Creating Six Bits Per Byte User-Defined Graphics - Intermec 3440 User Manual

3440 Bar Code Label Printer User's Manual

Creating Six Bits Per Byte User-Defined Graphics

The six bits per byte format is more compact than one bit per byte. When
you use six bits per byte, you can download large graphics more quickly.
The printer must be in Advanced mode (2.5 mil or 5.0 mil) to use the six bits
per byte format. The only difference between 2.5 mil or 5.0 mil mode is the
size of the image when it prints.
The arrangement of the bits is very important in this format. Eight bits (0
through 7) compose every byte, but the printer only uses bits 0 through 5 to
map the image.
You must always set bit 6 (the seventh bit) to 1 so you can download data to
the printer. 7-bit hosts reserve bit 7 (the eighth bit) for parity and
compatibility.
You can download graphics like the previous one bit per byte (diamond)
bitmap example in a six bits per byte format by following the procedure
below. Please refer to "Creating Six Bits Per Byte User-Defined Fonts" later
in this chapter for an illustrated example of creating a six bits per byte
format.
To download a six bits per byte graphic
1. Draw the graphic on graph paper.
2. Change the graph paper drawing into a pattern of ones (square is filled
3. Starting from the top row, divide each vertical column into groups of six
4. Add a 1 in the bit 6 position, and then add a 0 in the bit 7 position so that
5. Starting with the first group of 8 bits in the first column, reverse the
6. Translate each eight-digit group into an ASCII character according to the
5-32
*1233*
in) and zeros (square is empty).
digits. (If the bottom group has less than six digits, add zeros to this
group until it also has six.) The six digits in each group are the six bits
that you download in a byte of data. The top digit of each group is
bit 0, the bottom digit is bit 5.
each group now has eight digits. (Eight digits complete the byte.)
order of each group so that bit 0 is now last and bit 7 is first. Work from
the top of each column to the bottom. Each eight-digit group is now a
binary representation of an ASCII character.
full ASCII chart in Appendix A, "Printer Reference."
FranklinGothic