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nation of dots. For example, if the data representing “1” was sent to the print head, only the bottom pin would fire; if “2” was sent, only the second pin from the bottom would fire, and if “3” was sent, the two bottom pins would fire, and so on. Columns of these dots side by side make all the characters.
Figure 7-1. As the printhead moves across the page, each sf the pins prints a row of dots.
DESIGNING YOUR OWN CHARACTERS
Standard characters are permanently stored in the printer’s ROM (Read Only Memory), but characters you design are downloaded and stored in RAM (Random Access Memory) for &e.
Designing and printing your own characters has two re- quirements: firstly, designing the shape of the character, cal- culating the data necessary to make the shape, and sending that data to the printer, and secondly, sending the command to print the downloaded characters instead of the standard characters. There are a number of design constraints for download draft quality characters:
•The matrix or grid on which you design the characters is six boxes wide by nine boxes high.
•Horizontally, dots may be centered in a box, or may straddle a line, making the actual character grid 11
