Intermec EasyCoder E4 User manual

Programmer’s
Reference Manual
EasyCoder E4
Direct Protocol
v2.10

Information in this manual is subject to change without prior notice and does not represent a
commitment on the part of Intermec Printer AB.
© Copyright Intermec Printer AB, 2002. All rights reserved. Published in Sweden.
EasyCoder is a registered trademark of Intermec Technologies Corp. The word Intermec and the
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EasyCoder E4 Direct Protocol v2.10 – Programmer’s Reference Manual 1
Contents
1.Introduction 1. Introduction...........................................................................4
2.Getting Started 1. Computer Connection..........................................................5
2. Check Media Supply .............................................................6
3. Switch 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 ....................................................................................11
4. General Formatting Commands .........................................11
5. Field-Related Formatting Commands.................................11
6. Layout Commands..............................................................12
7. Printable Data Commands..................................................12
8. Feeding and Printing Commands .......................................13
9. Setting Up the Printer..........................................................13
10. Reading Printer’s Status........................................................13
11. File-Handling Commands ..................................................14
12. Syntax Descriptions .............................................................14
13. File Storage Devices and File Names...................................15
4.Label Design 1. Field Types ...........................................................................17
2. General Formatting Commands .........................................18
3. Text Field .............................................................................21
4. Bar Code Field.....................................................................25
5. Image Field...........................................................................21
6. Box Field..............................................................................33
7. Line Field .............................................................................34
8. Layout Commands..............................................................35
9. Printable Data Commands..................................................36
5.Feeding and Printing Commands 1. Media Feed ..........................................................................42
2. Label Printing ......................................................................44
3. Batch Printing......................................................................45
6.Setting Up the Printer 1. Layout Mode/Immediate Mode..........................................47
2. In/Out Channel...................................................................47
3. Date and Time.....................................................................48
4. Date and Time Format........................................................49
5. Separators.............................................................................51
6. Counters ..............................................................................52
Contents

EasyCoder E4 Direct Protocol v2.10 –Programmer’s Reference Manual2
Contents
6.Setting Up the Printer,cont. 7. Label Taken Sensor ..............................................................53
8. Feed Button .........................................................................50
9. Memory Formatting............................................................54
10. Input Data Preprocess..........................................................54
11. Character Set Selection ........................................................55
12. Printer Reboot .....................................................................57
13. Verbosity Level.....................................................................57
14. Error Message Types ............................................................57
15. Error Handling ....................................................................58
16. Break in Batch Printing .......................................................60
17. Printer Setup........................................................................61
18. Setting the LSS Threshold...................................................63
19. Enabling/Disabling Automatic Cutting..............................63
7.Reading the Printer’s Status 1. Introduction.........................................................................64
2. Date and Time.....................................................................64
3. Memory ...............................................................................64
4. Printhead..............................................................................65
5. System Counters..................................................................65
6. Sensors .................................................................................66
7. Printer’s Status......................................................................66
8. Firmware and Hardware Versions........................................66
9. Label Length........................................................................67
10. Gap Length..........................................................................67
11. Media Light Transmission....................................................67
8.File Handling 1. Reading the Printer Memory...............................................68
2. Removing Images, Files, and Fonts .....................................69
3. Copying Files .......................................................................70
4. Downloading Binary Files ...................................................70
5. Downloading Image Files....................................................71
9.Advanced Features 1. Specifying Complex Bar Codes...........................................72
2. Using International Character Sets......................................73
3. Font Scaling .........................................................................77
10.Firmware Upgrade 1. Firmware and Fonts.............................................................78
11.Character Sets,Fonts, 1. Character Sets ......................................................................79
and Bar Codes 2. Resident Fonts .................................................................. 106
3. Resident Bar Codes........................................................... 107
Contents, cont.

EasyCoder E4 Direct Protocol v2.10 –Programmer’s Reference Manual 3
Contents
12.Error Messages 1. Error Messages in Numerical Order................................. 108
13.Commands and Functions 1. Commands ....................................................................... 110
2. Command Syntax............................................................. 115
3. Function Syntax................................................................ 118
Contents, cont.

EasyCoder E4 Direct Protocol v2.10 –Programmer’s Reference Manual4
Chapter 1
Introduction
Intermec Direct Protocol is an easy-to-use printer programming
language that has been developed for use with the computer-
controlled direct thermal and thermal transfer printers manufac-
tured by Intermec. The version (v2.10) described in this manual
is only applicable to EasyCoder E4 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 E4 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:
• Applications where the end-user requires a simple printer
control program, but needs a versatile error handler.
• Applications which have a comprehensive printer control pro-
gram in the host computer.
Refer to chapter 13 in this manual for lists of the various com-
mands in Intermec Direct Protocol.

EasyCoder E4 Direct Protocol v2.10 –Programmer’s Reference Manual 5
Chapter 2
Intermec Direct Protocol is stored in two Flash EPROM pack-
ages 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 an AC 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 pro-
gram 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 E4
User's Guide.
It is possible to set up the printer’s communication protocol to
fit the host computer, as described in the EasyCoder E4 User's
Guide. 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 (Carriage Return + Line Feed)
Getting Started
1. Computer Connection

EasyCoder E4 Direct Protocol v2.10 –Programmer’s Reference Manual6
Chapter 2 Getting Started
Check that the printer has an ample supply of media and, where
applicable, of thermal transfer ribbon. Refer to the EasyCoder E4
User’s Guide for loading commands.
Check that the printhead is lowered. Turn on the mains switch,
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$ ↵
Provided you have serial two-way communication, the printer
should respond by immediately returning the version of the
installed Intermec Direct Protocol firmware to the screen of the
host, for example:
V2.10
Ok
This indicates that the communication is working both ways.
If the communication does not work, switch 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, and check if the connection is made between the
correct ports. 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
firmware:
PP 10, 10 ↵
FT "Swiss 721 BT" ↵
PT "ABCDEFGHIJKLM" ↵
PF ↵
2. Check Media Supply
3. Switch On the Printer
4. Serial Communications Test
↵= Carriage Return

EasyCoder E4 Direct Protocol v2.10 –Programmer’s Reference Manual 7
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
a piece of strip with the text printed in the lower left corner of
the printable area.
ABCDEFGHIJKLM
You can try using other characters between the quotation
marks in the third line, especially typical national characters like
ÅÄÖÜ¿¢¥ç, etc. If any unexpected characters are printed, you
may need to select another character set (see Chapter 6.11), or
change the communication setup from 7-bit to 8-bit character
length.
4. Serial Communications Test, cont.

EasyCoder E4 Direct Protocol v2.10 –Programmer’s Reference Manual8
Chapter 3
There is a built-in error handler, that can indicate selected error
conditions and 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 On in Intermec Direct Protocol1.
Intermec Direct Protocol allows you to send commands to the
printer in two ways:
•Immediate Mode
•Layout Mode
• Immediate Mode
You send commands that the printer will act upon immedi-
ately. 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 and such printable data that you do not need to change.
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.
Principles of Operation
1. Intermec Direct Protocol Special Features
2. Sending Commands
1/. While you are experiment-
ing with Intermec Direct
Protocol, we recommend that
you retain the default ver-
bosity setting (ON). Later
you should change it to OFF,
since this will produce opti-
mum printer performance.