OKIDATA OKIMATE 10 User manual

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Printer
Handbook
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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 1, "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 1,000,000 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 .
Inserting the Control Module .
Inserting Ribbon .
Inserting Paper .
Controls and Levers .
Performing a Self Test .
Connecting the Atari Computer .
Running the Demonstration .
A Player's Guide .
More on Paper .
Working with Software Packages
Using Word Processing Software . . .
Using Color Graphics Software
Packages .
Working with BASIC Programming.
Print Statements .
Character Pitches .
European Characters .
Form Feed .
Line Spacing .
Margins . 26
Reverse Image . 28
Advanced Strategies . 29
Black and White Graphics . 30
Repeating Graphics . 32
Data Statements . 32
Fine Print Positioning . 33
Color Graphics . 34
Programming Hint . 36
Dealing With Trouble . 38
Cleaning . 39
Replacing the Printhead . 40
Troubleshooting . 41
Repair . 44
Under Warranty . 44
Beyond Warranty Period . 44
Ordering Parts and Supplies . 44
Specifications . 46
Limited Warranty . 48
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Opening Moves
The rules of printing with your OKIMATE are
easy, like learning the basic moves 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 pieces and to learn the basic rules.
From then on it’s your move!
1

Paper Window
The Playing Pieces
Before you begin make sure you have the fol¬
lowing:
In the printer box...
The OKIMATE 10 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
Atari 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 Atari
Atari Control Module locking cover
If any of these items is missing or damaged,
return the complete package, along with your
sales receipt, to the place of purchase.
2

Inserting the Control Module
Follow the directions on the next seven pages
and run the "Learn to Print" demonstration
program. In about 15 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 Atari Plug 'N Print kit. (More
detailed information on operating your OKI-
MATE is provided in Chapter 2, "A Player's
Guide" which begins on page 15.)
Don't plug your printer in just yet — we'll tell
you when you can.
Insert the Plug 'N Print control module:
Slide the module into the slot until it is
firmly in place.
Push the module with your thumb until it
sits in firmly.
Insert the module locking cover 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 44.
3

Loading the black ribbon:
Remove the black ribbon from the clear
bag.
Open the paper and ribbon doors.
Remove 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 towards
you.
4

NOTE: The ribbon must be between guides for proper ribbon
path.
Lower the ribbon cartridge onto the plate,
slipping the exposed ribbon in front of the
printhead before setting the cartridge onto
the plate.
Gently push the printhead carriage back to
its upright position. Make sure that the rib¬
bon is clamped between the left post and the
printhead exactly as shown.
Close the ribbon door.
5

Insert Paper:
Open the paper window.
Align the border (sprocket) holes with the
outer marks 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.
6

Open the paper release.
Slide the paper behind the paper guides
and under the rollers.
Use the paper advance knob to advance
the paper to where you would like printing
to begin.
7

Gently pull the printhead carriage back to
make sure the ribbon is still in place.
Close the paper release.
Close the paper window.
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 out¬
let. DO NOT use a conversion cord, like an
extension cord, which ignores the ground—
OKIMATE must always be grounded.
8

The Players Meet
Turn off your OKIMATE.
CAUTION: Make sure OKIMATE's ON/OFF switch is OFF be¬
fore plugging it in. Otherwise, the sudden power surge could
cause damage to the printer.
Let's take a closer look at the control center
of your OKIMATE. The picture on your right
reveals the locations of the levers, lights
and buttons you'll be introduced to in this
chapter.
DARK: Controls darkness of print. Normally
set 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.
Paper Guides

The SELECT button has three other func¬
tions:
1. 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 handled enormous amounts of
data.
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.
Setting the Top of Form:
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 1/2 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 1/2 inch from
the top of the page and each subsequent
page will begin 1/2 inch from the top of the
page until OKIMATE is turned off.
When using standard 11" continuous forms,
OKIMATE will automatically skip to the
predetermined top of form whenever it is 1/
2" from the bottom of the page. This pre¬
vents OKIMATE from printing on the perfo¬
ration.
10

Turn on your OKIMATE.
The ready light should come on. If it blinks,
refer to page 10 to determine what went
wrong. Then press the select button to try
again.
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.
To stop the test, turn off your OKIMATE.
11

Now you're ready for a complete demonstra¬
tion of OKIMATE's capabilities. 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 1/2 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 top of form is
recorded into memory and OKIMATE will au¬
tomatically 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:
1 . 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.
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