User Macros - Ithaca ITHERM 280 Programmer's Manual

®
iTherm 280 Programmer's Guide

User Macros

The user macro feature works by inserting the macro data buffer into the printer data stream
when the print user-store data command is encountered.
Macros can be any data normally sent to the printer including graphics. (Note: user-store
maintenance and inquire commands may not be included in the macro definitions.) The printer
stores macro data in a RAM-based storage buffer as it is received and processed. The storage
buffer may then be saved to a flash-based user store or inserted into the print data stream. If a
macro is recalled from user store, it is expanded into the macro buffer and replaces whatever is
currently there.
Programming Considerations
The flash (nonvolatile) memory has a limited number of write cycle operations. Consequently,
the number of saves should be limited. The buffer should not be saved on a transaction by
transaction basis, but rather a maximum of once per day.
The buffer is initially about 16K
buffer and must be included in the size limits. The printer does not indicate when the buffer is
full. The application must make sure that the buffer is not overfilled. The printer simply stops
saving information when it is full. As the buffer fills, the input data is printed normally. The effect
of the macro start command is to clear the buffer and to start to save the input data. The macro
stop command stops saving data and initializes internal pointers for the next print. To store the
data in the nonvolatile flash, it must be named and saved by one of the user-store save
commands.
When the macro buffer is inserted into the data stream, configuration commands (like font or
pitch changes) remain in effect after the macro is processed. Illegal commands are placed in the
buffer and take up space.
Horizontal color graphics should be sent to the printer compressed. If the data is not
compressed, it is saved in the macro buffer. If the buffer is saved into the user-store nonvolatile
flash, there must be enough room in the user store for all of the data. As user-store space is
used, the macro buffer will be larger than the available space in user store. Only the used space
is saved, but it is possible to define a macro that does not fit in the remaining user-store space.
7
The actual buffer is smaller because of the overhead.
8
IPCL commands are converted by the printer into an equivalent [ESC] code and then placed in the save
buffer. The equivalent [ESC] code should be used to calculate the size of the save buffer data.
28-07764
7
bytes long. All commands
Rev C
Programming Codes
8
and print data are placed in the
Page 137