Control Codes
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User Store (Graphic Save and Macros) The Epic 880TM Printer maintains about 2.5 Megabytes of flash memory to save user
information. The information can be either macros or graphic images.
To allow the host application to maintain these groups of data, a series of user store
maintenance commands are available. As referenced earlier in this manual, the user
can define a limited number of custom characters and define a macro. These
character/macro definitions can also be saved in user store. However, only one
character definition and one macro can be active at any time. One macro definition
can be flagged to load and run at startup. If a flag is set, the printer will automatically
process the macro at initialization.
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 16K6 bytes long. All commands7 and print data are placed
in the 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 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.
Defining Macros
Macros can be defined two ways. The first is by using the begin and end named
macro commands. These commands start the recording process and automatically
save the macro when it is complete. The macro data is not processed, as it is sent to
the printer.
6 The actual buffer is smaller because of the overhead.
7 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.