Epson FX-185 User Manual - Page 176

Chapter 12 Design Your Own Graphics In this chapter we take you through the development of two graphics programs, from design to implementation. The two programs use entirely different techniques. The first program uses a method of storing and recalling data similar to that of the curling program in the last chapter. You store pin patterns and their repetition factors in DATA statements to produce a pattern that is suitable as a logo. The second program does not read pin patterns from DATA statements at all. Instead, you code the few necessary pin patterns into the program as constants. You do store values in DATA lines-to control the number of times each pattern is to be repeated. These examples show how easy it is to create high-resolution dot graphics on your FX. We hope they inspire you to include graphics in your own programs. Planning Process It should be apparent by now that printing high-resolution images requires careful planning and lots of data. Programs available for some computers enable users to draw figures on the screen, then echo them to the printer. Without such a program, there really is no quick and easy way to calculate the data required for pin patterns. Once you have a design, you can usually plan your graphics program most easily by following these steps: 1. Plot the design, dot by dot, on graph paper. 159