HP LineJet Printers - PCL-II/LinePrinter Plus Technical Reference Manual, 171249-001PX

Chapter 2 HP 3000 Information

HP 3000 Information

This section contains information which is specific to HP 3000 users. It

explains the use of the feature access and transparent modes, environment

files, downloading VFC files, carriage control, perforation skip mode, and

discusses recoverability.

Feature Access and Transparent Modes

During system device configuration, the LineJet printer is configured to default

to either the transparent or feature access mode. In the transparent mode, the

printer prints (but does not execute) all data including control codes and

escape sequences. In the feature access mode, the supported control codes

and escape sequences are executed. The user can access the non-default

mode using either the FDEVICECONTROL intrinsic (for programs) or an

environment file.

VFC Download with a Serial Interface

Typically, VFC download was only possible for 256X and HP 2300 Series

printers with an HPIB interface using the CIPER driver. MPE V/E T-MIT and

above support a software product called Workstation Configurator that allows

serial printers to “download” VFC by placing the VFC escape sequence in an

initialization string instead of embedding them within the application.

The process of downloading VFC using Workstation Configurator is different

than when using an HPIB printer. Workstation Configurator has a utility that

allows modification to two different files that allow for, among other things,

setting initialization strings, flow control, and VFC. Workstation Configurator

has a terminal type file that is used for certain functions and a VFC file that is

used for setting the initialization strings and the VFC. These files are not in the

same format as the HPIB VFC file and must be created using Workstation

Configurator.

When using the VFC file created using Workstation Configurator, the user

must specify the terminal type file in the HP 3000 I/O Configuration, or by

referencing it with the ENV parameter of the FILE statement. The

DOWNLOAD command will NOT operate in this configuration.

If the ENV parameter of the FILE statement is used, the associated terminal

type file that has been configured with the printer will still be sent to the printer

first and the terminal type file that has been specified with the ENV parameter

will be sent NEXT. This does not create any problems, it just should be noted

when using a datascope or analyzing a spool file.