Swiftid Software Carriage Return Line Feed

		Chapter F Glossary ( User's Guide for ML172 )

Access cover. Generally, the top cover on the printer, providing access to the printhead for changing ribbons and clearing paper jams.

ALARM light. A small red light on the printer control panel, used to indicate printer errors.

ASCII. American Standard Code for Information Interchange: A standard code which uses numbers to represent characters and control instructions.

Auto CR. Automatic Carriage Return: If the automatic carriage return feature is on, each line feed sent to the printer will be accompanied by a carriage return. The normal setting today is ON; if your printer is skipping a line for every line printed, turning this feature OFF may solve the problem.

Auto LF. Automatic Line Feed: If the automatic line feed feature is on, each carriage return sent to the printer will be accompanied by a line feed. The normal setting today is OFF; if your printer is overprinting each line, turning this feature ON may solve the problem.

AUTOEXEC.BAT. This is the batch file that is 'read' by your IBM-compatible computer immediately when you turn it on or 'boot' it.

Bail. See Paper Bail.

Bail lever. A lever on the left side of the printer (with the printer facing you) that serves to raise and lower the paper bail.

BASIC. Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code: One of the most popular general-purpose programming languages used with personal computers. Programming examples in this manual are written in BASIC.

Bidirectional printing. Printing both on the forward and backward passes. This feature speeds printing, but can create some alignment problems when graphics are being printed.

Bit. Binary digit. Each bit is either 1 or 0.

Bottom Feed. A configuration in which paper is fed through a slot in the bottom of the printer using a tractor feed mechanism. This setup provides a more even paper path suitable for volume printing, labels and multi-part forms.

Byte. A basic unit of information consisting of 8 bits. One byte can represent any ASCII character or any number between 0 and 255.

Cable. The term 'cable' generally denotes an interface cable--the wire and connectors used to attach the printer to the computer. Interface cables can be either parallel or serial.

Carriage Return. A carriage return is simply a command (ASCII character 13 decimal) that prints the current line in the printer's buffer. It generally returns the printhead to the first (left) printing position. The paper is not rolled up to the next line, however, unless an Auto LF feature is on.

Character Set. Most printers have several available character sets. They may differ along several lines--by style ('font') as in Utility, Near Letter Quality, and High Speed Draft; by size, as in Pica, Elite, and Condensed; or by other features, such as Italic, Graphic, Line-Drawing, etc.

Character Size. Character size for dot-matrix printers is generally defined in terms of characters per inch--10 cpi (Pica), 12 cpi (Elite) and 17.1 cpi (Condensed).

Characters Per Inch A measure of the width of characters. Note that 10 cpi characters are wider than 17.1 cpi characters.

Condensed. An extremely dense printing style, generally 17.1 cpi, in which the characters are very narrow. This style is generally used for printing spreadsheets and other material that is too wide for conventional type.

Continuous forms. Paper or pre-printed forms with pin feed holes along the sides. Individual sheets are joined together with perforated edges, forming one long sheet which may be fed continuously through the printer by means of a tractor feed.

Cpi. See Characters Per Inch.

Default. The default settings are the settings 'built into' a machine and assumed whenever a disruption--such as a power loss or a reset command clears settings selected by the operator.

DIP switch. See Switches.

DOS. Disk Operating System: For personal computers, the DOS is generally either MS-DOS or PC-DOS. The operating system is the computer's basic command level.

Double width. A double width character is twice as wide as a normal character. A double width 10 cpi character, for example, would be printed at 5 cpi. This feature is useful for creating headlines.

Driver. A printer driver is a file used to 'translate' the printing requests of a software package into the commands of a specific printer.

Elite. 12 cpi printing.

Embedded Commands. Embedded commands are printer commands placed within the body of a document created by a word processor, database program, spreadsheet, etc. Because they are entered directly by the user, the software has no control over them and they may be difficult to understand when the document is reviewed on screen.

Emphasized. Emphasized is a darker form of printing created by overprinting each character with the same character moved one dot horizontally.

Emulation. When a printer 'emulates' another printer, it accepts all of that printer's commands and behaves in all respects as though it were the emulated printer. Some printers have several emulations.

Enhanced. Enhanced is a darker form of printing created by overprinting each character with the same character moved one dot vertically.

Firmware. Programming or information recorded in a permanent storage device, such as a ROM. Firmware is different from software because the user can't change it.

Form Feed. A form feed is a command or procedure that ejects the previous page and draws the current page into the printer at the first print position. The ASCII form feed command is character (decimal) 12.

Form Length The form length is usually defined as the number of print lines that can fit onto a page. The standard length at 6 lpi is 66 lines.

Front PaneL The location of the control buttons on the front of the printer.

Graphics. Printer graphics are shapes composed of columns of 8 dots. A complete image is formed by blending a large number of these columns together. Such an image is called 'bit-mapped' because it is created from individual dots.

Hardware. The actual machinery and circuits in a computer system: keyboard, printed circuit board, printhead, etc.

Hex Dump Mode. The Hex Dump Mode is a printer setting used for diagnostics. When the printer is in this mode, it prints the hexadecimal value of each character sent to it rather than the character itself. Thus, sending the letter 'A' would cause the printer to print '41'--the ASCII hexadecimal value of 'A.'

Hexadecimal. A numbering system based upon 16 rather than 10. The letters A-F substitute for the decimal values 10-15. Hexadecimal is commonly used in computer programming because each digit represents exactly half a byte. This makes translation to and from binary easy and the notation takes less space than the equivalent decimal notation.

High Speed Draft. High Speed Draft is a fast printing setting that trades lowered print quality for speed. It is faster than Utility, but the characters are not as fully formed.

Horizontal Tabs. Horizontal tabs are the ordinary 'typewriter' style tab stops that can be set on your printer by using a tab-setting command. When the tabs are set, a tab command (ASCII character 9) moves the printhead to the next tab stop.

HSD. See High Speed Draft.

Interface. The connection between two pieces of equipment--that is, between a computer and a printer. The two basic types of interfaces are parallel and serial. The word is loosely used to mean either the method of connection or the actual hardware used to connect equipment. As a verb, it usually means the act of making the connection.

Italics. Slanted printing created by using a separate character set or by altering a 'normal' character set while printing.

LED. Light Emitting Diode: Small colored lights used by the printer to indicate printing status and error conditions.

Line Feed. A line feed command (ASCII character 10, decimal) simply advances the paper to the next printing line. Generally, it also automatically returns the printhead to the first position (Auto CR).

Line Spacing. Line spacing is generally specified in lines per inch (lpi). A common value is 6 lpi; a more condensed page may use 8 lpi.

Lines Per Inch. A measure of line spacing. When the line spacing is 6 LPI, the distance between the bottom of one line of print and the bottom of the next is 1/6".

LPI. See Lines Per Inch.

LPRINT. The print statement in the BASIC computer language.

LPT. Abbreviation for 'lineprinter,' this is used as the printer 'name' in PC-DOS. The first printer connector is called LPT1: and LPT2:: is the second.

Menu. A menu is a list of possible commands or characteristics with some means of making a selection. Printer menus reside in the printers read-only memory (ROM) and print the current value of each item on paper. Values are changed by stepping through the possibilities using buttons on the front panel.

MODE. A PC-DOS; (external) command used to set serial ports and adjust terminal settings.

Near Letter Quality. A dot-matrix print quality approaching that produced by a typewriter.

NLQ. See Near Letter Quality.

Paper Bail. An arm with several small rollers used to hold the paper against the platen.

Paper lever. A lever on the right side of the printer (with the printer facing you) that forces a paper roller against the platen for friction feeding of paper.

Paper Out Override. The printer normally senses when there is no paper, and halts. The override feature permits you to print closer to the bottom of the page when using cut sheets.

Paper Separator. The paper separator is a printer part that separates incoming paper from output to guard against misfeed.

Parallel. A parallel connection or interface is one in which data is sent one byte at a time, each bit in the byte having a separate wire. This is the most common and fastest connection for a printer.

Pica 10 cpi printing.

Platen. The rubber-coated roller on the printer which both brings paper into the machine and serves as a backing for the striking action of the printhead's pins.

Print Quality. Print quality refers to the resolution and characteristics of a character set. Typical print qualities are Letter Quality, Near Letter Quality, Utility, High-Speed Draft.

Printhead. The printhead is the mechanism that contains the pin firing mechanism and the pins used in dot matrix printing.

RAM. Random Access Memory: A temporary memory device (integrated circuit chip). In most printers, RAM is used for temporary storage of data before printing (this type of RAM is called a 'buffer') and for storage of commands to change printing features. This type of memory is 'volatile'--that is, it is erased when the printer is turned off.

Rear Feed. A printer configuration in which paper is fed from the rear of the printer. This setup can save space, but it should not be used when printing labels.

Ribbon Cartridge. The cartridge containing the printer ribbon. You should always make sure that the cartridge is correct for the printer and is properly seated. Note that the printing ribbon cleans and lubricates the head while printing, so using the wrong ribbon can actually damage your printhead.

Rolling ASCII Self Test. A printer test in which all of the ASCII characters are printed continuously until the test is stopped or the printer is turned off.

ROM. Read-Only-Memory: A permanent storage device (integrated circuit chip). Information stored in ROM--called 'firmware'--can be 'read' but cannot be added to or changed. In most printers, ROM is used to store the dot patterns that make up the character sets, instructions for interpreting control codes, etc.

Self test. A method of testing the printer prior to connecting it to a computer. Several self test routines are available with each printer.

Serial. A serial connection or interface is one in which data is sent one bit at a time. This type of connection is generally used in data communications and on networks. It is slower than a parallel connection, but can be carried over a longer distance.

Setup. The basic procedures needed to prepare your printer for printing.

Skip Over Perforation. This feature, when activated, insures that the printer does not print across the perforation on continuous forms by providing an automatic 1" bottom margin.

Slashed zero. The-slashed zero is a zero character with a line through it to distinguish it from the character 'O.' This feature is useful in certain applications but is inappropriate for others, so your printer offers a choice between the plain zero and the slashed zero.

Software. A program or set of instructions that tells your computer or printer what to do. It's called 'soft' because, like words, it doesn't really have a physical form the way something like a rock does. A 'software package' is a commercially prepared program or set of programs, usually sold recorded on a disk.

Standard sheet. The standard paper size is 8.5" by 11". Most printer defaults (margins, page length, top of form) are set for this standard.

Subscripts. Characters, generally of a smaller size, printed below the normal character line and used for chemical formulae, fractions, and other related functions.

Superscripts. Characters, often of a smaller size, printed above the normal character set and generally used in footnote notation.

Switches. Printer switches are generally of the DIP (dual in-line pin) type, and are found at the back of the printer. This type of switch consists of a rectangular bank with a set of individual switches, each of which may be turned on or off.

TOF. See Top of Form.

Top of Form. Your printer permits you to specify how far down the page printing will begin. This location, called the top of form position is generally retained in memory so that, once set, all printing will start at the same place on each page.

Tractor Feed. A tractor feed mechanism is an independent unit that sits on top of the printer and is driven by the printer's gears. It has a belted pin mechanism to draw paper up through the printer. A tractor feed is often used in the bottom-feed configuration with labels or multipart forms.

Unidirectional Printing. Printing in one direction only (the left-right stroke). This is generally only used when printing very high resolution graphics which might be affected by irregularities in bidirectional feed. It is much slower than bidirectional printing.

Utility printing. A print quality used for drafts and memos. It is faster and of lower resolution than LQ or NLQ printing, but better formed and slower than HSD printing.

	Oki Data has taken care to insure that the information is complete, accurate and up-to-date. However, Oki Data assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions which may occur. All the information provided is subject to change from time to time at the sole discretion of Oki Data. Copyright� 2022, Oki Data, Americas, Inc.

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