Intermec EasyCoder 301 Manual

EasyCoder 301
Direct Protocol 2.0
P/N 1-960419-02
Edition 3
August 1999
Programmer’s Guide

Intermec EasyCoder 301 Direct Protocol 2.0 – Programmer's Guide Ed. 3
1
Contents
Contents
Intermec EasyCoder 301
Direct Protocol 2.0
Programmer's Guide
Edition 3, August 1999
Part No. 1-960419-02
1. Introduction 1. Introduction.......................................................................... 4
2. Getting Started 1. Computer Connection .......................................................... 5
2. Check Paper Supply ............................................................. 6
3. Turn on the Printer ............................................................... 6
4. Serial Communications Test................................................. 6
3. Principles of Operation 1. Intermec Direct Protocol Special Features ............................ 8
2. Sending Commands ............................................................. 8
3. Fields ................................................................................. 10
4. General Formatting Commands.......................................... 10
5. Field-Related Formatting Commands ................................. 10
6. Layout Commands ............................................................. 11
7. Printable Data Commands .................................................. 11
8. Feeding and Printing Commands........................................ 12
9. Setting Up the Printer ......................................................... 12
10. Reading Printer's Status ...................................................... 12
11. File-Handling Commands .................................................. 13
12. Syntax Descriptions ........................................................... 13
13. File Storage Devices and File Names ................................. 14
4. Label Design 1. Introduction........................................................................ 15
2. General Formatting Commands.......................................... 16
3. Text Field........................................................................... 19
4. Bar Code Field ................................................................... 23
5. Image Field ........................................................................ 28
6. Box Field ........................................................................... 30
7. Line Field........................................................................... 31
8. Layout Commands ............................................................. 32
9. Printable Data Commands .................................................. 33
5. Feeding and Printing 1. Paper Feed ......................................................................... 39
Commands 2. Label Printing..................................................................... 41
3. Batch Printing .................................................................... 42

Intermec EasyCoder 301 Direct Protocol 2.0 – Programmer's Guide Ed. 3
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Contents
Contents, cont'd.
6. Setting Up the Printer 1. Layout Mode/Immediate Mode .......................................... 44
2. IN/OUT Channel Setup ...................................................... 44
3. Date and Time.................................................................... 45
4. Date and Time Format........................................................ 46
5. Separators .......................................................................... 47
6. Counters............................................................................. 48
7. Label-Taken Sensor ........................................................... 49
8. Feed Key............................................................................ 49
9. Memory Formatting ........................................................... 50
10. Input Data Preprocess......................................................... 50
11. Character Set Selection....................................................... 51
12. Printer Reboot .................................................................... 52
13. Verbosity Level.................................................................. 53
14. Error Message Types.......................................................... 53
15. Error Handling ................................................................... 53
16. Break in Batch Printing ...................................................... 55
17. Printer Setup ...................................................................... 55
18. Setting the LSS Threshold .................................................. 57
19. Enabling/Disabling Automatic Cutting ............................... 58
7. Reading the Printer's 1. Introduction........................................................................ 59
Status 2. Date and Time.................................................................... 59
3. Memory ............................................................................. 59
4. Printhead ............................................................................ 60
5. System Counters ................................................................ 60
6. Sensors............................................................................... 61
7. Printer's Status.................................................................... 61
8. Firmware and Hardware Versions ...................................... 61
9. Label Length ...................................................................... 62
10. Gap Length ........................................................................ 62
11. Media Light Transmission.................................................. 62
8. File Handling 1. Reading the Printer Memory .............................................. 63
2. Removing Images, Files and Fonts ..................................... 63
3. Copying Files ..................................................................... 64
4. Downloading Binary Files.................................................. 64
5. Downloading Image Files................................................... 65
9. Advanced Features 1. Specifying Complex Bar Codes.......................................... 66
2. Using International Character Sets...................................... 67
3. Font Scaling ....................................................................... 71

Intermec EasyCoder 301 Direct Protocol 2.0 –Programmer's Guide Ed. 3
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Contents
Information in this manual is subject to change without prior notice and does not represent a commit-
ment on the part of Intermec Printer AB.
© Copyright Intermec Printer AB, 1999. All rights reserved. Published in Sweden.
EasyCoder is a registered trademark of Intermec Technologies Corp.
Centronics is a registered trademark of Centronics Data Computer Corp.
Microsoft, MS, and MS-DOS are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
Speedo is a trademark of Bitstream, Inc.
TrueType are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc.
Unicode is a trademark of Unicode Inc.
Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
10. Firmware Upgrade 1. Software and Fonts............................................................. 72
11. Character Set, Fonts 1. Character Sets .................................................................... 73
and Bar Codes 2. Resident Fonts.................................................................. 100
3. Resident Bar Code Fonts .................................................. 101
12. Error Messages 1. Error Messages in Numerical Order ................................. 102
13. Commands and 1. Commands (Alphabetical)................................................ 104
Functions 2. Command Syntax............................................................. 109
3. Function Syntax ............................................................... 111
Contents, cont'd.

Intermec EasyCoder 301 Direct Protocol 2.0 –Programmer's Guide Ed. 3
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Chapter 1
Introduction
IntermecDirectProtocolis aneasy-to-useprinter programminglan-
guage that has been developed for use with the computer-control-
led direct thermal and thermal transfer printers manufactured by
Intermec.The versiondescribed inthis manualis onlyapplicableto
EasyCoder 301 printers, but is in most respects compatible to other
versions of the Intermec Direct Protocol, so applications created
for other types of EasyCoder printers can be used on an EasyCoder
301 with few or no modifications.
Intermec Direct Protocol can be used in two ways:
• To create label layouts consisting of fields with fixed or variable
information. A layout can then be selected and provided with
variable input from the host computer in the form of a simple
string of data.
• To send input data and formatting commands as a continuous
string of data directly from the host computer.
In both cases, Intermec Direct Protocol provides a flexible error
handler, which allows you to compose your own error messages in
any language.
Intermec Direct Protocol has been created with two main types of
application in mind:
• Applicationswheretheend-userrequiresasimpleprintercontrol
program, but needs a versatile error handler.
• Applicationswhichhaveacomprehensiveprintercontrolprogram
in the host computer.
Referto chapter13in thismanualfor listsof thevarious commands
in Intermec Direct Protocol.
We recommend that you have the following manuals accessible
when you perform any programming:
• EasyCoder 301 Installation and Operation Manual
• This Programmer's Guide.

Intermec EasyCoder 301 Direct Protocol 2.0 –Programmer's Guide Ed. 3
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Chapter 2
Intermec Direct Protocol is stored in two Flash EPROM packages
fitted as standard on the printer's CPU board. No floppy disks or
operating system, such as MS-DOS, are required. The printer only
needs to be connected to a mains supply and to a device capable of
transmitting characters in ASCII format, which can be anything
from a non-intelligent terminal to a mainframe computer system.
For running the printer, we recommend a computer with a screen,
an alphanumeric keyboard, and a communication program which
provides two-way communication via an RS 232C serial port. A
Centronics parallel port can also be used, but it will provide one-
way communication only: no data or messages can be returned to
the screen of the host.
Connect the printer and host as described in the EasyCoder 301
Installation and Operation Manual.
It is possible to set up the printer's communication protocol to fit
the host computer, as described in the EasyCoder 301 Installation
and Operation Manual. However, until you have become familiar
with Intermec Direct Protocol, it may be easier to adapt the host to
the printer's default setup parameters. There is no communication
setup for the Centronics parallel interface.
Default serial communication setup on "uart1:"
• Baud rate.................... : 9600
• Parity ......................... : None
• Character length ......... : 8
• No. of stop bits ........... : 1
• Flow control............... : Disabled
• New line .................... : CR/LF(CarriageReturn+LineFeed)
Getting Started
1. Computer
Connection

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Intermec EasyCoder 301 Direct Protocol 2.0 –Programmer's Guide Ed. 3
Chapter 2 Getting Started
Check that the printer has an ample supply of paper or other receiv-
ing material and, where applicable, of thermal transfer ribbon. Re-
fer to the EasyCoder 301 User's Guide or Installation and Opera-
tion Manual for loading commands.
Checkthattheprintheadislowered.Turnonthemainsswitch,which
is fitted on the printer's rear plate, and check that the Power LED
comes on.
Check that you have a working two-way serial communication by
sending a simple command from the host to the printer. On the
host, type:
? VERSION$ ↵
Providedyouhaveserialtwo-waycommunication,theprintershould
respondby immediatelyreturning theversion ofthe installed Inter-
mec Direct Protocol firmware to the screen of the host, e.g.:
V2.00
Ok
This indicates that the communication is working both ways.
If the communication does not work, turn off the printer and check
the connection cable. Also check if the communication setup in the
host corresponds to the printer's setup, check the verbosity level,
andcheck iftheconnection ismade betweenthe correctports. Then
try the communication test again using the Dump Mode.
Once you know that the communication is working, you may go on
and send a line of text to make sure that characters transmitted from
the terminal are interpreted as expected by the printer's software:
PP 10, 10 ↵
FT "Swiss 721 BT" ↵
PT "ABCDEFGHIJKLM" ↵
PF ↵
2. Check Paper
Supply
3. Turn on the
Printer
4. Serial
Communications
Test
(↵= Carriage Return)

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Intermec EasyCoder 301 Direct Protocol 2.0 –Programmer's Guide Ed. 3
Chapter 2 Getting Started
Each line will be acknowledged by “Ok” on the screen, provided it
has been entered correctly. When you press ↵ (Carriage Return)
the third time, the printer will feed out a label, ticket, tag or piece of
strip with the text printed in the lower left corner of the printable
area.
You can try using other characters between the quotation marks in
thethirdline,especially typicalnationalcharacterslike ÅÄÖÜ¿¢¥ç,
etc. If any unexpected characters are printed, you may need to se-
lect another character set (see chapter 6.11), or change the commu-
nication setup from 7-bit to 8-bit character length.
4. Serial
Communications
Test, cont'd.
ABCDEFGHIJKLM

Intermec EasyCoder 301 Direct Protocol 2.0 –Programmer's Guide Ed. 3
8
Chapter 3
Principles of Operation
There is a built-in error handler, that can indicate selected error
conditionsand produce error-messages of your own creation in any
language you like.
Variable input data (in a special format) can be inserted into fields
in a predefined layout.
You can create counters without extensive programming.
You can easily enable the Feed key to produce printouts.
By default, verbosity is turned on in Intermec Direct Protocol1.
IntermecDirectProtocolallowsyoutosendcommandstotheprinter
in two ways:
• Immediate Mode
• Layout Mode
•Immediate Mode
You send commands that the printer will act upon immediately.
This method is used for setting up the printer, for returning
information from the printer back to the host and for managing
files, fonts and images.
Examples:
PRINT KEY ON ↵(enable Feed key)
? DATE$ ↵(read printer's calendar)
KILL "LAYOUT1" ↵(delete a layout or file)
Immediate Mode can also be used for creating label layouts
including all the printable data as illustrated below.
•Layout Mode
Layout Mode is only intended for creating labels. Firstly, create
a layout containing formatting commands for a number of fields
andsuchprintabledatathatyoudonotneedtochange.Secondly,
send a string of printable data to the empty fields plus a print
command. You can create a number of different layouts, select
the one you need, add the variable data and print out the labels.
1. Intermec Direct
Protocol Special
Features
2. Sending
Commands
1/. While you are experimenting
with Intermec Direct Protocol,
we recommend that you retain
thedefaultverbositysetting(ON).
Later you should change it to
OFF, since this will produce
optimum printer performance.

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Intermec EasyCoder 301 Direct Protocol 2.0 –Programmer's Guide Ed. 3
Chapter 3 Principles of Operation
Letus create thesimple label shownon the left usingboth methods:
Immediate Mode
You can send the string as a single line:
BF ON:BF "Swiss 721 BT",9,0:PP 10,20:
PX 400,300,10:PP 25,25:PM "ROM:GLOBE.1":
PP 75,250:BT "CODE39":PB "ABC":PP 75,200:
FT "Swiss 721 BT",9,0:PT "My FIRST label!":
PF ↵
You can also send the same string line by line:
BF ON ↵(enable bar code interpretation)
BF "Swiss 721 BT",9,0 ↵(select bar code interpr. font)
PP 10, 20 ↵(insertion point for box field)
PX 400,300,10 ↵(create a box)
PP 25,25 ↵(insertion point for image field)
PM "ROM:GLOBE.1" ↵(select image)
PP 75,250 ↵(insertion point for bar code field)
BT "CODE39" ↵(select bar code type)
PB "ABC" ↵(input data to bar code field)
PP 75,200 ↵(insertion point for text field)
FT "Swiss 721 BT",9,0 ↵(select font for text field)
PT "My FIRST label!" ↵(input data to text field)
PF ↵(print one label)
Layout Mode
First, create a layout:
LAYOUT INPUT "LABEL1" ↵(start layout recorder)
BF ON ↵(enable bar code interpretation)
BF "Swiss 721 BT",9,0 ↵(select bar code interpr. font)
PP 10,20 ↵(insertion point for box field)
PX 400,300,10 ↵(create a box)
PP 25,25 ↵(insertion point for image field)
PM "ROM:GLOBE.1" ↵(select image)
PP 75,250 ↵(insertion point for bar code field)
BT "CODE39" ↵(select bar code type)
PB VAR1$ ↵(variable input data to bar code field)
PP 75,200 ↵(insertion point for text field)
FT "Swiss 721 BT",9,0 ↵(select font for text field)
PT VAR2$ ↵ ( variable input data to text field)
LAYOUT END ↵(save layout)
Note:
If a label has been printed using
apredefinedlayoutandyouwant
toreturntoImmediateMode,the
predefined layout must first be
cleared from the printer's
working memory using the
following command:
LAYOUT RUN ""
2. Sending
Commands,
cont'd.
ABC

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Intermec EasyCoder 301 Direct Protocol 2.0 –Programmer's Guide Ed. 3
Chapter 3 Principles of Operation
Then add the variable input data and a print command:
LAYOUT RUN "LABEL1" ↵(select layout)
INPUT ON ↵(enables layouts and var. data fields)
<STX> (start of input data, ASCII 02 dec)
ABC ↵(variable input data to VAR1$)
My FIRST label! ↵(variable input data to VAR2$)
<EOT> (end of input data, ASCII 04 dec)
PF ↵(print one label)
INPUT OFF ↵(disables layouts and var. data fields)
The printable information on a label, ticket, tag or piece of strip
consists of various types of field. A field can consist of:
• A single line of text
• A bar code with or without human readable interpretation
• An image, i.e. a picture, logo or sign in .PCX format
• A box, i.e. a hollow square or rectangle
• A line
Any type of field should be specified with regard to:
• Position
• Alignment
• Direction
Depending on the type of field, additional formatting commands
can be used:
•Text Field:
- Font (typeface)
- Font Size
- Font Slant
- Magnification
- Normal Image/Inverse Image
•Bar Code Field1:
- Bar Code Type
- Height (height of bar pattern)
- Ratio (wide bars/narrow bars)
- Magnification (bar pattern)
- Bar Code Interpretation On/Off
- Bar Code Interpretation Font
- Bar Code Interpretation Font Size
- Bar Code Interpretation Font Slant
3. Fields
2. Sending
Commands,
cont'd.
4. General Format-
ting Commands
5. Field-Related
Formatting
Commands
1/.Thisreferstoone-dimensional
bar codes only. Complex two-
dimensional bar or dot codes
may have other formatting
parameters.

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Intermec EasyCoder 301 Direct Protocol 2.0 –Programmer's Guide Ed. 3
Chapter 3 Principles of Operation
5. Field-Related
Formatting
Commands,
cont'd.
•Image Field:
- Magnification
- Normal Image/Inverse Image
•Box Field:
- Size (height, width, line thickness)
•Line Field:
- Size (length, line thickness)
Text, bar code and image fields also require some input data:
• Text Field: Alphanumeric text
• Bar Code Field: Alphanumeric or numeric value
(depending on type of code)
• Image Field: Name of the image
The input data to text and bar code fields may either be provided by
the host or read from the printer's software, e.g. counter values or
various data related to the printer's clock/calendar.
In Intermec Direct Protocol, you can either specify the fields both
with regard to formatting parameters and input data in the same
string, or you can create a layout to which you can send variable
data later.
The layout should contain formatting parameters for all fields and
input data to such fields that will always contain the same informa-
tion. When the variable input data are added, they will be inserted
into their respective fields (like filling in a pre-printed form).
When creating predefined layouts, special commands must be used
for:
• Starting the layout recorder
• Saving the layout
Depending on the type of field and the type of bar code, printable
data to text and bar code fields may consist of:
• Alphanumeric data (i.e. text)
• Numeric data
• Counter values
• Current date
• Current time
• Current date +/- nn days
• Current time +/- nn seconds
• Current week number
• Current weekday
6. Layout
Commands
7. Printable Data
Commands

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Intermec EasyCoder 301 Direct Protocol 2.0 –Programmer's Guide Ed. 3
Chapter 3 Principles of Operation
8. Feeding and
Printing
Commands
9. Setting Up the
Printer
Some commands control printing and paper feed, e.g.:
• Changing paper feed speed
• Rotating the print roller during cleaning
• Feeding out an empty label, ticket, tag or piece of strip
• Adjusting the label stop/black mark sensor.
• Printing one label or a batch of labels (or similar).
You can control how the printer will work, e.g.:
• Select standard IN and OUT channels
• Set the printer's clock/calendar
• Set formats for the printing of date and time
• Set separators for input data strings to predefined layouts
• Create label counters
• Enable/disable the optional label-taken sensor
• Enable/disable Feed key
• Format the printer's RAM memory or a memory card
• Remap certain incoming characters
• Select character set(s)
• Restart the printer
• Select verbosity level
• Select type of error message
• Enable error handling and create customized error messages
• Select method for breaking the printing of a batch of labels
• Change the printer's setup
Provided you have two-way serial communication between printer
and host, you can return the printer's status with regard to a number
of functions to the host, e.g.:
• Current date and time
• Memory status
• Printhead status and characteristics
• Value of various system counters
• Status of various sensors
• Software and hardware version
10. Reading
Printer's Status

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Intermec EasyCoder 301 Direct Protocol 2.0 –Programmer's Guide Ed. 3
Chapter 3 Principles of Operation
11. File-Handling
Commands
12. Syntax
Descriptions
A number of commands are used to control the printer's memory,
for example:
• Read the names of files, fonts or images stored in the printer's
memory
• Download binary files
• Download .PCX files
• Remove files
• Remove downloaded images
• Copy files
Manycommonlyused commandshaveashorthand versiontomini-
mise the transfer of data. In the explanations of the various com-
mand that follow, both the full name and the shorthand version will
be shown, separated by a thin vertical line, e.g.:
PRPOS | PP
Upper- and lower-case characters can be used at will in commands.
Parameters for commands are shown like this:
<parameter> numeric value
"<parameter>" alphanumeric text (enclosed by double quo-
tation marks)
• Compulsory space characters are indicated by a double-headed
arrow (↔).
• Square brackets [ ] indicate optional parameters.
• Thin vertical bars (|) indicate alternatives.
• Always enter parentheses, commas, colons, semicolons, minus
signs, quotation marks and period characters exactly as shown.
• Negative values are indicated by leading minus signs (-).

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Intermec EasyCoder 301 Direct Protocol 2.0 –Programmer's Guide Ed. 3
Chapter 3 Principles of Operation
Files can be stored in the EasyCoder 301 on one of four devices:
•"ROM:"
Contains the built-in files necessary for using the printer.
•"RAM:"
Contains files created by the user.
•"CARD1:"
A PCMCIA card in the slot nearest the ON/OFF switch, which
can be a DOS-formatted card or a specially formatted font
cartridge.
•"CARD2:"
A PCMCIA card in the slot farthest from the ON/OFF switch,
whichcanbe aDOS-formattedcardoraspeciallyformattedfont
cartridge.
The files in each device can be listed using the FILES command,
e.g. FILES "RAM:"
Ingeneral, "ROM:"andfontcartridgesin "CARD1:"or "CARD2:"
are read-only devices: you cannot create, copy or delete files on
these devices, e.g. the following commands would cause errors:
FILE&LOAD "ROM:NEWFILE",123
COPY "RAM:OLDFILE","CARD1:NEWFILE"
(if CARD1: contains a font cartridge)
KILL "CARD2:OLDFILE"
(if CARD2: contains a font cartridge)
In contrast, "RAM:" and DOS-formatted cards in "CARD1:" or
"CARD2:" are read/write devices which support all file operations.
When using a Direct Protocol command which has the name of an
existing file as a parameter, you can:
• specify the device name before the filename,
e.g. KILL "RAM:MYFILE.TXT"
• omit the device name,
e.g. KILL "MYFILE.TXT"
in which case, the printer will search each device in turn until it
finds a file with this name.
Ifyou use a DirectProtocol command which creates afile, you can:
• specify the device on which the file is to be stored,
e.g. FILE&LOAD "CARD1:MYFILE.TXT", 123
• omit the device name,
e.g. FILE&LOAD "MYFILE.TXT", 123
in which case the file will be stored on "RAM:".
A file downloaded under the name "Autoexec.bat"will auto-
matically start running when the printer is started, see 8.4
13. File Storage
Devices and File
Names

Intermec EasyCoder 301 Direct Protocol 2.0 –Programmer's Guide Ed. 3
15
Chapter 4
ABC
Field Types
A label layout is made up of a number of fields. There are five
different types of field:
•Text Field A text field consists of a single line of text.
•Bar Code Field Abar code fieldconsists of a singlebar code,
with or without a bar code interpretation in
human readable characters.
•Image Field An image field is a picture, drawing, logo or
other type of illustration in bitmap format.
•Box Field A box field is a square or rectangular paper-
coloured area surrounded by a black border
line. If the border is sufficiently thick, the
whole area may appear black.
•Line Field A line field is a black line that goes either
along or across the paper web. A short but
thick line can look like a black box.
There are no restrictions, other than the size of the memory, on the
number of fields on a single label.
Label Design
1. Introduction
Box Field
Bar Code Field (with
interpretation)
Text Field
Line Field
Image Field

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Intermec EasyCoder 301 Direct Protocol 2.0 –Programmer's Guide Ed. 3
Chapter 4 Label Design
Origin
The positioning of all printable objects on the label, i.e. text fields,
bar code fields, images, boxes, and lines, uses a common system.
The starting point (called the origin) is the point on the paper that
corresponds to the innermost active dot on the printhead at the mo-
ment when printing is started.
The location of the origin is affected by the following factors:
• Position across the paper web (X-axis):
The position of the origin in the X-axis is determined by the
XSTART value in Setup Mode.
• Position along the paper web (Y-axis):
The position of the origin in the Y-axis is determined by the
STARTADJ and STOPADJ values in Setup Mode and by any
FORMFEED commandexecutedbeforethecurrentPRINTFEED
command or after the preceding PRINTFEED.
Coordinates
Starting from the origin, the X-axis runs across the paper web from
left to right (as seen when facing the printer) and the Y-axis runs
along the paper web from the printhead towards the back of the
printer.
Units of Measurement
The unit of measurement is always “dots”, i.e. all measures depend
on the density of the printhead. The EasyCoder 301 has an 8 dots/
mm printhead, i.e. a dot is 1/8mm = 0.125 mm = 0.00492" or 4.92
mils.
Insertion Point
The insertion point of any printable object is specified within the
coordinate system by means of PRPOS|PP. The coordinates must
be selected so the field fits completely inside the printable area.
PRPOS | PP <x-coordinate>,<y-coordinate>
<x-coordinate> the distance in dots along the x-axis from the
origin to the insertion point
<y-coordinate> the distance in dots along the y-axis from the
origin to the insertion point
Default value: PRPOS 0,0
Reset to default by: PRINTFEED|PF
Example:
PP 100, 200 ↵
2. General
Formatting
Commands

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Intermec EasyCoder 301 Direct Protocol 2.0 –Programmer's Guide Ed. 3
Chapter 4 Label Design
2. General
Formatting
Commands,
cont'd.
Alignment
Once the insertion point is specified, you must also decide which
part of the object should match the insertion point. For example, a
text field forms a rectangle. There are 8 anchor points along the
borders and one in the centre, numbered 1–9 as shown in this illus-
tration.ThedesiredanchorpointisspecifiedbymeansoftheALIGN
command.
ALIGN | AN <anchor point>
<anchor point> is a number from 1 – 9
Default value: 1
Reset to default by: PRINTFEED|PF
Example:
AN 1 ↵
ALIGN|AN will place the lower left corner of the text field at the
insertion point specified by PRPOS. Refer to the illustration below
for detailed information on the anchor points for various types of
printable objects.

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Intermec EasyCoder 301 Direct Protocol 2.0 –Programmer's Guide Ed. 3
Chapter 4 Label Design
Direction
Intermec Direct Protocol allows printing in four directions. You
can rotate the printable object clockwise around the anchor point/
insertion point with a 90°increment (0°, 90°, 180°, or 270°) by
means of a DIR command:
DIR <direction>
<direction> is a number from 1 – 4 (DIR 1 = 0 ° ; DIR 2 =
90 ° ; DIR 3 = 180 ° ; DIR 4 = 270 ° )
Default: 1
Reset to default by: PRINTFEED|PF
Example:
DIR 3 ↵
DIR rotates all following printable fields so that they are printed
across the paper web and upside down with respect to the way the
paper is fed out of the printer.
Thisillustrationsummarizesthethreegeneral formattingcommands
PRPOS|PP, ALIGN|AN and DIR:
2. General
Formatting
Commands,
cont'd.

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Intermec EasyCoder 301 Direct Protocol 2.0 –Programmer's Guide Ed. 3
Chapter 4 Label Design
3. Text Field
A text field consists of one or more alphanumeric characters on the
same line (max 1,800 characters). Intermec Direct Protocol cannot
wraptext to a new line, but each line must be specified as a separate
text field.
IntermecDirectProtocolhasbeenextended toallowcharactersfrom
any national character set, such as Chinese, Cyrillic and Hebrew, to
be included in a text field. In this section we will discuss the com-
mands required to control the format of text fields containing char-
acters from the default character set, Roman 8 (see chapter 11.1).
The Direct Protocol commands related to printing characters from
other character sets are discussed in chapters 6.11 and 9.2.
In addition to the general formatting commands, PRPOS, ALIGN
and DIR (see chapter 4.2), a text field can contain the following
commands:
• Font (typeface)
• Font Size (in points)
• Font Slant (in degrees)
• Magnification
• Normal Image/Inverse Image
Select a Font
The FONT command specifies the file name of the scalable font to
use and the height and the italic angle with which the characters
will be printed.
FONT | FT "<font file name>" [,<font size>,<font slant>]
<font file name> the name of a Speedo or TrueType font file,
and must be enclosed by double quotation
marks.
<font size> the height of the characters in points (a point
is a standard typographic unit, equal to 1/72
inches/0.352 mm).
<font slant> the italic angle of the characters in degrees;
a positive value slants the characters clock-
wise away from the vertical.
Default: "Swiss 721 BT", size 12p, slant 0 °
Reset to default by: PRINTFEED|PF
Beforeusingany ofthestandard fontsOCR-A BT,OCR-B10 Pitch
BT or Zapf Dingbats BT, you must select a special character set for
that font by means of a NASC command (see chapters 6.11, 9,2 and
11.1).Beforeswitching backto anyotherfont thanthosementioned
above, you must specify the original character set again by means
of a new NASC command.