Section 2. Command Codes - SATO CX400 Programming Reference Manual

This section contains the basic Command Codes for the SATO CX400 printers. Commands
for the oprions and specialized functions are provided in the following sections. Commands
must be sent to the printer in an organized fashion in order for the label(s) to print.
The purpose of this section is to:
• Explain the different commands and provide examples of their usage.
• To provide a detailed reference for programming the printers.
Each command begins on a separate page with its own heading. A uniform layout is used to
help you find key information about each command. For each Command Code in this section,
there will be a sample data input stream to the printer and the expected print output. By
studying the examples, you can learn how to use the particular command within a whole block
of printer code. Pay particular attention to the "Special Notes" with each command to learn
other important information.
The subject commands are highlighted in bold letters in the Reference Sheets. There are two
parts of most, but not all, commands. The first is the command character which immediately
follows the <ESC> code. It is always an upper case alpha or a special character (such as an
"&" or a "%"). It is never a lower case alpha character. If the command requires additional
variable information, it is represented by a group of lower case alpha characters immediately
following the command character. For example, if an aaaabb is listed following the basic
command, the printer will look for six characters immediately following the command. The
first four would represent the value of aaaa and the next two the value of bb.
The maximum number of characters defined in a parameter is represented by the number of
characters shown in the command structure. For example, a command followed by an aaaa
can have up to four characters. In general, commands with only one parameter following the
command can be entered without the leading zeroes. However, certain commands require the
exact number of matching characters. A command with two parameters listed following the
command code without a comma delimiter, such as aaaabbbb require the exact number of
digits to be entered. If the value of aaaa is "800" and the value of bbbb is "300", then the
parameters must be entered as "08000300". It is recommended that you make it a practice to
always enter leading zeros to prevent any mistakes.
NOTE: These examples assume the use of the Standard Protocol
Command Codes, a parallel interface and a 4 inch wide label in a CX400
printer.
An alphabetical listing of the command codes is contained in Appendix A:Command Code
Quick Reference.
SATO CX400
SECTION 2.
COMMAND CODES
PN 9001106 Rev. A Page 2-1