Chapter 6: Downloadable Graphic Images; Procedure For Using Pcx2400 Software; Format Of Graphics Files; Font/Graphic Structure - Microcom 400 Operator's Manual

CHAPTER 6: DOWNLOADABLE GRAPHIC IMAGES

The Microcom 400 printer is capable of storing multiple fonts/graphic images. You may either
use the Microcom "PCX2400" software utility to convert a PCX or PCC file, or use your own
software to format a graphics file into a form that the printer can understand.
METHOD #1: Create your own software to manipulate graphic files into the 400 format.
METHOD #2: Use the "PCX2400" software to turn your PCX file into the 400 format.
METHOD #3: Use a WYSIWYG on-screen label design package to convert the PCX file.
6.1

PROCEDURE FOR USING PCX2400 SOFTWARE

To Create Graphic Images Using the "PCX2400" Software.
A) Type at DOS prompt - PCX2400 filename.ext
B) Follow the on screen instructions and note the slot # the image was placed in.
C) Down-load resulting file (filename.N400 or .R400) file to printer
D) Section 4.5.3 explains how to access loaded images.
6.2

FORMAT OF GRAPHICS FILES

The following graphics file structure is offered to programmers who with to use their own
programs to convert graphic images.
The 400 does not differentiate between graphics and fonts. They both are accessed by using
a TCI of 8. Therefore a font and a graphic cannot have the same CGN number. A graphic is
simply a font with only one character and all imputed characters point to the same character.
6.2.1

FONT/GRAPHIC STRUCTURE

The 400 font structure consists of Microcom LDS commands, a header, a look-up table, a
character descriptor, and character data. All words are in Intel format: low byte, high byte.
^AXX^D1065
START1 label
dw
dw
400 Font Header
START2 label
dw
dw
dw
db
db
db
db
db
400 Operators Manual
;tells printer that an font/graphic is coming, XX is the CGN number
;This is marking a position in the file that will be described later
;0 = normal rotation
;1 = right rotation
;number of words of data following
;This is marking a position in the file that will be described later.
;offset to look-up table
;number of pixels high
;number of pixels wide
;default character spacing
;number of bytes wide
;first character in font (always 32 for graphics)
;last character in font (always 32 for graphics)
;default character (if the character selected is not valid, this character
;will be substituted
59