Oki OKIMATE 10 User manual

f m /a i - i ■ b~
i T B # m B ® r
THE PERSONAL COLOR PRINTER

INTRODUCTION TO TOUR OKIMATE HANDBOOK
To help you find your way around this handbook, here is a brief overview of the four chapters within:
Chapter , "Opening Moves" quickly explains just what you need to know to make sure your OKI
MATE is working okay and helps to ease some of the initial tension of learning how to use a printer.
With the demonstration disk or cassette included in your Plug 'N Print Kit, you can see in a few
short minutes what OKIMATE is capable of doing. Then for more details on what you can do with
your OKIMATE go to Chapter 2.
Chapter 2, "A Player's Guide" provides much more detailed information on paper loading—printing
with and without a ribbon—plus describes all the lights, buttons and levers. Next you'll be intro
duced to some of OKIMATE's features and how you can use them with the software package you just
bought. Once you've mastered these commands, you should be comfortable trying your hand at Chap
ter 3. But if you should decide to avoid Chapter 3, venture over to Chapter 4 for some important
information on keeping your OKIMATE in tip top shape.
Chapter 3, "Advanced Strategies" isn't for everyone. This chapter deals with the more complex capa
bilities of your printer and requires a level of programming knowledge beyond scoring ,000,000 at
Galaxian. This chapter includes information on how to perform fine line feeding, print black and
white and color graphics and various other novelties, like repeating graphics for decorative borders.
When you're an official OKIMATE expert be sure you spend a few seconds in Chapter 4 to keep the
printer at its optimum.
Chapter 4, "Dealing With Trouble" gives the procedure for cleaning the printhead and fixing the rib
bon if it snaps, plus includes a question and answer segment that is designed to help you remedy any
difficulties you may experience. Here you'll find information for ordering supplies plus warranty and
repair information—in case you ever need it.
We, at OKIDATA, hope you'll find both the OKIMATE and the OKIMATE HANDBOOK easy and fun
to use.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Opening Moves......................................................
Contents ............................................................... 2
Inserting the Control Module ....................... 3
Inserting Ribbon................................................. 4
Inserting Paper.................................................... 6
Controls and Levers ......................................... 9
Performing a Self T est..................................... 2
Connecting the Commodore Computer.... 3
Running the Demonstration .......................... 4
A Player's Guide .................................................. 7
More on Paper.................................................... 8
Working with Software Packages ................. 20
Using Word Processing Software ............... 20
Using Color Graphics Software
Packages............................................................22
Working with BASIC Programming ............ 23
Character Pitches ......................................... 26
Cursor Up/Down...........................................28
New Page.........................................................30
Tabbing ............................................................. 3
Programming Hints......................................33
Advanced Strategies 35
Advanced Formatting........................................36
Black and White Graphics...............................38
Data Statements.................................................40
Repeating Graphics...........................................4
Color Printing......................................................4
Color Shading......................................................43
Dealing With Trouble 45
Cleaning................................................................ 46
Replacing the Printhead..................................47
Troubleshooting.................................................48
Repair.....................................................................53
Under Warranty............................................... 53
Beyond Warranty Period................................53
Ordering Parts and Supplies..........................53
Specifications 55
Limited Warranty 57

O K I^ atf
V/I\li t if ta b.
v n ^ 7
The rules of printing with your OKIMATE are
easy, like learning the basic m o es of
a game. Within the next few pages,
you’ll be printing away.
But the OKIMATE isn't
all fun and games. It
gets down to some
serious business. As
you progress with your
skills and knowledge you'll
learn the challenge of advanced
strategy from special printing effects
to color graphics. Follow this handbook to
set up your picces and to learn the basic rules.
From then on it’s your mo e!
Opening Moves
1

Paper
Release
Paper Windo
Ribbon
Door
The Playing Pieces
Before you begin, make sure you have the fol
lowing:
In the printer box...
The OKIMATE 0 printer, of course
In the Plug ’N Print Kit...
The Printer Handbook
Black ribbon (in the clear bag)
Color ribbon (in the color bag)
Computer paper
Commodore data cable
"Learn to Print" demonstration and a color
graphics example on cassette tape
"Learn to Print" demonstration and "Color
Print" screen dump on disk
Plug 'N Print Control Module for
Commodore
Commodore Control Module locking cover
If any of these items is missing or damaged,
return the com plete package, along with your
sales receipt, to the place of purchase.

Inserting the Control Module
Follow the directions on the next seven pages
and run the "Learn to Print" demonstration
program and in about 5 minutes you can be
printing in black or in color. At this point you
only need the paper and the equipment sup
plied with your Commodore Plug 'N Print
kit. (More detailed information on operating
your OKIMATE is provided in Chapter 2, "A
Player's Guide" which begins on page 7.)
Don't plug your printer in just yet—we'll tell
you when you can
Insert the Plug 'N Print control module:
Slide the m odule into the slot until it is
firmly in place.
Carefully push the m odule board with your
thumb until it is firmly in place.
Insert the m odule locking co er as shown.
IMPORTANT: Always turn OKIMATE off before inserting or
removing the control module Directions for removing the con
trol module are found on page 51

Loading the ribbon:
Rem o e the black ribbon from the clear
bag.
Open the paper and ribbon doors.
Remo e the clip from the underside of the
ribbon cartridge.
Slide the printhead to the left side of the
printer.
Grasp the printhead carriage with your
thumb and index finger then pull it to
wards you.
•fal* o»IT| •: . ~ ; r

Lower the ribbon cartridge onto the plate,
slipping the exposed ribbon in front of the
printhead before setting the cartridge onto
the plate.
Close the ribbon door.
Insert the ribbon between the posts and printhead exactly as shown. Gently push
the printhead carriage back to its upright position. The ribbon must be clam ped
between the left post and the printhead as shown.

Insert Paper:
Open the paper window.
Align the border (sprocket) holes with the
outer m arks on the paper guides.
If necessary, slide the right paper guide to
fit the size of the paper. Snap it forward to
slide it; snap it back to lock it.

Open the paper release.
Slide the paper behind the paper guides
and under the rollers.
Use the paper ad ance knob to ad ance
the paper to where you would like printing
to begin.

Make sure your OKIMATE on/off switch is
still OFF (plugging the printer in with it
turned on can cause damage.) Insert the plug
into a grounded electrical outlet. DO NOT
use a con ersion cord, like an extension cord,
which ignores the ground— OKIMATE must
always be grounded.

The Players Meet
Let's take a closer look at the control center
of your OKIMATE. The picture on page 0 re
veals the locations of the levers, lights
and buttons you'll be introduced to in this
chapter.
DARK: Controls darkness of print. Normally
set this switch in the center.
PAPER RELEASE: OPEN for straightening
paper; CLOSE for printing.
SELECT: This is the PAUSE/RESTART but
ton. To stop the printer while it is printing,
press this button and continue to hold it
down until the printhead reaches the end of
a line. Once the printhead is at the end of a
line, release the SELECT button and the
printer will stop printing. At that time, the
READY light will blink slowly indicating
that printing has been stopped.
The SELECT button has three other func
tions:
. Press to restart the printer after
stopping it.
2. Press to restart the printer after
changing paper or ribbon.
3. Press along with the ON button to
begin a self test.
READY LIGHT: A steady light means the
printer is ON and ready to receive data.
A slow blink means you've either pressed the
SELECT button to stop OKIMATE from print
ing or it's time to replace paper or ribbon.
A rapid blink means OKIMATE has slowed
down printing to cool. The printer will auto
matically resume full speed when the print
head temperature is lowered. This should
happen infrequently, if at all, when OKI
MATE has been continuously printing.
NOTE: If you use the SELECT button to stop printing color
graphics, the OKIMATE will first print all the colors selected
for a line before stopping— blue is the last color to print

10

When you first turn OKIMATE on, the top
margin will be set at the line where the
printhead is located. Therefore, to set the
first printing line to /2 inch from the top
of the page, just turn off your OKIMATE,
align the paper with the front edge of the
paper window and then turn OKIMATE on.
The first line printed will be /2 inch from
the top of the page and each subsequent
page will begin /2 inch from the top of the
page until the OKIMATE is turned off.
When using standard " continuous forms,
OKIMATE will automatically skip to the
predetermined first printing line whenever
it is /2” from the bottom of the page. This
prevents OKIMATE from printing on the
perforation.
Where to Begin Printing:
Turn on your OKIMATE.
The ready light should com e on. If it blinks,
refer to page 9 to determine what went
wrong. Then press the select button to try
again.

Printing A Test Pattern
Turn off your OKIMATE.
To begin the self test, hold the select button
down and turn OKIMATE on at the same
time. Count to 2 before releasing the select
button and OKIMATE will print a test pat
tern.
I KLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ I “ —I I-
KLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ I — '——I K
KLMNOPQRSTUVUXYZ C£] I -----~ -l K
LMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ [£3 —♦ ! — ---- —I K ,- ,L
To stop the test, turn off your OKIMATE.
12

Now you're ready for a complete demonstra
tion of OKIMATE's abilities. A prepro
grammed demonstration is included in your
Plug 'N Print kit on both a cassette tape and
disk. Here's all you need to do:
With paper inserted, use the paper advance
knob to move the paper to the top of the next
page.
Continue to advance the paper so that it is
even with the paper window. This will allow
printing to begin /2 inch below the top of
the page—the distance between the perfora
tion and the first printed line on a page. When
you turn OKIMATE on, the first printing line
is recorded into memory and OKIMATE will
automatically leave a bottom and top margin
on succeeding pages.
Check the position of the paper rollers, mak
ing sure they are evenly spaced between the
right and left paper guides. If both rollers are
to the left or all the way to the right, you
may have difficulty inserting paper. To adjust
the rollers:
{' ~T~
. Locate the rollers and brackets in the
paper slot at the back of the printer.
2. Slide them out so that they are about
the same distance from the printer's
sides as the two white rollers on the
paper window.
WRONG
13

Connect your OKIMATE to your Commo
dore:
Make sure both the OKIMATE and the Com
modore are OFF.
Plug one end of the data cable supplied in
your Plug 'N Print kit into the Commodore
computer or the Commodore disk drive.
Connect the other end of the cable into the
port on OKIMATE's control module.
For a sample printout and an on-screen tuto
rial, run the program on your "Learn to Print'
disk. Directions for using the demonstration
disk follow—if you have a cassette tape re
corder skip to page 5.
Running the Disk Demonstration
There are two programs on your demonstra
tion disk—one is a combination demonstra
tion of OKIMATE's capabilities and a tutorial;
the other one is a color screen print. Both pro
grams give you a chance to see what OKI
MATE can do right away. Here's how you use
them:
. Insert the Learn to Print disk into your
disk drive.
2. Type: LOAD "LEARN", fi
3. Press the RETURN key.
4. When you see the READY prompt,
type: RUN
5. Press the RETURN key.
After a minute or so to load, the program will
begin. First you'll have the opportunity to see
black and white and color demonstrations—
the disk will tell you when to put the color
ribbon in. You'll get a hard-copy sample of
everything you can do with your OKIMATE.
NOTE TO VIC 20 OWNERS: When you’re ready to
run the Learn to Print program on either cassette tape
or disk, unplug any expansion memory connected to
your computer
14

Then the program will go through on-screen
discussions of using OKIMATE with software
packages, writing your own programs and
basic troubleshooting. You can see some sam
ple programs run on your printer (handy for
reference), and you can skip over topics that
don't interest you. lust sit back and relax and
when it's all over, go to Chapter 2 "The Play
er's Guide" on page 7 to see what you can
do with your OKIMATE 0.
NOTE: If the demonstration disk does not run, but your OKI
MATE performed the self test properly, try this command:
OPEN 5,fl, 5
PRINT# 5,"I"
If the disk still cannot be read and you think
you need a replacement disk, call I-8OO-OKI-
DATA and ask for assistance.
Running the Cassette Tape Demonstration
Due to the lack of memory on the cassette
tape, the tape demonstration is an abbreviated
version of the demonstration on disk. Here's
how you run the tape program:
. Insert the cassette tape in the recorder
and make sure the tape is rewound.
2. Type: LOAD "LEARN"
3. Depress the RETURN key.
4. When "PRESS PLAY ON TAPE" ap
pears, press the PLAY button on your
recorder.
5. When you see the READY prompt,
type: RUN
6. Press the RETURN key.
The program takes a while to load, so please
be patient. It will tell you to set up your
printer, then it will print out several sample
pages in black and white and in color (the
tape will instruct you when you need to load
a color ribbon). The program produces a

handy programming reference guide in addi
tion to giving you a brief sample of what OKI
MATE can do. The program will pause while
it loads more data and then ask you to press
the RETURN key, so again, be patient.
Once the demonstration is completed, you
should feel comfortable enough with OKI
MATE to learn more about what you can do
on your own, so proceed to Chapter 2, "The
Player's Guide" for some fancy maneuvering.
16