Listing of file='MANUAL.TXT;01' on disk='vmedia/taylor_3-sector.ccvf'
PRINTER PACKAGE INSTRUCTION MANUAL
This package provides two programs which can be configured
by the user for his particular printer. Almost any type of
printer can be accomodated. Configuration is accomplished via
a simple question/answer process using programs provided with
the package, and may be done each time a file is printed, or
the configured print program may be saved for later use.
There is sufficient space remaining on the distribution
disk to save configured versions of both programs.
DO NOT SAVE CONFIGURED PROGRAMS ON OTHER DISKS -
THEY WILL NOT RUN.
The programs are not intended for use in word processing
applications, but rather for program maintenance. Listings
can be produced which have page headings with the file name,
time and date, and page number. Features such as replacement
of control characters are designed to provide an accurate
copy of the file for documentation purposes. They can also be
used simply to review a file, because output is sent to the
screen as well as the printer, even if the printer is off.
The assembly language print programs provided are:
PRINT.PRG - Prints source files (ASCII text files)
LISTER.PRG - Prints BASIC files.
These are in addition to two BASIC files with the same names
which are used for configuration. A MENU program allows easy
loading, and the user need only hit <AUTO> to run a program.
The final program, TIME.BAS, is intended for setting the time
and date for use in listing headers.
For your convenience, a copy of this manual is distributed
on the disk with the programs. It may be used to testing the
programs, or simply deleted if not needed. In particular, you
may wish to reclaim the space to save additional configured
copies of the programs.
NOTE:
As distrubuted, the programs are set up for a Paper Tiger
(IDS 440) using 8-1/2 by 11 inch fan-fold paper, 80 columns
by 60 lines (10 cpi and 6 lpi) running at 1200 baud with the
Auto-perforation skip enabled and Auto-line-feed disabled.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE
There are two ways to customise the programs for a given
printer. The first simply involves a question and answer pro-
cess, and is the simplest. It produces a PRG file that can be
run from FCS, and for which the user selects the name ( .PRG
need not be specified in the file name, since it is assumed).
As an alternative, there are default values in the BASIC
programs which drive the assembly language routines. These
programs, named LISTER.BAS and PRINT.BAS, contain REMarks to
help in setting the default parameters. The default parameter
is used if <RETURN> is hit in response to a configuration
question. With appropriate defaults, it is possible to run
the programs simply by repeatedly hitting <RETURN> during
the question/answer part of the following:
A. First time use, or for Configuration
1. Insert the Printer disk in drive 0 and hit <AUTO>.
2. Set the time and date if you have not previously
done so.
3. Select either Lister or Print.
4. The appropriate BASIC program will be loaded, and
will display its name.
5. Answer the configuration questions.
6. Save this configuration if you anticipate using it
a lot. Most people only use one configuration.
NOTE: Do not save the programs on other disks.
7. The assembly language program will now take over,
print its ID message, and prompt for a file name.
8. If necessary, insert the required disk in drive 0.
You may, of course, use drive 1.
9. Enter the file name (default file type may be left
off).
10. The program will start printing. (See notes under
Characteristics of the Programs on how to abort the
program, or suspend printing.)
*** IMPORTANT ***
NEVER REMOVE THE PRINTER DISK UNTIL AFTER
THE PROGRAM PROMPTS FOR A FILENAME
B. Using a configured program
1. Get into BASIC (<ESC> W or <ESC> E) and LOAD "TIME".
2. RUN this program to set the time and date.
3. Get into FCS (<ESC> D) and RUN the configured copy
of the program that you want. Note: You choose the
file name for the configured copy, so it may be
anything you want.
In both cases, once the time and date are set, there is no
need to do this again so long as the machine remains on. The
only exception is at midnight, because the date will not be
incremented.
CONFIGURATION PARAMETERS
The following parameters are specified by the user:
* Baud Rate
* Line Length
* Page Length
* Whether the printer can do Form-Feeds
* Whether the printer skips page perforations
and if not, the number of lines to skip
* Type of forms used (single sheet or continuous)
* Whether a Header is to be printed on each page
* The default file type
* Mechanical Delay Factor
BAUD RATE
All standard Compucolor baud rates are supported, however,
it is essential that the printer handshake modification be
installed if the printer cannot keep pace at the desired baud
rate. The modification is as follows:
1. Tie Pin 9 of J2 edge connector to UD1 Pin 4
2. Tie UD1 Pin 6 to UC1 Pin 3
3. Tie UC1 Pin 4 to UE1 Pin 10
4. Add a 10K 1/4W resistor between UD1 Pin 4 and
+12V (R10 and R11 on logic board go to +12)
Pin 9 on J2 must be connected to the handshake line on the
printer. Refer to the printer Owner's Manual to determine
which pin on the DB-25 (25-pin) RS-232C connector to use.
This modification assumes that the printer pulls this line
low when it cannot receive characters. If the printer does
the reverse, i.e. raises this line, then omit steps 2 and 3,
and tie UD1 pin 6 directly to UE1 pin 10.
NOTE: This modification works well on Centronics, Heath H14
and Paper Tiger (IDS) printers, but not so well on the BASE2
and MPI printers. The latter printers do not pull down the
handshake line properly, resulting in intermittent problems.
To try to overcome this problem, time delays are inserted
in the programs whenever a mechanical motion occurs. See the
description of Mechanical Delay Factor.
LINE LENGTH
Line length is the number of characters printed across the
page. Some printers, e.g. H14, will start a new line if the
print head reaches the right margin. In this case, it will be
necessary to specify a line length one less than the actual
width of the paper. Most printers print 80 character lines at
10 cpi (characters per inch), so if the printer starts a new
line automatically at column 80, the line length must be set
to 79.
PAGE LENGTH
The page length is the number of lines actually printed on
a page - not the number of physical lines on a page. For
example, a normal 8-1/2 by 11 inch page has 66 lines at 6 lpi
(lines per inch). However, only 60 of these are used, the
other 6 being top and bottom margins (3 lines each).
NOTE: For the programs to work correctly, printers which
have an automatic line-feed on receipt of a carriage return
must have this feature disabled.
FORM FEEDS
If the printer cannot do form feeds i.e. feed the paper to
the top of a new page, this option will simulate a form feed
by issuing line feeds. For ASCII files, form-feeds may be
inserted anywhere in the file to cause a page eject. If the
printer cannot form-feed, it is assumed that it does not skip
page perforations either, and so the number of lines for the
perforation skip must be specified, as in the next paragraph.
PERFORATION SKIP
Some printers can be set to automatically skip the page
perforations when continuous (fan-feed) forms are used. This
requires special treatment by the programs, and so it is a
parameter. If the printer cannot skip, it can be simulated by
line feeds. The number of lines to skip must be specified,
and the sum of this number plus the page length given above
must be the physical page length. In the previous example, 60
would be given as the page length and 6 as the perforation
skip.
SINGLE SHEETS
When single pages are to be printed i.e. fan-fold paper is
not used, this option can be selected. At the end of each
page, a form-feed is issued to eject the page and the program
will halt until the user hits <RETURN>. This allows a new
sheet of paper to be inserted in the printer and aligned. In
this case, only half the usual page perforation skip length
should be specified, since it includes the top margin on the
next page as well as the bottom margin on the current page.
HEADER GENERATION
At the user's option, a header may be printed at the top
of each page consisting of:
VOLUME>FILE TIME DATE PAGE XXX
<--------------- Line Length --------------->
where VOLUME = Disk name
FILE = File name (full name including version number)
TIME = Time at beginning of printing
DATE = Current date
XXX = Page number
Headers can be suppressed if not desired, for example, for
printing correspondence. Note that this also eliminates page
numbering. Header information is very useful in program main-
tenance for keeping listings up to date.
(A program is supplied which can be used to set the time and
date. The real-time clock in the Compucolor will then keep
the correct time, however, it will not increment the date.)
DEFAULT FILE TYPE
This simplifies the entry of file names if a certain type
of file is printed frequently. Of course, it does not apply
to BASIC files, which must have a type of BAS.
MECHANICAL DELAY FACTOR
Because mechanical motions (carriage return, line feed and
form feed) take much longer than printing characters, a time
delay occurs after each of these operations. The user adjusts
the delay to suit his particular printer using this option.
When the delay is set at its minimum value (1), it is barely
noticeable, but at its maximum (12), it is almost sufficient
to allow the average printer to run without handshaking. Note
however, that this is not a complete replacement for hardware
handshaking.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PROGRAMS
The programs have a number of features designed to make
them as generally applicable and easy to use as possible:
* Tab expansion
* Line continuation
* Control character replacement
* Escape sequences for invalid ASCII codes
* DELETE substitution
* Program Abort
* Printout suspension
Note that the programs assume that the printer is capable of
printing the full ASCII character set, upper and lower case.
Also, they assume that the paper begins at top of form. They
always end by issuing a form-feed to make sure that the paper
is at top of form for the next run.
TAB EXPANSION
Tabs are automatically expanded into the correct number of
spaces to be consistent with the Compucolor so that ASCII
files will appear the same on the screen as on the printer.
LINE CONTINUATION
Lines which are too long to fit on the page are split. Not
all printers do this automatically, e.g. teletypes. In the
case of BASIC files, keywords are never split across lines.
Similarly, escape sequences and control character sequences
are not split up either (see below). Continuation lines in
BASIC files are indented so that they leave the line number
area empty. This makes the listing easier to read.
CONTROL CHARACTER REPLACEMENT
Because certain printers, e.g. Paper Tiger, respond to
control characters, they are replaced by a sequence ^X, where
X is the key to depress in conjunction with the <CONTROL>
key to generate the character. This notation is designed to
simplify entering programs via the keyboard from listings.
The only exceptions are tab, line-feed, carriage return,
and form-feed. Control character replacement may be a dis-
advantage in some circumstances where it is desired to use
control characters to change printer characteristics. However
the programs are not intended for this type of use.
ESCAPE SEQUENCES FOR INVALID CODES
Standard ASCII is a 7-bit code, so characters with the MSB
(Most Significant Bit) set are considered illegal. Instead of
totally ignoring them, an escape sequence is issued as [X],
where X is the character with the MSB turned off. If the res-
ulting character is a control character, it is printed as per
the previous paragraph. This includes line-feed, tab, etc. In
general, a character with the MSB set is a PLOT character, so
it is not likely that replacing it will cause any problems.
DELETE SUBSTITUTION
The ASCII code for DEL (delete character) is substituted
with a pound sign (#) rather than sent to the printer. This
is included specifically for the Texas Instruments TI-810
because DEL causes it to clear its input buffer, resulting in
the loss of data.
PROGRAM ABORT
The programs may be aborted at any time by hitting <ESC>
or line-feed (down-arrow). Occasionally, e.g. during disk
accesses, it may be necessary to hit the key twice in order
to terminate a run. A form-feed is issued before the program
exits.
PRINTOUT SUSPENSION
If printing is to be suspended for any reason, the <BREAK>
key can be used. Pressing any other key after <BREAK> causes
printing to resume, except, of course, <ESC> and line-feed. A
<BREAK> has no effect while the disk drive is in motion. This
facility provides an easy means of skimming through a file.
With the printer turned off, the programs simply display the
file on the screen, and it is possible to page through the
file using <BREAK> and <RETURN>. Note: Some printers pull the
handshake line down when the power is off and interfere with
the normal operation of the Compucolor. Either disconnect the
printer when not in use, or leave it turned on but deselect
it (turn it off-line).