Radio Shack 26-1190A User manual

PLOTTER
PRINTER
Catalog Number 26-1 190
A
COSTOM MANUFACTURED IN THE USA FOR RADIO SHACK KADIVISION OF TANDY CORPORATION

Congratulations for selecting this
Radio Shack Computer product!
The TRS-80 Plotter Printer can be programmed with simple BASIC LPRINT statements to draw an infinite
variety of points, lines and curves -as well as the standard ASCII text characters (excluding lowercase
letters). The drawing mechanism is very simple, easy to maintain, and reliable. An easily replaceable ball-
point pen is the writing device -no hammer, armature, or wire to wear out
Other exceptional features include:
•Fast-response solenoid control of the pen point assures precision drawings.
•Ballpoint pen produces clean, clear, reproduceable copies.
•Compact, lightweight design.
•Character size can be controlled by software (twice, four times, or eight times normal size).
•Alphanumeric characters can be rotated 90, 180, or 270 degrees (software controllable).
•Two modes of operation -plotter and character -software selectable.
•Built-in programming simplifies the drawing of many geometric shapes.
•Ultra-simple control mechanism (two motors and one magnet) means fewer moving parts -resulting in
superior reliability and low-noise operation.
•Modular design and construction combined with amechanism which requires no lubrication keeps
service and maintenance to aminimum.
1-

CONTROLS AND FUNCTIONS
Front cover
Roll paper holder
Tension lever
Platen
Pen clamp screw
OPERATION STOP switch
POWER switch
FEED switch
POSITION switch
Pen head
Power cord Ribbon connector (36P)
-2-

SETTING UP
Loading the Paper
1
.
Open the plastic cover.
2. Place aroll of paper in the compartment behind the platen with the paper coming off the bottom of
the roll.
3. Pull the tension lever forward and thread the paper under the platen and behind the paper guide.
4. Align the paper holes over the sprockets on the platen and return the tension lever to its original
position.
Setting the Ballpoint Pen
1
.
Loosen the pen clamp screw.
2. Insert the pen into the pen holder and tighten the pen clamp screw.
Note: Be sure to test the pen first before inserting it, as the pen tip may be dry. Also, any time that you
use the Plotter Printer after it hasn't been used recently, slip apiece of scrap paper between the
pen and the platen and smear it against the pen tip to get the ink flowing.
Thread the paper up through the slot in the plastic cover and close the cover.
Firmly attach the connector provided to the back of the Plotter Printer.
Plug the power cord into asource of 120 volts, 60 Hz AC power (220/240 VAC for European and
Australian models).
Your Plotter Printer is ready for use.
OPERATION
POSITION Switch: Press the appropriate arrow to move printing position. For continuous movement,
hold down for 1/2 second.
Notes: 1. Don't push the switch while the Printer is operating.
2. When changing the direction of movement, release the switch for a moment to allow the pen
head to stop, and then press the desired direction arrow.
3. While this switch is down, abusy signal is sent to the Computer.
4. This switch only functions to move the pen (it does not engage the pen against the paper).
If the switch is operated while the pen is "on", the pen will be set to "off before it is moved.
5. The coordinates of the pen position will be the same. The coordinate system is shifted along
with the pen.
3-

FEED Switch: Press to advance paper.
Notes: 1. Don't push the switch while the Printer is operating.
2. While this switch is down, abusy signal is sent to the Computer.
3. This switch only functions to move the paper. If the switch is operated while the pen
the pen will be set to "off before the paper is advanced.
Range of Movement by POSITION Switch
The illustration below shows the limits of pen movement using the POSITION Switch.
X-axis: -32767 to +32767
Y-axis: no limit
-32767 +32767
Movement speed: to +32767 Plotter mode =approx 33 sec
Character mode =approx 50 sec
to -32767 Plotter mode =approx 28 sec
Character mode =approx 45 sec
Note: The pen will physically move only over an Xaxis length of 1964 steps, which is the width of the
paper. If you continue to press the POSITION switch the pen will stop at the edge of the paper,
but the Plotter Printer will internally keep the pen's "imaginary position" as if it is still moving.
The imaginary position can be anywhere between -32767 and +32767.
Interlock Switch (inside the unit, next to the cover)
When the cover is opened, the following occurs:
1. The operation stops.
2. ABusy status exists and no data can be received.
3. The POSITION and FEED switches become inoperative.
When the cover is closed operation continues from its previous status.
-4-

PROGRAMMING
Note: All of the sample programs are written in BASIC. The apostrophe signifies aremark, material that
you don't need to type in.
Incremental Stepped Pen Motion
The pen does not move in one continuous line; it is digitally controlled in increments of 0.09525 mm
(approximately .004 inch). Effective paper width is 1964 steps, or 187 mm (7-3/8").
Note: Each movement of the POSITION switch moves printing position by 10 steps (increments) in the
direction of the arrow pressed.
Mode Change
The Printer has two modes of operation: Character Mode and Plotter Mode. Control Code 1sets to C
mode (Character); Control Code 2sets to Pmode (Plotter).
Note: On power-up, the Printer is automatically set to Cmode.
10 LPRINT CHRS (2) :'SETS TO PMODE
20 LPRINT "G50 X750 Y190" :'MOVE PEN TO POINT 750, 190
30 LPRINT CHRS (1):'SETS TO CMODE
40 LPRINT "PLOTTER PRINTER" :'PRINTS MESSAGE
The above sample program will print PLOTTER PRINTER from the X, Yposition defined as 750,190.
We'll explain line 20 later.
Character Mode (C Mode)
In the Cmode the Printer prints the standard ASCII alphanumerics and symbols. The internal buffer
stores up to 14 characters.
CAUTION: Printing is made in capital letters even when small letters (26 letters athrough z) specifying
codes are input. The printer passes other codes when they are input. (They are neglected and
it does not function.)

Character Size
The base scale provides the following sizes:
Character spacing 24 steps (approx 1 1 characters/inch)
Line feed spacing 44 steps
Character width 16steps (varies depending on character)
Character height 30 steps (varies depending on character)
24
16
Note for Model II users: During printing operations the Plotter Printer will be busy; this may result in
"Printer Not Ready" errors. To prevent this, you may need to insert pauses in your program after long-
printing instructions. See line 55 in the next program.
Changing the Character Size
The size of the characters can be changed via control codes as follows:
Code (decimal)
3
4
5
6
Size
All following characters will be twice base size.
All following characters will be four times base size.
All following characters will be eight times base size.
All following characters will be base size (this is the initial size, auto-
matically set on power-up).
-6-

Example:
10LPRINTCHR$(1); 'SETS TO CMODE
20 LPRINT CHR$ (3) "TWICE BASE SIZE"
30 LPRINT CHR$ (2) 'SETS TOP MODE
40 LPRINT "G50 UO V-200" 'MOVE DOWN 200 STEPS
50 LPRINT CHR$ (1) CHRS (4) "FOUR TIMES BASE"
55 INPUT "PRESS <ENTER> AFTER PRINTING IS FINISHED"; X
60 LPRINT CHRS (2) 'SETS TO PMODE
70 LPRINT "G50 UO V-400" 'MOVE DOWN 400 STEPS
80 LPRINT CHRS (1 )CHRS (5) "8 TIMES"
90 LPRINT CHRS (6) "BACK TO NORMAL AGAIN"
Model Iand HI users may delete line 55. Model II users see previous Note.
Rotating Characters
The orientation of the writing can be set for 0° ,90° ,180° ,or 270° via control codes as follows:
(decimal) Rotation (degrees)
17 (normal upright position)
This is the initial state.
18 90 (reading from the left side)
19 180 (upside down)
20 270 (reading from the right side)
-7-

ENLARGED LETTERS AND TURNED
LETTERS
HH
(Onefold) (Twofold) (Fourfold) (Eight fold)
ABC
270°
\_, o
^m
-> ~n
s90°
IH3
180"
-8-

Example:
10LPRINTCHR$(2)
20 LPRINT "G50 XI 500 Y190" 'MOVING PRINT POSITION
30 LPRINT CHR$ (1) CHR$ (18) "90 DEGREE PRINTING";
40 LPRINT CHRS (2)
50 LPRINT "G50 U-300 V-300" 'MOVING PRINT POSITION
60 LPRINT CHRS (1) CHRS (19) "180 DEGREE PRINTING";
70 LPRINT CHRS (2)
80 LPRINT "G50 U-300 V300" 'MOVING PRINT POSITION
90 LPRINT CHRS (1) CHRS (20) "270 DEGREE PRINTING";
100 LPRINT CHRS (2)
110 LPRINT "G50U400V300" 'MOVING PRINT POSITION
120 LPRINT CHRS (1) CHRS (17) "BACK TO NORMAL"
Note: When changing from P-mode to C-mode, the Rotation and Character-size states are automatically
reset to degrees and base size, respectively.
Other Control Codes
The Printer accepts the following additional codes and ignores all others:
8Backspace by one character (BS)
10 Linefeed (LF)
13 Carriage return with linefeed (CR)
"Note: Input character automatic return function is equipped on the Plotter Printer. 81st character and
subsequent are printed in the next line.
9-

Pen Positioning (Alphanumeric mode)
1.At rest the pen is positioned in the center of acharacter.
Example: After Ais printed, the pen moves to
the position (J) (24 steps from the
center of "A".
If the Printer receives afull line of printable char-
acters without acarriage return, it will perform
an automatic line advance upon receipt of the
next printable character.
This is called wraparound, since the text automat-
ically wraps to the next line without loss of char-
acters. At 81st position of one-fold character
wraparound takes place. DEF ABC
80th character
3. When aBS (Back Space, CHR$ (8) )is input for more than the number of spaces to the left margin,
the pen will move to the left margin, then the imaginary pen point will be internally set as though it
were at an imaginary position represented by the BS spacing.
Example: When BS is input three times after A
is printed, the pen will be internally
set to the equivalent of "imaginary"
position (3) .
A
Pen Position on Power-up or with CR Code Input
The pen moves to the right by ahalf-character ^pace and then will write the first character transmitted.
8[STEPS] (Base size mode)
-10-

Function of CR Code
When aCR Code is input, the pen moves to the left margin and will begin printing in that position.
Effective paper width
®©©©
1964
Whenever aCR Code is input, regardless of pen position -at (?) or "imaginary positions" (6) or (7) ,
the pen will return to position (4)
Example: When in the PMode the pen is set
to (3500, -1000) and then CMode
and CR are input, the pen will move
as illustrated.
—B•— C.
1964 "B
Imaginary position of pen
CR Timing Considerations
When the pen is positioned at the imaginary points Dor Eand aCR code is input, it will take approxi-
mately three seconds before the peri moves to the left margin. (The process "thinks" the pen is at that
position and will calculate motions accordingly.) It will take approximately 400 mS for the pen to return
to the left margin when automatic return is made at the 80th character.
Effective paper width
E"
-32767 1964
»D
+32767
Note: In the rotated character mode, CR functions just as normal, but LF does not. That is, CR causes
the pen to move to the left margin. LF, if in the 90 and 270 modes, will be ignored. In the 180
mode, LF feeds paper in reverse.
-11-

Plotter Mode (P Mode)
In the Plotter mode, the printing position is determined by asystem of coordinate values. If acommand
tells the pen to move to apoint off the paper, the pen will remain stationary at the paper's edge, but the
pen's imaginary position off the paper will be kept internally and the next move or print will start at that
imaginary position.
Absolute Coordinate System
The coordinate axes are defined with respect to the paper as follows:
Paper feeding direction
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
+Y
i
•+X
When the mode is set to PMode the reference point for the absolute coordinate system is as follows if the
POSITION switch is not used.
Current position of pen>
Approx. 21 mm
+Y
O
<0,0)
-+X
Effective
paper width
O
O
o
o
The zero-point of the Xaxis (X=0) is defined as the left margin. The zero-point of the Yaxis (Y=0) is
defined as the current pen position.
-12-

Relative Coordinate System
The relative coordinate values, compared with the current position of the pen, are determined as follows:
O
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
+v
Current point +U
(X, Y) value and (U, V) value agree only when the pen is in the original position (0, 0).
You can change the location of the origin position by using the POSITION and/or the FEED switch.
Moved by POSITION switch
(X direction)
o
o
o
o
o
o
+Y
(0,0) -+X
o
o
o
o
o
o
Remember that the Xand Ycoordinates move with the pen when the POSITION or FEED switch is used.
Thus, when these switches are pressed the absolute origin and the absolute coordinate system also shift
with the pen.
Example:
A(100,200)
B(100, 200)
When the pen is moved from Ato Bwith the POSITION switch, the new coordinate value of
Bbecomes the original coordinate value that Ahad (100, 200).
The origin can also be moved by use of the G02 and G03 commands (See page 17).
-13-

GFunctions
GFunctions control the action of the pen and the paper. These control statements consist of the ASCII
character "G" plus aseries of ASCII numbers and letters defining the line and/or figure segments desired.
There are seven Gfunctions as noted below:
GFunction Table
^Code Function Remarks
G00 Straight line segment Dotted Line
G01 Straight line segment Solid Line
G02 Arc segment
(drawn clockwise) Solid Line
G03 Arc segment
(drawn counter-clockwise) Solid Line
G50 Pen up movement
G90 Rectangular figure Solid Line
G91 Triangular figure Solid Line
G00 Function: Draws adotted line between the current point and the point specified by the Xand
Ycoordinates.
Format: G00XnnYnnCR
Example: LPRINT "G00 X800 Y500" >• (800, 500)
Current point
G01 Function: Draws asolid line between the current point and the point specified by the Xand Y
coordinates.
Format: G01XnnYnnCR
-14

Example: LPRINT "G01 XI 000 Yl 200"
(1000, 1200)
Current point
G02 Function: Draws an arc in aclockwise direction between the current point and the point specified
by the Xand Yaxes. The center of the arc is specified by Iand J, which show the
coordinate distance of the current point on the Xaxis and Yaxis to the center point.
Format: G02 Xnn Ynn Imm Jmm
Example :LPRINT "G02 X600 Y200 1200 J346"
(400, 546)
Current point
Center
(200, 200)
1=300
(600, 200)
The value of Iis the distance on the Xaxis from the current point to the center point. The value of Jis
the distance on the Yaxis from the current point to the center point. One complete circle is drawn by
specifying only Iand/or J.
Example: LPRINT "G02 1200 J200"
LPRINT "G02 1200"
200 LPRINT "G02J200"
Current point
Current point
-15-

Even when the Xand/or Ycoordinate of the point specified is not present on acircumference (determined
by the current point and the center point (I, J) )the pen moves to the point specified. However, when
both coordinates of the point specified are outside the radius of the circle, the pen will move along a
maximum of 1-1/2 times the circumference and then stop. Under this condition, the relative relationship
between the Absolute coordinate value and the pen position will be lost.
Example for when the point specified by X, Y(U, V) is not present on the circumference (but is inside the
radius of the specified circle):
LPRINT "G02 U-300 V-300 1400"
fBegining (Current) point
8
Example for when both coordinates of the point specified are outside the radius of the circle (shaded
areas):
LPRINT "G02 U1.00 V500 1400"
sPoint specified
400—/-/Beginning point
One special application of G02 (or G03) is to move the coordinate origin. When "G02 X0 Y0" (or "G03
X0 Y0'') is executed, the current pen position becomes the new origin.
-16-

Example:
10 LPRINT "G01 X2000Y1000"
20LPRINT"G02X0Y0": 'POINT (2000, 1000) BECOMES NEW ORIGIN
30 LPRINT "G0 1X1000 Y- 1000"
:
'POINT DESIGNATION FROM NEW COORDINATE
1000
G03 Function: Functions the same as G02, but draws in acounter-clockwise direction.
Example: LPRINT "G03 X200 Y600 1300 J265"
(200, 600)
in
to
CM
Center (200,200)
1=300
Current point
(500, 465)
G50 Function: Lifts the pen and moves it from the current point to the coordinate point specified.
Example: LPRINT "G50 X600 Y700"
(600, 700)
S* With pen off from paper
Current point
-17-

G90 Function: Moves and draws aline first to the specified Ycoordinate, then to the Xcoordinate,
then to the original Ycoordinate, and then back to the start point. Thus arectangle
can be defined by the positions of two of its diagonal corners. (One of them being the
current pen position.)
Example: LPRINT "G90 X300 Y900"
(a, Y)
(a,b)
Current point
(X,Y)
(300, 800)
I
(X,b)
The pen moves and draws aline from the current pen position (a, b) to (a, Y) to (X, Y) to (X, b)
and then back to (a, b).
G91 Function: Moves and draws aline to (a, Y), then to (X, b), and then to the starting point (a, b),
creating a triangular shape.
Example: LPRINT "G91 XI 000 Y1300"
(a, Y)
t
(a,b)
Current point *—
(X,Y)
1000, 1300)
(X,b)
Note on GFunctions
When aGfunction code is not specified, any previously specified Gfunction will continue.
Example: LPRINT "G00 X800 Y400" :LPRINT "XI 000 Y200"
(800, 400)
/\
/\
/
/
s
Starting point
/
(1000,200)
-18-

MFunction: When M00 CR is input, the pen moves from the current point to the origin of the absolute
coordinate system.
Example: LPRINT "M00"
(0, 0) Origin
X
(300, -200)
Current point
Combining PMode and CMode
When changing to the Pmode, the current position of the pen becomes the origin of the Y-axis (Y=0).
(In the Cmode, the absolute coordinate value in the Ydirection is not stored.)
Example: 10 LPRINT CHR$ (2)
20 LPRINT "G01 X500 Y-500"
30 LPRINT CHR$ (1 )CHR$ (32) "A" CHR$ (8) CHR$ (8).
40 LPRINT CHR$ (2)
50 LPRINT "G01 X1000 Y-500":
Note regarding line 30: CHR$ (32) is aspace code; without it, letter "A" would be printed right on the
point. CHRS (8) is aback-space code to compensate for the normal movement to the right caused by
the space code and "A". The pen moves twice (four or eight times) in an enlarged mode, therefore use
the appropriate number of back-space codes to compensate.
500 500
o
oA
8
in
Note that Xaxis is not changed during mode change-over.
-19-