The meaning ofaline (sometimes called a“row”) is defined by the t’ertical
motim?index (VMI). The printer moves the printposition down aline when
itgets aLine Feed code, usually when it bumps into the right margin.
You’llprobably let your computer program set the line depth. But from the
panelyou can.settheVMI value inincrements from 1/48to255/48 ofan inch.
Auto’parameters
The printposition refers to the point on the page where the next character
will be printed. When the printer reaches the end of aline, the Auto
Parameters settingstell it whether or not to automatically:
.move the print position down one line (Iinefeeci),
.or keep text out of the sidemargin (auto wrap).
2.3.4 Moving the print position: apreview
Withdot-matrix printer,you pick where to printon thepage eitherby moving
the printhead back and forth or by moving the paper itself. Laser printers
don’thave printheads, but the principle remains the same: you have to say
exactlywhere on thepage each picture andstring oftext isto go, soeach page
can be constructed in the printer’s memory.
Insteadof talking about printheads we talk about moving the print posifion
(some people call itmoving the “cursor”, using the computer-screen anal-
ogy). Horizontally, you can move the print position with backspace and
carriage<returncommands. Vertically, you can move the printposition down
thepage by printing so many lines per inch,or by sending line-feed and half
line-feedcommands. You canalso move totab settingsboth horizontallyand
vertically (handy for tables and blank forms, or making room for your
diagrams).
Butthose aren’t all. You can tell the Star LaserPrinter 4111tomove the print
position vertically or horizontally in increments of:
1/10,1/12 or similar fractions of an inch (pitch settings),
1/48,or 1/120 inch (line or column definitions),
.1/300inch (dots), or
1/720inch (tenths of apoint).
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