value. Some examples will make this clearer. As shown in Figure 9-7, if we add the numbers for the dots that print in a column, the sum will be a number in the range of 0 to 255. Each number from O-255 represents a unique combination of dots.

So add up the values of the dots in each column using this system. In Figure 9-8 we’ve shown our grid with the sums of the columns filled in across the bottom (see if these agree with your answers!). Across the top of the grid you’ve probably noticed the cryptic labeling of each column: ml, m2, m3, etc. These labels correspond to the labels in the command syntax statement, which we’ll get to shortly.

m,m,m,m,m,m,m.m,m,m,,m,,

128

!

;*_~---~~

~

ASCII Code

64

 

Descender

~ q-~i

f’-

Start column

End column

M, = Descender * 126 + (Start * 16) + End

Figure 9-8.Add the values of the dots in each column and write thesum ofeachcolumn atthebottom.

H Assigning a value to your character

We’ve done a pretty thorough job of designing and describing a user-defined character. But the SD-lo/l5 has room for 240

download characters-how does it know which user-defined character we want to print? Exactly the same way it knows which standard character we want to print: every character is assigned a unique number.

The standard characters are assigned the ASCII codes- numbers from 0 to 255. For the download character sets you

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Star Micronics SB-15 user manual ~---~~