Canon BJ-30 manual Software and Printer Compatibility, Using the Printer With Your Software

Software and Printer Compatibility

Your software sends information and instructions to the printer over the cable that connects the printer to the computer. In addition to data, the instructions may include special command sequences known as control codes and ESCape sequences. These command sequences instruct the printer to perform certain tasks, such as how many lines to skip and where to start printing.

Some control codes are standard throughout the microcomputer industry and are recognized by all printers. Two examples of these are form feed (FF) and line feed (LF).

ESCape sequences are unique to each printer emulation. ESCape sequences begin with the ESCape character (ESC) followed by one or more other characters.

The ESCape character tells the printer not to print the next character or string of characters, but to use the information to perform a printing control task, such as printing in bold or underlining.

Most software programs automatically send control codes and ESCape sequences to the printer. However, some applications may require you to supply the commands. How you enter the control codes and ESCape sequences depends on your software program. Your software program may require you to enter the codes and sequences in a specific format, such as decimal rather than hexadecimal. For example, you can use only decimal format with MultiMate Advantage II™, Professional Write™, and PFS:First Choice™.

NSoftware program printer drivers may override the printer control codes embedded in a document. This means the command will not take effect because of the way the application handled it.

To determine if an application is overriding your commands, print the document using a generic driver and see if the correct commands are reflected in the printed copy. If they are, the application printer driver is overriding the commands.

If you would like to receive a list of the control codes and ESCape sequences the printer recognizes, you can use Canon’s toll-free fax retrieval system to request the BJ-30 Printer Command Summary. Call 1-800-526-4345for details.

62 Using the Printer With Your Software Chapter 4