SATO CX208/212 User Manual
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<ESC> {Command} {Parameter} {Data}
Some commands can contain both Parameter and Data elements, such as “print a
Code 39 symbol containing the data.”
SELECTING PROTOCOL CONTROL CODES
Protocol codes are the special control characters that prepare the printer to receive
instructions. For example, the <ESC> character tells the printer that a command
code will follow.
The Protocol Control Code set set is made up of six special characters. The Standard
Protocol Control codes are non-printable characters. They can be changed to printable
characters using the Protocol Control code download command. This may be useful
on host computers using protocol converters or in an application where non-printable
ASCII characters cannot be sent from the host. This manual uses the Standard
Protocol Control codes for all of the examples.
The Protocol Control codes must be downloaded from the host using the <ESC>LD
command. Once they are downloaded, the printer will not respond to standard
protocol codes. The current protocol codes active in a printer can be determined by
printing a Test Label (see CX208/212 User’s Guide, Page 9).
CONTROL
CHARACTER
HEX VALUE
DESCRIPTION
STX
02
Start of Data
ETX
03
End of Data
ESC
1B
Command code to follow
ENQ
05
Not Used on CX200
CAN
18
Not Used on CX200
Off-Line
40
Take printer Off-Line
USING BASIC
It may be useful to test your printer using a BASIC program on a PC. You may also
write your actual production programs in BASIC. Whatever the reason, if you will be
working in BASIC, some of the following hints may help you get started:
1. Set the WIDTH of the output device to 255 characters to avoid automatically
sending <CR> and <LF> characters after every line. The command string
should be continuous and uninterrupted by <CR> and/or <LF> commands. The
examples given in this manual are printed on separate lines because they will not
fit on one line and do not contain any <CR> and/or <LF> characters. If these
characters are needed, they are explicitly noted by the inclusion of <CR> and
<LF> notations.
SATO CX208/212 Printers
PN 9001092 Rev. A
Page 2
CX208/212 Programming Guide