Epson ActionPrinter 4000 Operation & User’s Manual

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures: . Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. . Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver. . Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected. . Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help. WARNING The connection of a non-shielded printer interface cable to this printer will invalidate the FCC Certification of this device and may cause interference levels that exceed the limits established by the FCC for this equipment. If this equipment has more than one interface connector, do not leave cables connected to unused interfaces. Seiko Epson Corporation shall not be liable against any damages or problems arising from the use of any options or any consumable products other than those designated as Original Epson Products or Epson Approved Products by Seiko Epson Corporation. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Epson America, Inc. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, Epson America, Inc. assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. ActionPrinter is a trademark of Epson America, Inc. Epson and Epson ESC/P are registered trademarks of Seiko Epson Corporation. SmartPark is a trademark of Epson America, Inc. IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. Copyright © 1989 by Epson America, Inc. Torrance, California ii

1. Read all of these instructions and save them for later reference. 2. Follow all warnings and instructions marked on the product. 3. Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a damp cloth for cleaning. 4. Do not use this product near water. 5. Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand, or table. The product may fall, causing serious damage to the product. 6. Slots and openings in the cabinet and the back or bottom are provided for ventilation; to ensure reliable operation of the product and to protect it from overheating, these openings must not be blocked or covered. The openings should never be blocked by placing the product on a bed, sofa, rug, or other similar surface. This product should never be placed near or over a radiator or heat register. This product should not be placed in a built in installation unless proper ventilation is provided. 7. This product should be operated from the type of power source indicated on the marking label. If you are not sure of the type of power available, consult your dealer or local power company. 8. This product is equipped with a 3-wire grounding-type plug, a plug having a third (grounding) pin. This plug will only fit into a grounding type power outlet. This is a safety feature. If you are unable to insert the plug into the outlet, contact your electrician to replace your obsolete outlet. Do not defeat the purpose of the grounding type plug. 9. Do not locate this product where the cord will be walked on. iii

total of the ampere ratings on the products plugged into the ex- tension cord do not exceed the extension cord ampere rating. Also, make sure that the total of all products plugged into the wall outlet does not exceed 15 amperes. 11. Never push objects of any kind into this product through cabinet slots, as they may touch dangerous voltage points or short out parts that could result in a risk of fire or electric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind on the product. 12. Except as specifically explained in the User’s Manual, do not attempt to service this product yourself. Opening or removing those covers that are marked “Do Not Remove” may expose you to dangerous voltage points or other risks. Refer all servicing in those compartments to service personnel. 13. Unplug this product from the wall outlet and refer servicing to qualified service personnel under the following conditions: A. When the power cord or plug is damaged or frayed. B. If liquid has been spilled into the product. C. If the product has been exposed to rain or water. D. If the product does not operate normally when the operating instructions are followed. Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions, since improper adjustment of other controls may result in damage and will often require extensive work by a qualified technician to restore the product to normal operation. E. If the product has been dropped or the cabinet has been damaged. F. If the product exhibits a distinct change in performance, indicating a need for service. iv

1 Options.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 About This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Application Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Where to Get Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Chapter 1 Setting Up the Printer 1-1 Unpacking the Printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 Choosing a Place for the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4 Assembling the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6 Testing the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13 Connecting the Printer to Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22 Setting Up Your Application Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-25 Chapter 2 Paper Handling 2-1 Using Single Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2 Using Continuous Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6 Switching Between Continuous and Single Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13 Printing on Special Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20 Chapter 3 Using the Printer 3-1 Operating the Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2 Setting the DIP Switches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6 Page Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10 Skip Over Perforation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11 Adjusting the Loading Position. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12 Using Short Tear-Off. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14 Selecting Typestyles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17 Selecting an International Character Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20 Choosing a Character Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-22 Using the Data Dump Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24 Chapter 4 Software and Graphics 4-1 Enhancing Your Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2 Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9 User-defined Characters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-20 V

5-1 The Cut Sheet Feeder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2 The Pull Tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17 The Multi-Font Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28 The Interface Boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34 Chapter 6 Maintenance 6-1 Cleaning the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2 Replacing the Ribbon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4 Transporting the Printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10 Chapter 7 Troubleshooting 7-1 Problems and Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2 Power Supply .......................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . 7-4 Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5 Paper Handling.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14 Options.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-24 Chapter 8 Technical Specifications Printer Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Interface Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Option Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Initialization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1 . . . . . 8-2 . . . . . 8-9 . . . . . 8-13 . . . . . 8-15 Chapter 9 Command Summary 9-1 Using the Command Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2 Commands in Numerical Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5 Commands Arranged by Topic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8 Appendix A-1 Proportional Width Table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2 Character Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-6 Glossary Index vi

printer combining compact design and high performance with a wide range of features. Features In addition to the high-quality printing and ease of operation you have come to expect from Epson printers, the ActionPrinter 4000 offers the following features: Easy paper handling, featuring automatic single-sheet loading. Compatibility with the Epson ESC/P® commands used by the LQ-510, LQ-500, LQ-800, LQ-850, LQ-950, LQ-1000, LQ-1050, LQ-1500, LQ-2500, and LQ-2550. Fast draft mode printing of up to 180 characters per second. An improved control panel design that allows direct selection of character fonts, as well as a choice of normal or condensed printing. The SmartPark™ paper handling system that lets you use single sheets of paper without removing the continuous paper, eliminates paper waste with short tear-off, and allows easy and accurate paper alignment. Two built-in Letter Quality fonts (Roman and Sans Serif) for producing high-quality documents. A 360 x 360 dot per inch graphics mode. A micro-adjustment feature that allows you to feed the paper forward or backward to finely adjust the loading and short tear- off positions. Introduction 1

character table, and the Epson Extended Graphics character table. l The ability to handle a wide range of paper types, including envelopes and labels. Options A variety of printer options is available for use with your printer. For detailed information on installing and using these options, see Chapter 5. l Single-bin Cut Sheet Feeder (C806121) The cut sheet feeder makes it possible to handle single-sheet paper more easily and more efficiently. Up to 150 sheets of standard bond paper can be automatically fed into the printer without reloading. 2 Introduction

This option improves the performance of continuous paper handling. It is especially useful with continuous multi-part forms. Multi-Font Module (#7407) The optional Multi-Font module adds to the number of fonts available in the Letter Quality mode. Film Ribbon Cartridge (#7768) The optional film ribbon cartridge provides you with even higher quality printing than the standard fabric ribbon. Introduction 3

Optional interface boards are available to supplement the printer’s built-in parallel interface. Guidelines for choosing the right interface and instructions on installing the boards are given in Chapter 5. About This Manual This user’s manual provides fully illustrated, step-by-step instructions on setting up and operating your Epson printer. Finding your way around l Chapter 1 contains information on unpacking, setting up, testing, and connecting the printer. Be sure to read and follow these instructions first. Inside the back flap of this manual are illustrations of the printer in which all of the major parts are identified. l Chapters 2 and 3 cover paper handling and general printer operation. This important information is necessary for the day- to-day operation of your printer. 4 Introduction

includes advice on the use of software commands, graphics, and creating your own user-defined characters. See Chapter 9 for a useful summary of printer commands. If the printer does not operate properly or the printed results are not what you expect, see Chapter 7 for troubleshooting instructions. Other chapters and the appendix contain information on printer options, general maintenance, and specifications. You will also find a glossary of printer terms. At the back of this manual is a handy Quick Reference card that contains the information you are most likely to need. Conventions used in this manual WARNINGS must be followed carefully to avoid damage to your printer and computer. 01 t CAUTIONS should be followed carefully to ensure that 0 your printer operates correctly. Notes contain important information and useful tips on the operation of your printer. Application Notes Also included in the box with your printer is a booklet called Application Notes. It contains information on using specific software applications with your printer. Be sure to look at the booklet after you set up your printer. Introduction 5

Customer service for Epson products is provided by a network of authorized Epson Customer Care Centers throughout the United States. Call the Epson Consumer Information Center at 1-800-922-8911 for the following: l Customer Care Center referrals l Technical support referrals l Information on Epson User Groups. To locate or purchase accessories or supplies, contact your nearest Epson dealer or call 1-800-873-7766. 6 Introduction

Unpacking the Printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 Checking the Parts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 Choosing a Place for the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4 Assembling the Printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6 Installing the Platen Knob . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6 Installing the Ribbon Cartridge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7 Attaching the Paper Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10 Testing the Printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13 Plugging in the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13 Running the Self Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14 Checking the Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21 Connecting the Printer to Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22 The Parallel Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22 Setting Up Your Application Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-25 Choosing From a Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-25 Setting Up the Printer 1-1

Checking the Parts When you unpack the printer, make sure that you have all the parts shown below and that none have been damaged. Printer Platen knob Ribbon cartridge 1-2 Setting Up the Printer

ever need to transport your printer. Note: Be sure to lift the printer cover and remove the pieces of white packing material. Setting Up the Printer 1-3

There are several important things to consider when selecting a place to set up your printer. Keep the following in mind: Place the printer on a flat, hard, stable surface. A soft surface, such as a padded counter or carpeted area, will block the ventilation slots and may cause overheating. Place the printer close enough to the computer for the printer cable to reach. Leave adequate room around the printer to allow for easy printer operation and maintenance, and for unrestricted flow of air around the printer. Use a grounded outlet; do not use an adapter plug. ,.nr-ln I WARNING: Avoid locations that are subject to direct sunlight, excessive heat, moisture, or dust. I I Avoid electrical outlets controlled by wall switches or automatic timers. Accidental interruption of power can wipe out information in both your computer’s memory and in your printer’s memory. Avoid using outlets that share a circuit with large motors or electrical appliances; this could cause fluctuations in line voltage. Keep the entire computer system away from potential sources of electromagnetic interference such as loudspeakers or the base units of cordless telephones. 1-4 Setting Up the Printer

The illustration below shows a good printer location. Note: Before using a printer stand, read these requirements and suggestions. l The stand should be able to support at least twice the weight of the printer (approximately 26 pounds, or 12 kilograms). l Never use a stand that supports the printer at an angle of more than 15 degrees from horizontal. l With a cut sheet feeder, your printer must be kept level. l If your paper supply is positioned below the printer stand, make sure there is enough clearance to keep the paper from catching on the underside of the stand. Also, make sure the distance between the stand supports is wide enough for the paper you are using. l Position your printer’s cables so that they do not interfere with paper feeding. If possible, secure the cables to the printer stand. Setting Up the Printer 1-5

After you’ve decided on the best place to set up your printer, the next step is to install the platen knob. Installing the Platen Knob The platen knob is used to feed the paper manually in the event of a paper jam or other paper feeding problem. The platen knob is packed in an indentation in the printer’s white foam packing material. 1. Remove the printer cover. 2. Insert the knob into the hole on the printer’s side and rotate it slowly until it slips onto the shaft. 1-6 Setting Up the Printer

3. Push firmly on the platen knob until it fits against the printer case. 0t CAUTION: Do not use the platen knob to adjust the . position of the paper. This interferes with the automatic paper loading system and may cause a paper jam. Installing the Ribbon Cartridge Your printer’s ribbon cartridge is designed for easy installation and removal. Before installing the ribbon cartridge, make sure the printer is turned off. Install the ribbon cartridge as follows. 1. Slide the print head to the middle of the printer. Setting Up the Printer 1-7

0t CAUTION: Never move the print head while the printer is 0 turned on because this can damage the printer. Also, if you have been using the printer, the print head may be hot; let it cool for a few minutes before touching it. 2. Turn the ribbon-tightening knob in the direction of the arrow. This removes slack in the ribbon and makes it easier to install. 3. Open the paper tension unit cover. 1-8 Setting Up the Printer

4. Hold the ribbon cartridge by its handle and push it firmly down into position, making sure the plastic hooks fit into the slots. Note: Press lightly on both ends of the cartridge to make sure the plastic hooks are properly seated. 5. Use a pointed object, such as a ball point pen, to guide the ribbon between the print head and ribbon guide while you turn the ribbon-tightening knob to help feed the ribbon into place. Setting Up the Printer 1-9

6. Slide the print head from side to side to make sure it moves smoothly. Also check that the ribbon is not twisted or creased. 7. Close the paper tension unit cover. Attaching the Paper Guide When you use single sheets, the paper guide helps to feed the paper smoothly and efficiently into the printer. Attach the paper guide using the following procedure. 1-10 Setting Up the Printer

1. Place the paper guide on the printer as shown below. 2. Raise the paper guide until it locks into place. Note: To lower the paper guide, lift up slightly to release it from its locked position; then gently lower it down onto the printer. Setting Up the Printer 1-11

3. Attach the printer cover by fitting the hooks on the cover into the notches at the front of the printer and tilting the cover back into place. 1-12 Setting Up the Printer

Now that your printer is fully assembled, you can use its built-in self test function to see that the printer is working correctly before you connect it to a computer. You should perform this test to make sure that your printer was not damaged during shipping and that the ribbon is correctly installed. Before running the self test, you need to connect the printer to an electrical outlet and load a sheet of paper. Plugging in the Printer 1. Make sure that the printer is turned off. Setting Up the Printer 1-13

2. Plug the power cable into a properly grounded electrical outlet. Running the Self Test The self test can be run in the draft or Letter Quality mode, depending on which button you hold down as you turn on the printer. Although the self test can be run with continuous paper, use single-sheet paper now because single-sheet loading is easier. 1. Make sure the printer is turned off. 2. Push the paper release lever back to the single-sheet position. 1-14 Setting Up the Printer

3. While holding down the LINE FEED button (draft mode) or FORM FEED button (Letter Quality mode), turn on the printer. The printer beeps several times and POWER and PAPER OUT lights come on. Setting Up the Printer 1-15

4. Move the left edge guide so that it locks in place next to the guide mark. 5. Adjust the right edge guide to match the width of your paper. Next, slide a sheet of paper down between the edge guides until it meets resistance. 1-16 Setting Up the Printer

WARNING: Never run the self test using paper that is narrower than A4 size (8.27 inches or 210 mm) or letter size (8.5 inches or 216 mm) to prevent the print head from printing directly onto the platen. 6. Press the LOAD/EJECT button to load the paper. 7. Press the ON LINE button to start the self test. A list of DIP switch settings is printed first, followed by a series of characters. The self test continues until the paper runs out or until you press the ON LINE button. Setting Up the Printer 1-17

8. If the test results are satisfactory and you wish to stop the test, press the ON LINE button. If the test results are not satisfactory, see Checking the Operation later in this chapter for possible causes and solutions. Note: To resume the test, press the ON LINE button once more. 9. If the paper is still loaded, press the LOAD/EJECT button or LINE FEED button to eject it. Then turn off the printer. WARNING: After turning the power off, always wait at least five seconds before turning it back on. Turning the power on and off rapidly can damage the printer. 1-18 Setting Up the Printer

Here is part of a typical self test printed in draft mode. Draft mode Country USA France Germany U.K. Denmark Sweden Italy Spain Font Roman Sans serif Slot D r a f t condensed Invalid SW1-1 1-2 1-3 on on on on on off on off On on off Off off on on off on off off off on off off off SW1-4 1-5 off Off on off off on on SC6 o f f Page length 11" 12" Tear off mod Invalid Valid 1"Skip Invalid Valid Auto LF Invalid Valid Receive buff 1kbytes 8kbytes Graphics pri $%&'()"i-,- ./0123456789:;<=> ?@ARCDEFGHXJKLMNC %a'(>*+,- ./0123456789:; <=>?@ABCDEFGHI\JKLMNClF is'()*+,- ./0123456789:; ~=>?@hBCDEFGHTJKLeMNOP~ '(>*+,- ./0123456789:; <~>?@ABCDEFGH~JKLMNOPQR O*+-,- ./0123456789:; ~=>?@~BCDEFGHIJKLMNQPgRS >*+,- ./cu23456789:; <=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST :c + , -- ./ou3456789:; c=>?@hBCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTlJ f,-. /0123456789:;~= >?@ABCDEFGtlIJKCMNOPQRSTUV ,--./0123456789:; <=>,?@ABCDEFGHTJKLMNOPQRSTUVW Note: When using the optional cut sheet feeder, the first page of the self test printout is slightly different. For details, see the Cut Sheet Feeder section in Chapter 5. Setting Up the Printer 1-19

Here is part of a typical self test printed in Letter Quality mode. Letter Quality mode Country USA France Germany U.K. Denmark Sweden Italy Spain Font Roman Sans serif Slot Draft SW1-1 1-2 1-3 on on on on on off on off on on off off off on on off on off off off on off off off SW1-4 1-5 off off on off off on on on Page length 11" 12” Tear off mode Invalid Valid 1"Skip Invalid Valid Auto LF Invalid Valid Receive buff. 1kbytes 1 Condensed SW1-6 8kbytes #$%&'()*+,-, $%&J()*+,- ./0123456789: ;<=>?CABCDEFGHIJKLMN( %&'( )*+,- ./0123456789*.;<=>?CABCDEFGHIJKLMNOI &'()*+,- ./0123456789: ;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPC ‘()*+J-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQF S a n s S e r i f 1 0 ()*+J- ./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRf \.I.. ‘mrnrr.r..TrrA I . Al. -A~rv-CLI IT ,111 L,., el-,mnm-l 1-20 Setting Up the Printer

Checking the Operation If the self test does not print properly, check the control panel and the print head area. If paper is jammed, turn off the printer. Then remove the paper using the platen knob and load a new sheet. See that all packing material and shipping restraints have been removed from inside the printer. (You can also see Chapter 7 for further information.) Problem Solution The printer does not print. The printer sounds like it is printing, but nothing is printed. The test did not print when you pressed the ON LINE button. The ribbon may not be installed properly. Turn off the printer, reinstall the ribbon cartridge, and then tighten the ribbon by turning the ribbon-tightening knob. Make sure the ribbon passes between the print head and ribbon guide. See page 1-9. The ribbon may be worn. Replace the ribbon cartridge. See page 6-4. Turn off the printer and repeat the self test. Make sure you hold down the FORM FEED or LINE FEED button the entire time you are turning on the printer. Turn off the printer and disconnect the cable from the host computer. Try the self test again. If the printer still does not print the self test correctly, contact the store where you purchased your printer or call the Epson toll-free number (1-800-922-8911). Setting Up the Printer 1-21

If the self test printed correctly, you are now ready to connect the printer to your computer. If your computer has a parallel interface and you have a suitable shielded cable, you should be able to connect your printer immediately. The steps below describe how to connect the parallel interface cable. If your computer requires another type of interface, you need to install an optional interface board. See the Interface Boards section in Chapter 5. If you are not sure which type of interface cable is required, see your computer manual. The Parallel Interface Connect the parallel interface cable as described below: 1. Make sure that both your printer and computer are turned off. 1-22 Setting Up the Printer

2. Plug the cable connector securely into the printer. 3. Squeeze the wire clips together until they lock in place on either side of the connector. Setting Up the Printer 1-23

4. If your cable has a ground wire, connect it to the ground screw beneath the interface connector. 5. Plug the other end of the cable into the computer. If there is a ground wire at the computer end of the cable, attach it to the ground connector at the back of the computer. 1-24 Setting Up the Printer

Now that you have set up and tested the ActionPrinter 4000, you should make sure that it works with your application programs. Most application programs let you specify the type of printer you are using so that the program can take full advantage of the printer’s features. Many of these programs provide an installation or setup menu that presents a list of printers to choose from. If your application program has a printer selection menu, use the instructions below. Choosing From a Menu Because the family of Epson printers shares a great many commands, you can use an application program even if it does not list the ActionPrinter 4000 on its printer selection menu. If the ActionPrinter 4000 is not listed, choose one of the following printers. They are listed in order of preference. LQ-510 LQ-800 (LQ-1000) LQ-850 (LQ-950, LQ-1050) SQ-2500 LQ-500 LQ-2500 LQ-2550 LQ-1500 If none of these printers is listed, select the first one available on the following list: LQ LX Epson printer EX RX Standard printer FX MX Draft printer To use all of the features of the ActionPrinter 4000, however, it is best to use a program with the 4000 or one of the LQ printers on its menu. If your program does not list the 4000 or one of the LQ printers, contact the software manufacturer to see if an update is available. Setting Up the Printer 1-25

2-2 Loading Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2 Reloading During Printing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5 Using Continuous Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6 Positioning Your Continuous Paper Supply. . . . . . . . . . 2-6 Loading Continuous Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7 Switching Between Continuous and Single Sheets . . . . . . 2-13 Switching to Single Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13 Switching Back to Continuous Paper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17 Printing on Special Paper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20 The Paper Thickness Lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20 Multi-part Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-23 Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-24 Envelopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-26 Paper Handling 2-1

Your printer can accommodate single sheets with a width of 7.2 inches or 182 mm to 10 inches or 254 mm. If you do most of your printing on single sheets, you may find it more convenient to install the optional cut sheet feeder. This option automatically inserts a new sheet and can hold up to 150 pages. For more details, see Chapter 5. Loading Paper 1. Push the paper release lever back to the single-sheet position. 2-2 Paper Handling

2. Turn on the printer. (The green POWER light should come on.) Note: Do not insert paper in the printer before turning on the printer. 3. Move the left edge guide so that it locks in place next to the guide mark. (You may want to change this position later, depending on the margin settings of your application program.) Paper Handling 2-3

4. Adjust the right edge guide to match the width of your paper. Then slide the paper down between the edge guides until it meets resistance. 5. Press the LOAD/EJECT button once to load the paper automatically. 2-4 Paper Handling

CAUTION: Never advance the paper using the platen knob while the printer is turned on. If the platen turns it more firmly. Then press the LOAD/EJECT button again. 6. Press the ON LINE button to set the printer on line. When the ON LINE light is lit, the printer can accept data from your computer. You are now ready to begin printing. Reloading During Printing When you print a document of more than one page using single- sheet paper, the printer stops printing when it reaches the bottom of the page. When this happens, the ON LINE light either goes off automatically or remains on, depending on your application program software. If the ON LINE light remains on, the first thing you should do is press the ON LINE button to take the printer off line. Once the ON LINE light is off, remove the sheet that has just been printed (if necessary, press the LOAD/EJECT button to eject the page) and load a new sheet. Press the ON LINE button to start printing the next page and follow any additional prompts from your software. Paper Handling 2-5

The push tractor built into your printer is remarkably easy to load and operate. Its low-profile design takes up little space and can handle paper up to 10 inches or 254 mm wide. Positioning Your Continuous Paper Supply An important consideration for achieving smooth and trouble-free paper feeding is the position of your paper supply. Three ways of positioning your printer and continuous paper supply are shown below. Be sure to align the paper supply with the paper loaded in the tractor so that the paper feeds smoothly into the printer. 2-6 Paper Handling

Loading Continuous Paper 1. Be sure that the printer is turned off, then remove the paper guide. Set the paper release lever to the continuous paper position. This position is marked by the icon shown in the illustration below. 2. Release the sprocket units by pulling the sprocket lock levers forward as shown below. Paper Handling 2-7

3. Slide the left sprocket unit until it is one-half inch from the farthest left position and press the lever back to lock it in place. 4. Slide the right sprocket unit so that it roughly matches the width of your paper, but do not lock it. 2-8 Paper Handling

5. Move the paper support midway between the two sprocket units. 6. Open both sprocket covers. 0t CAUTION: Make sure that your paper has a clean, straight . edge before inserting it into the printer. Paper Handling 2-9

7. Fit the first three holes in the paper over the pins of both sprockets. 8. Close the sprocket covers. 2-10 Paper Handling

9. Slide the right sprocket unit to a position where the paper is straight and has no wrinkles. Then lock it in place. 10. Reattach the paper guide as shown below. Then slide the edge guides apart to the sides of the paper guide as shown. Paper Handling 2-11

11. Turn on the printer. It will beep because there is no paper in the printer. Then press the LOAD/EJECT button to feed paper to the loading position. 12. Press the ON LINE button to set the printer on line so that it can accept data. The printer remembers the loading position and advances each page to the same position. If you need to adjust the loading position, use the micro-adjustment feature. See the section on setting the loading position in Chapter 3. 0 1 CAUTION: Never adjust the loading position using the . platen knob and never turn the platen knob while the printer is turned on. 2-12 Paper Handling

Even with continuous paper loaded in the printer, the SmartPark feature allows you to easily switch to single-sheet printing without removing the continuous paper from the tractor. Switching to Single Sheets To switch from continuous paper to single sheets, follow the steps below. 1. If the printer is on line, press the ON printer off line. LINE button to set the 2. Tear off any outgoing sheets. If the paper has advanced past the print head, you need to press the FORM FEED button to advance your document to a point where it can be easily removed. Paper Handling 2-13

0t0 CAUTION: Make sure you tear off your printed document before pressing the LOAD/EJECT button. Reverse-feeding several pages at a time may result in a paper jam. This is especially true for narrow paper (less than 6 inches or 152.4 mm wide). 3. Press the LOAD/EJECT button to feed the continuous paper backward out of the printer and into the standby position. The paper is still attached to the tractor but no longer in the paper path. 0t. CAUTION: Pressing the LOAD/EJECT button once may not feed the paper far back enough to reach the standby position. If the PAPER OUT light does not come on, you need to press the LOAD/EJECT button again. With normal- width continuous paper, you can press the LOAD/EJECT button up to three times. If, however, you are using narrow paper (between 4 and 6 inches or 101.6 and 152.4 mm) you should only press the LOAD/EJECT button once. Also, do not use this button to eject labels. WARNING: Never feed labels backward through the printer. Labels can easily come off 2-14 Paper Handling

4. Push the paper release lever back to the single-sheet position. This position is marked by the icon shown in the illustration below. 5. Stand the paper guide upright and adjust the edge guides to roughly match the width of your paper. Paper Handling 2-15

6. 7. Insert a sheet of paper between the edge guides until the bottom meets resistance. Slide the edge guides to exactly match the width of your paper. Press the LOAD/EJECT button to automatically feed the single- sheet paper to the loading position. Then, press the ON LINE button to set the printer on line. 2-16 Paper Handling

Switching Back to Continuous Paper It is also easy to switch back to printing with continuous paper. Before switching to continuous paper, make sure that the single sheet is ejected and the printer is off line. 1. Slide the edge guides apart so they do not interfere with continuous paper feeding. 2. Lower the paper guide onto the printer. Paper Handling 2-17

3. Pull the paper release lever forward to the continuous paper position. 4. Press the LOAD/EJECT button to feed the continuous paper to the loading position. 2-18 Paper Handling

5. Press the ON LINE button to set the printer on line so that it can accept data. Paper Handling 2-19

In addition to printing on single sheets and continuous paper, your printer can also print on a wide variety of paper types, including multi-part forms, labels, and envelopes. Before printing on special types of paper, you need to change the paper thickness setting. WARNING: When printing on multi-part forms, labels, or envelopes, make sure that your application program settings keep the printing entirely within the printable area. For multi-part forms and labels you should not print any closer than one-half inch from either side of the paper. For information on the printable area for envelopes, see page 2-26. The Paper Thickness Lever To accommodate various thicknesses of paper, your printer is equipped with a paper thickness lever that can be set to seven positions. These positions are identified by a scale on the printer next to the lever. 2-20 Paper Handling

To change the paper thickness setting, follow these steps. 1. Make sure that the printer is turned off. Then remove the printer cover. bl WARNING: If the printer has just been in use, the print head may be hot. Allow it to cool before touching it. 2. Slide the print head to the middle of the printer. Paper Handling 2-21

3. Select the paper thickness you want according to the table below. For normal use, the lever should always be set to position 2 on the scale. Paper Type Lever Position Paper (single sheets or continuous) 2 Thin paper 2 24 lb paper 3 Multi-part forms 2-sheet 3 3-sheet 4 Labels 4 Envelopes Air mail 4 or 5 Plain 6 Bond (20 lb) 6 Bond (24 lb) 7 Note: Lever position 1 is used only when the printed characters are too light. Setting the lever to position 1 when you are using thin paper may damage the print head. l If the lever is set to position 4 or higher, the printing speed may be reduced slightly. 2-22 Paper Handling

4. Reattach the printer cover as shown below. To help you check the position of the paper thickness lever, the orange MULTI-PART light on the control panel comes on if the lever is set to position 4 or higher. WARNING: Always return the lever to position 2 when you go back to printing on ordinary paper. Continuous printing with the lever set at a position higher than 2 can shorten the life of the print head. Printing past the edge of envelopes, multi-part forms, labels, or thicker-than- normal paper can damage the print head. Multi-part Forms With the built-in tractor unit, your printer can print on continuous multi-part forms. You can use multi-part forms that have up to three parts including the original. Make sure you set the paper thickness lever to the proper position; see the table on page 2-22. Paper Handling 2-23

Except for the paper thickness lever setting, you load multi-part paper the same way as continuous paper. For details, see the section on loading continuous paper in this chapter. Also see the sections on setting the loading position and page length in Chapter 3. 0t CAUTION: Multi-part forms should not be used with the a single-sheet feeding system or the optional cut sheet feeder. Labels If you need to print labels, always use labels mounted on a continuous backing sheet with sprocket holes for use with a tractor. Do not try to print labels as single sheets because labels on a shiny backing sheet almost always slip a little. 2-24 Paper Handling

You load labels the same way that you load continuous paper except that the paper thickness lever must be adjusted for printing labels. See the section on loading continuous paper earlier in this chapter. For the correct paper thickness setting, see the table on page 2-22. WARNING: Never feed labels backward through the printer. Labels can easily peel off the backing and jam the printer. Therefore, never use the LOAD/EJECT button to eject labels. Also, never use the short tear-off function with labels. (Be sure to set DIP switch 2-2 to OFF.) If a label does become stuck in the printer, call the Epson Consumer Information Center at 1-800-922-8911 for assistance. Since labels are especially sensitive to temperature and humidity, always use them under normal operating conditions. Don’t leave labels loaded in the printer between jobs; they curl around the platen and may jam when you resume printing. Paper Handling 2-25

Envelopes You can feed envelopes individually using the single-sheet loading feature. Before loading envelopes, adjust the position of the paper thickness lever according to the table on page 2-22. For details on paper handling, see Using Single Sheets on page 2-2. When manually feeding an envelope, you may have to push it down slightly while pressing the LOAD/EJECT button to get it to feed properly. 0t l CAUTION: The printable area for envelopes is shown on the next page. The print head must not go past the left or right edge of the envelope or other thick paper. Make sure that your application program page setup keeps the printing entirely within this printable area. 2-26 Paper Handling

8.5 mm (0.33”) or more 22 mm (0.87”) or more is only available at normal temperature (41°F to 95°F or 5°C to 35°C). I To make sure that the printing fits within the printable area, always print a test sample using a normal sheet of paper before printing on envelopes. Paper Handling 2-27

Operating the Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2 Setting the DIP Switches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6 Changing a DIP Switch Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6 The DIP Switch Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7 The DIP Switch Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9 Page Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10 Skip Over Perforation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11 Adjusting the Loading Position. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12 The Loading Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12 Using Micro-adjustment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13 Using Short Tear-off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14 Adjusting the Tear-off Position. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15 Selecting Typestyles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17 Character Fonts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18 Condensed Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19 Selecting an International Character Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20 Choosing a Character Table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-22 Using the Data Dump Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24 Using the Printer 3-1

The indicator lights give you the current status of the printer. The buttons and paper handling functions let you control many of the printer settings. Lights ~~~~~~e~giJj+ihiy2s aPOWER- higher. When this light is $l~l;l- 0 READY- 0 PAPER OUT- I’ 1 blinking, the micro-adjustment - SelecType _ _ _ _ _ 00 = = DRAFT O” ROMAN no SANS SERIF o = SLOT 1 function can be used. POWER (green) On when the POWER switch is on and power is supplied. FONT II I LINE FEED iz I LOAD 0 CONDENSED /EJECT -.- 1 I, -READY (green) On when the printer is ready to accept input data. Flickers during printing. -PAPER OUT (red) On when the printer is out of paper or when continuous paper is in the standby position. ON LINE (green) On when the printer is on line and ready to accept data. 3-2 Using the Printer

Buttons 0 POWER 0 Ftl; I - 0 READY 0 PAPER OUT no SANS SERIF LOAD 0 CONDENSED /EJECT -ON LINE This button controls the printer’s on line and off line status. Press this button to put the printer on line or to take it off line. When the printer is on line, the ON LINE light is on and the printer can receive and print data from the computer. r FORM FEED When the printer is off line, press this button to eject a single sheet of paper or to advance continuous paper to the top of the next page. LINE FEED When the printer is off line, press this button to advance the paper one line, or hold it down to advance the paper continuously. L LOAD/EJECT This button is used to feed paper to the loading position or to eject paper that is already loaded. Paper is ejected forward if the paper release lever is set to the single-sheet position and backward (out of the paper path) if the release lever is set to the continuous paper position. Using the Printer 3-3

SelecType I FONT DFQWER 0 FlLfI - 0 READY 0 PAPER OUT 0 CONDENSED 0 ON LINE LOAD/EJECT This button is used to select LQ ROMAN, LQ SANS SERIF, DRAFT mode, or a cartridge font (if installed). The two orange indicator lights show the selected font. See Selecting Typestyles later in this chapter. -CONDENSED This button is used to turn the condensed mode on and off. The orange indicator light is on when the printer is in the condensed mode. In the condensed mode, all characters are printed at approximately 60 percent of their normal width. 3-4 Using the Printer

Other control panel features The control panel of your printer also gives you access to several special functions. Self test: Both a draft and Letter Quality self test function are built into the printer. The self test printout lets you check the current DIP switch settings and operating status of the printer. You can start the printer’s self test by holding down the LINE FEED button or the FORM FEED button while turning on the printer. See the section on the self test in Chapter 1 for more information. Micro-adjustment: By pressing the FORM FEED button immediately after loading paper or when using short tear-off, you can make fine adjustments to the loading and short tear-off positions. These positions can only be adjusted while the MULTI-PART light is blinking. See the sections on adjusting the loading position and using the short tear-off function later in this chapter. Data dump: By holding down both the LINE FEED and FORM FEED buttons while you switch on the printer, you turn on the data dump mode. This feature allows advanced users to locate the source of communications problems between the computer and printer. See the section on using the data dump mode on page 3-24 for more information. Using the Printer 3-5

Your printer has two sets of DIP (Dual Inline Package) switches located under a small cover above the control panel. By changing the settings of these switches, you can control various printer features, such as the character set and page length. The new settings become effective when the printer is turned on, reset, or initialized. DIP switch settings are shown in the DIP switch tables starting on page 3-7. Descriptions of all the DIP switch functions begin on page 3-9. Changing a DIP Switch Setting To change a DIP switch setting, first turn off the printer. Then open the DIP switch cover and use a pointed object, such as a pen, to change the DIP switch settings. A DIP switch is on when it is up, and off when it is down. The new DIP switch settings take effect when the printer is turned on. 3-6 Using the Printer

The DIP Switch Tables The tables below show the settings for each DIP switch. The shaded areas show the default or factory settings. DIP switch 1 SW Description ON I OFF Page 1-1 international character set See table 1 3-20 1-2 1-3 --i--l DIP switch 2 I I SW Description I ON I OFF 3 12 inches On 1 2-3 1 l-inch skip over perforation I On 1 2-4 1 Auto line feed I On buffer capacity 8KB -~ 1 2-6 1 Graphics print direction I Bidirect. 2-7 Character spacing I I 2-8 See table 3 3-8 I I l Required for use of user-defined (download) characters. Using the Printer 3-7

Table 1 International character sets Country SW1-1 SW1-2 SW1-3 France ON ON OFF Germany ON OFF ON UK ON OFF OFF Denmark OFF ON ON Sweden OFF ON OFF Italy Spain OFF OFF ON OFF OFF OFF Table 2 Font selection Table 3 Character spacing cpi: characters per inch. 3-8 Using the Printer

The DIP Switch Functions Auto line feed When auto line feed is on (DIP switch 2-4 on), each carriage return code (CR) is automatically followed by a line feed code (LF). Input buffer capacity The input buffer stores data from your computer. If you want to free your computer for other tasks while the printer prints, change the setting of switch 2-5 to 8 KB (on). Before using user-defined characters, however, be sure to set the input buffer to 1 KB (off). Printing direction With unidirectional printing, the print head prints in one direction only. This allows for precise vertical alignment, making it ideal for printing graphics such as lines and boxes. When DIP switch 2-6 is off, the printer prints unidirectionally; when it is on, the printer prints bidirectionally. Either setting can be overridden by a software command (ESC U). To achieve precise vertical alignment without the slower printing speed caused by unidirectional printing, see your authorized service dealer for adjustment of your bidirectional print settings. Tear-off mode When DIP switch 2-2 is on, the short tear-off mode is on. This feature automatically advances continuous paper to the tear-off position, and then reverse-feeds the paper to the loading position. See the section on using short tear-off later in this chapter. CAUTION: Do not use the short tear-off mode with labels. Using the Printer 3-9

11 inches, or 27.94 cm. When it is on, the page length is 12 inches, or 30.48 cm. Be sure to set the page length to match the paper you are using. Other page lengths can be set using the commands ESC C and ESC C 0. See the Command Summary in Chapter 9 for details. 01 01 01 O1 DIP SW2-1 Ol Ol OFF ?I X i 11-inch page length :j Ol 01 01 ON 12-inch page length 3-10 Using the Printer

By changing the setting of DIP switch 2-3, you can set skip over perforation to on or off. If this feature is on when using continuous paper, a one-inch margin is provided between the last printable line on one page and the first printable line on the next page. This feature is very convenient if your application program does not provide for top and bottom margins. If you adjust your loading position correctly, you can get half of the margin at the bottom of one page and half at the top of the next page, as shown in the following illustration. DIP switch 2-3 ON (Skip over perforation ON) l 23456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ[\]' 3456789: ;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^- a 456789: ; l 56789:; <=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^-' <=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^-'z 6789 : ;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^-'a1 Using the Printer 3-11

The Loading Position The loading position is the position of the paper when it has been automatically loaded by the printer. This position is important because it determines where the printing begins on the page. If the printing is too high or too low on the page, change the loading position using the micro-adjustment feature described in the next section. 01 l CAUTION: Never use the platen knob to feed paper except in case of a paper jam or other paper feeding problem. (If you need to use the platen knob, make sure the power is off.) If you need to adjust the loading position, always use the micro-adjustment feature. Until the loading position is reset, the printer remembers this position even if it is turned off, and uses it as a reference point for feeding paper. The micro-adjustment feature moves the paper in 1/180-inch increments to make fine adjustments to the loading position. Once you have used micro-adjustment to change the loading position of continuous paper, the printer remembers that position even after it is turned off. However, when you use micro-adjustment to change the loading position of single-sheet paper, the printer does not remember this position after the power is turned off. When the power is turned back on, the loading position returns to its factory setting. 3-12 Using the Printer

Using Micro-adjustment 1. Make sure that the printer is turned on and that either a single sheet or continuous paper is ready to be loaded. 2. Press the LOAD/EJECT button to feed paper to the loading position. Then press the ON LINE button; the MULTI-PART light begins to blink. I:::: MULTI - PART Note: You can use the FORM FEED and LINE FEED buttons for micro-adjustment only while the MULTI-PART light is blinking. 3. Press the FORM FEED button to feed the paper forward or the LINE FEED button to feed the paper backward. Note: When the paper reaches the factory-set loading position, the printer beeps and micro-adjustment feeding pauses for a moment before continuing. You can use this factory setting as a reference point when adjusting the printer’s loading position. When the paper reaches either the minimum or maximum top margin, the printer beeps and the paper stops moving. Using the Printer 3-13

When you are finished printing, the short tear-off feature automatically feeds the perforation of the continuous paper to the tear-off edge of the printer cover so that you can tear off the last sheet. When you resume printing, the paper feeds backward to the loading position. This feature lets you save the paper normally lost between documents. To use this feature, set DIP switch 2-2 to on. Then load continuous paper in the normal way. You can leave the short tear-off feature turned on (DIP switch 2-2 on) even when you are using single sheets. When you move the paper release lever to the single-sheet position, the short tear-off feature is disabled. WARNING: Never use short tear-off with labels. Otherwise, labels may come off their backing and jam the printer. When you have finished printing, and if the perforation is at the top of form position, the printer automatically feeds the perforation of the continuous paper to the tear-off edge of the printer cover. You can then tear off the page using the tear-off edge as shown on the next page. 3-14 Using the Printer

If the page perforation is not properly aligned with the tear-off edge, you can adjust the tear-off position using micro-adjustment, as described below. Note: Short tear-off is not performed unless printing of a page is completed and the paper has advanced to the top of the next page. If the paper has not advanced to the top of the next page, press the ON LINE button to put the printer off line and press the FORM FEED button to advance the paper. Then put the printer back on line and paper will feed to the tear-off position. When you resume printing after tearing off the sheet, the paper automatically feeds backward to the loading position before printing begins. Adjusting the Tear-off Position If the paper’s perforation does not meet the tear-off edge, you can adjust the tear-off position using the micro-adjustment feature. Using the Printer 3-15

1. Make sure the printer feeds the paper to the tear-off position after printing the document. 2. The MULTI-PART light should begin blinking, indicating that you can now use the micro-adjustment feature to make fine adjustments to the tear-off position. 3. To make fine adjustments to the tear-off position, press the FORM FEED button to feed the paper forward or the LINE FEED button to feed it backward. You can now tear off your document from the perforation and resume printing. The printer remembers this new tear-off position even after the printer is turned off and on again. 3-16 Using the Printer

character fonts, widths, and other enhancements from the SelecType control panel or by using software commands. This section describes only the features controlled by SelecType. To use software commands, see the Command Summary in Chapter 9. You can use the SelecType section of the control panel to choose fonts and condensed printing. Orange lights indicate which features you have chosen. III On DRAFT = o ROMAN = o SANS SERIF =‘OSLOT FONT 0 Note: The settings you select using the SelecType panel remain valid until the printer is turned off or until it receives other instructions from software. However, some application programs are designed to control all typestyle functions. These programs cancel all previous typestyle settings by sending certain software commands before printing. Because these commands override SelecType settings, you should use the program’s print options instead of SelecType to select your typestyles. If SelecType does not work with a particular application, check your software manual for instructions on selecting typestyles. Using the Printer 3-17

ROMAN !"#$%&'()*t,-./0123456789:;<=>?BABCDEFGHIJK LMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ'C§^-'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuv . . , ^ . . . 0 wxyzg~~"Cueaaaa~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ iififi~Qir7+f i <<>> SANS SERIF The DRAFT mode uses fewer dots per character for high-speed printing, which makes it ideal for rough drafts and editing work. ROMAN and SANS SERIF are Letter Quality (LQ) fonts. Letter Quality takes a little longer to print, but produces nicely formed characters suitable for most documentation requirements. Other fonts are available on optional font cartridges. See Multi-Font Module in Chapter 5. 3-18 Using the Printer

characters. In the condensed mode, characters are approximately 60 percent of the width of normal characters. Hence, condensed printing is very useful for spreadsheets and other applications where you need to print the maximum amount of information on a page. You can combine the condensed mode with 10 and 12 cpi printing, but not proportional and 15 cpi. To select the condensed mode, simply press the CONDENSED button so that the orange indicator light comes on. To turn off the condensed mode, press the button again. The following printout compares normal 10 and 12 cpi with condensed 10 and 12 cpi. The condensed 10 cpi is 17 cpi, and the condensed 12 cpi is 20 cpi. This is 10 CPI printing. This is condensed 10 CPI printing, This is 12 CPI printing. This is condensed 12 CPI printing, Using the Printer 3-19

International character sets provide you with the characters and symbols used in other languages. You can select one of eight international character sets by changing the DIP switch settings. Whenever the printer is turned on, reset, or initialized, the character set selected by the DIP switches becomes the default character set. To select an international character set, set DIP switches 1-1, 1-2, and 1-3 according to the table below. This table also shows the characters that differ in each international character set. Country ASCII code hex DIP SW 23 24 40 5B 5C 5D 5E 60 7B 7C 7D 7E 1-1 1-2 1-3 0 U.S.A. # $ @ [ \ ] ^ ' { | } ~ ON ON ON 1 France # $ ii o q § A ’ d h & ” ON ON OFF 2 Germany # $ § x 0 ti A ’ 8 8 ii 13 ON OFF ON 3 U.K. E $ @ [ \ ] ^ ' { | } ~ ON OFF OFF 4 Denmark # $ @ B 0 A A ’ Be PI it Is OFF ON ON 5 Sweden #llEXUAA~C ii g ii OFF ON OFF 6 Italy # $ @ o \ 6 A h ii b 2 i OFF OFF ON 7 Spain R $ @ i R i A ’ *’ ii } * OFF OFF OFF 07 CAUTION: To change the setting of a DIP switch, first turn l off the printer, change the DIP switch setting, and then turn the printer back on. 3-20 Using the Printer

In addition to the eight character sets shown above, the seven international character sets that follow can be selected with a software command: ESC R. For more information, see the Command Summary in Chapter 9. Country ASCII code hex 23 24 40 5B 5C 5D 5E 60 7B 7C 7D 7E 8 Japan #$@[Yl^‘{11” 9 Norway #r.lBA0A~iitle0Ati 10 Denmark II #$BfE0AUfa?0AB 11 Spain II #$&iRik’ifi6ti 12 Latin America # $ 6 i fi i 6 ii i fi 6 ti 13 Korea #$er#I*‘rI}” 64 Legal # $ &J D ’ )) g c 0 @ .f m Using the Printer 3-21

DIP switch 1-7 selects either the italic character table or the Epson Extended Graphics character table. The Epson Extended Graphics character table contains international accented characters, Greek characters, mathematic symbols, and character graphics for printing lines, corners, and shaded areas. If you have an IBM® or IBM-compatible computer, select the Epson Extended Graphics table when you wish to print character graphics as they are displayed on the screen. Even if you select Epson Character Graphics, you can still print ordinary text and italics. For italics, see the description of the ESC 4 command in the Command Summary, Chapter 9. Note: In most cases, Epson Extended Graphics is the preferred selection. Sample printouts of the italic characters and the Epson Extended Graphics characters are shown below. Italics !"#$%&'()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFG HIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^_'abcdefghijklmno pqrstuvwxyz{:}~ Epson Extended Graphics Qi6$ifi&Qi r7*+ i <<>>.,;:ij;:?g 3-22 Using the Printer

To select a character table, set DIP switch 1-7 according to the table below. 0t CAUTION: To change the setting of a DIP switch, first turn 0 off the printer, change the DIP switch, and then turn the printer back on. Tables showing which characters are printed in each of the character tables are listed in the Appendix. Using the Printer 3-23

The data dump mode is a special feature that makes it easy for experienced users to identify the cause of communication problems between the printer and application programs. The data dump mode gives a printout of the codes reaching the printer. To use the data dump mode, follow these steps: 1. Make sure that the printer is loaded with either single-sheet or continuous paper. 3-24 Using the Printer

2. If the printer is on, switch it off, then hold down the FORM FEED and LINE FEED buttons at the same time you turn on the printer. 3. Run any program that causes the printer to print (either an application program or one in any programming language). Your printer prints out all the codes sent to the printer, as shown below. (In order to print the last line, you will have to take the printer off line.) 1B 4 0 1 B 5 2 0 0 1B 7 4 0 1 1B 5 0 1 B 7 0 0 0 . @ . R . . t . . 6 . . P . p . 2 0 2 0 5 4 6 8 6 9 7 3 2 0 6 ’ 6 E 2 0 6 5 7 8 6 1 T h i s i s a n e x a 6 D 7 0 6 C 6 5 2 0 6 F 6 6 6 1 7 4 6 1 2 0 6 4 m p l e o f a d a t a d 7 5 6 D 7 0 2 0 7 0 7 2 6 9 7 4 2 E 2 0 5 4 6 8 u m p p r i n t o u t . T h 6 9 7 3 2 0 6 6 6 5 6 1 7 4 5 2 0 6 D 6 1 6 B 6 5 7 3 i s f e a t u r e m a k e s 0 A 2 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 6 9 5 6 1 7 3 7 9 2 0 6 6 6 F it fo e a s y On the left side of the printout all the codes are printed in hexadecimal format. On the right side of the printout all printable characters are printed, and others, such as control codes, are represented by dots. Using the Printer 3-25

4. To turn off the data dump mode after you have taken the printer off line, turn off the printer. By comparing the characters printed in the text field on the right side of the data dump printout (see step 3) with the printout of hex codes, you can check which codes are being sent to the printer. To interpret the data dump printout, examine the first three hex codes on the second line of the printout sample (20 20 54). Each hex code 20 represents a space; hex code 54 represents the letter T. Check the second line of the text field on the right side of the printout and you will find the letter T preceded by two spaces. The chart below interprets the first eight codes. Hex codes Command 1B 40 ESC 1B 52 00 ESC R 0 1B 74 01 ESC t1 Function Initialize printer Select USA character set Select Epson Extended Graphics set 3-26 Using the Printer

Enhancing Your Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2 Character Spacing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2 Character Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3 Special Effects and Emphasis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4 Selecting Typestyles With Master Select . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6 Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9 The Print Head. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10 The Graphics Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13 Column Reservation Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14 A Simple Graphics Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14 Designing Your Own Graphics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15 User-defined Characters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-20 Designing Your Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-20 Defining Your Characters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-22 Sending Information to Your Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-24 Printing User-defined Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-27 Copying ROM Characters to RAM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-28 Letter Quality Characters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29 Mixing Print Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-30 Software and Graphics 4-1

You can obtain a wide variety of printing effects with your printer, from changing the number of characters per inch to using special effects on selected words and phrases. This section gives you a sampling of the features you may select with your software. For software control of these features, see the instructions for your application programs or look up their specific commands in the Command Summary in Chapter 9. Character Spacing To add greater variety to your documents, your printer has three cpi spacings, as well as proportional spacing. Each one can be selected with a software command. For each of the three built-in fonts, you can choose a character spacing of 10, 12, or 15 characters per inch, or proportional spacing. The printout below compares the three spacings: This is 10 cpi printing. This is 12 cpi printing. This is 15 cpi printing. As shown above, 15 cpi characters are only about two-thirds the height of 10 and 12 cpi characters. This makes 15 cpi particularly useful when you want to separate certain material from the main text. In fixed cpi spacing each character is given the same amount of space. The width of proportional characters, however, varies from character to character. For example, a narrow letter like i takes less space than a wide letter like W. The width of each proportional character is given in the Appendix. 4-2 Software and Graphics

The following printout compares 10 cpi spacing with proportional spacing: T h i s i s 1 0 c p i p r i n t i n g . This is proportional printing. Note: Proportional spacing is not available in the draft mode. Character Size In addition to the basic cpi spacings and proportional spacing, your printer offers three other modes that can change the size of your printing. These modes are double-wide, double-high, and condensed. The double-wide mode doubles the width of any size character, while the double-high mode doubles the height of any size character. These modes are useful for emphasizing document titles and headings in reports, but are usually not suitable for large amounts of text. These modes can also be combined to obtain even more impressive printing results. T h i s i s n o r m a l 1 0 c p i p r i n t i n g . T h i s i s d o u b l e - w i d e , This is double-high, T h i s i s d o u b l e - w i d e a n d d o u b l e - h i g h . Software and Graphics 4-3

Both 10 and 12 cpi printing can be reduced to about 60 percent of their normal width using the condensed mode. This mode is particularly useful for printing wide spreadsheets because condensed 12 cpi printing allows you to print up to 160 characters on an 8-inch line. The condensed mode can be selected with a software command, or by using SelecType (See Chapter 3). Even if you turn the condensed mode on with SelecType, you can still turn it off with a software command. Condensed 10 cpi gives you many characters on a line, Condensed 12 cpi gives you even more characters on a line, Widening or narrowing the characters also widens or narrows the spaces between words. Because word processors usually create a left margin by printing spaces, you may need to change the left margin and the number of characters on a line to keep the margins correct if you change character widths. Special Effects and Emphasis Your printer offers two ways of emphasizing text and also allows you to use underlining, superscripts, subscripts, and italics. These features can be controlled directly by software commands. Many application programs can also produce some of these effects. See your application program manual for details. Emphasized and double-strike printing Emphasized and double-strike printing can give words and phrases added prominence. In emphasized mode, each character is printed twice as the print head moves across the paper, with the dots in the second pass printed slightly to the right of the first pass. This process produces darker, more fully formed characters. 4-4 Software and Graphics

In double-strike mode, the print head prints each line twice, making the text bolder. For even greater boldness, emphasized and double- strike can be combined. The following samples show the different effects you can achieve using these modes alone and in combination. This is ROMAN printing, This is ROMAN, emphasized. This is ROMAN, double-strike. This is ROMAN, with both. Italic printing You can print italics by using the ESC 4 software command. This is true no matter how DIP switch 1-7 is set. This is ROMAN printing. T h i s i s R O M A N i t a l i c s . Underlining, strike-through, and overlining The underline, strike-through, and overline modes are useful for highlighting selected text. This feature can be used to score spaces, subscripts, and superscripts without a break. You can choose from a variety of line styles, including single, double, broken, or continuous. See the ESC ( - command in Chapter 9 for more information. T h i s i s c o n t i n u o u s u n d e r l i n i n g . Software and Graphics 4-5

Superscripts and subscripts Superscripts and subscripts can be used for printing footnote numbers and mathematical formulas. The example below shows underlining and subscripts combined in a mathematical formula. average = _(a1 + a2 + . . . . . . . . . . + an ) n Outline and shadow The outline and shadow features are useful for adding variation and emphasis to text that you wish to stand out, such as headings. The following samples show the outline and shadow features individually, plus a combination of outline with shadow. Selecting Typestyles With Master Select Your printer has a special ESCape code called Master Select that allows you to choose many combinations of these nine modes: 10 cpi, 12 cpi, proportional spacing, condensed, emphasized, double- strike, double-wide, italics, and underline. For more information on sending ESCape codes to your printer, see Chapter 9. The format of the Master Select code is shown below: ASCII: ESC ! n Decimal: 27 33 n Hexadecimal: 1B 21 n 4-6 Software and Graphics

The variable n is a number that identifies the mode or combination of modes. To find the value of n, use the following table to add up either the decimal or hexadecimal numbers for the features you want. For example, to print a title you may want to use double-wide 12 cpi characters printed in the double-strike mode. You would add three numbers together to calculate the value of n. 12 cpi 1 Double-strike 16 Double-wide 32 n = 49 After calculating the value of n, you use the Master Select command to send the value to the printer. ASCII: ESC ! 1 Decimal: 27 33 49 Hexadecimal: 1B 21 31 Software and Graphics 4-7

The print quality and font must be set separately, using SelecType or the ESC x and ESC k commands. There are two more things to consider when using the Master Select command: l Master Select cancels any of the other listed features that you do not set. For example, if you have already set a different character width and you use Master Select to set emphasized double- strike, the character width is reset to 10 cpi. l Proportional spacing overrides 10, 12, and 15 cpi. 4-8 Software and Graphics

graphs, charts, or almost any other pictorial image you can create. Because many commercial software programs use graphics, you may be able to print pictures and graphs like the ones on this page and the next by simply giving your software a few instructions. The quickest and easiest way to print graphics on your printer is to use a commercial graphics program. With such programs you usually create an image on your monitor then give a command to send the image to the printer. If you use commercial software that produces graphics, all you need to know about dot graphics is how to use the software. The application program will take care of the printer. (Some programs call this bit image printing.) On the other hand, if you wish to do your own programming or merely wish to understand how this printer prints graphics, read on. Software and Graphics 4-9