M S B

00011001 -25:D

L S B

M S B

01010101 - 85:D2

LSB

MSB

01010000 - 8O:D3

LSB

MSB = Most significant bit

LSB = Least significant bit

Figure 5-4. Data bytes for -he first column of a new capital A

You’ve seen how to design a character by laying out the dots on a grid, translating the dots to binary information, and then converting the binary numbers to decimal equivalents. The next (and final) step in defining a character is to send this information to the printer.

Sending information to the SQ-2000

The SQ-2000 command to define characters is one of the more complex in its repertoire. The format of the command is this:

<ESC> “&” <NUL> nl n2 data

The <ESC> “&" is simple enough; that’s a format you should be quite familiar with by now. The <NUL> (which is ASCII code 0) allows for future enhancements. At this time it is always ASCII code 0.

With the SQ-2000, you can define many characters with a single command. The n1 and n2 bytes are used to specify a range of ASCII codes for the characters you will define. You then have to provide character definition data for all of the characters in that range to follow.

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