Microcom 470 - Manual (Page 24)

Designing Labels Using LDS Chapter 4
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470 Operators Manual 16
Use the following DOS MODE command to set up the appropriate PC port.
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, Wordstar
non-document mode, DOS 5.0 EDIT, EDLIN...). 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, such as some of those illustrated in Appendix B, 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 470 printer that will aid in label design. For
example, the autosize command (^A2^D395) 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 (^D55 or ^E). The statistical printer information is
made available through the ^A0^D295 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 D for expedient label
design.
4.3 FORMATTING LABELS: AN OVERVIEW
A label format consists of a header record and field records, followed by the text data to be
printed. The records describe how the label is to be printed. The header contains information
about the label itself such as label height, width, print speed, etc. The field records refer to the