User`s manual

ManualsBrandsAGILE ManualsComputer equipmentALLY PLUS 6287

USER’S

MANUAL

Printer Interface Controller

6287 ALLY PLUS

™

AGILE

Summary of content (186 pages)

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AGILE ® 6287 ALLY PLUS ™ Printer Interface Controller USER’S MANUAL
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Page ii 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual Copyright Information © 1995 AGILE All rights reserved. Copyright protection includes all forms and matters of copyrightable material and information now allowed by statutory or judicial law or hereinafter granted. AGILE is a registered trademark of AGILE. 6287 ALLY PLUS and all other AGILE products mentioned in this publication are trademarks of AGILE.
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Page iii About AGILE In 1978 IBM and the word compatible were rarely found together, but IBMs mainframe customers wanted a less expensive, more flexible printing solution than IBM offered them. They wanted value, performance and features that only ASCII printers could provide. They wanted freedom of choice.
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Page iv 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual Also From AGILE 6287 ALLY™ A high-speed protocol converter that enables industry-standard serial and parallel ASCII and EBCDIC printers and plotters to be attached to a 3270type controller. 6287 ULTRA™ A full-featured protocol converter that enables an industry-standard serial or parallel ASCII or EBCDIC printer or plotter to be attached to a 3270type controller. Its alternate host feature allows the mainframe host and a PC to share the printer without an A/B switch.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE About This Manual .....................................................................................xv AGILE Product Warranty......................................................................... xvi Standard Warranty............................................................................. xvi Optional Warranties and Services .................................................... xvii FCC Statement ............................................................................
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Page vi 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual Connections .............................................................................................. 2-3 AGILE 6287 ALLY PLUS Cable Chart ........................................... 2-3 6287 ALLY PLUS Rear Panel .......................................................... 2-3 6287 ALLY PLUS Connection to Establishment Controller ............ 2-4 6287 ALLY PLUS Connection to Printer/Plotter ............................. 2-4 Dual Printer Installation ................
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Page vii CONFIGURATION General Information ................................................................................. 3-1 Changing Configuration Option Parameters ............................................ 3-2 Multiple Configuration Changes ....................................................... 3-3 Configuration Defaults ...................................................................... 3-3 Changing Configuration Options Within a Print Job ........................
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Page viii 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual Host Parameters (Group #50) ................................................................. 3-18 50 Physical buffer size ............................................................... 3-18 51 Logical buffer size................................................................. 3-18 52 Intervention required status report delay .............................. 3-19 53 Coax port timer .....................................................................
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ix PFS Descriptions ...................................................................................... 4-4 %00 Power On ............................................................................. 4-4 %01 Printer Reset ......................................................................... 4-4 %02 Bolding On ........................................................................... 4-4 %03 Bolding Off ..................................................................
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Page x 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual %57 Reserved ............................................................................... 4-9 %58 Reserved ............................................................................... 4-9 %59 Mode 1 PFS.......................................................................... 4-9 %60 Mode 2 PFS.......................................................................... 4-9 %61 sc1 Replacement ...........................................................
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Page xi SCS DATA STREAMS General Information ................................................................................. 7-1 Presentation Surface: SNA Character String Definitions ......................... 7-1 SCS Commands Supported by the ALLY PLUS ..................................... 7-2 Backspace (BS) 16h ..................................................................... 7-2 End of Message (EM) 19h ...........................................................
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Page xii 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual ALTERNATE HOST CONSIDERATIONS General Information ............................................................................... 10-1 6287 ULTRA COMPATIBILITY General Information ............................................................................... 11-1 6287 ULTRA Configuration Compatibility ........................................... 11-1 Dip Switch Emulation ............................................................................
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Page xiii 33 DSC Trigger 2 ....................................................................... 11-8 34 SCS Trigger 1 ........................................................................ 11-8 35 SCS Trigger 2 ........................................................................ 11-8 36 Reserved ................................................................................ 11-8 37 Reserved ..............................................................................
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Page xiv 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual C Alternate Host PFS ............................................................... 11-14 D Custom Banner ..................................................................... 11-14 E Begin Bracket ....................................................................... 11-14 F System Status Available ........................................................ 11-14 G Tray 1 ...................................................................................
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PREFACE About This Manual This manual covers the installation and use of the AGILE 6287 ALLY PLUS printer interface controller. AGILE makes no warranties, expressed or implied, as to its completeness or accuracy. The information in this manual is current as of the date of its publication, but it is subject to change by AGILE at any time without notice.
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Page xvi 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual AGILE Product Warranty Standard Warranty AGILE warrants to the original purchaser that this product will be free from defects in materials and workmanship and in good working order per the functional specifications current at the time of shipment for a period of two (2) years from the date of shipment to the purchaser.
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PREFACE Page xvii This warranty is the only warranty provided by AGILE. If this product is not in good working order as warranted above, the customers sole remedy shall be repair or replacement as provided above. This warranty states the purchasers exclusive remedy for any breach of AGILEs warranty and for any claim, whether in contract or tort, for loss, injury or damages caused by the sale or use of any product and is in lieu of all other warranties, expressed or implied.
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Page xviii 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual FCC Statement This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy. If it is not installed and used in strict accordance with AGILEs instructions, it may cause interference to radio and television reception.
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PREFACE Page xix Warnings Electrical Shock Never open the ALLY PLUS when the power is on or when it is connected to any power source. Opening the ALLY PLUS may void the warranty.
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Page xx 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual Coax Host Considerations The ALLY PLUS connects directly to the establishment controller through an IBM category A device adapter. The port designation for the ALLY PLUS must be configured for a category A device, not as the system printer. The ALLY PLUS must be defined to the system as a 3287 printer with a maximum 4K physical buffer size (and/or with other features required by the system and supported by the ALLY PLUS).
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SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION General Information The AGILE 6287 ALLY PLUS is a high-speed protocol converter that enables industry-standard ASCII and EBCDIC printers to be attached to an IBM 3270-type mainframe controller. It also allows up to three alternate hosts to share the attached printer(s).
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Page 1-2 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual 6287 ALLY PLUS Features and Specifications Input/Output Ports IBM RG62 A/U Coax Port 2 Centronics DB-25 Parallel Ports (1 input, 1 bidirectional) 2 RJ-12 Serial Ports (1 input, 1 bidirectional) Host Interface IBM BNC type A Coax Printer/Plotter Output Interfacing ASCII, EBCDIC or APL 1 Centronics DB-25 Parallel Port 1 RJ-12 Serial Port (300-115.2K baud) Alternate Host Input Interfacing Up to 2 DB-25 Parallel Ports Up to 2 RJ-12 Serial Ports (300-115.
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INTRODUCTION Page 1-3 Upgradeability Removable external ROM cartridge for configuration and upgrade ease Programmability On line through coax host or alternate host data stream AGILE 6287 ULTRA programmability via alternate host or coax host data stream User Programmable Function Strings (PFSs) 64 PFSs in a dynamic 12K space Transparency 35h 36h 2-trigger Trigger+count byte Translation Translation tables changeable on line Character Sets Supports LU1 (SCS) and LU3 (DSC) character sets
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SECTION 2 INSTALLATION General Information This chapter provides information on physically attaching the AGILE 6287 ALLY PLUS to the computer environment. Before Beginning The following are needed before installing the ALLY PLUS: A suitable location. A serial or parallel printer (or plotter). A host interface cable RG62 A/U coaxial cable with BNC connectors on both ends. The length of this cable is not to exceed 5000 feet (1500 meters).
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Page 2-2 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual Electrical Requirements The ALLY PLUS requires 5 VDC at 1 amp provided by the 117 VAC adapter or the optional 250 VAC adapter. Users with any questions regarding the electrical service available at their site should contact a qualified electrician. Operating Environment The ALLY PLUS operates best in an environment with a temperature between 50 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit and 15% to 65% relative humidity.
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INSTALLATION Page 2-3 Connections The following section describes and illustrates how to make the required and optional physical connections between the ALLY PLUS and the other components of the system. Be certain to use AGILE 6287 ALLY PLUS cables for connections to printer(s) and alternate host(s).
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Page 2-4 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual 6287 ALLY PLUS Connection to Establishment Controller Attach the device end of an RG62 A/U coax cable to the coax connector on the rear panel of the ALLY PLUS. Rotate the cable connector 1/4 turn clockwise to lock it in place. Attach the EC end of the coaxial cable to the establishment controller at the coax port designated for the ALLY PLUS.
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INSTALLATION Page 2-5 (parallel printer connection to ALLY PLUS) Dual Printer Installation The ALLY PLUS may have two printers (one serial and one parallel) attached. Mode B on the front panel will switch to serial output; Mode C will switch to parallel output. (See Configuration Option #01 for instructions on switching output ports on line.) 6287 ALLY PLUS Connection to Alternate Host(s) Connect the device end of the AGILE alternate host cable to the appropriate port on the alternate host.
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Page 2-6 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual (parallel alternate host connection to ALLY PLUS) Multiple Alternate Host Installation The ALLY PLUS may have up to three alternate hosts (one serial and two parallel, or two serial and one parallel) attached. Input at any of the ports is detected automatically, and multiple alternate host input is queued as it is received. No configuration for alternate hosts is necessary, except for serial interfacing (baud rate, word length, stop bits, parity, flow control).
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INSTALLATION Page 2-7 6287 ALLY PLUS Front Panel The front panel of the ALLY PLUS provides a mode indicator in the form of a seven-segment LED, and a pushbutton for changing modes. To select a mode, press the MODE selector button until the appropriate mode number is indicated by the LED. The mode operation will begin after two seconds. Each of the possible modes is described below: Modes 0 — Normal Operating Mode Host data may be accepted at any time during normal operating mode.
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Page 2-8 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual 5 — General Configuration Report The ALLY PLUS will return to normal operating mode after a General Configuration Report is sent to the current printer. (See the Appendix for a sample of this report.) 6 — Translate Table Report The ALLY PLUS will return to normal operating mode after a Translate Table and Function Report is sent to the current printer. (See the Appendix for a sample report.
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INSTALLATION Page 2-9 C — Centronics Mode The ALLY PLUS will return to normal operating mode after switching to Centronics output. All output from the ALLY PLUS will come from the PARALLEL I/O port until configured otherwise. This option also can be configured from the host (see Section 3 Configuration). D — Extended Modes This mode is used to select Extended Modes. Extended Modes are acquired by selecting Mode D and another mode in consecutive order.
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Page 2-10 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual D3 — 6287 ULTRA Coax Host Configuration This extended mode is used to configure the ALLY PLUS from a coax host with data streams created for other AGILE protocol converters, including the 6287 ULTRA, 6287 IC and 6287 IC+. This mode is the functional equivalent of placing dip switch B7 in the ON (down) position and pressing the RESET button on the front panel of the ULTRA. To select Extended Mode D3, press the MODE selector button until the LED reads D.
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INSTALLATION Page 2-11 Connection Tests The following tests will verify that proper connections have been made between the ALLY PLUS, the host, the printer(s) and the alternate host(s). Printer/Plotter Verification In order to verify the printer connection, send a General Configuration Report to the printer. Press the MODE button on the front panel of the ALLY PLUS until the LED reads 5, and the report will print out a few seconds later. If using a plotter, press the MODE button until the LED reads 9.
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Page 2-12 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual If the report prints garbage: The ALLY PLUS may be incorrectly configured for ASCII or EBCDIC (the default is ASCII). This setting can be changed using Mode A from the front panel. Coax Host Verification After successfully printing a General Configuration Report, verify the coax host connection to the ALLY PLUS by sending a Local Copy or a typical host-generated print transaction to the printer. Refer to the system documentation for instructions.
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INSTALLATION Page 2-13 Alternate Host Verification Test the alternate host by sending a Print Screen job (or device equivalent) from the alternate host to the current printer attached to the ALLY PLUS. Refer to the alternate host system documentation for instructions on sending a Print Screen command. If it does not print: Check that the alternate host is powered on and securely connected to the ALLY PLUS with AGILE-approved cables or cable adapters.
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Page 2-14 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual Alternate host make: Model #: Alternate host cable #: Parallel or serial interface: If serial: Length: Stops: Parity: Baud: Flow control: AGILE toll-free technical support is available between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. PST. For Express Exchange Service customers who would like next-business-day replacement of a unit, AGILE customer support must be contacted early enough so that the need for a replacement unit can be determined before 2:00 p.m.
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INSTALLATION Page 2-15 5. Now answer a few questions about your system: Hot keys (Y/N) allow options to be selected without pressing Enter Color menus A = auto-detect Default editor mode F = full screen (if the user has ANSI terminal emulation); L = line edit (if the user does not have ANSI terminal emulation) Protocol for file transfers the preferred file transfer protocol is ZMODEM (Z), but the user may also use any of the other protocols displayed on the screen. 6.
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SECTION 3 CONFIGURATION General Information Configuring the ALLY PLUS changes the way in which it handles the data stream from the coax host or alternate host before the data is sent to the printer(s) or plotter(s). The configuration option parameters allow the user to change printer output, page formatting, setup of the serial ports, host parameters, transparency modes, etc. Some of these configuration changes can be made from the front panel.
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Page 3-2 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual Changing Configuration Option Parameters All parameters that are changeable in the ALLY PLUS are preceded by the text !ALLY!, the configuration trigger. The trigger is followed eventually by a semicolon (;), the configuration terminator.
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CONFIGURATION Page 3-3 If the document is a Local Copy or a Print Screen command, the characters that were used to change the configuration will be printed to the current printer. If a formatted document with configuration characters is sent to the ALLY PLUS, the configuration characters will not be printed in the document. From an alternate host, the configuration sequences embedded in a formatted document will not be printed unless an error is detected.
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Page 3-4 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual To reset an individual configuration parameter to its factory default setting, enter the trigger, the Option number and the terminator. The following example resets the top margin for SCS data streams: !ALLY!13; A General Configuration Report with default values selected can be found in the Appendix. The user can print the current General Configuration Report at any time using Mode 5 from the front panel.
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CONFIGURATION Page 3-5 Configuration Groups The ALLY PLUS configuration options are organized into 9 groups numbered 00 through 80. Below is a description of each option and how it affects the operation of the ALLY PLUS. Printer Output (Group #00) This configuration group allows the user to define the printer type, to specify serial or parallel output, to select ASCII or EBCDIC character sets, and to enable or disable specific plotter types.
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Page 3-6 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual 01 — Output type Note: This option also can be selected from the front panel. Use Mode B for serial output; use Mode C for parallel output. This option tells the ALLY PLUS to which port to send output. The default is the parallel output port (see PARALLEL I/O on the back panel).
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CONFIGURATION Page 3-7 03 — Plotter support Mode 9 on the front panel of the ALLY PLUS will produce four tests on the attached plotter that verify baud rate, protocol, etc. For these tests to function correctly, select the appropriate plotter from the list below.
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Page 3-8 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual SCS Page Formatting (Group #10) 11 — SCS left margin SCS SHF commands will override this setting. Refer to Section 7 for details. The left margin default is 01, but it may be set to any value between 01 and the value of the right margin (see below). After a CR sequence, the ALLY PLUS will check this parameter. If the option is set to a value other than 01 and a CR has been output, the ALLY PLUS will output spaces to reach the proper column.
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CONFIGURATION Page 3-9 the user or the users application embeds escape sequences in the data stream the user or the users application embeds transparency or pseudo transparency strings in the data stream the user embeds !ALLY! commands (configuration, translate table or PFS commands) within print jobs. This option should not be set to infinite line length if Option #70 DisplayWrite 370 support is enabled. The ALLY PLUS will not buffer more than 255 characters per line.
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Page 3-10 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual The user may choose any value between the top margin value and FF (255). !ALLY!14=00; implies an infinite page length (default) !ALLY!14=42; after 66 lines, the ALLY PLUS sends FF Note: A value of 00 implies an infinite page length. In infinite page length, the ALLY PLUS will not send a form feed to the printer unless the user or the users application has embedded a form feed in the data stream.
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CONFIGURATION Page 3-11 DSC Page Formatting (Group #20) 21 — DSC left margin The left margin default is 01, but it may be set to any value between 01 and the value of the right margin (see below). After a CR sequence, the ALLY PLUS will check this parameter. If the option is set to a value other than 01 and a CR has been output, the ALLY PLUS will output spaces to reach the proper column.
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Page 3-12 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual the user embeds !ALLY! commands (configuration, translate table or PFS commands) within print jobs. This option should not be set to infinite line length if Option #70 DisplayWrite 370 support is enabled. The ALLY PLUS will not buffer more than 255 characters per line. 23 — DSC top margin After receiving a DSC form feed sequence, the ALLY PLUS will send out line feeds until the top margin is reached.
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CONFIGURATION Page 3-13 Note: A value of 00 implies an infinite page length. In infinite page length, the ALLY PLUS will not send a form feed to the printer unless the user or the users application has embedded a form feed in the data stream.
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Page 3-14 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual 27 — DSC EM generates CR/LF even if in column 1 If a DSC EM is detected, and if the printhead is in the leftmost column, normally the ALLY PLUS will not send out a new line sequence (CR/LF). This option allows the user to force the ALLY PLUS to send out the new line sequence no matter what column the print head is in. To force a new line, set this option to 01. The default value is 00. Refer to Section 8 DSC Data Streams for more information.
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CONFIGURATION Page 3-15 Local Copy Page Formatting (Group #30) Option Group #30 gives the user some control over Local Copy print jobs. 30 — FF before Local Copy If this option is set to 01, the ALLY PLUS will send a form feed to the printer prior to printing the screen text (a Local Copy).
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Page 3-16 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual Serial Port Setup (Group #40) The following options allow the user to set up the serial ports of the ALLY PLUS. Refer to the serial printer and alternate host users manuals for the appropriate settings. SERIAL 1 is set up with Options 41-45, while SERIAL 2 is set up with Options 47-4B. Note that SERIAL 1 and SERIAL 2 have the same attributes but different option numbers assigned to them.
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CONFIGURATION Page 3-17 43 (49) — Word length (data bits) The serial port word length may be set for 5, 6, 7 or 8 bits. The default is 8 bits. Use the following values to program this option: !ALLY!43=05; 5 bit word length !ALLY!43=06; 6 bit word length !ALLY!43=07; 7 bit word length !ALLY!43=08; 8 bit word length (default) 44 (4A) — Stop bits The default number of stop bits for the serial ports is 1.
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Page 3-18 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual Host Parameters (Group #50) The options in Group #50 are used to control host interfacing. Refer to the host system documentation for information on configuring these options. 50 — Physical buffer size This parameter must match the buffer size that the host expects on the channel to which the ALLY PLUS is attached. The default value of 01 is for a 4K buffer, and it is most efficient for many systems. A value of 00 indicates a 2K buffer.
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CONFIGURATION Page 3-19 52 — Intervention required status report delay The host should be informed when a problem is detected at the printer or at the protocol converter. If the problem is minor, such as a paper jam, the user may correct the problem before it needs to be reported. This option tells the ALLY PLUS how many minutes to wait before reporting the problem to the host. The acceptable range of values is from 00 (never) to FF (255 minutes).
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Page 3-20 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual Send a short, typical LU1 print job to the printer. If the system sends the required data, the Host Diagnostic Report produced will show nine bytes preceding the printable data, as follows: SCS TH and RH -> 2C 00 06 01 00 0C 00 90 80 If the first byte in the sequence is a 28h or a 2Ch, then bracketing information is likely to be present.
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CONFIGURATION Page 3-21 Transparency Modes (Group #60) Most ASCII and EBCDIC printers have features that are not available on IBM printers. If the users host application is aware that the destination of the data may be a non-IBM printer attached to a protocol converter, the application can take advantage of the printers advanced features. To activate a particular printer feature, the application will send a transparent command in the data stream.
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Page 3-22 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual If this option is set not to allow 35h transparency (00), then the trigger, the count byte and all of the otherwise transparent characters will be printed normally, as indicated by the active translate table (see Section 5 Translate Tables). Refer to Section 7 SCS Data Streams for more information on IBM 35h transparency.
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CONFIGURATION Page 3-23 Note: In either trigger method, the only valid characters following the trigger sequence are the numerals 0 through 9 and the letters A through F. In the one-trigger method, all invalid characters are translated and printed after exiting transparency mode. In the two-trigger method, any invalid character acts as a terminator unless a terminator has been defined with Option 68 or 69.
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Page 3-24 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual To send the Xerox 4045 reset sequence requires 13 characters the first trigger (¢), the second trigger ($), the hexadecimal reset sequence (1B2B580D0A) and an invalid character/terminator (¢): ¢$1B2B580D0A¢ 63 — DSC PTM trigger 1 This option tells the ALLY PLUS which character in the incoming DSC data stream will activate pseudo transparency mode. If no pseudo transparency is needed (see Option #62), this option has no effect.
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CONFIGURATION Page 3-25 66 — SCS PTM trigger 2 This option has no effect unless the two-trigger method (see Option #62) is selected. The default second trigger is 5B, which is an SCS dollar sign ($).
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Page 3-26 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual 69 — Specify SCS transparency terminator This option applies only to SCS data streams. When the two-trigger pseudo transparency mode is selected (see Option #62), the user normally terminates pseudo transparency with an invalid character. When this option is set to 00, any invalid character will terminate pseudo transparency, including a system NL command.
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CONFIGURATION Page 3-27 Custom Configuration (Group #70) These options accommodate specific applications that may be installed at the users site. 70 — DisplayWrite 370 support DisplayWrite 370 is a word processing application that provides the capability to bold, underline or overstrike text. DisplayWrite 370 printing features are supported by the 6287 ALLY PLUS when this option is enabled. To use these features, the user should read and understand Section 4 Programmable Function Strings.
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Page 3-28 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual When DisplayWrite is ON, each line of text is buffered until a new line (CR/LF) is received, or until the column limit (determined by Option #12 or Option #22) is reached, whichever comes first. No escape sequences should be added to the data stream by the user when DisplayWrite is ON, because these escape sequences will be added to the column count, and because they will come into conflict with the escape sequences being sent to the printer by the ALLY PLUS.
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CONFIGURATION Page 3-29 71 — MD-Laser support The AGILE 6287 ALLY PLUS is capable of supporting the continuous escape mode offered in Maersk Data products. If using Maersk Data software, enable this feature.
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Page 3-30 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual 73 — Xerox graphic window support XPAF (Xerox Printer Access Facility) allows AFPDS (Advanced Function Printing Data Stream) data to be converted for use by Xerox centralized and decentralized printers. XPAF uses forms, fonts and graphic windows to build images. When this option is enabled, the ALLY PLUS detects graphic windows, and it strips away corrupting characters, such as new lines, that may be inserted into the data stream by the host.
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CONFIGURATION Page 3-31 75 — Continuous bell ringing When an SCS 2Fh is detected in the data stream, the ALLY PLUS will check this option to see how to respond. If this option is enabled, the ALLY PLUS will send BELL characters to the printer on a continuous basis until the user changes the Mode on the front panel of the ALLY PLUS. For those printers capable of sounding an alarm, this bell ringing helps to notify the printer attendant of important printed information.
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Page 3-32 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual 78 — Laserpage support The AGILE 6287 ALLY PLUS supports Laserpage, a software product that allows IBM AFP data streams to be printed to Xerox and Hewlett-Packard laser printing systems. If using Laserpage, two-trigger pseudo transparency must be activated (see Option #62), and this option must be enabled.
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CONFIGURATION Page 3-33 Alternate Host Setup (Group #80) The options in this group determine how the alternate host ports are configured. When an alternate host is finished sending data, the ALLY PLUS must relinquish control to the other hosts after a specified period. If too short a delay time has been entered, two print jobs could be intermixed or corrupted, because the ALLY PLUS will switch between the host and alternate host after each data block is printed.
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Page 3-34 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual 83 — Serial port 2 timer SERIAL 2 on the rear of the ALLY PLUS is an input-only serial port. If it is used as an alternate host port, this timer tells the ALLY PLUS how long to be idle on this port before allowing other hosts control of the printer.
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SECTION 4 PROGRAMMABLE FUNCTION STRINGS General Information Programmable function strings (PFSs) provide a means of storing frequently used printer data and instruction strings and sending them to the printer. PFSs are used by the ALLY PLUS to implement special features found on a variety of printers. These features include bolding, underlining, overstriking, resetting the printer, etc. The ALLY PLUS sends the appropriate PFS to the printer whenever some special formatting or control function is required.
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Page 4-2 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual Programming PFSs Programming PFSs is similar to programming all other configuration options on the ALLY PLUS. As with general configuration options, a trigger and a terminator are required, and all values are entered in hexadecimal format. Additionally, a percent sign (%) is needed to tell the ALLY PLUS to program a PFS, rather than a general configuration option. Otherwise, programming PFSs is done the same way that general configuration changes are made.
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PROGRAMMABLE FUNCTION STRINGS Page 4-3 Sample Programmable Function String Reports, with values programmed for Xerox, Hewlett-Packard and Xerox 4213 printer types, can be found in the Appendix. The user can print the current PFS Report at any time using Mode 7 from the front panel. Deleting the Contents of a PFS The contents of a PFS can be deleted by sending the trigger, a percent sign, the PFS number, an equals sign and a terminator.
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Page 4-4 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual PFS Descriptions The ALLY PLUS can store up to 64 PFSs in a dynamic 12K space. The following is a complete list of PFSs currently offered. A description of when each PFS is triggered by the host application is included, although PFSs also can be triggered by the user at any time. %00 — Power On When the ALLY PLUS receives printable data for the first time after power up or RESET, or when this PFS is triggered directly by the user, this PFS is sent to the printer.
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PROGRAMMABLE FUNCTION STRINGS Page 4-5 %06 — Underlining On If a [character-backspace-underline] sequence is detected in the incoming data, this PFS will be sent out. Note: This is not used when DisplayWrite 370 is disabled (see Option #70) unless it is triggered directly by the user. %07 — Underlining Off If underlining was on previously, and if a [character-non-backspace] sequence is sent to the ALLY PLUS, this PFS will be sent to the printer.
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Page 4-6 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual %13 — Coax Host Finished A job boundary PFS. When coax host data is no longer being processed, this PFS is sent to the printer. %14 — Switch to Parallel Port 1 Host When switching from any other host (or neutral) to the parallel port 1 (PARALLEL I/O) alternate host, this PFS is sent out. %15 — Parallel Port 1 Host Finished After all parallel port 1 (PARALLEL I/O) alternate host data has been processed, this PFS is sent out.
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PROGRAMMABLE FUNCTION STRINGS Page 4-7 %22 — LU1 End Bracket If Option #54 is enabled, this PFS is sent to the printer when an End Bracket indicator is presented by the host. The user should ordinarily define this PFS with a printer reset command, or with an emulation switching command for a multimode printer. %23 — Switch to Serial Port 1 Host When switching from any other host (or neutral) to the serial port 1 (SERIAL 1) alternate host, this PFS is sent out.
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Page 4-8 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual %29 — LU3 Bind A job boundary PFS used when Option #57 is enabled. This PFS is sent prior to LU3 data and prior to the LU3 begin bracket PFS. One use of this PFS might be to reset the printer. By default there is no data in this PFS. %30 — LU3 Unbind A job boundary PFS used when Option #57 is enabled. After the host is done sending LU3 data, this PFS will be sent. By default there is no data in this PFS. %31 — Tray 1 This command is reserved for future use by AGILE.
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PROGRAMMABLE FUNCTION STRINGS Page 4-9 %53 — Alternate LU1 End Bracket A job boundary PFS used when Option #57 is enabled. After an LU1 job, and before any other job type (including alternate host jobs), this PFS is sent. A good use for this PFS is to reset the printer or to offset the output. By default there is no data in this PFS. %54 — LU3 Begin Bracket A job boundary PFS used when Option #57 is enabled. This PFS is sent just prior to an LU3 job.
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Page 4-10 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual %61 — sc1 Replacement This PFS is reserved for Xerox applications that require special tray commands. %62 — sc2 Replacement This PFS is reserved for Xerox applications that require special tray commands. %63 — sc3 Replacement This PFS is reserved for Xerox applications that require special tray commands.
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PROGRAMMABLE FUNCTION STRINGS Page 4-11 Job Boundary PFSs A number of the ALLY PLUS PFSs are used exclusively for providing job boundaries. Job boundaries allow the printer operation to be modified by the data stream transparently to the user. This feature is useful for printers that have job offset or multimode capabilities. Job boundaries also can be used to change font assignments or to reset the printer. Note: To use job boundaries, configuration Option #57 must be enabled.
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Page 4-12 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual Job Boundary PFS Examples The following pages contain examples of host and alternate host data streams. The examples show where the job boundaries are placed, assuming that the PFSs have been programmed. Standard Coax Host Print Job A, B, C and D are entry and exit points where data can branch to or from a CUT or DFT Local Copy, or an alternate host print job. Examples are illustrated on the following pages.
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PROGRAMMABLE FUNCTION STRINGS Page 4-13 Standard Coax Local Copy Print Job A, B, C and D are entry and exit points where data can branch to or from an alternate host print job. Examples are illustrated on the following pages.
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Page 4-14 Standard Alternate Host Print Job 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual
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PROGRAMMABLE FUNCTION STRINGS Page 4-15 Standard Alternate Host Print Job Serviced Within an LU1 Session A and C are the entry and exit points indicated in the Standard Coax Host Print Job chart and the Standard Coax Host Local Copy Print Job chart.
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Page 4-16 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual Standard Alternate Host Print Job Services Within an LU3 Session B and D are the entry and exit points indicated in the Standard Coax Host Print Job chart and the Standard Coax Local Copy Print Job chart.
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PROGRAMMABLE FUNCTION STRINGS Page 4-17 Standard Coax Local Copy Print Job When Currently Bound to an LU1 Session A and C are the entry and exit points indicated in the Standard Coax Host Print Job chart.
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Page 4-18 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual Standard Coax Local Copy Print Job When Currently Bound to an LU3 Session B and D are the entry and exit points indicated in the Standard Coax Host Print Job chart.
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SECTION 5 TRANSLATE TABLES General Information The data stream from the coax host or alternate host is not sent directly through the ALLY PLUS to the attached printer. Rather, all characters must first pass through the appropriate character code translation table, even if the printer uses the same data format as the source device. If the source and printer formats are the same, the data is routed through a pass-through table (ASCII from ASCII).
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Page 5-2 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual Translate Table Selection The ALLY PLUS determines the appropriate translation table to use based upon the users configuration of the ALLY PLUS and the data stream it receives. The output character set (ASCII or EBCDIC) is determined by the users configuration of the ALLY PLUS, using Mode A from the front panel, or configuring from the coax host using Option #02. The input is detected by analysis of the data stream by the ALLY PLUS.
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TRANSLATE TABLES Page 5-3 Functions Each of the tables above has an associated function table. The translate tables are combined with their associated function tables when printed in a Translate and Function Table Report (see the Appendix).
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Page 5-4 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual Function Options The following table describes all valid non-zero values in a function table. A function value of zero (00) in the table indicates a one-for-one translation of a source character to a printable character. A non-zero value has special meaning. Note that an asterisk (*) indicates that the function is applied only when rows and columns are being counted (i.e., when Option #70 DisplayWrite 370 is enabled).
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TRANSLATE TABLES Page 5-5 Reading Translate Tables A Translate and Function Table Report, with the default values of the tables selected, can be found in the Appendix. The user can print the current values of the tables at any time using Mode 6 from the front panel of the ALLY PLUS. The tables also are represented on the following pages, along with the printable character or control code that each table entry represents.
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Page 5-6 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual Modifying Translate Tables The translate and function tables may be modified in a manner similar to the General Configuration Options. Refer to Section 3 Configuration for detailed information on configuration.
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TRANSLATE TABLES Page 5-7 The Translate Tables ASCII from ASCII (Tables 0 & 1) LS 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F 00 0 00 NUL 00 01 SOH 00 02 STX 00 03 ETX 00 04 EOT 00 05 ENQ 00 06 ACK 00 07 BEL 00 08 BS 00 09 HT 00 0A LF 0A 0B VT 00 0C FF 02 0D CR 05 0E SO 00 0F SI 00 16 1 10 DLE 00 11 DC1 00 12 DC2 00 13 DC3 00 14 DC4 00 15 NAK 00 16 SYN 00 17 ETB 00 18 CAN 00 19 EM 00 1A SUB 00 1B ESC 00 1C FS 00 1D GS 00
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Page 5-8 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual ASCII from DSC (Tables 2 & 3) LS 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F 0 20 SP 06 20 SP 01 0C FF 02 0A LF 03 2D 00 0D CR 05 2D 00 2D 00 3E ^ 00 3C < 00 5B [ 00 5D ] 00 29 ) 00 28 ( 00 7D } 00 7B { 00 16 1 20 SP 00 3D = 1D 27 ' 00 22 " 00 2F / 00 5C \ 00 7C | 00 99 ¦ 00 3F ? 00 21 ! 1E 24 $ 00 9B ¢ 12 2D 00 2D 00 2D 00 2D 00 32 2 30 0 00 31 1 00 32 2 00 33 3 00 34 4 00
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TRANSLATE TABLES Page 5-9 ASCII from SCS (Tables 4 & 5) LS 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F 20 20 SP 00 20 SP 00 0A 09 14 20 SP 00 20 SP 00 0C 09 20 SP 00 0A 04 20 SP 00 1B 1A 20 SP 00 0B 02 0D CR 05 20 SP 00 20 SP 00 20 SP 00 20 SP 00 20 SP 00 20 SP 00 20 SP 00 0A 08 03 08 20 SP 00 20 SP 00 20 SP 01 20 SP 00 20 SP 00 20 SP 00 20 SP 00 20 SP 0E 20 SP 00 32 2 20 SP 00 20 SP 00 20 SP 00 20 SP 00 20
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Page 5-10 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual EBCDIC from ASCII (Tables 6 & 7) LS 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F 00 01 02 03 37 2D 15 00 00 00 0D CR 00 0F 00 0C FF 00 0E 00 25 LF 00 0B 00 16 BS 00 05 00 2F BEL 00 00 00 10 11 12 13 3C 3D 32 26 18 3F 22 1D 1E 1F 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 32 2 40 SP 00 5A ! 00 7F " 00 7B # 00 5B $ 00 6C % 00 50 & 00 48 3 F0 0 00 F1 1 00 F2 2 00
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TRANSLATE TABLES Page 5-11 EBCDIC from DSC (Tables 8 & 9) LS 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F 00 0 40 SP 00 40 SP 01 0C 15 EE 03 0D CR 05 ED 02 60 00 00 00 6E > 00 4C < 00 AD [ 00 BD ] 00 5D ) 00 4D ( 00 D0 } 00 C0 { 00 16 1 40 SP 00 7E = 1D 7D ' 00 7F " 00 61 / 00 E0 \ 00 4F | 00 6A ¦ 00 6F ? 00 5A ! 1E 5B $ 00 4A ¢ 12 43 44 45 46 00 00 00 00 32 2 F0 0 00 F1 1 00 F2 2 00 F3 3 00 F4 4 00 F5 5
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Page 5-12 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual EBCDIC from SCS (Tables A & B) LS MS 00 0 16 1 32 2 48 3 64 4 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E 15 F 00 01 02 03 04 06 07 0A 00 04 00 00 0D CR 05 0F 00 0C FF 02 0E 00 08 GE 14 09 1A 05 HT 09 00 00 10 11 12 13 14 18 00 00 00 00 16 BS 08 17 00 15 NL 03 00 00 00 20 21 22 23 24 26 27 00 00 00 00 00 25 LF 0A 00 30 31 32 33 34 00 00 00 00 40 SP
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TRANSLATE TABLES Page 5-13 ASCII from DSC APL (Tables C & D) LS 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F 00 0 20 20 0C 0A FF 0D FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 00 01 02 03 00 05 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 16 1 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 32 2 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 00 00 0
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Page 5-14 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual ASCII from SCS APL (Tables E & F) LS MS 00 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E 15 F FF FF FF FF FF 05 FF FF FF FF FF 05 05 05 FF FF 1A 00 00 00 04 09 00 00 14 00 00 0B 02 05 00 00 16 1 FF FF FF FF FF 05 05 FF FF 05 FF FF FF FF 05 FF 00 00 00 00 00 03 08 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 0E 00 32 2 FF FF FF FF FF 05 FF 1B 05 FF FF 05 FF FF
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TRANSLATE TABLES Page 5-15 EBCDIC from DSC APL (Tables G & H) LS MS 00 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E 15 F 00 00 0C FF 02 05 HT 03 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 32 39 00 00 00 { 00 00 01 00 05 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 7E = 1D 00 00 33 00 00 00 37 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 1E 00 12 00 00 00 00 00 5B $ 00 5C * 00 5D ) 00 5E ; 00 5F \ 00 60 00 7B # 00 7C @ 00 00 00 0
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Page 5-16 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual EBCDIC from SCS APL (Tables I & J) LS MS 00 0 16 1 32 2 48 3 64 4 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E 15 F 00 01 02 03 04 06 07 0A 00 04 00 00 0D CR 05 0F 00 0C FF 02 0E 00 08 GE 14 09 1A 05 HT 09 00 00 10 11 12 13 14 18 00 00 00 00 16 BS 08 17 00 15 NL 03 00 00 00 20 21 22 23 24 26 27 00 00 00 00 00 25 LF 0A 00 30 31 32 33 34 00 00 00 00 4
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SECTION 6 COAX HOST CONSIDERATIONS The ALLY PLUS can process data from a variety of IBM host systems. This section discusses how to ensure compatibility between the ALLY PLUS and the host system. System Configuration The coax host software generation requirements of the 6287 ALLY PLUS are generally the same as the requirements for an IBM 3287 or 3289 printer with SCS support.
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Page 6-2 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual VTAM and Network Control Program Requirements The 3174, 3274 or 3276 control unit to which the ALLY PLUS is attached must be defined as a type 2 physical unit and the logical unit (type 1 or 3) definition must be included for each ALLY PLUS to be attached. The following is an example of log mode entry tables for DSC and SCS that may be used with the ALLY PLUS.
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COAX HOST CONSIDERATIONS Page 6-3 00 = For applications written for a device with old APL and without Extended Data Stream capability. 20 = For applications written for a VSCS printer (VM only). 40 = For applications written for a device with new APL. 80 = For applications written for a device with Extended Data Stream capability. C0 = For applications written for a device with new APL and Extended Data Stream capability.
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SECTION 7 SCS DATA STREAMS General Information SNA character string (SCS) controls are EBCDIC codes embedded by the host system in a document and used for formatting the data sent to devices such as printers and CRT displays. The AGILE 6287 ALLY PLUS achieves its emulation of IBM printers by translating the SCS codes into PFSs (programmable function strings) that the printer can use to format data. To use SCS controls, the ALLY PLUS must be defined to the host computer as an SNA Type 1 logical unit.
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Page 7-2 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual SCS Commands Supported by the ALLY PLUS Application programs running on the host computer generate data streams that contain both the data to be printed and the SCS commands that control the positioning of the data on the page, as indicated below. This section discusses how to use the SCS commands supported by the AGILE 6287 ALLY PLUS. Backspace (BS) — 16h The Backspace command moves the presentation position horizontally one position to the left.
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SCS DATA STREAMS Page 7-3 Interchange Group Separator (IGS) — 1Dh The ALLY PLUS interprets this Interchange Separator as a space. Interchange Record Separator (IRS) — 1Eh The ALLY PLUS interprets this Interchange Separator as a new line. Interchange Unit Separator (IUS) — 1Fh The ALLY PLUS interprets this Interchange Separator as a space. Line Feed (LF) — 25h The Line Feed command moves the presentation position down to the next line. The column position remains the same.
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Page 7-4 RM 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual The character position of the Right Margin. The value of the RM must be greater than LM and less than or equal to MPP. Note: 3287- and 3289-compatible devices ignore the RM setting. T1-TN The character positions of the horizontal tab stops, if any. Valid tab stops are less than or equal to the value of MPP. The tab stops do not have to be in any particular order. Note: All parameters are single byte binary numbers.
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SCS DATA STREAMS T1-TN Page 7-5 The line numbers of the vertical tab stop settings, if any. Valid tab stops are greater than or equal to TM and less than or equal to BM. The tab stops must be listed in ascending order. Note: All parameters are single byte binary numbers. Transparent (TRN) — 35h The Transparent command indicates the start of transparent data. This data is not scanned for SCS control codes.
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Page 7-6 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual SCS Command Summary SCS Command Code Description Backspace (BS) 16h Move PP left 1 position Carriage Return (CR) 0Dh Move PP to left margin End of Message (EM) 19h End of Message Form Feed (FF) 0Ch Skip to next page Graphic Escape 08h Translate next character with APL from SCS table Horizontal Tab (HT) 05h Move PP right to next tab stop Interchange File Sep. (IFS) 1Ch Space Interchange Group Sep. (IGS) 1Dh Space Interchange Record Sep.
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SCS DATA STREAMS Page 7-7 SNA Printer Exception Conditions/Sense Codes Exception conditions in SNA are reported by sending a negative response to the sender of the data. The negative response contains a sense code that describes the type of exception condition that occurred. Some of these conditions are errors, and some are just temporary exceptions. The following is a list of SNA sense codes that can be sent to the host as the result of an exception condition involving a printer.
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SECTION 8 DSC DATA STREAMS General Information The DSC (Data Stream Compatibility) character set is found in non-SNA environments. It has a limited number of control characters, which are explained below. Carriage Return (CR) — 05h This command moves the presentation position to the left margin. See Option #21 in Configuration for setting a left margin value other than 1.
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SECTION 9 XEROX APPLICATIONS General Information Xerox printers supported by the ALLY PLUS include the following models: 2700, 3700, 4010, 4011, 4030, 4045, 4197, 4213, 4220, 4235 and 4700. The ALLY PLUS has a number of special features that support Xerox printer functions. Normally, the ALLY PLUS controls the formatting of documents received from the IBM host by using the SCS (SNA Character String) commands embedded in the document.
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Page 9-2 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual XPAF Support XPAF (Xerox Printer Access Facility) accepts Advanced Function Printing Data Stream (AFPDS) data and converts it for use by Xerox printers (4030, 2700, 4045, 3700, etc.). When installed for use with one of these printers, XPAF expects to see a 3287-like device (such as the ALLY PLUS) at the end of the coax cable. The ALLY PLUS is capable of supporting two important XPAF features. These are EBCDIC fonts and EBCDIC graphic windows.
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XEROX APPLICATIONS Page 9-3 Xerox EBCDIC Font Downloads This feature was developed to eliminate the need for both EBCDIC and ASCII fonts to be resident on the mainframe, and at the same time allow the protocol converter to be in ASCII output mode at all times. This is an important feature to ALLY PLUS users who require the alternate host port(s) for PC-type data. When the ALLY PLUS sees s+A or s+F, a font is being sent by the host. Fonts are terminated by a sequence of ten or more Ts.
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SECTION 11 6287 ULTRA COMPATIBILITY General Information The 6287 ALLY PLUS allows users to program the unit with data streams originally used to program other AGILE products, including the 6287 ULTRA, 6287 IC and 6287 IC+ (although this section will use the ULTRA to refer to all three products).
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Page 11-2 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual Translate tables can be edited with the following ULTRA data streams: Off-line coax host translate table downloading using Trigger 1 Exclamation Point (¢!) On-line coax host translate table downloading using Trigger 1 Question Mark - Trigger 1 - Trigger 1 - Exclamation Point (¢?¢¢!) Off-line alternate host translate table character replacement using the Exclamation Point (!) Dip Switch Emulation The ALLY PLUS does not have dip switches.
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6287 ULTRA COMPATIBILITY Page 11-3 Note: Activating Option #79 will enable the user to configure the ALLY PLUS on line, without changing modes and without bracketing the configuration commands with Trigger 1 - Question Mark - Trigger 1 (¢?¢). Configuration Options This section lists each ULTRA configuration option and describes how the equivalent ALLY PLUS option(s), if any, will be affected by ULTRA configuration commands in the data stream.
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Page 11-4 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual 5 — Xerox 36 Hex Transparency This option is equivalent to ALLY PLUS Option #61. A Y value is executed as though it were an ALLY PLUS value of 01, and an N value is executed as an ALLY PLUS value of 00. The General Configuration Report will display yes or no. 6 — Form Feed Before Local Copy This option is equivalent to ALLY PLUS Option #30.
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6287 ULTRA COMPATIBILITY Page 11-5 11 — APL Output APL is used in conjunction with EAB. As such, this option, in conjunction with ULTRA Option #20, will define the value of ALLY PLUS Option #50. A value of N is executed as though it were an ALLY PLUS value of 00 or 01, and a value of Y is executed as an ALLY PLUS value of 02 or 03, depending upon the setting of ULTRA Option #20. The General Configuration Report will display 0=2k, 1=4k, 2=2kEAB or 3=4kEAB.
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Page 11-6 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual 18 — Reserved This option is reserved in the current ULTRA firmware, and it has no equivalent in the ALLY PLUS. 19 — Reserved This option is reserved in the current ULTRA firmware, and it has no equivalent in the ALLY PLUS. 20 — Physical Buffer Size EAB is used in conjunction with APL. As such, this option, in conjunction with ULTRA Option #11, will define the value of ALLY PLUS Option #50.
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6287 ULTRA COMPATIBILITY Page 11-7 24 — Reserved This option is reserved in the current ULTRA firmware, and it has no equivalent in the ALLY PLUS. 25 — Centronics or Dataproducts Parallel This option has no equivalent in the ALLY PLUS, because the ALLY PLUS supports only Centronics parallel interfacing. 26 — Intervention Required If this option is set to a value of N, ALLY PLUS Option #52 is set to 00. The General Configuration Report will display a 0.
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Page 11-8 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual 30 — Pseudo Transparency Mode (PTM) Selection This option is equivalent to ALLY PLUS Option #62. A value of A is executed as though it were an ALLY PLUS value of 02, and a value of B is executed as an ALLY PLUS value of 01. The General Configuration Report will display either 0=disabled, 1=one trigger method or 2=two trigger method.
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6287 ULTRA COMPATIBILITY Page 11-9 37 — Reserved This option is reserved in the current ULTRA firmware, and it has no equivalent in the ALLY PLUS. 38 — Reserved This option is reserved in the current ULTRA firmware, and it has no equivalent in the ALLY PLUS. 39 — Non-Transparency Trigger 1 Output This command has no effect in the ALLY PLUS.
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Page 11-10 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual 45 — Reserved This option is reserved in the current ULTRA firmware, and it has no equivalent in the ALLY PLUS. 46 — Reserved This option is reserved in the current ULTRA firmware, and it has no equivalent in the ALLY PLUS. 47 — Reserved This option is reserved in the current ULTRA firmware, and it has no equivalent in the ALLY PLUS. 48 — Continuous Bell Ringing This option is equivalent to ALLY PLUS Option #75.
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6287 ULTRA COMPATIBILITY Page 11-11 52 — SCS EM Always Generates CR/LF This option is equivalent to ALLY PLUS Option #16. A value of Y is executed as though it were an ALLY PLUS value of 01, and a value of N is executed as an ALLY PLUS value of 00. The General Configuration Report will display yes or no. 53 — Ignore IBM 35 Hex Transparency This option is equivalent to ALLY PLUS Option #60.
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Page 11-12 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual 58 — Metacode Support This option is equivalent to ALLY PLUS Option #72. A value of Y is executed as though it were an ALLY PLUS value of 01, and a value of N is executed as an ALLY PLUS value of 00. The General Configuration Report will display yes or no. 59 — Laserpage Support This option is equivalent to ALLY PLUS Option #78. A value of Y is executed as though it were an ALLY PLUS value of 01, and a value of N is executed as an ALLY PLUS value of 00.
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6287 ULTRA COMPATIBILITY Page 11-13 0 — Power On Sequence The contents of this PFS definition will be inserted in ALLY PLUS PFS %00 Power On. 1 — 6 LPI The contents of this PFS definition will be inserted in ALLY PLUS PFS %10 Set Line Density to 6 LPI. 2 — 8 LPI The contents of this PFS definition will be inserted in ALLY PLUS PFS %11 Set Line Density to 8 LPI. 3 — DisplayWrite 370 Overstriking On The contents of this PFS definition will be inserted in ALLY PLUS PFS %04 Overstriking On.
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Page 11-14 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual 9 — DisplayWrite 370 Bolding On The contents of this PFS definition will be inserted in ALLY PLUS PFS %02 Bolding On. A — DisplayWrite 370 Bolding Off The contents of this PFS definition will be inserted in ALLY PLUS PFS %03 Bolding Off. B — Coax Host PFS The contents of this PFS definition will be inserted in ALLY PLUS PFS %12 Switch to Coax Host.
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6287 ULTRA COMPATIBILITY Page 11-15 G — Tray 1 The contents of this PFS definition will be inserted in ALLY PLUS PFS %31 Tray 1. H — Tray 2 The contents of this PFS definition will be inserted in ALLY PLUS PFS %32 Tray 2. I — Tray 3 The contents of this PFS definition will be inserted in ALLY PLUS PFS %33 Tray 3. J — Manual Feed The contents of this PFS definition will be inserted in ALLY PLUS PFS %34 Envelope Tray 1.
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Page 11-16 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual 1 — DSC to ASCII Table 1 is equivalent to ALLY PLUS Table 2 ASCII from DSC. 2 — SCS to ASCII Table 2 is equivalent to ALLY PLUS Table 4 ASCII from SCS. 3 — ASCII to ASCII Table 3 is equivalent to ALLY PLUS Table 0 ASCII from ASCII. 4 — DSC to EBCDIC Table 4 is equivalent to ALLY PLUS Table 8 EBCDIC from DSC. 5 — SCS to EBCDIC Table 5 is equivalent to ALLY PLUS Table A EBCDIC from SCS.
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6287 ULTRA COMPATIBILITY Page 11-17 B — Reserved (not used) Table B is reserved in the current ULTRA firmware version, and it has no ALLY PLUS equivalent. C — Reserved (not used) Table C is reserved in the current ULTRA firmware version, and it has no ALLY PLUS equivalent.
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SECTION 12 APPENDIX General Information The Appendix contains samples of the General Configuration Report, Programmable Function String Report, Translate and Function Table Report, Printer Test, Plotter Test, Host Diagnostic Report, a Hexadecimal to Decimal Conversion Chart and a Pin-out chart of the ALLY PLUS ports. General Configuration Report The following is a sample of the General Configuration Report with the factory defaults selected.
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Page 12-4 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual Programmable Function String Report These three pages contain sample Programmable Function String Reports. Use Mode 7 from the front panel of the ALLY PLUS to send a report of the current PFS configuration. The PFS values shown on this page are for a Xerox type printer (Choice 00 in General Configuration Option #00).
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APPENDIX Page 12-5 This page displays the report generated if the printer type selected in Option #00 is a Hewlett-Packard (PCL) printer (Choice 01). AGILE 6287 ALLY PLUS Version 6.00, Style 1 10-02-1995 (c) 1995 by AGILE. All rights reserved.
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Page 12-6 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual This page displays the report generated if the printer type selected in Option #00 is a Xerox 4213 printer (Choice 02). AGILE 6287 ALLY PLUS Version 6.00, Style 1 10-02-1995 (c) 1995 by AGILE. All rights reserved.
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APPENDIX Page 12-7 Translate and Function Table Report The following pages contain a sample of the Translate and Function Table Report with all factory defaults selected. This report prints all translate tables and function tables in their current configuration. To send this report to the printer, use Mode 6 from the front panel of the ALLY PLUS. AGILE 6287 ALLY PLUS Version 6.00, Style 1 10-02-1995 (c) 1995 by AGILE. All rights reserved.
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APPENDIX Page 12-17 Printer Test Report This page contains a sample Printer Test Report. A printer test checks the connection between the ALLY PLUS and the printer. To conduct this test, the ALLY PLUS sends the printer a continuous stream of characters, including alphabetic, numeric and special characters. Use Mode 8 on the front panel to send this test to the printer. The ALLY PLUS must be powered down to stop this operation.
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Page 12-18 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual Plotter Test Report This page contains two sample Plotter Test Reports. The top image is an HPGL plotter test. The bottom image is a Zeta (GML) plotter test. A plotter test checks the connection between the ALLY PLUS and the plotter. Use Mode 9 on the front panel to send this test to the plotter.
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APPENDIX Page 12-19 Host Diagnostic Report The following pages contain a sample Host Diagnostic Report. This report is useful for analyzing data streams. The data presented by this report is printed as it was sent by the establishment controller, unaltered by the ALLY PLUS. Use Mode F from the front panel to enter Host Diagnostic Mode. The ALLY PLUS must be powered down to halt this operation.
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APPENDIX Page 12-27 Hexadecimal to Decimal Conversion Chart This chart illustrates the conversion of decimal values to their hexadecimal equivalents. Since configuration options must be entered in hexadecimal, this chart is useful for setting page margins, etc. The characters in the top row represent the least significant hexadecimal digit. The characters in the left column represent the most significant hexadecimal digit. To use the chart, find the decimal number in the body of the chart.
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Page 12-28 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual Pin-out Charts These charts illustrate the pin-outs of each of the ALLY PLUS I/O ports.
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SECTION 13 GLOSSARY A A/B switch A switch that allows input devices to share a printer. AC adapter Converts alternating current to direct current. AFP Advanced Function Printing. AFPDS Advanced Function Printing Data Stream. Alternate host Input devices other than the coax host that can use the printers attached to the ALLY PLUS, such as PCs, network servers, print sharing devices and even other protocol converters. APL A Programming Language.
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Page 13-2 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual Bold A typestyle in which the strokes of the characters are thicker than normal. Bottom margin The last line on which the ALLY PLUS will allow a character to be printed. Break An interruption of a transmission. BS Backspace. Buffer A block of internal memory that stores information until it is ready to be used. Byte A unit of information consisting of eight binary bits. Character codes are often represented in bytes.
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GLOSSARY Page 13-3 COM port adapter A cable adapter that allows a standard DB-25 serial cable to be connected to the RJ-12 serial port of the ALLY PLUS. Configuration To assemble a collection of hardware and software into a system and to adjust each of the parts so they all work together. Control code A byte of information representing a print instruction (e.g., a tab). Control Unit The portion of the CPU that directs the step-by-step operation of the entire computing system.
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Page 13-4 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual Diagnostic A routine designed to verify the operation of a system and to find a malfunction in a device. DisplayWrite 370 An IBM word processing application that supports bolding, underlining and overstriking. DPA Display printer adapter. DSC Data stream compatible. A pre-SNA protocol. E EAB Extended Attribute Buffer. A feature found in many IBM printers that extends the number of characters available for transmission to the printer.
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GLOSSARY Extended ASCII Page 13-5 Some printer manufacturers have implemented their own version of 8 bit transmission. Extended ASCII allows 128 additional characters to be displayed by the printer. F FCC Federal Communications Commission. FF Form feed. Firmware The pre-programmed EPROMs installed in the ALLY PLUS (the internal software). Flow control Serial communication handshaking. Form feed A control code that instructs the printer to process the current page and print it; a page end.
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Page 13-6 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual Horizontal tab Moves the presentation position horizontally to the next tab stop to the right. Host The system that transmits information to the ALLY PLUS. IBM coax host. HP Hewlett-Packard. HPGL Hewlett-Packard Graphics Language. A language used to transfer graphic information to an HP or HP-compatible plotter. HT Horizontal tab. I IBM The worlds largest manufacturer of computing equipment.
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GLOSSARY Page 13-7 Interface The method by which different types of devices are linked to each other for communication (e.g., serial, parallel, coax). Intervention required The message sent to the host system when an error condition exists at the printer (e.g., paper jam). Invalid character In hexadecimal, any character other than numerals 0-9 and letters A-F. IR Intervention required. IRS Interchange record separator. IUS Interchange unit separator.
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Page 13-8 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual Log mode entry Interface information required by the host for each attached device. Logical buffer RAM used to display a displayable or printable image. Logical Unit Number A number assigned to a physical device for identification purposes. LU1 Logical Unit Type 1 (SCS compatible). LU3 Logical Unit Type 3 (DSC compatible).
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GLOSSARY Page 13-9 NL New line. Normal operating mode The ALLY PLUS mode in which host data may be accepted. Null 00h. Output by the ALLY PLUS as a space. Null line A line in the data stream containing only null characters. O One-trigger A form of pseudo transparency that uses a single trigger character followed by a count byte that indicates the length of the escape sequence. Option An ALLY PLUS configuration parameter for which the user can make a choice.
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Page 13-10 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual PFS Programmable function string. Plotter An output unit that graphs data by automatically controlled pens. POR Power on reset. Power on reset The method by which a peripheral device announces to the host that it is ready. Presentation line The number of the line that is the current presentation position. Presentation position The line and column number of the current position on the page. Presentation surface Represents a single page of printed output.
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GLOSSARY Page 13-11 R RAM Random access memory. Used for temporary storage of information. Rasterizer A device that converts an image sequentially line by line, instead of by vector. Reset To return components to a specified static state. RG62 A/U Standard coaxial cable interface used by host systems. Right margin The last column at which data can be printed on a page. RJ-12 A serial interface using standard modular telephone jacks. RM Right margin. ROM Read-only memory.
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Page 13-12 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual Slow poll mode A device connected to an establishment controller may enter this mode when communication with the EC has ceased. SNA System network architecture. An IBM communication standard. Space A print position where no character is printed. Stop bits A bit or group of bits that indicates the end of a data word and defines the space between data words. SVF Set vertical format.
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GLOSSARY Page 13-13 Trigger The character(s) that indicates the beginning of a transparent command. TRN Transparency. Two-trigger A type of pseudo transparency that uses a sequence of two normally printable characters as the trigger, and which is ended with a terminator. U UDK User-defined key. Feature used in Xerox laser printers to define a substitute escape character.
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Page 13-14 6287 ALLY PLUS User’s Manual Xerox A large manufacturer of computers, printers, peripherals and other electronic equipment. Xerox 36 Hex transparency A form of transparency used by some Xerox applications in which the trigger is 36h. XES The native print mode for Xerox 2700, 3700, 4030, 4045 and 4213 printers. Also available on 4235 printers in XDPM mode. XON/XOFF Serial communication handshake protocol using ASCII DC1/DC3 character codes. A software handshake protocol.