Introduction - Brother HL-Series Technical Reference Manual

Revision C 16/01/96

1. Introduction

In this mode you can control this HL Series printer directly by incorporating control codes and
escape sequences into your program. Alternatively, applications software (for example, your
word-processing or spreadsheet software) may send the necessary commands to the printer
automatically. Check the manual that came with your software for instructions on how to use
your application with an Epson FX-850 printer.
2. Emulation details
The following points should be borne in mind when using the printer in Epson FX-850 mode.
2.1 Ignored commands
The following commands are ignored: the BEL control code (ASCII code 7) which is normally
used to sound a printer's bell, the DC1 (ASCII 17) and DC3 (ASCII 19) control codes, used to
enable and disable a printer, the Esc 9 and Esc 8 commands, which normally enable and disable
the out-of-paper sensor, the Esc < and Esc U commands for enabling unidirectional printing and
the Esc x control code for choosing between near letter quality and draft printing.
In addition, commands that try to change the printer's printing speed cannot do so, since the HL-
Series printers always print as fast as they can. Hence, the Esc s command, to select or cancel
half-speed printing mode, is also ignored, and the Esc Y escape sequence (Print Double-Speed,
Double-Density Image), performs the same function as the Esc L (Print Double-Density Image)
sequence.
2.2 Resolution
The resolution of an HL-10h/1260/660 printer is 600 dots per inch. Some instructions use
fractions of an inch by which 600 is not exactly divisible, for example Esc J performs a line feed
using a line spacing of n/216". Similarly, there are graphics commands which specify resolutions
of 72, 120 and 240 dots per inch. When a line spacing or graphic cannot be implemented exactly
at 600 dots per inch the printer approximates as closely as possible using 600 dots per inch.
Chapter 5 " EPSON FX-850 " - 4