Note

This command will cancel any user-defined characters you have already created. You must send this command to the printer before you define characters.

Specifying the width and height

The example program uses 136 for al (in line 130 of the definition program), but you can use other values. The number a1 specifies two things: the width of the character and its position on the grid. The width is used when the character is printed in proportional mode.

If you want a character to use the bottom eight pins, use the third grid in Figure 5-5.

A value of 136 is suitable for all characters that use the top eight pins and start in column I and finish in column 9. For a character the same width, but printed with the bottom eight pins, al should be 8. For any other character follow these rules to calculate al :

1.If you design a character narrower than nine columns, you can balance the number of empty columns on either side with the following method: Starting with a1 equal to 8, subtract 1 for every blank column on the right and add 16 for every blank column on the left.

2.If the character should be printed with the top eight pins, add 128.

For example, if a character uses the top eight pins and starts in column 3 and ends in column 7, the calculation is as follows:

•start with al = 8

•subtract 2 for two blank columns on the right, giving a1 = 6

•add 32 for two blank columns on the left, giving a1 = 38

•add 128 to print with the top eight pins, so that a1 = 166.

Mixing print styles

The user-defined characters can be used in combination with most print styles (except NLQ, of course). For example, emphasized and double-wide work well with user-defined characters.

Graphics and User-defined Characters

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