Chapter 5 Download Characters; Defining Your Own Characters - Star Micronics LC24-15 User Manual

Chapter 5
DOWNLOAD CHARACTERS
With this printer you can create new characters and symbols, download their
dot data, and have them printed in place of selected characters in the regular
character set. Characters that can be generated in this way range from simple
but useful symbols like the check mark through complex Chinese or
Japanese characters.
Regular characters are permanently stored in the printer's ROM, but char-
acters you design are downloaded and stored in RAM for use.
DEFINING YOUR OWN CHARACTERS
Designing and printing your own characters has two requirements: firstly,
designing the shape of the character, calculating the data necessary to make
the shape, and sending that data to the printer, and secondly, sending the
command to print the downloaded characters instead of the regular charac-
ters. There are a number of design constraints for download characters:
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The matrix or grid on which you design the characters is depending on the
print mode as shown below:
Character mode Horizontal
Vertical
Draft characters
9
24
LQ pica characters
29 24
LQ elite characters 23 24
LQ semi-condensed
15
24
LQ proportional
37
24
Draft super/subscript
7 16
LQ super/subscript 23 16
LQ prop. super/subscript
23
16
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The minimum width of a character is five dots.
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Dots cannot overlap.
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You may define any position in the ASCII table, except the block graphics
area when you are downloading in the IBM mode.
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