O v e r v i e w o f B i t m a p p e d I m a g e s

A printed image is formed through a series of dots. Each square on the grid below represents a dot on the printhead. The graphic image is created by blackening dots in a specific pattern. You can print varying shades of gray according to the concentration of dots on the image. When the dots are printed together, the end result is a graphic image.

D e t e r m i n i n g a M e t h o d

You can use one of two methods to map out your graphic image:

Hex Method

The dot sequences are segmented into binary

 

numbers, and then converted to hex numbers.

 

A graphic using gray-scaling, several slanted

 

lines, or several vertical lines typically

 

translates more efficiently with hex

 

representation.

Run Length

The dot sequences are segmented into black

Encoding Method

and white strings within a row. The total

 

count of each white string is converted to a

 

lower-case letter, corresponding to numeric

 

value. The total count of each black string is

 

converted to an uppercase letter,

 

corresponding to numeric value. This method

 

can reduce imaging time for graphics that

 

contain repetitive rows of dots. A graphic

 

with horizontal lines or very few

 

white-to-black borders typically translates

 

more efficiently with run length encoding.

Creating Graphics 5-3

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Monarch 9830, 9835 E r v i e w o f B i t m a p p e d I m a g e s, T e r m i n i n g a M e t h o d, Hex Method, Run Length