Programming 3 – 7
If you have a Software Package
Software packages make the printer’s special features, such as smaller
type fonts, subscripts, underlining, etc., much easier to use. To add the
features to your package, read your software documentation for
instructions, paying particular attention to any limitations—for example,
some software packages let you select a printing feature for an entire
document but do not allow you to change features within a document.
Other packages may not accept the page formatting commands, such as
horizontal tabs, which are available with your printer.
When you install your package, you probably need to select the features
you are going to be using from a list called a menu. Several software
packages actually list names of printers on the menu, so that all you need
to do is select the IBM Graphic printer from that list—the software
package will then automatically use the commands for your printer. If
they are not on the menu, pick the closest general description; “Teletype
printer that does not backspace” is often the best.
With some software packages, such as WordStar, you can easily modify
or install your program to accept your printer’s commands by inserting
codes into the program. Still other packages let you embed commands
within a document itself by preceding the command with “/OUT” or
something similar. VisiCalc is a popular package that provides a setup
option as part of the printing procedure—you simply specify at the
beginning of a document what printing features you will be using.