Epson FX-185 User Manual - Page 127

If you use single-sheet paper on your FX printer and run to the end of the form, the paper-out sensor prevents the printer from accidentally printing on the platen. The sensor automatically sounds the beeper and shuts down the printing until you load another sheet and continue. While the sensor saves wear of print head, ribbon, and platen, it also prevents you from printing on the last quarter of a page. If you need to print on this part of the page, you can deactivate the paper-out sensor by setting DIP switch 1-3 on. Alternatively, you can disable the sensor temporarily by using a software code: ESCape "8". You can see how this works by running the next example. Because you need to see it in action, we do not provide a figure for either run of this program. With the paper-out sensor active (switch 1-3 off) and the beeper alive (switch 2-2 on), load a single sheet of paper and RUN this program to see the sensor work: 10 LPRINT 20 INPUT "HIT RETURN WHEN READY",A 30 FOR X=1 TO 60 40 LPRINT "PRINTING WILL STOP BEFORE PAPER RUNS OUT" 50 NEXT X The printer quits about three-fourths of the way down the page. Good, the sensor is doing its job. Now let's override it. Load in a new sheet of paper and change line 10 to read: 10 LPRINT CHR$(27)"8" When you RUN this new program with most computer systems, the printer prints all 60 lines, ignoring the paper-out condition. Some systems, however, ignore both the ESCape "8" code and the setting of DIP switch 1-3. (See Appendix F.) You'll want to use this code with caution, but it's nice to have when needed. To restore the sensor to full power, either send an ESCape "9" command or reset the printer. Summary The printer automatically considers each page to be 11 inches or 66 lines of 12-dot line spacing long. You can change the length of each form (in inches or lines) with an ESCape code. You can turn the skipover-perforation feature, the paper-out sensor, and the alarm on or 110