Microcom 466 - Manual (Page 22)

Designing Labels Using LDS Chapter 4
466 Operators Manual 16
Note: COM1 may be any available communications port on your PC.
C:>MODE COM1:9600,N,8,1,P
You must then send the file to the printer using the following DOS command.
C:>COPY FILENAME COM1
4.2.2 PC CONNECTION (PARALLEL)
Items required:
- A computer with at least one unused parallel communications port. (LPT1, LPT2...)
- A parallel interface cable. (See section 3.2 for cable information)
Create a text file containing the information to be sent. (^C is the print command.)
^C
You may use any text editor that does not add its own formatting characters (QEDIT, DOS
EDIT...). Send the file to the printer using the following DOS command. Note: LPT1 may be
any available printer port on your PC.
C:>COPY FILENAME LPT1
4.2.3 LEARNING LDS
You can test some of the control code functions (see section 5.1) directly through the
keyboard. Large label files may be entered in a straight ASCII text word editor and then up-
loaded to the printer using a terminal emulation program or the DOS copy command. (To use
the DOS copy command, first use the DOS mode instruction to configure the PC. For example,
MODE COM1:9600,N,8,1,P).
There are some special features offered by the 466 printer that will aid in label design. For
example, the auto-size command (^A2^D39?) will provide most of the header format
information needed to define the different properties of label stock. The state of the machine is
accessed through the enquiry command (^D5? or ^E). The statistical printer information is
made available through the ^A0^D29? command.
The following sections of this chapter are designed to give an overview of a label format,
define the label header, and list the different types of field information available. Chapter 5
explains the special functions of the control codes. Once some understanding of these basic
concepts are achieved, use the quick reference guide in Appendix B for expedient label
design.