Standard Screen Copier

This program will allow you to print screens on any dot matrix printer, even the Gorilla Banana or other less-than-8-pin printers!

Screens can be printed up to 8 times their width and up to 8 times their height. Note: the Gorilla cannot redefine the line feed, therefore it is limited to single height.

You can also choose between 4 fonts (3 of them can be changed by loading a new one over) to write text on the screen. The ones currently available are ROM set (cannot be changed), Headline, Headline Bold and IBM.

The program is controlled by a selection arrow. Q-UP, A-DOWN, O-LEFT, P-RIGHT and SPACE-SELECT. You can also use the joystick to control the arrow.

This menu is divided into 2 sections, FILE and TEXT…

LOAD SCREEN will load a new screen.

SAVE SCREEN will save the screen (use only if you make modifications and want to keep the screen).

LOAD FONT will load a new font over the current working font (see TEXT).

CLEAR SCREEN will clear the working screen

ARROW controls the selection arrow speed.

BREAK TO BASIC is used to save the customized version and also if you need to load your own print driver (LOAD AT 64000 or more!).

QUIT will reset the computer.

ROM set will select the Sinclair character set and go in text edit mode. To exit text edit, just press CAPS SHIFT+1 [EDIT]

FONT I, II and III are the same as ROM set but will select the user loadable fonts instead. An arrow will identify the current working set.

This menu is for selecting what type of printer you have (TS2040 or DOT MATRIX) and selecting the width and height.

Please note that the TS2040 can only print the screen single width and single height. Dot matrix printers that cannot use only 4 or 8 pins will only print single height. Some 7 pin printers can redefine the line feed so as to use only 4 pins, these can only print up to 4 times the height. The Tandy DMP 105 is a good example of a 7 pin printer that can redefine its line feed to accept only 4 pins.

This is the most complicated part of the program…

In order to print out the screen properly, the program needs to know the right control codes to send to the printer, the type of interface you have, the number of dots (pins) and their settings…

AERCO, TASMAN B and OTHER are the interface type. If you own an interface other than Aerco or Tasman B or if it is not compatible with the drivers we provided in the program then select OTHER and make sure you have loaded your own print driver.

DOTS is the number of pins (dots) your printer is capable of using.

ADD is a value added to the data sent to the printer, Gorilla and DMP 105 users should set it to 128.

LOW BIT is to determine if the least significant bit (or dot or pin) is at the TOP or BOTTOM, please refer to your printer user manual.

PRINTER SET UP is a control code sequence sent at the very beginning of the printout. It is used to set the printer. IE: set the line feed or set the printer in graphics mode, etc…

LINE SET UP is a sequence sent at the beginning of each line. For most printers, it is used to set the printer in graphics mode. If you wish to use DARKNESS, a head positioning will be needed in this sequence.

CARRIAGE RETURN is a sequence sent at the end of a line to do a line feed. Make sure that the line feed advances the paper the right number of pixels [4 pins=4 pixels (4/72″), 8 pins=8 pixels (8/72″)].

FORM FEED is a sequence that is sent at the end of the printout, if it is not needed (or if your printer cannot do a form feed) then leave it blank.

DARKNESS is an option that allows your printer to darken a line up to 5 times… To work, your printer must have a head positioning sequence and at the same time not do a line feed. The head positioning should be in LINE SET UP.

If you are not very familiar with your printer control codes, we have included examples for some printers for your convenience.

If you are still having problems, please write and don’t forget to send a photocopy of your printer control codes so that we can help you get the right settings.

Here are some examples of control code sequences for some printers…

EPSON FX+ (comp.)

DOTS=8 LOW BIT=BOTTOM ADD=0
PRINTER SET UP = 27,65,8
LINE SET UP = 13,27,42,5,0,1 **
CARRIAGE RETURN = 10
FORM FEED = 12
DARKNESS = 1 to 5

EPSON RX+

DOTS=8 LOW BIT=BOTTOM ADD=0
PRINTER SET UP = 27,65,8
LINE SET UP = 13,27,42,4,0,1 **
CARRIAGE RETURN = 10
FORM FEED = 12
DARKNESS = 1 to 5

SPIRIT 80
LEGEND 880
STAR SG-10X

DOTS=8 LOW BIT=BOTTOM ADD=0
PRINTER SET UP = 27,65,8
LINE SET UP = 13,27,75,0,1 **
CARRIAGE RETURN = 10
FORM FEED = 12
DARKNESS = 1 to 5

IBM (comp.)

DOTS=8 LOW BIT=BOTTOM ADD=0
PRINTER SET UP = 27,65,8,27,50
LINE SET UP = 13,27,42,5,0,1 **
CARRIAGE RETURN = 10
FORM FEED = 12
DARKNESS = 1 to 5

TANDY DMP 105

DOTS=5 LOW BIT=TOP ADD=128
PRINTER SET UP = 30,27,23,18 ***
LINE SET UP = 27,16,0,0
CARRIAGE RETURN = 27,90,4
FORM FEED = blank (none)
DARKNESS = 1 to 5

GORILLA BANANA

DOTS=7 LOW BIT=TOP ADD=128
PRINTER SET UP = 8
LINE SET UP = blank
CARRIAGE RETURN = 13
FORM FEED = ??
DARKNESS = 1

** This is set up for the plotter mode (576 DPL), this control code sequence will have to be changed if you select different widths. Right now it will work for single width only.

*** It is set up for the plotter mode (576 DPL), it too will have to be changed if you select different widths. Right now it will work for single and double witdh.

ZX DRIVER users, check The Print Factory user manual for the settings.

Program name COPIER
Program type Printer Utility
Written by Kristian Boisvert