Dymo Costar 400 User Manual download pdf (Page 36)

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SYN EL Mode Graphics

DESCRIPTION

Provided for LabelWriter EL compatibility.

SYN is a synchronization character used to encode EL bitmap

print data. The number of bytes in each string is controlled by the

ESC D command. The starting position (left margin) is controlled

by the ESC B command. The control electronics in the printer do

not check the validity of the bitmap data, therefore, it is the

responsibility of the host software to send the correct number of

data bytes for the width of the print head in use by the printer.

The print head forms the image by heating a row of resistive

elements that blacken the thermally sensitive label material. The

resistive elements are 0.125 millimeters square (0.00492 inches)

and are spaced at eight dots per millimeter (203.2 dots per inch)

apart. The print head on the LabelWriter SE300 contain 448

elements. When a line is to be printed, the control electronics in

the printer load the desired data into a serial shift register (the

print head). The serial shift register has one location for each

print element. A “1” in any given location causes the

corresponding dot to be printed; a “0” leaves the dot un-printed.

The most significant bit (bit 7) prints at the left margin.

There is no command for clearing the shift register, therefore, the

entire register must be loaded for each print line in order to flush

out the old data. To reset the LabelWriter after a synchronization

error or to recover from an unknown state, the host computer

should send at least fifty-seven (57) ESC characters, followed by

an A, to request the printer to return the status byte. A minimum

of 57 ESC characters are required because this amount exceeds

the longest possible string of bitmap data bytes that the

LabelWriter expects.

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Dymo Costar 400 User Manual Page 36