Figure 7-2.Grid for designing draft characters

Because the last two columns are reserved for the space between characters, they are not included in the grid. And since most characters do not use the bottom two rows, a heavy line indicates the usual lower limit for an FX-286 character.

When you place your dots on this grid, remember that dots cannot go on horizontal lines, but they can go on vertical lines as long as they do not overlap any other dots. As you design your characters, draw the dots as large as you see them in the example on the left in Figure 7-3. If you draw them smaller, you may have overlapping dots without realizing it.

Figure7-3. Correct and incorrect designs

If you do accidentally call for overlapping dots, don’t worry. The program will still work, but only one of the dots will be printed.

7-3