Preparation; Character Definition - Epson FX Series User Manual

Preparation

DIP switch
1-4
use this RAM memory as a large text buffer to smooth printer/com-
puter communications, or you can store in it a set of user-defined
characters. Unfortunately, it can't serve both purposes simultane-
ously. In this and succeeding chapters, we'll use this RAM area for
user-defined characters. So set switch 1-4 off before proceeding.

Character Definition

Characters are defined with the ESCape "&" command sequence.
The format is:
LPRINT CHR$(27)"&"CHR$(r)CHR$(c
The r tells the printer in which RAM area the characters are to be
stored. With a stock printer, there is only one area available: RAM
area 0.
The notations c
You can use the entire range of ASCII numbers from 0 to
which the ROM characters are shown in Appendix A), except for
those areas where control codes reside (0 to
You can also use some of the control-code locations, but only after
special ESCape codes are issued. We'll get to that a bit later.
Here's how c
1
from A to E. The associated ASCII numbers are
simply let c be 65(A) and c
1
can be redefined in a similar manner. For example, defining c
and c as selects lowercase letters a through e; defining c
101
2
c as 43 selects the symbols ! through + .
z
To simplify things a bit, the ASCII symbols can be used in place of
CHR$(c ) and CHR$(c
1
LPRINT CHR$(27)"&"CHR$(0)CHR$(65)CHR$(69);
or:
LPRINT CHR$(27)"&"CHR$(0)"AE";
selects characters A through E. On some occasions you may wish to
define only one character. That's O.K., too. Just use the same number
or letter for c and c
1
130 LPRINT CHR$(27)"&"CHR$(0)"EE";
200
controls the use of the FX's
and c specify the range of characters to be defined.
1 2
and c work. Suppose you want to redefine the letters
2
be 69(E). Any of the keyboard characters
2
). For example, either:
2
:
2
RAM buffer. You can
2K
)CHR$(c );
1 2
to
31, 127 159,
to 69, so you
65
(for
255
and
255).
as 97
1
as 33 and
1