Star Micronics 8111 Printer User Manual


 
THE STAR LASERPRINTER 8IlI SUPERSET
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Do you need to send commands?
Here’s an important fact: you can set nearly every one of the above
parameters by sending your printer a corresponding Escape sequence
command. Those Escape sequence commands will override any setting you
make from the front panel.
The main thing to realize about most printer commands, though, is that you
probably don’t need to use them. Nearly all popular software packages
include printer drivers, which send commands to the printer so you don’t
have to type them yourself. Some of those programs ask you to key in set-
up parameters about your printer. Other programs let you put printer
commands before or inside the document you want to print.
But maybe the software you use doesn’t have printer drivers for any printer
your Star LaserPrinter 8111 emulates: You still might not have to write printer
commands yourself.
Several companies sell programs that look after laser-printing commands
for such software. Ask your dealer about LaserControl, Printworks for
Lasers, PCL.Pak and RAM Resident Printmerge.
There’s not much point in
reinventing the wheel.
The Star LaserPrinter 8lll superset
Besides the commands that emulate other printers, your laser printer
understands three other commands called the StarLaserPtinter 8111 superset.
The Star LaserPrinter always understands superset commands; it doesn’t
matter which emulation mode your printer is using at the moment. Superset
Escape sequence commands start with cESC> [ so you can quickly spot
them in a list of commands.
One superset command gives you another way to switch from one emulation
to another: you send the Change Emulation superset command instead of
using the front panel. The second superset command lets you change the
printing orientation, so you can print sideways up the length of the page,
instead of across its width in the usual way. The third superset command lets
you change the paper size.
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