Glossary 174
magnetic stripe
A stripe of tape that is coated with magnetic material on which data is stored.
PLQ-20M is equipped with a device to read and write data on magnetic stripes.
pitch
The horizontal size of the font, which is measured by the number of characters
per inch (cpi). The standard is 10 cpi. See also characters per inch (cpi).
portrait
Printing that is oriented upright on the page (as opposed to landscape, in which
printing is sideways on the page). This is the standard orientation for printing
letters or documents. See also landscape.
printer driver
A software program that sends commands for using the functions of a particular
printer.
printing start position
The horizontal position on the paper that the printer recognizes as the first
printable column. You can adjust the printing start position with the control
panel.
resolution
A measure of the amount of detail that can be represented. Resolution of printed
images is measured by using the number of dots per inch (dpi).
self-test
A method for checking the operation of the printer. When you run the self-test,
an internally stored self-pattern is printed.
top-of-form position
The horizontal position on the paper that the printer recognizes as the first
printable line. You can adjust the top-of-form position with the control panel.
unidirectional printing
Printing in which the print head prints in one direction only. Unidirectional
printing is useful for printing graphics because it provides precise vertical
alignment. You can select unidirectional printing using the printer’s
default-setting mode. See also bidirectional printing.