proportional printing

Printing in which the width of the character varies from character to character. For example, a capital W receives much more space than a lowercase i. The result looks more like a typeset book than a typewritten draft.

R A M

Random Access Memory. The portion of the printer’s memory used as a buffer and for storing user-defined characters. All data stored in RAM is lost when the printer is turned off.

reset

To return a printer to its defaults either by sending a command, an INIT signal, or by turning the printer off and then back on.

R O M

Read Only Memory. A portion of memory that can only be read and cannot be used for data storage. ROM retains its contents when you turn off the printer.

self test

A method for checking the operation of the printer. When you run the self test, the printer prints the characters stored in its ROM.

software program

A software program that helps you carry out a particular task, such as word processing or financial planning.

superscript

Printing in which each character is printed at about two-thirds the normal height in the upper part of the character space.

unidirectional printing

Printing in which the print head prints in one direction only. Unidirectional printing is useful for printing graphics because it allows more precise vertical alignment than bidirectional printing.

user-defined characters

Characters that are defined and stored in the printer by the user. Also called download characters.

4 G l o s s a r y