send us a copy of the control code section of your printer manual and we will try to write the file for you. For LQ to work properly, your printer must support 1. a graphics mode in which 8 pins of the print head can be individually controlled, and 2. a minimum line advance of either 1/216" or 1/144". In addition, the graphics mode must be intialized with a control sequence telling the printer how much subsequent data will be in graphics mode. A prominent counterexample is the Okidata 92, which 1. controls only 7 pins in graphics mode, and 2. uses one control sequence to turn graphics on and another to turn it off. Later model Okidata printers and those equipped with the 'Plug and Play' ROM do support LQ. A configuration file is a text file named with a suffix of PAR which contains lines typically starting with a symbol indicating a definition category, followed by a letter specifying the function to be set, then the '=' character, then a word or sequence of characters and numbers giving the definition itself. For example, %A=27,'E' indicates that emphasized print will be turned on with the <ESC> 'E' sequence (that normally used by the Epson). A control sequence is a list of codes and/or characters separated by commas; characters are put within quotes (one pair of single quotes per character) and codes are given as decimal numbers. The definition %A=27,69 is equivalent to that above since 69 is the ASCII code for 'E'. (See Appendix B for a listing of ASCII codes.) The leading symbol indicates one of the following categories: Configuration files 23 % - a control sequence for a mode definition, & - a control sequence to ignore, $ - one of the words TRUE, FALSE, # - a decimal number. A line starting with any other symbol is treated as a comment. While a complete listing of LQ parameters is given below, there are only a few that you will need to change to create a customized PAR file for a new printer. These are: %N, %O, %P, %Q, %R $A, $B, $C #A, #B To install LQ with your new printer XYZ we recommend the following procedure: COPY EPSON.PAR XYZ.PAR Edit the XYZ.PAR file (using EDLIN or another editor which can handle standard ASCII files): modify the 10 parameters listed above to describe your printer's functions. Run LQINST as described in Section 2. Remember that LQ will make your printer appear to a word processor as an Epson MX 80 (or IBM Graphics Printer), so perform the necessary installation on your word processor as well. Two values have special significance in a control sequence. The number 0 will match 0 or '0' (the character whose ASCII code is 48), and the number 255 will match anything else. For an illustration, see the description of the &A parameter in the EPSON.PAR listing below. Here is the information LQ needs (any one of these omitted defaults to the Epson value): % parameters. %A - control sequence for turning on emphasized print, %B - sequence for turning off emphasized print, %C - sequence for turning on double-strike print, %D - sequence for turning off double-strike print, 24 Configuration files %E - sequence for turning on italics, %F - sequence for turning off italics, %G - sequence for turning on double-wide print, %H - sequence for turning off double-wide, %I - sequence for turning on underline mode, %J - sequence for turning off underline mode, %K - sequence for turning on superscript, %L - sequence for turning on subscript, %M - sequence for turning off superscript/subscript, %N - prefix for turning on high-resolution graphics. For example, the Epson MX 80 manual describes its high-resolution mode as follows: <ESC> L Sets dot graphics mode to 960 dots per 8" line. Format: <ESC> 'L' N1 N2, N1 and N2 determine line length. Line length = N1 + 256*N2 1 <= N1 <= 255, 1 <= N2 <= 255 Thus you would enter the prefix in your configuration file as %N=27,'L' or %N=27,76. (You would also set the number of graphics bytes to 2 with #A=2, and non-ASCII (binary) number format with $B=FALSE. See below.) If you have several graphics densities to choose from, pick the one closest to 960 dots per 8" line (120 dots per inch). %O - In a similar fashion, %O gives the prefix used to set line feeds in units of the smallest possible increment. Again, here is the appropriate material from the Epson manual: <ESC> 3 Sets line spacing to N/216". Format: <ESC> '3' N, 1 <= N <= 255 You would enter %O=27,'3' (and set the number of line feed bytes with #B=1). %P - The control sequence used to put your printer in 'unidirection' mode. Most dot matrix printers print in both directions to speed up output, but the resulting characters are apt to vary in alignment. Configuration files 25 %Q - The sequence of characters you would like sent to your printer when LQ is disabled from the Control Window. This should include an appropriate line feed setting and a return to bidirectional printing. You can also reset your printer by turning its power off and on. %R - The sequence of characters you would like sent at the start of each line printed by LQ. Epson- compatible printers don't need this parameter, but it can be very useful for other printer types. For example, the C. Itoh doesn't have a separate 'high-resolution' graphics mode; graphics printing functions in the last character pitch (pica, elite, compressed,...) set. The most appropriate pitch is compressed; %R=27,'Q' sets this at the start of each line. & parameters. &A - A sequence of characters to ignore (filter) from a printout. Word processors often send initialization sequences which might appear as 'garbage' when printed by LQ. The '&' parameters have been set to take care of any problems that could arise with the Epson MX / IBM Graphics Printer. &B, ... ,&L - Additional sequences to ignore. $ parameters. $A - You control 8 pins on the print head in graphics mode. The pins correspond to the numbers 1,2,4,8,16,32,64,128; for example, to fire the two pins corresponding to the numbers 2 and 16, the code 18 is sent to the printer. If the highest pin corresponds to 1 and the lowest to 128, set $A=TRUE; if the order is reversed, set A$=FALSE. $B - There are two ways various printers accept numeric values: ASCII and binary. To indicate to an Epson printer that 300 graphics positions are about to be printed, the prefix <ESC>,'L',44,1 is sent. The numbers 44 and 1 are combined as 44 + 256*1 to obtain the number 300; this is the binary format. On many other brands of printers 26 Configuration files the number 300 would be sent as '3','0','0' or '0','3','0','0' in ASCII format. Set $B=TRUE for ASCII or $B=FALSE for binary. $C - Set $C=TRUE if the minimum line space your printer will accept is 1/216"; if this value is 1/144", set $C=FALSE. # parameters. #A - The number of bytes after the graphics prefix (specified with %N) used to set the number of bytes expected by the printer. For example, to print 300 bytes in high-resolution graphics you first send the Epson the sequence <ESC>,'L',44,1; since the prefix takes up two of these four bytes, the remaining two determine the setting #A=2. The same task on a C. Itoh requires sending <ESC>,'S','0','3','0','0', so you would set #A=4. #B - The number of bytes after the line feed prefix (specified with %O) to determine the space advanced by a line feed. (See #A.) Any setting omitted in a configuration file defaults to the corresponding Epson value; see the EPSON.PAR listing below. Creating the configuration file. Now that you know what to put in your config- uration file, how do you actually create one? Any screen or line editor will do; you will probably want to use your accustomed word processor. If you have no other alternative, you can always use the EDLINE line editor which comes with DOS. Just make sure that you create a standard ASCII file, not a file in a special non-ASCII format used internally by your program. To see if you can make such a file, try writing a 2-line test file and store it under the name TESTFILE. Then (at the DOS prompt '>') enter TYPE TESTFILE; if the lines look right on your screen, you are probably in luck. Check your word processor index under ASCII for details. If you have an unusual printer and succeed in creating a new configuration file for it, please send us a listing of your file. In return, if your Configuration files 27 configuration is significantly different from those we already have on record we will send you a free LQ update. The EPSON.PAR configuration file. If you are using an Epson printer or close compatible you should never need a configuration file; all needed parameters are already set by default. However, if you are creating a new configuration file for a different printer it is instructive to look at the EPSON.PAR file which lists the Epson parameters; the form of the file may be helpful, and you should know what the defaults are in case you omit a parameter line. Here are the Epson values: {emphasized on:} %A=27,'E' {emphasized off:} %B=27,'F' {double-strike on:} %C=27,'G' {double-strike off:} %D=27,'H' {italics on:} %E=27,'4' {italics off:} %F=27,'5' {double wide on:} %G=14 {double wide off:} %H=20 {underline on:} %I=27,'-',255 {the 255 code will match any 1-byte value except for 0 and '0'=48. Likewise, 0 matches 0 or '0'=48. This means you can turn off underlining in a document with the sequence <ESC> '-' '0', which is much easier to insert than <ESC> '-' 0.} {underline off:} %J=27,'-',0 {superscript on:} %K=27,'S',0 {subscript on:} %L=27,'S',255 {superscript/subscript off:} %M=27,'T' {hi-res graphics prefix:} %N=27,'L' {set line feed:} %O=27,'3' 28 Printing tips {unidirection:} %P=27,'U',1 {restore:} %Q=27,'U',0,27,'2' {start each line with:} %R= {no sequence needed for the Epson} {ignore:} &A=27,'3',255 {<Esc> '3' N sets line space to N/216} {255 matches any value but 0 or 48} &B=27,'A',255 &C=27,'C',0,255 &D=27,'C',255 &E=27,'N',255 &F=27,'O' &G=27,'Q',255 &H=27,'W' &I=27,'0' &J=27,'1' &K=27,'2' &L=27,'<' {true/false:} $A=FALSE {pin 128 on top} $B=FALSE {numbers in binary, not ASCII} $C=TRUE {min linefeed=1/216} {numbers:} #A=2 {2 bytes allocated for number of graphics bytes} #B=1 {1 byte for length of linefeed length} 8. Tips for better printouts. LQ obtains its high quality print by making three passes over each line, placing dots at very precise positions. Any 'play' in the paper can disrupt this precision and blur a line of print. To keep the alignment precise, it we recommend that you use friction feed if possible, even if you are using pin- feed paper. LQ works fine without friction feed, but you must make certain that the paper feeds evenly and that there is uniform tension on the paper. Character sets 29 As previously mentioned, the first line of print is something of a special case. When your printer is first turned on there is not apt to be sufficient tension on the paper to obtain the needed precision on the first line. This problem is solved by advancing the paper a negligible distance; this is done automatically when you use the F option for printing files or when LQ is loaded in the resident mode (if the printer's power is on). In other cases you can use the Control Window to advance the paper by pressing the 'A' key. You can also begin a document with a blank line or with <Esc> <Esc> B (see Section 5). Proportional spacing can improve the appearance of a docoument, but this mode must be used with caution. Since extra 'white space' between characters is removed and since the amount of such space varies considerably (e.g. compare the characters 'i' and 'w'), tables of data can be distorted. For example, if the two lines iiii xxxx wwww yyyy were printed with proportional spacing, the 'yyyy' would be further left than 'xxxx'. One way to avoid this problem is to turn proportional spacing off (with <ESC> <ESC> 'Q') just before the table and back on (<ESC> <ESC> 'P') at the end of the table. Most LQ modes are enhancements of familiar print styles, so your word processor should not require special consideration. However, triple-high characters will definitely come as a surprise to any program which thinks it is counting 1/6" lines; you will use up a sheet of paper three times faster than your word processor expects. To fix this, you can change the number of lines per page in your word processor, or take charge yourself in other ways. One compromise has been made to keep margins consistent: if the string ' This is a test.' (7 spaces preceding 'This') is printed in 'large character' mode, the leading spaces are printed as normal characters. This lets you set the margin to a fixed value in your word processor rather than worrying about whether the margin is in terms of large or regular spaces. 30 Character sets 9. Character sets available in LQ. The following list of LQ character sets will almost certainly be incomplete; new sets are being created on a regular basis. To see a list of all character sets on the LQ disk, type DIR *.SET. (These sets will all appear the same if you are printing these instructions yourself. If you have an Epson-compatible printer you can see a printed copy of all character sets on the LQ distribution disk by typing PRINSETS.) COURIER !"#$%&'()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO PQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^_`abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz{|}~ COURIER2 !"#$%&'()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO PQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^_`abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz{|}~ COURITAL !"#$%&'()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO PQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^_`abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz{|}~ GREEK !"#$%&'()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO PQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^_`abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz{|}~ HELV !"#$%&'()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO PQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^_`abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz{|}~ HELV2 !"#$%&'()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO PQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^_`abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz{|}~ HELVITAL !"#$%&'()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO PQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^_`abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz{|}~ MAIN !"#$%&'()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO PQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^_`abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz{|}~ MAINITAL !"#$%&'()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO PQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^_`abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz{|}~ PALATINO !"#$%&'()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO PQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^_`abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz{|}~ Character sets 31 ROMAN !"#$%&'()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO PQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^_`abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz{|}~ ROMAN2 !"#$%&'()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO PQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^_`abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz{|}~ ROMANITA !"#$%&'()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO PQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^_`abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz{|}~ SANS2ITA !"#$%&'()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO PQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^_`abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz{|}~ SANSITAL !"#$%&'()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO PQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^_`abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz{|}~ SANSSER !"#$%&'()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO PQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^_`abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz{|}~ SANSSER2 !"#$%&'()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO PQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^_`abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz{|}~ LQ's default character sets. The default sets installed in LQ are 1 - COURIER.SET 2 - COURITAL.SET 3 - HELV.SET 4 - PALATINO.SET The second set is an italicized version of the first and will be used automatically when you tell your word processor to use italics. The other such pairs of sets are HELV.SET HELVITAL.SET MAIN.SET MAINITAL.SET ROMAN.SET ROMANITA.SET SANSSER.SET SANSITAL.SET SANSSER2.SET SANS2ITA.SET Other sets currently included do not have italicized companions. 32 Character sets You can change the fonts which are loaded automatically as part of LQ with the LQINST program. You can also create or change fonts with the EDCHAR program. 10. Editing character sets: the EDCHAR program. Sooner or later you will probably want to modify one of the character sets provided with LQ, or make a new set from scratch. For example, you may need a couple of special technical symbols occasionally, or you may fall in love with an altogether new font. The EDCHAR program included on the LQ disk offers a convenient way to edit characters in the format expected by LQ. The basic sequence is to run the program, specify the character set you want to edit (which may be an existing set or a new one), edit one or more characters corresponding to the ASCII codes 32- 127, then save the revised (or created) set. EDCHAR also lets you move characters from one set to another easily. To get started simply insert the LQ disk and type EDCHAR. If you want to edit an existing set, you will want to load it now; if you are creating a new set, you can skip this step. Press 'L' to get the following L(oad) submenu: 1. Load main character set. 2. Load auxiliary character set. 3. Return to Character Editor. If you choose one of the first two options you are shown a list of all character sets in the current directory, and you are given a chance to select a set or to change the directory from which you will select a set. For example, if you enter '\MYDIR\', the path will be changed to the indicated directory and all character sets (files ending in '.SET') in this new directory will be listed. Similarly, if the font you want is in the main directory of drive B you would simply enter 'B:'. You can browse through all your directories in this fashion, and when you find the one containing the set you want just type the set's name. The set will be loaded into memory as the main or auxiliary set depending on your previous menu selection. The main difference between these two categories is that the main set can be altered but the auxiliary set cannot. The only reason to use an Editing character sets 33 auxiliary set at all is to transfer characters to the main set. Let's assume that you have loaded a main and/or auxiliary character set if necessary and that you are ready to edit a character. Press 'G' to obtain the G(et) submenu: 1. Get character from current set. 2. Get character from auxiliary set. 3. Edit new character. 4. Return to Character Editor. If you choose one of options 1 - 3, you will be prompted to enter the ASCII code of the character or the character (preceded by a single quote) itself. For example, you can specify the letter 'A' by entering the code 65 or by entering 'A. If you selected option 1 or 2, you will see the existing character from the appropriate set ready for editing; if you choose option 3 you will see a clear edit window. (See Figure 1 for a typical display.) A character is edited as a 24 X 10 matrix of dots, each of which is turned on or off. You can use the arrow keys along with the Home, End, Pg Up and Pg Dn keys to position the cursor. Pressing the space bar toggles the state of the dot under the cursor. At any time you can also select any of the menu options listed on the right of the screen. 34 Editing character sets 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Edit character set: A░░░░████████████████████████ A HELV B ████ ████ B C ████ ████ C Auxiliary set: D ████ ████ D E ████ ████ E F ████ ████ F Edit character B G ████ ████ G code = 66 H ████ ████ H I ████████████████████████ I J ████ ████ J Options: K ████ ████ K L ████ ████ L B)ackup character M ████ ████ M C)lear character N ████ ████ N G)et character O ████ ████ O L)oad character set P ████ ████ P M)iddle (center char) Q ████ ████ Q P)ut character R ████ ████ R Q)uit S ████████████████████████ S R)estore character T T S)ave character set U U W)rite character V V W W X X Figure 1 When the character has been edited to your satisfaction, you can put it into the main character set with the P(ut) option. You will be given a chance to change the code under which the character will be stored, but more than likely you will use the default: the code you used with the G(et) command. There are three levels of storage used in EDCHAR. The ultimate (and only safe) storage site is your disk, and only complete sets, not individual characters, are saved as files on disk. There are also the main and/or auxiliary character sets in your computer's volatile memory; since the power may flicker at any time, you should backup a set you are editing on a regular basis. Finally, there is the individual character being edited: modifying this character affects neither the set in memory nor the set on disk. Only when you P(ut) the character to a set is the set in memory changed, and only when you S(ave) the set in memory is the set on disk changed. When editing a character, you have at your disposal the following options: Editing character sets 35 B)ackup character - pressing 'B'makes a copy in memory of the character definition currently displayed. C)lear character - pressing 'C' blanks the character matrix, but doesn't affect the corresponding character in the set being edited. (Remember, only the P(ut) command changes that.) G)et character - the first step in editing a character. You are shown the following menu: 1. Get character from current set. 2. Get character from auxiliary set. 3. Edit new character. 4. Return to Character Editor. In order to get a character from a set (options 1 and 2) you must first L)oad the set. M)iddle - lets you center a single character or an entire set. You are shown the following menu: 1. Center character. 2. Center entire set. 3. Return to Character Editor. Selecting the first option centers the character definition on the screen, while choosing the second centers all of the character definitions in the main character set. If characters are not centered then spacing within words can appear irregular; it is always a good idea to center the entire set when you are finished editing it. P)ut character - replaces corresponding character in the main set with that shown on the screen. If you don't press 'P' your editing will not change the character set. You are asked whether the character on the screen should be saved under the code under which it was loaded or under a different code. For example, you could load a 'P', modify it a little, then save it as the character 'R'. Q)uit prompts you to make certain you're serious, then returns to DOS. R)estore character is the reverse of backup - the last character definition backed up with the 'B' option replaces that being displayed. Backup and restore let you experiment with a character definition without altering a set on disk. 36 Editing character sets S)ave character set - pressing 'S' lets you save the set being edited under the name used for loading the set, or under any other name. You are prompted to enter the name of the set or the path for saving. You can overwrite the previous version simply by pressing return, or you can create a separate second version by changing the path or name. You will want to use the S(ave) option often since it provides cheap insurance against power fluctuation and other perils to your data. W)rite character lets you see how your character looks on paper if you have an Epson-compatible printer attached. You will be prompted to turn on your printer, then the character being displayed will be printed in LQ mode. (LQ should not be installed in memory if you use this option.) Note that while LQ works with printers which are not Epson-compatible (through the use of PAR configuration files), EDCHAR does not. This simply means that if you want to see your new characters on paper, you may have to wait until you exit EDCHAR and run LQ. Tips on editing character sets. Make certain that you use the same 'base lines' for all the characters in a given set, so that the characters will line up properly when printed. The following should be aligned: the base of characters without descenders, the top of lower case letters such as 'a' and 'c', the top of upper case letters. If you want to create a new font, you may want to work from an existing font. For example, you might reuse the punctuation symbols but change the letters and numbers. To do this, copy (at the DOS prompt) the set to be edited to a new name: A> COPY OLD.SET NEW.SET. Now you can run EDCHAR and edit the new set without risking your old set. The same thing can be accomplished from within EDCHAR by loading a set, editing it, then saving it to a different name, but you must be sure to enter the new name or your old set will be lost. The graphics mode 37 11. The graphics mode. It's not easy (in the current version of the package), but you can use LQ to produce pictures. This is worth doing if you want to create a letterhead to be used frequently, but it involves too much effort for casual applications. The basic idea is that all LQ characters are arbitrary graphics shapes anyway, so a block of them can be combined to make a larger image. The only problem is the space that is normally inserted between characters and between lines. By preceding a sequence of characters with the control code '<Esc> <Esc> C', no space will be inserted; '<Esc> <Esc> D' returns LQ to the usual mode. If the graphics mode is active at the end of a line then the next line will start exactly where the last line left off regardless of the current line space setting. Each LQ character is a 24 x 10 array of dot positions. One way to create a picture is to draw or transcribe an image on (say) a 192 x 120 square section of a sheet of graph paper, then mark this into 8 rows of 12 character definition (each 24 x 10 squares). These 96 'characters' can then be entered as ASCII codes 32 - 127 in a new set using EDCHAR. Figure 2 As an example consider the set SPIRAL.SET on the LQ disk. The file SPIRAL.PIC is a simple list of characters which can be printed with LQ to produce a picture of a spiral (Figure 2). To try this with your printer, type LQ C1'SPIRAL' F'SPIRAL.PIC'. The file being printed consists of 8 lines described below: The first line is the control code '<Esc> <Esc> C' followed by the sequence ' !"#$%&'()*+'. The control code turns on graphics and the remaining characters correspond to ASCII codes 32 - 43. If all control 38 The graphics mode sequences were removed from the file, a listing would appear thus: !"#$%&'()*+ ,-./01234567 89:;<=>?@ABC DEFGHIJKLMNO graphics mode, PQRSTUVWXYZ[ \]^_`abcdefg hijklmnopqrs tuvwxyz{|} The actual file includes three additional control sequences besides that mentioned above. The words 'graphics mode,' are preceded by the sequence <Esc> <Esc> D <Esc> <Esc> 4 to turn off graphics and switch to the fourth character set, and followed by the sequence <Esc> <Esc> C <Esc> <Esc> 1 to switch back to graphics and the first (SPIRAL) set. Finally, the last line is terminated by <Esc> <Esc> D <Esc> <Esc> 4 to return to printing text. Note that the worst part of the listing concerns switching back and forth between graphics and text. If you want the picture without any text then only the initial '<Esc> <Esc> C' is needed. About Shareware 39 Appendix A. About 'Shareware'. 'Shareware' is a relatively new means of software distribution with several advantages to you the consumer. The complete package including this instruction manual is contained on a single diskette which may be freely copied and distributed. Word of mouth provides a more accurate and less expensive way of making a product known than magazine advertisements, and the savings keep LQ's cost down. Shareware does not mean 'public domain'. Distribution is permitted only if the package stays intact; all files should be passed on in unmodified form. You can obtain the current LQ disk from Granny's Old-Fashioned Software for $10 or a registered package for $35. Registration provides the following benefits: 1. A current version of LQ including all available character sets, 2. a mail-in card for a future version of LQ, 3. a $10 commission each time someone registers from one of your copies, 4. telephone support for your technical questions. To register, phone (with MC or VISA) (704) 264-6906 or mail payment to: Granny's Old-Fashioned Software Rt 4, Box 216 Boone, NC 28607 North Carolina residents please add 4.5%. Please include the registration number from the upper right of LQ's initial display so that we can reimburse the person from whom your copy originated. 40 ASCII codes Appendix B. ASCII codes. 0 32 SP 1 ^A 33 ! 2 ^B 34 " 3 ^C 35 # 4 ^D 36 $ 5 ^E 37 % 6 ^F 38 & 7 ^G 39 ' 8 ^H 40 ( 9 ^I 41 ) 10 ^J 42 * 11 ^K 43 + 12 ^L 44 , 13 ^M 45 - 14 ^N 46 . 15 ^O 47 / 16 ^P 48 0 17 ^Q 49 1 18 ^R 50 2 19 ^S 51 3 20 ^T 52 4 21 ^U 53 5 22 ^V 54 6 23 ^W 55 7 24 ^X 56 8 25 ^Y 57 9 26 ^Z 58 : 27 Esc 59 ; 28 60 < 29 61 = 30 62 > 31 63 ? ASCII codes 41 64 @ 96 ` 65 A 97 a 66 B 98 b 67 C 99 c 68 D 100 d 69 E 101 e 70 F 102 f 71 G 103 g 72 H 104 h 73 I 105 i 74 J 106 j 75 K 107 k 76 L 108 l 77 M 109 m 78 N 110 n 79 O 111 o 80 P 112 p 81 Q 113 q 82 R 114 r 83 S 115 s 84 T 116 t 85 U 117 u 86 V 118 v 87 W 119 w 88 X 120 x 89 Y 121 y 90 Z 122 z 91 [ 123 { 92 \ 124 | 93 ] 125 } 94 ^ 126 ~ 95 _ 127 Del