ASTRO AJ-300P User manual

AstroJetTM
300P/500P
PRINTER
OPERATOR MANUAL
ASTRO MACHINE CORP.
630 Lively Blvd..
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
www.astromachine.com

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
THIS EQUIPMENT PRESENTS NO PROBLEM WHEN USED PROPERLY.
HOWEVER, CERTAIN SAFETY RULES SHOULD BE OBSERVED WHEN
OPERATING THE ASTROJET 300 OR 500 PRINTER.
BEFORE USING THE PRINTER, YOU SHOULD READ THIS MANUAL
CAREFULLY AND FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDED PROCEDURES, SAFETY
WARNINGS, AND INSTRUCTIONS:
Keep hands, hair, and clothing clear of rollers and other moving parts.
Avoid touching moving parts or materials while the machine is in use. Before clearing a jam, be
sure machine mechanisms come to a stop.
Always turn off the machine before making adjustments, cleaning the machine, or performing any
maintenance covered in this manual.
Use the power cord supplied with the machine and plug it into a properly grounded, easily
accessible wall outlet located near the machine. Failure to properly ground the machine can result
in severe personal injury and/or fire.
The power cord and wall plug is the primary means of disconnecting the machine from the power
supply.
DO NOT use an adapter plug on the line cord or wall outlet.
DO NOT remove the ground pin from the line cord.
DO NOT route the power cord over sharp edges or trap it between furniture.
Avoid using wall outlets that are controlled by wall switches, or shared with other equipment.
Make sure there is no strain on the power cord caused by jamming between equipment, walls or
furniture.
DO NOT remove covers. Covers enclose hazardous parts that should only be accessed by a
qualified service representative. Report any cover damage to your service representative.
This machine requires periodic maintenance. Contact your authorized service representative for
required service schedules.
To prevent overheating, do not cover the vent openings.
Use this equipment only for its intended purpose.
In addition, follow any specific occupational safety and health standards for your workplace or area.
This manual is intended solely for the use and information of Astro Machine Corp., its designated
agents, customers, and their employees. The information in this guide was obtained from several
different sources that are deemed reliable by all industry standards. To the best of our
knowledge, that information is accurate in all respects. However, neither Astro Machine Corp. nor
any of its agents or employees shall be responsible for any inaccuracies contained herein.
AstroJetTM is a registered trademark of Astro Machine Corp.
Hewlett-Packard is a registered trademark of Hewlett-Packard Corporation.
Windows 98, 2000, NT and XP are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher

TABLE OF CONTENTS
i
Table of Contents
Section 1 –Getting Acquainted
1
Operator View
Rear View
Control Panel
1
2
3
Section 2 –Installing the Printer
5
Choosing a Location
Connecting the AstroJet 300/500
Connecting the Computer
Installing the Inkjet Cartridges
Setting up the Feed
Installing the Printer Driver
5
5
5
6
6
7
Section 3 –Operating the AstroJet 300/500
9
Printer Operation
Printer Driver Properties
Printing from Microsoft Word
Printing from DeskTop Mailer®
9
11
15
17
Section 4 –Maintenance
21
The Inkjet Cartridge
Jams in the Printer
Replacing the Sheet Separators
Cleaning
21
23
23
24
Section 5 –Troubleshooting
25
HP Inkjet Print Cartridges
The Printer
25
26
Appendices
27
Appendix A –Specifications
Appendix B –Supplies and Optional Hardware
27
28
Index
29

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ii
Notes

SECTION 1
GETTING ACQUAINTED
1
Section 1 –Getting Acquainted
NOTE: The AstroJet 300 and 500 are similar in operation. The only difference is that the
AstroJet 300 has only one print speed regardless of print resolution, while the AstroJet 500 has
variable printing speeds based on the print resolution.
Operator View
1.
Safety Cover –Encloses the Printheads. When raised it interrupts the feeding of
the media and stops the Printer.
2.
Media Side Guides –Help guide the media to the Printheads.
3.
Rear Media Guide –Holds the media against the front plate.
4.
Rear Paper Support –Holds longer media in position.
5.
Printer LCD Display –Displays information about the status of the Printer.
6.
Printer Control Panel –Keys are used to operate the Printer.
7.
Media Thickness Adjustment Knob –Used to set the Printheads at the proper
height for printing on the media. Always raise the Printheads to their
uppermost position when storing the Printer.

SECTION 1
GETTING ACQUAINTED
2
Rear View
1.
Separator Locking Knob –Used to lock the Separator in place after it is
adjusted.
2.
Sheet Separator –Separates each piece of media as it is feed.
3.
USB Port –Connects the Printer to your computer using your USB Port.
4.
Parallel Port –Connects the Printer to the Parallel Printer Port on your
computer.
5.
Main Power Fuse –Protects all of the electronic circuits in the Printer.
6.
Motor Circuit Breaker –Protects the Printer’s Motor from overload.
7.
Main Power Switch –Turns the Printer ON and OFF.
8.
Power Receptacle –Power cord plugs in here.

SECTION 1
GETTING ACQUAINTED
3
Control Panel
1.
ON LINE key –Indicator lights when data is sent to the AstroJet 300/500 and
printing is ready to begin. Also turns the Printer offline to access the Menu Mode.
2.
-key –In Menu Mode, use this key to scroll to the previous selection.
3.
ENTER key –Starts and stops printing.
4.
FAULT Indicator –Lights when there is a problem with the printing process.
5.
RESET key –Resets the Printer to its wait state.
6.
+key –In Menu Mode, use this key to scroll to the next selection.
7.
MENU key –Puts the Printer in the Menu Mode to access several operator
functions.
8.
TEST PRINT key –Puts the Printer in Test Mode and sends a sample copy to
check the Printer’s output.
9.
OPERATOR DISPLAY –Indicates the status of the Printer including menus
and error messages.
NOTE: A complete description of the functions and operation of the printer keys
can be found in Section 3 –Operating the AstroJet 300/500.

SECTION 1
GETTING ACQUAINTED
4
Notes

SECTION 2
INSTALLING THE PRINTER
5
Section 2 –Installing the Printer
Before using the AstroJet 300 or 500 Printer the following must be done:
Choose a location for the Printer
Plug in the Printer and connect it to the computer
Install the Inkjet Cartridges
Set up the feed on the Printer
Install the AstroJet 300 or 500 Printer Driver depending on the model
Choose a Location
The Printer should be placed on a sturdy worktable or cabinet at least 12 inches from any walls. Protect
the Printer from excessive heat, dust, and moisture –avoid placing it in direct sunlight.
Connecting the AstroJet 300 or 500
Plugging in the Printer
Make sure that the Main Power Switch of the Printer is in the OFF position.
1. Connect one end of the power cord to the
rear of the Printer in the corresponding
receptacle.
2. Plug the other end into a 115-220 Volt
AC, 50/60 Hz. grounded outlet.
CAUTION
Do not use an adapter plug or extension
cord to connect the Printer to the wall
outlet.
Do not use on outlets controlled by wall
switches.
Do not use an outlet that shares the
same circuit with large electrical
machines or appliances.
Connecting to the Computer
Parallel Port: Plug the Parallel Printer Cable from
your computer into the rear of the Printer and latch
the two locking clips.
USB Port: If using a USB Interface, plug that cable
into the connector mounted next to the Parallel Port.
The cable used to connect the Printer to the
computer must not exceed 6 feet long.
NOTE: The Parallel Port may be used for all
versions of Windows. The USB Port is used only
for Windows ME, 2000, and XP.

SECTION 2
INSTALLING THE PRINTER
6
Install the Inkjet Cartridges
The Printer can be configured with 3 Inkjet Cartridges. To install the cartridges:
Remove the Inkjet Cartridge from its
packaging, taking care not to touch the
copper contacts, the metal plate, or the gold
printhead. Remove the protective tape from
the Printhead.
The Cartridges are held in place by a Latch
Lever mounted on the Inkjet Cartridge
Holder. Release the lever by raising it
vertically.
With the Cartridge’s Printhead pointing
down, slide the Cartridge into the Holder
and push down and toward the contacts in
the Holder.
Make sure the Cartridge is seated in the
Holder then close the Latch Lever to secure
the Cartridge in the Holder. Do not force
the lever into place. (See diagram.)
Repeat the above for the remaining
Cartridges.
The Ink in the Cartridge
may be harmful if
swallowed. Keep new
and used Cartridges out
of reach of children.
Discard empty
Cartridges immediately.
Setting up the Feed
The AstroJet Printer is equipped with four Sheet
Separators, two Side Guides, and a Back Media
Guide. The Sheet Separators are adjusted
individually as follows:
1. Move the Side Guides so that the locking
screws are accessible.
2. Loosen the locking screw as shown and
raise the Separator, then tighten the locking
screw to hold the Separator in the up
position.
3. Place the media under the Separators. It is
best to place the media in the center position
on the Table.
4. Loosen the Separator locking screw. Place the Separator on the media and tighten the locking
screw. Repeat for each Separator that has media under it.

SECTION 2
INSTALLING THE PRINTER
7
5. Adjust the Side Guides so that they are
about 1/32-inch from the sides of the
media. Tighten the locking screws on the
Side Guides.
6. Adjust the Rear Guide by loosening the locking screw and place it so that the media is raised
approximately 1/2-inch above the Feed Table.
7. Turn the Media Thickness Knob [A] fully
counterclockwise. Place a piece of media
[B] under the Printhead Carriage. Adjust
the Media Thickness Knob clockwise
until the Printhead Carriage just touches
the media. Then turn the Media Thickness
Knob counterclockwise until the media
[B] can be pulled from under the Print
Carriage with a slight pull.
8. Test feed the media by pressing the ON
LINE key and then the ENTER key.
Press the ENTER key to stop feeding,
then press the ON LINE key to stop the Printer.
NOTE: When the Printer is not in use always raise the Printheads to their maximum up position.
Installing the Printer Driver
A dedicated Printer Driver is included with the Printer. It must be installed on your computer before you
install the AstroPrint Software.
NOTE: The Driver for the Printer should start when installed. If it does not, then use the steps below.
1. If you have any applications running on your computer
close them and restart the computer before beginning
the Driver installation.
2. Install the CD in the CD drive and click START. Then
click RUN, then type the following; D:\Setup.exe
(where D is the CD drive) then click OK.
3. The “Add Printer Wizard (n.nn)” window will open,
and then click Next>.
4. Type in your Name and Company and click Next>.
4

SECTION 2
INSTALLING THE PRINTER
8
5. Select Printer Port LPT1. Then click Next>. The “Add Printer Wizard” will appear. Select your printer
from the table below, then click Next>
Printer
Driver
AJ 300 P
AstroJet 300
AJ 500 P
AstroJet 500
6. The next screen allows you to
“Name Your Printer”. Unless
you have another printer of
the same name on your
system or network ignore this
step and click Next>.
7. Click Finish to complete the
installation.

SECTION 3
OPERATING THE ASTROJET 300/500
9
Section 3 –Operating the AstroJet 300/500
Once the Printer Driver is installed on your computer, you are ready to start printing. This section is
divided into three parts. The first describes the function of the Printer Control Panel. The second section
describes the Driver Properties and the various options available when you run a job. The third section
describes how to Set Up a Job to Print from Microsoft Word.
The Printer Driver that you installed on your computer in Section 2 should be set as the default driver. It
will then be accessible through your applications such as Microsoft Word. Other types of applications and
database management software will work in a similar manner using the AstroJet 300 or 500 Driver. This
Section further assumes that you set up the feed and connected the AstroJet 300 or 500 to your computer.
Printer Operation
When you first turn the Printer ON, the ON LINE key light will blink. The Printer’s Display will show the
message; “Printer Offline / Enter for Paper Feed”. The TEST key light will be OFF. In this mode,
pressing the ENTER key will start the paper feeding, but no printing will take place.
To print, you must put the Printer on line. When you do, the Display will change to the following message;
“Printer Online / Waiting for Data”. In this mode, when you send a job, the Printer will be ready to print
when the ENTER key is pressed.
The following is a description of the operation of the Printer’s various menu options that let you customize
the operation of the Printer to suit. The Printer Control-Panel Keys can be used to access various functions
that help the operator control the Printer. These functions and their operation are as follows:
TEST key
Pressing the TEST key momentarily places the Printer in the Test Print mode. The word “Working”
appears in the lower half of the Display, after a short period of time the Display changes to “Enter to feed”.
Pressing the ENTER key will start the printing process and print the Test Print. To stop the feeding, press
ENTER again.
NOTE: If you have chosen to have the Printer start automatically, (see the Menu key below) the
Printer will start printing the Test Print once it is loaded without your having to press the ENTER
key. In this case, pressing the ENTER key will stop the paper feed.
To exit the Test Print mode press the TEST key again and the Printer will return to its ready state.
Pressing and holding the TEST key will cause the Printer to enter the “Service Menu” where various
functions of the Printer can be tested. To exit the “Service Menu”, press the TEST key a second time. The
“Service Menu” is primarily used by service to diagnose problems should they occur. You can use the “+”
or “-”key to scroll through the menu. Pressing the ENTER key will test the function.
To check the level of the Ink Cartridges when you enter the “Service Menu”, press the “-”key and the
amount of ink remaining will appear as a percentage in the lower half of the Display window.
MENU key
The MENU key is used to access the special features built into the Printer and to customize the operation
of the Printer. The basic features are accessed by momentarily pressing the MENU key. Use the “+” or “-”
keys to access the features. The features available under this mode of operation are as follows:
NOTE: If the ON LINE key is ON you cannot enter the Menu Mode. You must first take the
machine offline by pressing the ON LINE key.
Media Thickness Setup –The first item to appear in the Display is the “Media Thickness Setup”, if
the Printer is equipped with an Automatic Media Thickness Control. You can use this feature to pre-
set the Printhead height for various media thicknesses.

SECTION 3
OPERATING THE ASTROJET 300/500
10
Press Enter to Purge –The purging function is useful for clearing the Printhead Nozzles when the
machine has been idle for a time. To activate the Purge, press the ENTER key to feed one piece of
media. To purge the Printheads additional times, press the ENTER key for each additional purge.
NOTE: The Printer will only purge one piece each time you press the ENTER key. For
additional purges, press the ENTER key again for each subsequent purge.
Clear Batch Counter –Pressing the ENTER key will clear the number in the upper right hand corner
of the Display. Resetting the Counter is usually performed at the start of each job. Turning the Printer
OFF will not reset this Counter.
Purge First Piece –Turning the feature ON will cause the Printer to send one purge pattern on the
first piece. After the purge is completed, the next piece will be the first record of your database. Once
this is turned ON it will remain ON even if the Printer is turned OFF.
Address Recovery –In event of a jam in the Printer, you can recover up to 10 pieces by pressing the
MENU key, then stepping to the “Address Recovery”. Then press the ENTER key. The message
“Enter: Recover 1 Piece” will appear. Use the “+” key to select the number of pieces to reprint (1-10)
then press ENTER again to start the printing process. When the pieces are printed, press the
ONLINE key and then the ENTER key to resume printing the job.
Print Enhancement –Pressing the “+” or “-” key brings this message up in the Display. The Print
Enhancement feature is used when printing to ensure that the Printhead Nozzles stay open and prevent
the loss of the descender on letters such as “y” or “q” and accent marks that do not appear in every
address. Pressing the ENTER key turns this function ON or OFF. The function remains as changed
until the operator changes it again. Turning the Printer ON and OFF will not affect the setting.
NOTE: The Print Enhancement feature will time out after 100 seconds if no media is going
through the Printer. Once media is being printed it will restart.
Automatic Feed –Turning the feature ON causes the Printer to start feeding once the job is sent. If
the ON LINE key is ON the Printer will start feeding and printing automatically. If you prefer to
press the ENTER key to start the printing process, then turn this feature OFF. Turning the machine
ON or OFF will not affect your selection.
Pause Type: –This feature allows the Printer to respond to a “break mark” set in the database used in
a given job. The “break mark” marks the end of a series within the database. For example, addresses
with the same postal code or after a set number of entries. There are two “Pause Type:” selections:
Feed Stop –This setting is for standalone desktop units not used in line with other mailing
equipment. The Printer will stop feeding media for a set amount of time after it “sees” a “break
mark”. Allows time for the operator to pack or separate that set of printed pieces before the next
set starts. Use the “+” or “-” key to access this feature. Press ENTER to turn this function ON or
OFF.
Conveyor Speed Up –This feature is for use when the Printer is used in line with other mailing
equipment (conveyors, tabbers, etc.) When this feature is activated, the Printer responds to the
“break mark” by sending a signal to the conveyor to speed up momentarily. This creates an
obvious gap between the end of one set of pieces and the beginning of the next. Use the “+” or “-”
key to access this feature. Press ENTER to turn this function ON or OFF.
Installing New Printheads –The Printer is capable of telling you when a Printhead is running low on
ink. To use this feature, press the MENU key momentarily. Then use the “+” or “-” key to highlight
“Enter when head (n) is filled”. Press the ENTER key and install a new Cartridge. Repeat for each
Cartridge you install. When the ENTER key is pressed the Display will change to “Head (n) has a
new cartridge”. To check the level of ink in the Cartridges, press and hold the TEST PRINT key until
the “Service Menu” appears. Use the “+” or “-” key to scroll to the “Service Menu: Ink Levels,
100%100%100%”. This will show how much ink remains in the Cartridge.
NOTE: This feature only works if the Cartridges remain in the original Head where they were
installed. If you swap the Cartridges from one Head to another, the levels will not be accurate.

SECTION 3
OPERATING THE ASTROJET 300/500
11
There is a second set of menus available in the Display. To activate them, press and hold the MENU key
until the “Setup Menu” appears. You can step through these items with the “+” or “-” key.
Total Count –The total count displayed is the total number of prints that have passed through the
Printer. It is non-resettable.
BIOS Version –Press the “+”key to display the version of the BIOS.
Bulk Ink –This feature is not used on the AstroJet desktop printers. No provisions are made to install
the larger cartridges.
+ / - key
In various menu modes these keys are used to step through the options.
ON LINE key
If the ON LINE key is ON the Display will return the following message “Printer Online / Waiting for
Data” and the light will be lit. This means that the Printer is ready to print the job when it is sent. To have
the Printer start printing immediately when the job is sent you must also have the Automatic Feed feature
turned ON. If the ON LINE key is OFF, the Display will return the following message, “Printer Offline /
ENTER for Paper Feed”. In this condition the machine can feed paper. This is useful for setting up the
Feeder.
NOTE: If the Printer is off line and you send a job, the Display will show, “Printer Offline / Data
Ready to Print”. To print, you must first press the ON LINE key to put the Printer on line. If you sent
data and the Printer is set up to not start feeding automatically and the ON LINE key is lit, then the
Display will show “Printer Online / ENTER to Start Feed”.
ENTER key
The ENTER key is used to start the Printer printing when it is on line and the Automatic Feed is turned
OFF. Additionally, when the Printer is placed in any of the Menu Modes, the ENTER key is used to
choose the options available.
RESET key
The RESET key is used to clear the Printer Memory and return it to the wait state. This key only functions
if the Printer is offline.
Purge While Printing
To do the purge in the middle of a job, follow these steps:
Press ONLINE key to pause the current job.
Press the MENU key, then step to “Press Enter to Purge”.
Press ENTER key to start the purge and press the ENTER key again to stop purge.
Press ONLINE key and then the ENTER key to get back to normal printing.
Note. If paper jam occurs during the purge, after the purge you should use Address Recovery to
get back to normal printing. Otherwise you will lose records.
Printer Driver Properties
The Printer Driver describes to the Printer how to print your job. It controls the operation of the Printer and
allows you to send fixed and variable text and graphics to the Printer. Within your data management
software is a print function. In that print function is a Properties Button. It is through the Properties that you
control the output of your Printer. The following describes the Properties Windows for the AstroJet
300/500 and how to use them to customize the output of your Printer.

SECTION 3
OPERATING THE ASTROJET 300/500
12
To start printing, click on File, then Print. The Print window
will open. If you wish to print the job, click OK. If you wish to
use the special features built into the AstroJet Printer Drivers,
clicking on the Properties button will open the Properties
Window in Windows 98, NT, or ME.
If you are using Windows 2000 or XP, the window on the
right will open. Clicking on Advanced will open the
“Options”window. In the following illustrations the
windows for Windows 98, NT, and ME will be on the left.
The windows for Windows 2000 and XP will be on the right.
When the Properties Window opens
you are presented with several tabs in
Windows 98. The following are
standard Windows Printer Driver
functions and should be left at their
defaults: Graphics, Fonts, and Device
Options. The Features and Print
Heads tabs are used to set up, change,
and adjust the Printer.
Features Tab
The Features Tab/ Advanced
Options, depending on the operating
system, is used to change the speed
and resolution of the Printer, to add a
delay to the feed to provide separation
between the pieces, and to print and
overlay with the job. The first feature
is the Print Quality which has two
settings. One for the resolution of the
print quality and the second for the
appropriate speed. Changing the
resolution to a higher number (e.g. 200
DPI to 600 DPI) will increase the
quality of the image. When the resolution is changed the Belt speed (IPS) is automatically changed to the
optimum speed for the resolution selected. You can change the speeds to a lower speed as follows:

SECTION 3
OPERATING THE ASTROJET 300/500
13
The Feed Delay can be used to put more space between the pieces as they are being printed. This will give
the first piece printed more time to dry before the next piece is Printer. The adjustment range is in 0.1-
second increments. This feature works at all speeds.
The Overlay feature is used to save time printing when you are combining a database with fixed
information or graphics. The default is “No overlay”.
To use the Overlay feature, first create a layout in an application such as Microsoft Word. Place all of the
fixed information and graphics on this layout. Open the layout and go to Print in the File menu. Click on
Features, then click Overlay. Select “Contains overlay” from the box, then click Apply and OK.
Next, click OK on the “Print” window. The Overlay will download.
Now open the job that contains the variable data and using File then Print from the dropdown menu open
the “Print” window for the application. Click on Properties then the Features tab. Then click on the
dropdown menu under “Overlay”and click on Previous job contains overlay. Click Apply, then OK.
When the Print window reappears, click OK to send the job to the Printer. To start printing, press the
ENTER key on the Printer.
If you wish to print a second job using the same Overlay, simply open that job and send it to the Printer. If
the next job does not contain an Overlay, then click on Properties in the “Print” window, select Overlay,
then No overlay. Click Apply, then OK.
To print the next job with a different Overlay, repeat the process for the first Overlay.
NOTE: Turning the Printer OFF, then ON will clear the Overlay and the job.
AstroJet 500
Resolution
Speeds available
150 DPI
Low, Medium, Medium High,
and High
200 DPI
Low, Medium, and Medium
High
300 DPI
Low, and Medium
600 DPI
Low
AstroJet 300
Resolution
Speeds available
150 DPI
Low
200 DPI
Low
300 DPI
Low
600 DPI
Low

SECTION 3
OPERATING THE ASTROJET 300/500
14
Print Heads Tab
The purpose of the Print Heads tab is to permit slight (0.001-inch) adjustment to the position of the
Printheads to each other. The adjustment is used to precisely align the three Printheads when printing
graphics or type that extends beyond the width of one Printhead. Each Head can be moved +/- 0.048-inch
in 0.001-inch increments.
If you want to move the Printhead toward the lead edge of your layout, then it should be moved in the “-”
direction. To move the Head away from the lead edge, move it in the “+” direction.
When the Printer is turned OFF, the changes that you make in this manner go back to the original settings.
Inverse Printing
The Paper Tab contains one element that is used to reverse or invert the printing on the AstroJet 300/500.
In normal operation the printing is read from the operator side of the Printer. It is sometimes necessary to
turn the printing direction 180 degrees from the normal direction. This occurs when due to the layout or the
method of binding, the media must be fed in the reverse direction.
Clicking on the Paper Tab and then on the Paper Source will permit you to reverse the printing direction
180 degrees. The rest of the settings on this tab should be left as they are. Paper size is always “Max Print
Area” and Orentation is always “Portrait”. Do not change them.

SECTION 3
OPERATING THE ASTROJET 300/500
15
Printing from Microsoft Word
If you are not using a specific program designed for
mailing applications it is possible to print your mail pieces
using Microsoft Word. This section will cover how to
layout a piece and to print from Microsoft Word.
To begin, open a new page and turn on the toolbar for Mail
Merge. Under “Print”select the Address Printer 3 or 3A as
the default printer. Go to Page Setup in the File menu. Set
all of the margins to “0”.
NOTE: The Printer must be selected before you do the
set up so that the setting will be registered.
Next select the Page Size tab and Custom Page. The size of
the layout should be 1.5-inches high by the length of the
piece you are intending to print on. In our example, we
have selected the width of a # 10 envelope, 9.5-inches. The
orientation of the piece is always Portrait. The effective
printing area of the AstroJet 300/500 is 1.5-inches by 14-
inches. When you have completed this step click OK.
The next step is to create a text box so that you can position the address the proper distance from the lead
edge of the piece. Once the page layout is set, you might want to save it as a template for use later.
When you have completed the steps above, the layout should look like the one below.

SECTION 3
OPERATING THE ASTROJET 300/500
16
Click on Tools and then Mail Merge. The “Mail
Merge Helper”window will open. Click On
Create, then Envelopes. The “Microsoft Word”
window will open. Click on the Active Window
button, then click on the Get Data button. Next,
click on Open data source. Locate the data file
you intend to use. In our example, we are using a
Microsoft Excel file. Select the file and the
“Microsoft Excel” window opens. Select the
entire spreadsheet and click OK.
Next click on Edit Main Document and then
click on Close.
Use the “Mail Merge” toolbar and click on
Insert Merge Field and begin to build the
layout by inserting the address fields.
When you have
completed setting up the
layout, click on the Mail
Merge icon on the
toolbar and the “Merge”
window will open.
In the Merge to menu there are several choices for where how the data is exported. The two that concern us
are “New Document” and “Printer”. If you choose “New Document”, the merge will be created in your
word application with a separate record for each address. If you choose “Printer”, the merge will send
directly to the Printer and each record will be printed.
The next selection is “Records to be merged”. You can select All or From:
The last selection is “When merging records”. The default is “Don’t print blank lines when data fields are
empty.” This should be left checked.
Clicking on Merge will start merging the documents.
If you chose to send the merge directly to the Printer and the Printer is connected to the computer and
turned ON, the Printer will start. Pressing the ENTER key will start the printing process.
If you have a graphic or fixed text to be printed with the data, refer to the section on Overlays.