Printer Output Formatting - MSI CellScale 3750CS User Manual

3750CS
PRINTER / OUTPUT FORMATTING
The RS-232 Option can format virtually any Printer or Serial Data Device including complex bar-code label
printers through the use of the built in printer formatting. To use this versatile feature, the user must input
command codes and data in a specific manner. Each command code consists of a 2 letter mnemonic. Some
command codes also require a numeric suffix.
A simple example of this structure is the default print data string:
code means to print weight. The "1" means print the current display mode. The "@E" will cause the
End-of-line string to be printed. The command string must always be terminated by an ASCII 255 character
We'll indicate ASCII 255s with "º".
By combining the "@" commands with standard ASCII characters, control characters, etc., any data available
from the scale, plus any additional text, can be printed in any order desired. Using formatting controls typical to
modern bar-code printers is simply a matter of formatting the printer strings.
The MSI 3750CS character set includes all upper case letters, lower case letters, numbers, and most of
the rest of the standard ASCII set.
General Alpha-numeric Entry Procedure
1) Use the Aa1 (ALPHA) key to switch between numeric "n", upper case "U", or lower case "L".
2) Press the desired character key. If a "B" is needed, push the ABC key twice.
3) Enter the displayed character by either pushing a different key, or the ENTER key. For example, if two
"B"s in a row are needed, use the ENTER key.
4) Terminate the character string by pushing ENTER twice.
Character Set
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz~spc
– 0123456789:;<=>?@
Control characters and any other character can be printed with the following procedure.
Alternate Characters and Control Characters
1) Push the TARE key. This enables the ASCII numeric entry mode. A place holder character indicates an
ASCII character not included in the MSI 3750CS character set.
2) Use the UP/DOWN keys to scroll to the decimal number of the desired ASCII character. Refer to the
ASCII table in Appendix A. The left numeric digits on the LCD represent the character position. The
right numeric digits represent the ASCII decimal character number. When the desired character number
is displayed push ENTER.
EXAMPLE PRINTER FORMATTING
The following diagram shows a typical print string format. The end result of this example produces a
printout similar to this:
In this example we'll use control characters to both print in red and expand the characters for "PEARS". Note:
control codes used in this example are unique to a specific printer ( a Star Micronics DP8340) and are used
for example only. The necessary string will be:
1) The 27 is an ESC followed by a 4 which equals "Red Character Print instruction"
2) The 14 is an SO which turns on the Expanded character instruction
3) The 20 is an DC4 which turns off the Expanded character instruction
4) The 27 is an ESC followed by a 5 which turns off the Red Character Print instruction
5) @E causes the end-of-line string to be sent.
6) @W3 causes the current Net weight to be printed. If the scale was in the NET mode, @W1 would have
worked as well.
7) @D6 causes the current date to be printed in MM/DD/YYYY format
Page 62 MSI-3750CS RF Weighmeter • User Guide
C S
ELL CALE RF DIGITAL WEIGHT INDICATOR
PEARS
4.500 lb NET
®
@W1@Eº. The "@W" command
!"$%&?
8/15/2002
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