Product Support Bulletin
EPSON
EPSON AMERICA INC.
SERVICE DEPARTMENT
PRODUCT SUPPORT BULLETIN
DATE:
12/14/87
NUMBER:
S-0031
SUBJECT:
Equity Series with Microsoft Word and Serial Printers
This bulletin is to inform you of a
potential problem when using
Microsoft Word,
certain Equity computers and a serial printer. The
situation exists on:
Equity I
BIOS rev.
2.21 or earlier
Equity I+
BIOS rev. 1.02
Equity II+
BIOS rev. 2.00
Equity III+ (10 MHz)
BIOS rev.
1.50 or earlier
Equity III+ (12 MHz) BIOS rev. 2.00
Apex
BIOS rev. 1.00
When Word is configured to drive a
serial
printer
via
COM1 or
COM2,
it will print a character every 1 to 2 seconds. A single line
of text may take up to a minute to print.
Word uses BIOS interrupt
14h
(serial
output)
function
1 (send
character to port) for driving either COM port. The function number
is placed in the AH register and the interrupt called. On return, AH
is supposed to contain the line control status. However, AH is still
set to 1,
indicating that a character is ready to be received. Word
then calls interrupt 14h,
function 2 (receive character) and attempts
to receive the character. After 1 to 2 seconds, the routine times out
and transmission is resumed.
There are three methods of correcting this situation:
1)
If the printer supports hardware handshaking, redirect
the printer output (MODE LPT1:=COM1:)
and configure
Word for LPT1. This works reliably with Epson printers
or similar devices.
2)
Epson has developed a
patch program (SERFIX.COM).
This is a TSR that
insures
that proper status is
returned from INT 14h, function 1.
This
program is
available
from
CompuServe (Epson and Microsoft
Forums) and the Product Support Center BBS.
3)
A revised ROM BIOS has been developed for 'the above
systems. This
is a
limited release and will only be
supplied on an as-needed basis.
Method 1 is the easiest solution. Method 2 is effective and is
recommended for
individual users.
Method 3 should be reserved for
large,
multi-unit upgrades on an as-needed basis.
Please contact the Systems
Support Group
if you
need additional
information.
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