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%OP%HE/%H4%5-10-88%H4%//%H4%Font Designer%H4%/
%OP%FO//%H4%- @P@ -%H4%//
%CO:A,12,72%%C%%H1%%H2%Z88 Printer Font Designer
%C%by Simon Phipps (0221)


%C%%H1%Introduction

%JR%This Basic program was written to allow the printing of custom 
%JL%characters on a DMP 2000 printer, but is likely to work virtually 
%JR%unaltered on most Epson-compatible dot matrix printers. It is simple to 
%JL%use as it provides prompts and menus throughout operation. It allows 
%JR%fonts to be loaded and saved in ram-disk files, and test printing of 
%JL%characters to be carried out. It requires Richard Russell's Basic patch 
%JL%to be loaded. I wrote it to amuse myself and to learn Z88 BBC Basic, 
%JL%and consequently there are places where the more experienced Basic 
%JR%programmer would undoubtedly do things differently. When he has, 
perhaps he would send me a copy of the improved program!


%C%%H1%Getting Started

%JR%From Basic, first %H4%chain%H4% the Basic patch if this has not yet been done; 
%JL%then %H4%load%H4% & %H4%run%H4% or %H4%chain%H4% the font editor program. This should be stored 
%JR%with an appropriate name on your machine so that you can find it 
easily!

%JL%As an example, a sample font is provided. Load this by pressing %H2%L%H2% on 
%JR%the main menu and typing the name of the file (see the file chart 
%JL%provided on your EPROM). Loading will commence, and each character in 
%JL%turn will be displayed on the right-hand side of the screen. When the 
%JL%font is loaded, the main menu will be re-displayed. Connect your 
%JR%printer to the Z88 and press %H2%D%H2% to down-load the font to the printer. 
%JL%Note that you will probably need to correctly set the DIP-switches on 
%JR%your printer to allow down-loading of fonts. Next, press %H2%T%H2% from the 
%JL%main menu to enter test-print mode. The paper should back off on the 
%JR%printer, and a box appear around the bottom left-hand character in the 
%JL%grid on the screen. You can now print characters from the display by 
%JR%pressing %H2%ENTER%H2%. When you get bored, press %H2%DEL%H2% to return to the main 
menu.


%C%%H1%In Detail

%JL%The program is fairly self explanatory, as you should have just 
%JR%discovered, but this section will describe each feature in detail so 
that you don't miss anything.


%H1%1 - Font Files

%JL%Fonts are stored on RAM disk in a format which eases loading. To load 
%JR%any font, press %H2%L%H2% on the main menu and type a name. If you change your 
%JL%mind, just press %H2%ENTER%H2% without pressing any keys. No check is made on 
%JR%the validity of the file, so any attempt to load non-font files will 
%JR%produce unusual results! While the loading is taking place, one dot is 
%JR%displayed for each character loaded, and the new character is depicted 
%JL%in the proportions in which it would be printed in the Character Grid 
%JR%on the right of the graphics area. Unassigned character positions are 
%JL%left as filled boxes. Loading may be aborted at any time by pressing 
%H2%DEL%H2%; it will halt when the currently loading character has been loaded.

%JL%Files may be saved to RAM disk by pressing %H2%S%H2% on the main menu and 
%JL%typing a name. A dot is displayed as each character is saved. This 
%JR%option may also be left without saving by just pressing enter with no 
%JL%text entry. You will be reminded to save the font if you try to quit 
the program without doing so.


%H1%2 - Editing Characters

%JR%To edit a character, press %H2%E%H2% from the main menu. You will be asked to 
%JL%select a character and a box cursor will appear on the Character Grid. 
%JR%Use the cursor keys to move this until it encloses the desired grid 
%JL%cell, and then press %H2%ENTER%H2%. You may press %H2%DEL%H2% to escape to the main 
%JL%menu. Only the first 18 characters can be printed; the remaining six 
are provided as a storage or work area.

%JR%An Editing Grid is now displayed on the left-hand side of the graphics 
%JL%display, with the selected character depicted, and a small image of it 
%JR%in a box to the right. A dot cursor is provided which may be moved 
%JR%using the cursor keys, and individual cells (pixels) may be set dark or 
%JL%light by pressing the space bar. Note that no two horizontally adjacent 
%JR%pixels should be set as the printer is only able to print alternate 
pixels in any given row.

%JL%If desired, another character in the Character Grid may be copied into 
%JR%the selected character by pressing %H2%ENTER%H2%. The box cursor will appear in 
%JL%the character grid and a character may be selected as before. This 
%JR%option may be used to "undo" an editing session on a character by 
%JL%selecting the character itself to copy. When editing is complete, the 
%JR%%H2%DEL%H2% key is pressed to return to the main menu, and the revised 
character is depicted in the Character Grid.


%H1%3 - Printing

%JL%The graphics area of the screen may be dumped to the printer by 
%JR%pressing %H2%G%H2% on the main menu. This uses the dump built in to the Basic 
patch. The dump takes just over a minute to complete.

%JR%In order to print the characters designed, it is necessary to down-load 
%JL%them to the printer. This is done by pressing %H2%D%H2% from the main menu. One 
%JR%dot is displayed for each character down-loaded. Note that the edited 
%JL%characters are not assigned to 18 contiguous character values, as for 
%JR%several values (such as 8 (BS), 9 (TAB) and others) the command so 
represented takes precedence.

%JL%Once the font has been down-loaded, individual characters may be 
%JR%printed by pressing %H2%T%H2% from the main menu. The printer is set to 
%JL%incremental mode so that the paper scrolls back to allow the last 
%JR%character printed to be viewed, and the box cursor appears in the 
%JL%Character Grid to allow selection of a character. When %H2%ENTER%H2% is 
%JR%pressed, the selected character is printed. The test print mode may be 
%JL%left by pressing %H2%DEL%H2%, at which point incremental mode on the printer is 
cancelled.


%H1%4 - General

%JR%At just about any time, the %H2%TAB%H2% key may be pressed to restore the 
graphics picture after it has been corrupted by use of Pipedream.

%JR%Characters may be printed from Pipedream by defining character 
%JL%translations in the PrinterEd to select the alternate font and send the 
appropriate control code for the required character. 


%H1%Simon Phipps
Telecom Gold 83:NTG339 (telex 265871 quoting this)
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