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Mixing Modes, Pica pitch, not Elite nor Compressed. In addition, Proportional Mode

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Since all Proportional characters are Emphasized, it makes sense that Proportional characters, like Emphasized, can only be printed in Pica pitch, not Elite nor Compressed. In addition, Proportional Mode cannot be mixed with Double-Strike. The cost of all this high-powered printing is the slower speed of printing and the wear and tear on the ribbon. Understandably, these dense modes shorten the life of a ribbon compared to Single-Strike printing. Used sparingly, however, they can give you increased capability for little increased cost. Mixing Modes Much of the fun of owning an FX is trying out all the different mode combinations. In the process you'll find that some modes make magic together, while others cannot be mixed at all. Most important, you'll gain an insight into the way the print modes work, and you'll attain a higher level of control over your printer. With the many modes available on the FX, there are enough mode combinations to suit just about any palate. It's impossible, however, for each print mode to get along with all others as well as Emphasized does with Double-Strike. For example, you cannot mix either Emphasized or its variation, Proportional, with Elite or Compressed pitches for a very good reason. Emphasized characters already violate the rule that two overlapping dots cannot be printed in the same row. Since the FX prints Emphasized in Pica Mode at half normal speed, it can make an exception. But the dots in Elite and Compressed characters are already so closely packed that printing them in Emphasized print as well is not possible, even at the slower speed. The print head simply cannot fire and retract the pins fast enough. So what does the printer do when it receives a request for two conflicting modes? Ignore one of them, take a vacation, or beep loudly? The answer is: none of the above. It turns both modes on internally, but-based on a factory-set priority list-selects only one of them for printing text. As you found out in Chapter 3 when you cancelled Elite to see Compressed print, the FX remembers that a mode is on even though that doesn't affect the current print line. Just to produce a little more printout evidence, change your program to turn on Double-Strike at the same time as Proportional, Then, when you turn Proportional off, 65

Section	Page
FRONT MATTER	1
PREFACE	3
Conventions Used in this Manual	3
TABLE OF CONTENTS	7
LIST OF FIGURES	13
LIST OF TABLES	17
INTRODUCTION	18
Inside the Printer	19
Inside This Manual	19
PROGRAMMER'S EASY LESSON	24
First Steps	24
Ticket Program	25
Ticket Program Description	27
CHAP 1-THE FX PRINTERS	30
Additional Supplies and Accessories	33
Printer Location	33
Printer Preparation	34
Paper separator	34
Covers	35
Manual-feed knob	36
DIP switches	37
Ribbon installation	40
Paper Loading	41
FX-80: built-in tractor feed	41
FX-80 and FX-100: friction feed	45
FX-80 and FX-100: removable tractor unit	46
Top-of-form position	49
Paper-thickness lever	49
Starting Up	49
Control panel	52
The FX tests itself	52
CHAP 2-BASICS AND THE PRINTER	54
BASIC Communications	55
Character strings	56
BASIC print commands	56
ASCII and BASIC basics	57
Control codes	58
Escape-CHR$(27)-and other CHR$ commands	59
Change Commands	61
Reset Code	62
Mode cancelling codes	62
Delete and Cancel	63
Alternate Formats for ESCape Sequences	63
Summary	64
CHAP 3-PRINT PITCHES	66
Dot-Matrix Printing	66
Main columns	67
Intermediate positions	68
Modes for Pitches	69
Pica and Elite Modes	69
Compressed Mode	70
Mode priorities	72
Pitch Mode Combinations	73
Expanded Mode	73
Multiple print pitches on one line	75
Summary	76
CHAP 4-PRINT QUALITY	78
Bold Modes	78
Double-Strike Mode	78
Emphasized Mode	79
Proportional Mode	81
Mixing Modes	82
Summary	83
CHAP 5-DRESS-UP MODES AND MASTER SELECT	86
Four Modes	86
Underline Mode	86
Script Modes: Super and Sub	88
Italic Mode	89
More Mode Combinations	90
Master Select	90
Master Select combinations	93
Summary	95
CHAP 6-SPECIAL PRINTING FEATURES	98
Backspace	98
Overstrikes	98
Offsets	99
Unidirectional Mode	100
International Characters	102
Special Speeds	105
Half-Speed Mode	106
Immediate-Print Mode (FX-80 only)	106
Summary	107
CHAP 7-LINE SPACING AND LINE FEEDS	110
Line Spacing	110
Preset line spacing	110
Variable line spacing	112
Microscopic line spacing	115
Line Feeds	115
Summary	118
CHAP 8-FORMS CONTROL	120
Form Length Control	120
Form feed distance	120
Not-so-standard forms	122
Paper Perforation Skip	124
Skip command	124
DIP switch skip	126
Single-Sheet Adjustment	126
Summary	127
CHAP 9-MARGINS AND TABS	130
Margins	130
Left margin	130
Margins and pitches	131
Right margin	133
Both margins	135
Tabs	135
Horizontal tab usage	136
Variable horizontal tabs	138
Vertical tab usage	139
Ordinary vertical tabs	140
Vertical tab channels	143
Summary	145
CHAP 10-INTRODUCTION TO DOT GRAPHICS	148
Dots and Matrixes	148
Print Head	149
Graphics Mode	151
Pin Labels	152
First Graphics Programs	154
Straight line	155
Slash	156
Large caret	156
Wave pattern	157
Diamond pattern	158
Summary	159
CHAP 11-VARIETIES OF GRAPHICS DENSITY	160
Graphics Programming Tips	160
Graphics and the Reset Code	161
Graphics and low ASCII codes	161
Density Varieties	162
High-Speed Double-Density Graphics Mode	163
Low-Speed Double-Density Graphics Mode	165
Quadruple-Density Graphics Mode	166
More densities	166
More Graphics Programming Tips	167
Reassigning alternate graphics codes	167
Nine-Pin Graphics Mode	169
Pin Combination Patterns	171
Repeated patterns	172
Repeated DATA numbers	173
Summary	174
CHAP 12-DESIGN YOUR OWN GRAPHICS	176
Planning Process	176
Strata Program	177
Three-Dimensional Program	180
First version of 3D program	182
Other versions	187
Summary	188
CHAP 13-PLOTTER GRAPHICS	190
Arrays	190
Dimension and arrays	193
Filling arrays	193
Circle Plotting	194
Ones become dots	195
Pin firing sequences	196
Code solutions	197
Higher resolution	198
Reflections	200
Exploding galaxy	201
Big bang	202
Summary	205
CHAP 14-SYMMETRICAL GRAPHICS PATTERNS	206
Pin Pattern Calculation	209
Graphics Width Settings	210
Pattern Printout	210
Variations	212
Summary	214
CHAP 15-USER-DEFINED CHARACTERS	216
Preparation	217
Character Definition	217
Design	218
Dots into Data	219
Attribute byte	220
Proportional print	220
Printing User-Defined Characters	222
Downloading Command	224
Defining More Characters	224
Redefining Control Codes	225
Mode Strings	228
Strata	229
Summary	229
CHAP 16-COMBINING USER-DEFINED CHARACTERS	232
Large Letters: Double Wide	232
Large Letters: Double High	234
Giant Letters: Double High and Double Wide	234
Core Sets	240
Line Graphics	242
Summary	243
CHAP 17-BUSINESS APPLICATIONS	244
Preparation	244
Barchart	244
Statement Form	248
999 REM: The End	255

Match case Limit results 1 per page

Since all Proportional characters are Emphasized, it makes sense

that Proportional characters, like Emphasized, can only be printed in

Pica pitch, not Elite nor Compressed. In addition, Proportional Mode

cannot be mixed with Double-Strike.

The cost of all this high-powered printing is the slower speed of

printing and the wear and tear on the ribbon. Understandably, these

dense modes shorten the life of a ribbon compared to Single-Strike

printing. Used sparingly, however, they can give you increased capa-

bility for little increased cost.

Mixing Modes

Much of the fun of owning an FX is trying out all the different mode

combinations. In the process you’ll find that some modes make magic

together, while others cannot be mixed at all. Most important, you’ll

gain an insight into the way the print modes work, and you’ll attain a

higher level of control over your printer.

With the many modes available on the FX, there are enough mode

combinations to suit just about any palate. It’s impossible, however,

for each print mode to get along with all others as well as Emphasized

does with Double-Strike. For example, you cannot mix either Empha-

sized or its variation, Proportional, with Elite or Compressed pitches

for a very good reason.

Emphasized characters already violate the rule that two overlap-

ping dots cannot be printed in the same row. Since the FX prints

Emphasized in Pica Mode at half normal speed, it can make an excep-

tion. But the dots in Elite and Compressed characters are already so

closely packed that printing them in Emphasized print as well is not

possible, even at the slower speed. The print head simply cannot fire

and retract the pins fast enough.

So what does the printer do when it receives a request for two con-

flicting modes? Ignore one of them, take a vacation, or beep loudly?

The answer is: none of the above. It turns both modes on internally,

but-based on a factory-set priority list-selects only one of them for

printing text.

As you found out in Chapter 3 when you cancelled Elite to see

Compressed print, the FX remembers that a mode is on even though

that doesn’t affect the current print line. Just to produce a little more

printout evidence, change your program to turn on Double-Strike at

the same time as Proportional, Then, when you turn Proportional off,