SATO M-8400RVe Technical Reference Manual

M-8400RVe

Thermal Transfer Printer

®

Operator and Technical

Reference Manual

PN 9001075 A

SATO America, Inc.

10350-A Nations Ford Rd.

Charlotte, NC 28273

Main Phone: ( 704) 644-1650

Fax: ( 704) 644-1661

Tech nical Support Hotline: ( 704) 644-1660

E-Mail:[email protected]

© Copyright 2000

SATO America, Inc.

Warning: This equipment complies with the requirements in Part 15 of FCC rules for a Class A computing device. Operation of this equipment in a residential area may cause unacceptable interference to radio and TV reception requiring the operator to take whatever steps are necessary to correct the interference.

All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or issued to third parties in any form whatsoever without the express permission of SATO America, Inc.

The materials in this document is provided for general information and is subject to change without notice. SATO America, Inc. assumes no responibilities for any errors that may appear.

SATO M8400RVe

PREFACE

M-8400RVe PRINTER OPERATOR’S MANUAL

The M-8400RVe Printer Operator’s Manual contains basic information about the printer such as setup, installation, cleaning and maintenance. It also contains complete instructions on how to use the operator panel to configure the printer. The following is a brief description of each section in this manual.

SECTION 1. PRINTER OVERVIEW

This section contains a discussion of the printer specifications and optional features.

SECTION 2. INSTALLATION

This section contains instructions on how to unpack and set up the printer, load the labels and ribbon.

SECTION 3. CONFIGURATION

This section contains instructions on how to configure the printer using the

DIP switches and the LCD/Menu/Control panel.

SECTION 4. CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE

This section contains instructions on how to clean and maintain the printer.

SECTION 5. PROGRAMMING

This section introduces the SATO printer programming language. It contains the commands that are used with the printer to produce labels with bar codes, alphanumeric data and graphics.

SECTION 6. INTERFACE SPECIFICATIONS

This section contains the printer’s interface specifications, which include detailed information on how to properly interface your printer to the host system.

SECTION 7. TROUBLESHOOTING

This section contains troubleshooting procedures to follow in the event you have printer problems.

SATO M8400RVe PN 9001075A Page - i

Preface

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A:

APPENDIX B:

APPENDIX C:

APPENDIX D:

APPENDIX E:

Command Code Quick Reference

Bar Code Specifications

Custom Characters and Graphics

Optional Features

Custom Protocol Command Codes

Page - ii PN 9001075A SATO M8400RVe

Preface

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION 1. PRINTER OVERVIEW

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1

Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1

General Printer Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3

Character Fonts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5

Bar Codes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6

Physical. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7

Optional Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8

SECTION 2. INSTALLATION

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1

Unpacking and Parts Identification. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2

Setting Up the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3

Loading Labels, Tags and Ribbon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5

Operator Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10

Rear Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12

Switches and Sensors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13

Label Sensor Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14

SECTION 3. CONFIGURATION

Printer DIP Switch Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1

Default Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6

Potentiometer Adjustments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7

LCD Panel Printer Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9

Normal Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10

Advanced Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12

Card Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15

Service Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19

Counter Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23

Test Print Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23

Default Setting mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24

Clear Non-Standard Protocol Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25

Download User Defined Protocol Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26

Hex Dump Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26

SATO M-8400RVe PN 9001075A Page - iii

Preface

SECTION 4. CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1

Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1

Adjusting the Print Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1

Darkness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2

Print Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2

Cleaning the Print Head, Platen and Rollers . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3

Cleaning the Sensors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4

Replacing the Print Head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5

Replacing the Fuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7

Page - iv

SECTION 4. PROGRAMMING

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1

The SATO Programming Language. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1

Selecting Protocol Control Codes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2

Using Basic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2

The Print Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4

Rotated Fields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8

Command Default Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9

Command Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10

Bar Codes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11

Bar Codes, Expansion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16

Bar Codes, Variable Ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17

Base Reference Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19

Characters, Custom Designed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21

Character Expansion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23

Character, Fixed Spacing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25

Character Pitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26

Character, Proportional Spacing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28

Clear Print Job(s) and Memory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29

Continuous Forms Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30

Copy Image Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31

Cut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33

Cut Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34

Cut Last. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35

Fonts, U, S, M, OA, OB, XU, XS and XM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-36

Fonts, Raster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-38

Fonts, Vector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-39

Fonts, WB,WL, XB and XL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-41

Form Feed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-43

Form Overlay Recall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-44

Form Overlay Store. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-45

Graphics, BMP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-46

Graphics, Custom. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-47

Graphics, PCX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-49

Job ID Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-50

PN 9001075A SATO M8400RVe

SATO M8400RVe

Preface

Job Name Store. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-51

Journal Print . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-52

Lines and Boxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-53

Line Feed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-55

Media Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-56

Mirror Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-57

Off-Line/Pause . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-59

Postnet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-60

Print Darkness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-61

Print Length, Expanded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-62

Print Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-64

Print Quantity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-66

Print Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-68

Repeat Label . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-69

Replace Data (Partial Edit) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-70

Reverse Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-72

Rotate, Fixed Base Reference Point. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-74

Sequential Numbering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-76

Start/Stop Label . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-78

Calendar Option Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-80

Calendar Increment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-81

Calendar Print . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-83

Calendar Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-85

Expanded Memory Option Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-86

Clear Expanded Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-87

Fonts, TrueType Recall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-88

Fonts, TrueType Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-89

Format/Field Recall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-90

Format/Field Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-91

Forms Overlay Recall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-92

Forms Overlay Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-93

Graphics, BMP Recall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-94

Graphics, BMP Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-95

Graphics, Custom Recall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-96

Graphics, Custom Store. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-97

Graphics, PCX Recall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-99

Graphics, PCX Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-100

Initialize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-101

Memory Area Select . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-102

Status. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-103

Two-Dimensional Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-104

Data Matrix, Data Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-105

Data Matrix, Print Data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-107

Data Matrix Sequential Numbering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-108

Maxicode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-110

PDF417 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-112

QR Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-113

PrinterConfiguration Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-116

Custom Protocol Download. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-117

Pitch Offset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-119

Printer Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-120

Print Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-123

Print Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-124

PN 9001075A Page - v

Preface

Sensor Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-125

Serial I/F Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-126

SECTION 6. INTERFACE SPECIFICATIONS

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1

Interface Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1

The Receive Buffer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2

IEEE1284 Parallel Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3

Electrical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3

Data Streams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4

Interface Pin Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4

RS232C Serial Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5

General Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5

Electrical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5

Pin Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5

Ready/Busy Flow Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6

X-On/X-Off Flow Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7

Universal Serial Bus (USB) Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7

Local Area Network (LAN) Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8

Bi-Directional Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8

ENQ/ACK/NAK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8

Status Response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12

Accessory (EXT) Connector. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-18

Pin Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-18

Standard Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-19

Repeat Print . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-20

Error Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-20

SECTION 7. TROUBLESHOOTING

Initial Checklist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1

Using the IEEE1284 Parallel Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1

Using the RS232C Serial Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3

Using the Universal Serial Bus Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4

Using the Local Area Network Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4

Error Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7

Page - vi

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A: Command Code Quick Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1

Calendar Option Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-9

Expanded Memory Option Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-10

Printer Configuration Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-12

Legacy Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-13


Preface

APPENDIX B: Bar Code Specifications

Bar Code Symbologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-1

Codabar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2

Code 39. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3

Interleaved Two of Five (I 2/5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-4

UPC-A/EAN-13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-5

EAN-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-6

Industrial Two of Five . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-8

Matrix Two of Five . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-9

Code 128 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-10

MSI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-11

Code 93. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-12

UPC-E. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-13

Bookland (UPC/EAN Supplements) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-14

UCC-128 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-15

Postnet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-17

Data Matrix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-18

Maxicode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-20

PDF417 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-21

Code 128 Character Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-22

APPENDIX C: Custom Characters and Graphics

Custom Designed Characters Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1

Custom Graphics Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-4

PCX Graphics Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-8

APPENDIX D: Optional Accessories

Label Rewinder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-1

Label Cutter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-2

Label Dispense Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-3

Expanded Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-5

Expanded PCMCIA Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D5

Expanded Flash ROM Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-5

Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-7

Plug-In Interface Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-8

APPENDIX E: Custom Protocol Command Codes

Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-1

Download Command Structure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-1

Reset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-2

Download Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-2

SATO M8400RVe PN 9001075A Page - vii

Preface

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Page - viii PN 9001075A SATO M8400RVe

SECTION 1.

PRINTER OVERVIEW

INTRODUCTION

The SATO M-8400RVe Thermal Transfer Printer is a complete, high-performance on-site labeling systems. All printer parameters are user programmable using the front panel controls and the DIP switches. All popular bar codes and 14 human-readable fonts, including a vector font and two raster fonts, are resident in memory providing literally thousands of type styles and sizes.

The Operator’s Manual will help you understand the basic operations of the printer such as setup, installation, configuration, cleaning and maintenance.

The M-8400RVe has a resolution of 203 dpi and can print labels up to four inches wide.

The M-8400RVe uses the standard SATO RISC printer command codes. The only differences between it and other RISC printers are the allowable values representing the print positions on the label. These values are specified in “dots” and will vary depending upon the resolution of the printer and the amount of memory available for imaging the label. The allowable range for the M-8400RVe is specified in a table for those command codes.

This commonality makes it very easy to convert labels from one RISC printer to another without having to create an entirely different command stream. There are some caveats that must be observed though to compensate for the different resolution print heads. The effect of the different printer resolutions are best illustrated by taking a label designed for a 203 dpi printer and sending the command stream to the its 305 dpi counterpart. The label printed will be an exact two-thirds scale, including the fonts, bar code dimensions and line lengths/widths. The only exception is the

PostNet bar code which has only one legal size and the printer resolution is automatically compensated for by the printer. Conversely, a label designed for a 305 dpi printer and sent to its 203 dpi cousin will be one-third larger. It probably will be

“truncated” if the resulting label size is larger than the maximum allowable for the printer.

The following general information is presented in this section:

• Compatibility Information

• General Printer Specifications

• Optional Accessories

COMPATIBILITY

The M-8400RVe was designed to be compatible with the standard M-8400. If all of the rules for command usage were followed when designing labels for an M-8400, then the same command stream should create the same label on an M-8400RVe.

However, the older M-8400 was more lenient in allowing the user to “bend” the rules,

SATO M8400RVe PN 9001075A Page 1-1

Section 1. Printer Overview especially in the area of the allowable sequence of commands. Because the thruput of the M-8400RVe is much greater than the older M-8400, it must receive the commands in the sequence it is anticipating.

There are some other minor differences in how the M-8400RVe responds to certain commands. For example, the M-8400RVe can print at speeds up to 10 inches per second whereas the older M-8400 had a maximum print speed of only 6 inches per second. Therefore, if you send it a <ESC>CS5 command, it interprets it as a command to print at 10 ips whereas an M-8400 would interpret it as a command to print at 6 ips. There is also a difference in how the newer M-8400RVe handles graphic files. When an <ESC>A3 or <ESC>R rotate commands is sent to an M-8400RVe, it rotates all fields, including graphic images. The older M-8400 on the other hand would only rotate the text and bar code fields and not graphic fields. To compensate for these differences, a Compatibility setting can be selected using DSW2-8. When it is placed in the ON position, the M-8400RVe will respond to these commands the same as an M-8400 would.

NOTE: Even when DSW2-8 is in the ON position, the M-8400RVe expects the command sequences to follow the rules specified in the Programming Reference.

When printing labels designed for an M-8400 on the newer M-8400RVe, the following procedure is recommended.

1. First try printing the label with DSW-8 in the OFF position. If it prints all the fields correctly but the print quality needs improvement, try adjusting the Print

Darkness using the front panel potentiometer.

2. If the print quality is still lacking, try changing the print speed and/or heat setting using the front panel LCD controls. After each change, reprint the label using the

FEED key (printer must be ON LINE). If you resend the label to the printer, any old software commands will override the changes you made with

the LCD controls. The M-8400RVe uses a new intelligent print head that compensates to a great degree for print quality variations due to print speed.

Therefore, you should not see as much variation in print quality due to print speed as was present with the older M-8400.

3. If a new LCD setting solves the problem, then make the appropriate changes in the command stream.

4. If the field placement is incorrect or if the printer “beeps” indicating it did not accept the command stream, place DSW2-8 in the ON position, cycle power to make the printer recognize the new switch setting and resend the label.

5. If the printer still does not accept the command stream, then something in the command stream is not correct. It must be examined carefully to make sure it conforms with all of the rules for usage outlined in Section 4: Programming

Reference.

If any problems are encountered with M-8400 compatibility, please contact the

SATO Technical Support department.

Page 1-2 PN 9001075A SATO M8400RVe

Section 1. Printer Overview

GENERAL PRINTER SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATION

PRINT

Method

Speed

(User Selectable)

Print Module

(Dot Size)

Resolution

Maximum Print Width

Maximum Print Length

M-8400RVe

Direct or Thermal Transfer

2 to 10 ips

50 to 250 mm/s

.0049 in.

.125 mm

203 dpi

8 dpmm

4.1 in.

104 mm

49.2 in.

1249 mm

MEDIA

Minimum Width

Minimum Length

Maximum Width

Type

Maximum Caliper

Roll OD (max)

Core ID (min)

Core ID (Recommended)

SENSING

See-Thru for labels or tags

Reflective Eye-Mark

Continuous Form

RIBBON

Maximum Width

Length

Thickness

All specifications subject to change without notice.

.87 in. (22 mm)

.63 in. (16 mm)

5.0 in. (128 mm)

Die Cut Labels, Fan-Fold, Tag Stock or Continuous

.010 in. (.25 mm)

8.6 in. (218 mm), Face-In Wind

1.5 in. (38 mm)

3 in. (76 mm)

Movable

Movable

Sensor not used

4.4 in. (111 mm)

1475 ft. (450 m)

4.5 micron, Face-In Wind

SATO M8400RVe PN 9001075A Page 1-3


SPECIFICATION

CONTROLS AND SIGNALS

On-Line

Power

Label

Ribbon

Error

LCD Panel

On/Off-Line Switch

Label Feed Switch

Power On/Off Switch

POTENTIOMETER ADJUSTMENTS

Print Darkness

Pitch

Offset

Display

INTERFACE CONNECTIONS

Parallel

Serial

Serial Protocol

Universal Serial Bus

Ethernet

Data Transmission

PROCESSING

CPU

Flash ROM

SDRAM

Receive Buffer

Optional Flash ROM

Optional PCMCIA Memory


Page 1-4

M-8400RVe

Green LED

Green LED

Red LED

Red LED

Red LED

2 Line x 16 Character

Front Panel

Front Panel

Front Panel

Front Panel

Front Panel

Front Panel

Front Panel

IEEE1284

RS232C (9600 to 57600 bps) Standard

RS422/485 (9600 to 57600 bps) Optional

Hardware Flow Control (Ready/Busy)

Software Flow Control (X-On/X-Off)

Bi-directional Status

USB Ver. 1.1

10/100BaseT

ASCII Format

32 Bit RISC

2 MB

16 MB

2.95 MB

4 MB

4 MB SRAM or 16 MB Flash ROM



CHARACTER FONTS

SPECIFICATION

MATRIX FONTS

U Font

S Font

M Font

XU Font

XS Font

XM Font

OA Font

OB Font

AUTO SMOOTHING FONTS

WB

WL

XB

XL

VECTOR FONT

AGFA

®

RASTER FONTS

Font A

Font B

DOWNLOADABLE FONTS

CHARACTER CONTROL


M-8400RVe

(5 dots W x 9 dots H)



(5 dots W x 9 dots H) Helvetica

(17 dots Wx 17 dots H) Univers Condensed Bold

(24 dots W x 24 dots H) Univers Condensed Bold

(15 dots W x 22 dots H) OCR-A

20 dots W x 24 dots H) OCR-B

WB Font (18 dots W x 30 dots H)

WL Font (28 dot W x 52 dots H)

XB Font (48 dots W x 48 dots H) Univers Condensed Bold

XL Font (48 dot W x 48 dots H) Sans Serif

Proportional or Fixed Spacing

Font Size 50 x 50 dots to 999 x 999 dots

Helvetica, 10 Font Variations

CG Times, 8 to 72 pt

CG Triumvirate, 8 to 72 pt

Bit Mapped TrueType

®

Fonts with Utility Program

Expansion up to 12X in either the X or Y coordinates

Character Pitch control

Line Space control

Journal Print facility

0°, 90°, 180° and 270° Rotation

SATO M8400RVe PN 90010 75A Page 1-5


BAR CODES

SPECIFICATION

SYMBOLOGIES

M-8400RVe

Bookland (UPC/EAN Supplemental)

EAN-8, EAN-13

CODABAR

Code 39

Code 93

Code 128

Interleaved 2 of 5

Industrial 2 of 5

Matrix 2 of 5

MSI

POSTNET

UCC/EAN-128

UPC-A and UPC-E

Data Matrix

Maxicode

PDF417

Micro PDF

Truncated PDF

QR Code

1:2, 1:3, 2:5 User definable bar widths

4 to 600 dots, User programmable

0°, 90°, 180° and 270°

Ratios

Bar Height

Rotation

OTHER FEATURES

Sequential Numbering

Custom Characters

Graphics

Form Overlay


Sequential numbering of both numerics and bar codes

RAM storage for special characters

Full dot addressable graphics, SATO Hex/Binary, .BMP or .PCX

formats

Form overlay for high-speed editing of complex formats.

Page 1-6 PN 900107 5A SATO M8400RVe


PHYSICAL

SPECIFICATION

DIMENSIONS

Wide

Deep

High

WEIGHT

POWER REQUIREMENTS

Voltage

Power Consumption

ENVIRONMENTAL

Operating Temperature

Storage Temperature

Operating Humidity

Storage Humidity

Electrostatic Discharge

REGULATORY APPROVALS

Safety

RFI/EMI


M-8400RVe

10.4 in. (265 mm)

17.1 in. (435 mm)

13.4 in. (341 mm)

39.6 lbs (18 Kg)

100 - 115 V ,

±

10 % (Default Setting)

220V , ±10 %

50/60 Hz, ±1%

50W Idle

130W Operating

41° to 104°F (5° to 40°C)

-0° to 104°F (-20° to 40°C)

15-85 % RH, non-condensing

Max 90% RH, non-condensing

8KV

UL, CSA, TUV

FCC Class A

SATO M8400RVe PN 900107 5A Page 1-7


OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES

ACCESSORY

MEMORY EXPANSION

M-8400RVe

One slot for PCMCIA Memory Card (up to 4 MB SRAM or 16 MB

Flash ROM). Can be used for graphic file storage, print buffer expansion, format storage and downloaded TrueType fonts.

CALENDAR

LABEL CUTTER

An internally mounted Date/Time clock that can be used to date/time stamp labels at the time of printing.

An internally mounted attachment allowing labels to be cut at specified intervals. Controlled through programming.

LABEL DISPENSER Internal attachment allowing labels to be peeled from backing for immediate (on demand) application. Backing is not rewound.

External option that rewinds labels onto a roll after they are printed.

LABEL REWINDER

COAX/TWINAX INTERFACE Coax/Twinax Plug-In I/F module must be installed. Coax I/F emulates an IBM 3287-2 printer with a standard Type A BNC connector. Twinax

I/F emulates IBM 5224, 5225, 5226 or 4214 printers with auto-terminate/cable-thru capabilities.

PARALLEL INTERFACE

SERIAL INTERFACE

IEEE1284 Bi-Directional Plug-In Interface Module

High Speed RS232 Plug-In Interface Module

USB INTERFACE Universal Serial Bus Plug-In Interface Module

ETHERNET INTERFACE 10/100BaseT Plug-In Interface Module



SECTION 2.

INSTALLATION

INTRODUCTION

This section is provided to assist you in taking the M-8400RVe from the shipping container to the application environment.

The following information is provided in this section:

• Unpacking and Parts Identification

• Setting Up the Printer

• Loading Labels or Tags

• Loading the Ribbon

• Operator Panel

• Printer Configuration


Section 2. Installation

UNPACKING AND PARTS IDENTIFICATION

Consider the following when unpacking the printer:

• The box should stay right-side up.

• Lift the printer out of the box carefully.

• Remove the plastic covering from the printer.

• Remove the accessory items from their protective containers.

• If the printer has been stored in a cold environment, allow it to reach room temperature before powering it on.

• Set the printer on a solid, flat surface. Inspect the shipping container and printer for any signs of damage that may have occurred during shipping.

NOTE: The following illustrations are representative only. Your printer may not be packed exactly as shown here, but the unpacking steps are similar.

Page 2-2

M-8400RVe Packing

PN 900107 5A SATO M8400RVe

Verify that you have the following materials when unpacking:

• Printer

• Power Cord and Extra Ribbon Core

• Operator’s and Technical Reference Manual

• CD-ROM


Power Cable

Printer

CD-ROM

Operator Manual

Extra Ribbon Core

SETTING UP THE PRINTER

Consider the following when setting up the printer:

• Locate a solid flat surface with adequate room to set the printer. Make sure there is enough room at the top and right-hand (facing the printer) side to provide clearance for the label access door to swing open.

• The location should be near the host computer or terminal. The maximum distance for RS232 cables is 35 feet and six feet for IEEE1284 Parallel cables. Cables can be purchased locally, and their configuration will depend upon the host system being used. A IEEE1284 compliant cable must be used to realize the full throughput potential of the printers.

• For information on interfacing the printer to a host system, see

Section 5: Interface Specifications.



Top Access

Door

Ribbon Rewind

Spindle

LCD

Display

Ribbon Supply

Spindle

Side Access

Door

DIP Switch

Cover

Power Switch

Label Roll Retainer

Label Supply Spindle

Label Guide

Print Head

Head Latch

Platen


LOADING LABELS, TAGS AND RIBBON

LOADING LABELS OR TAGS

1. Open the Top Access Door by swinging it up and to the left. Open the Side Access Door by swinging it to the rear of the printer.

2. Open the Print Head Assembly by pushing the Head Latch toward the rear of the printer. The

Print Head Assembly is spring-loaded and will automatically open as soon as the

Head Latch is disengaged.

3. Loosen the Label Edge Guide and push it to the outside of the printer to give the maximum label width.

4. Remove the Label Roll Retainer.


Top Access Door

Side Access

Door

Print Head

Label Roll

Retainer

Head Latch

Sensor

Assembly

Label Hold Down

Label

Edge

Guide

Label Guide



5. If using roll labels (or tags), load the roll onto the Label Supply

Spindle so that the printing side of the labels faces upwards as it unwinds from the roll. The labels should be wound face-in. Push the roll all the way to the inside of the printer and push the Label Roll

Retainer snugly against the outside of the label roll.

6. If using fanfold labels (or tags) set them on a flat surface behind the printer. Pass the labels (printing side up) through the slot in the rear of the printer.

7. Make sure the labels are routed under the Label Guide and through the Sensor Assembly.

8. Open the Label Hold-Down by squeezing the green tab and the release tab together. The Label

Hold Down is spring loaded and will open automatically when the latch is disengaged. Feed the labels under the Label Guide, under the

Label Hold Down, through the

Sensor Assembly and out the front of the printer.

9. Inspect the label routing and verify that the path matches that illustrated in the Label Loading diagram. Set the Adjustable

Label Guide to keep the labels against the inside of the printer.

Print

Head

10. Close the Label Hold-Down by pushing downward on the green tab until it latches closed.

Label Roll

Label Roll Retainer

NOTE: If the Label Dispenser option has been purchased, see Appendix D, for proper label routing instructions.

Label

Guide


Inside Label

Edge Guides

Label Hold

Down

Adjustable Label

Edge Guide


Route under

Label Guide

Sensor

Assembly

Sensor

Positioning

11. Adjust the outside Label Edge

Guide until it touches the outside edge of the label and tighten the thumb screw. Make sure the labels are also touching the inside edge guides.

CAUTION: Using media narrower than the maximum print width may cause excess head wear due to the label edge. See page 2-9 for precautions.

12. If the ribbon is already loaded, close the Print Head by rotating the black Head Latch toward the front of the printer until it latches closed.

13. If the ribbon is not loaded, see the following description for loading instructions.

14. Close both the Access Doors.

Head Latch



LOADING THE RIBBON

Ribbon Rewind

Spindle

Head Latch

Ribbon Path

Ribbon Roll

Dispensed

Labels

Label

Backing

Page 2-8

Sensor

Assembly

Label Hold

Down

Label Path

1. Open the Top Access Door by swinging it up and to the left and the Side Access Door by swinging it toward the rear of the printer.

2. Open the Print Head by rotating the Head Latch toward the rear of the printer. The Print Head is spring-loaded and will automatically open as soon as the

Head Latch is disengaged.

Top Access Door

Side

Access

Door

3. Locate the Extra Ribbon Core supplied with the printer. Place the core on the Ribbon Rewind Spindle, pushing it all the way to the inside of the spindle. Note that the new empty core of each subsequent roll becomes the next rewind core.

4. Load the ribbon onto the Ribbon Supply Spindle, also pushing it all the way to the inside of the spindle. The dull side of the ribbon should be facing down as it travels through the Print Head Assembly.

5. Feed the leader portion of the ribbon through the Print Head Assembly and up to the Ribbon Rewind Spindle following the routing shown in the diagram.



6. Load the ribbon behind and over the top of the Ribbon Rewind

Spindle and tape it to the Extra

Ribbon Core. Make sure it matches the ribbon path shown in the diagram.

Tape

Ribbon

Core

7. Manually turn the Rewind

Spindle to wrap the ribbon onto the core one to two turns to secure it.

Ribbon

Rewind

Spindle

8. If the labels or tags are already loaded, close the Print Head Assembly by pushing downward on the green tab until it latches closed.

NOTE: Run a test print to ensure that the labels and ribbons were loaded correctly.

CAUTION: If your labels are less than the full width of the print head, the outside edge will eventually wear out a small portion of the print head, resulting in an area that will not print. Special care must be taken if you plan to use multiple widths of labels, since the damaged portion of the print head caused from edge wear on a more narrow label may affect the printing on a wider label. We suggest you plan your print formats carefully to avoid using the area of possible damage on the print head when using a wider label. The small area of damage will have no effect on printing with the undamaged part of the print head.

Damage from a label edge is physical damage and is unavoidable. It is not covered by warranty. It is possible to delay such damage by always ensuring that the ribbon used is wider than the label stock. This will help to protect the print head from label edge damage.



OPERATOR PANEL

LCD

DISPLAY PANEL

POWER

LABEL

RIBBON

ERROR

ON LINE

LINE FEED

PRINT

OFFSET

PITCH

DISPLAY

Not Used DSW2 DSW3

Page 2-10

The M-8400RVe Operator Panel consists of five LED indicators, two momentary contact switches, three DIP switches, four adjustment potentiometers and one LCD

Display. All of these are accessible from the front of the printer. They are used to set the printer operating parameters and to indicate the status of the printer to the operator. After you power on the printer, familiarize yourself with the keys and indicators as it will help you understand the configuration process.

PRINT: Potentiometer to adjust print darkness (fine tuning).

OFFSET:

PITCH:

DISPLAY:

Potentiometer to adjust amount of back/forward feed for dispenser/cutter/tear-off bar position (+/-3.75 mm)

Potentiometer to adjust home position of the label

(+/- 3.75 mm). Affects stop position of label feed, print position and dispense position.

Potentiometer to adjust the contrast of the LCD.

POWER:

LABEL:

LED, illuminated when the power is on.

LED, illuminated when label supply is out.


FEED:

DSW:

LCD:

RIBBON:

ERROR:

ON LINE:

LINE:


LED, illuminated when ribbon motion sensor does not detect any ribbon motion (ribbon out).

LED, illuminated when there is a system fault such as an open print head.

LED, illuminated when printer is ready to receive data.

It is turned on and off by toggling the LINE key.

Momentary switch. Pressing this key toggles the printer between the on-line and off-line mode. When the printer is on-line, it is ready to receive data from the host. This key acts as a pause during a print job by taking the printer off-line. It can also be used as a

Pause function key to stop the printer during the printing process.

Momentary switch. Pressing this key feeds one blank label through the printer when it is off-line. When the printer is on-line, another copy of the last label will be printed.

DIP switch array to set operational parameters of the printer.

2 Line x 16 Character LCD display. Used for setting operational parameters of the printer and displaying error conditions.



REAR PANEL

AC Input:

AC Fuse:

Interface Slot:

Memory Card Slot:

EXT:

Input 115V 50/60 Hz connector. Use the cable provided.

Input power protection. Type 3A/250V.

Connector for Plug-In Interface Module

Connectors for optional PCMCIA Memory Card

External signal connector, AMP 57-60140.

Fan-Fold

Access

Panel

Plug-In Interface

Module

EXT Port

Connector

PCMCIA

Card Cover

Fuse

AC Connector



SWITCHES AND SENSORS

Ribbon End Sensor:

Head Open Switch:

Label Sensor Unit:

This sensor is a motion detector that signals the printer when the ribbon supply is turning.

When the print head is opened, this switch is activated and the printer will stop printing.

This sensor unit contains two types of sensors, one for label gap and one for Eye-Mark sensing. The sensors are adjustable over a limited range.



LABEL SENSOR ADJUSTMENT

The Label Sensor Assembly can be positioned to match the location of the label registration hole/gap/edge. The diagram below illustrates the relative position of each sensor along the Label Sensor Unit and its range of movement. To position the sensors, use the adjustment knob located outside and below the print head assembly.

Reflective Sensor Label Gap Sensor

Eye-Mark on bottom of liner

14mm min

Reflective

7mm to 54 mm

Label Gap

The range of sensor adjustment can be increased to allow the Gap sensor to be positioned as close as 3mm from the inside label edge. Contact SATO for information on how to make this modification.


SECTION 3.

CONFIGURATION

PRINTER DIP SWITCH CONFIGURATION

DIP Switch Panels

There are two DIP switches (DSW2 and DSW3) located inside the cover. These switches can be used to set:

• Thermal transfer or direct thermal mode

• Label sensor enable/disable

• Head check mode

• Hex dump mode

• Single Job or Multi-Job Receive buffer

• Operation mode

In addition, a third DIP switch is located on the RS232C Serial Adapter card and is used to set the RS232C transmit/receive parameters

Each switch is an eight section toggle switch. The ON position is always to the top. To set the switches, first power the unit Off, then position the DIP switches. Finally, after placing the switches in the desired positions, power the printer back on. The switch settings are read by the printer electronics during the power up sequence. They will not become effective until the power is cycled.

RS232C Transmit/Receive Setting (located on RS232C I/F Module)

Data Bit Selection (DSW1-1). This switch sets the printer to receive either 7 or 8 bit data bits for each byte transmitted.

DSW1

DSW1-1 SETTING

ON

Off 8 data bits

On 7 data bits

OFF

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Parity Selection (DSW1-2, DSW1-3). These switches select the type of parity used for error detection.

DSW1 DSW1-2 DSW1-3 SETTING

Off Off No Parity

Off

On

On

On

Off

On

Even

Odd

Not Used

ON

OFF

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

M8400RVe PN 900107 5A Page 3-1

Section 3: Configuration

Stop Bit Selection (DSW1-4). Selects the number of stop bits to end each byte transmission.

DSW1

DSW1-4

Off

On

SETTING

1 Stop Bit

2 Stop Bits

ON

OFF

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Baud Rate Selection (DSW1-5, DSW1-6). Selects the data rate (bps) for the

RS232 port.

DSW1

DSW1-5 DSW1-6 SETTING

Off Off 9600

Off

On

On

On

Off

On

19200

38400

57600

ON

OFF

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Protocol Selection (DSW1-7, DSW1-8). Selects the flow control and status reporting protocols. See Section 6: Interface Specifications for more information.

(* Will select protocol for M-8400 if DSW2-8 is ON)


Off Off Rdy/Bsy

Off

On

On

On

Off

On

Xon/Xoff

Bi-Com 3

Bi-Com 4*

ON

OFF

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Printer Set Up

Print Mode Selection (DSW2-1). Selects between direct thermal printing on thermally sensitive paper and thermal transfer printing using a ribbon.

DSW2

DSW2-1 SETTING

ON

Off Therm Xfr

On Direct Therm

OFF

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Sensor Type Selection (DSW2-2). Selects between the use of a label gap or a reflective Eye-Mark detector.

DSW2

DSW2-2

Off

On

SETTING

Gap

Eye-Mark

ON

OFF

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8


M8400RVe


Head Check Selection (DSW2-3). When selected, the printer will check for head elements that are electrically malfunctioning.

DSW2

DSW2-3

Off

On

SETTING

Disabled

Enabled

ON

OFF

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Hex Dump Selection (DSW2-4). Selects Hex Dump mode.

DSW2

DSW2-4

Off

On

SETTING

Disabled

Enabled

ON

OFF

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Receive Buffer Selection(DSW2-5). Selects the operating mode of the receive buffer. See Section 6: Interface Specifications for more information.

DSW2

DSW2-5 SETTING

ON

Off Single Job

On Multi Job

OFF

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Firmware Download (DSW2-6). Places the printer in the Firmware Download mode for downloading new firmware into flash ROM.

DSW2

DSW2-6 SETTING

ON

Off Disabled

On Enabled

OFF

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Protocol Code Selection (DSW2-7). Selects the command codes used for protocol control. Refer to Appendix E for more information.

DSW2

DSW2-7

Off

On

SETTING

Standard

Non-Std

ON

OFF

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

M8400S Emulation Mode (DSW2-8). For emulating earlier series software commands. Should be used only if problems are encountered when using existing software. This switch will also affect the settings selected by DSW1-7 and DSW1-8.

DSW2

DSW2-8

Off

On

SETTING

Disabled

Enabled

ON

OFF

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

PN 900107 5A Page 3-3


Backfeed Sequence (DSW3-1). Backfeed is used to correctly position the label for application and then retract the next label to the proper print position. This operation can be performed immediately after a label is printed and used, or immediately prior to the printing of the next label.

DSW3 DSW3-1 DSW3-2

Off Off

Off

On

On

On

Off

On

SETTING

Continuous

Tear-Off

Dispenser

Cutter

ON

OFF

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Label Sensor Selection (DSW3-3). Enables or disables the Label Sensor. If the

Sensor is enabled, it will detect the edge of the label and position it automatically. If it is disabled, the positioning must be under software control using Line Feed commands.

DSW3

DSW3-3

Off

On

SETTING

Sensor Used

Not Used

ON

OFF

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Back-Feed Selection (DSW3-4). When Back-Feed is enabled, the printer will position the last printed label for dispensing and retract it before printing the next label. The amount of backfeed offset is adjustable .

DSW3

DSW3-4

Off

On

SETTING

Enabled

Disabled

ON

OFF

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

External Signal Interface. See Section 6: Interface Specifications for information on the External Signals.

EXT Print Start Signal Selection (DSW3-5). Allows an external device to initiate a label print for synchronization with the applicator. See Section 6: Interface

Specifications for a description of the signal level and requirements When DSW3-5 is

Off, the External Signals are ignored.

DSW3

DSW3-5

Off

On

SETTING

Disabled

Enabled

ON

OFF

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8



External Signal Type Selection (DSW3-6, DSW3-7). Both the polarity and signal type (level or pulse) of the external print synchronizing signal can be selected.

See Section 6: Interface Specifications for a definition of signal types.


Off Off Type 4

Off

On

On

On

Off

On

Type 3

Type 2

Type 1

ON

OFF

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Repeat Print via External Signal (DSW3-8). Allows the applicator to reprint the last label of the print job. See Section 6: Interface Specifications for a description of the signal requirements.

DSW3

DSW3-8

Off

On

SETTING

Disabled

Enabled

ON

OFF

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

M8400RVe PN 900107 5A Page 3-5


DEFAULT SETTINGS

SWITCH SELECTIONS

All switches are placed in the Off default position for shipping. This will result in the following operating configuration:

Communications:

Protocol:

Sensor:

Receive Buffer:

Mode:

Label Sensor:

Backfeed:

External Signals:

8 data bits, no parity, 1 Stop bit, 9600 Baud

(1)

Ready/Busy

Gap Sensor

Multi Job

Batch/continuous

Sensor Used

Disabled

Disabled

(1) Only if RS232C I/F Module is installed.

SOFTWARE DEFAULT SETTINGS

The printer stores the software settings upon receipt and uses them until they are again changed by receipt of a command containing a new setting. These settings are stored in non-volatile memory and are not affected by powering the printer off. The printer may be reset to use the default software settings by depressing the LINE and

FEED keys simultaneously while powering the printer on. You will be asked to confirm that you want the printer default settings by selecting either YES or NO by using the LINE key to step the underline cursor to the desired setting. If you select

YES and press the FEED key, the following default configuration will be stored:

Print Darkness

SETTING

Print Speed

Print Reference

Zero

Auto On Line

M-8400RVe

“3”

6 in. per sec.

H = 0, V = 0

No Slash

Enabled

Once the default operation is completed, a DEFAULT COMPLETED message will be displayed on the LCD panel or a single beep will be heard if the printer does not have an LCD panel. The printer should be powered off while this message is being displayed (or after the beep is heard. This saves the default settings in the non-volatile memory where they will be automatically loaded the next time the printer is powered on.



POTENTIOMETER ADJUSTMENTS

PITCH

After the pitch has been set with the LCD Control Panel, it is sometimes desirable to make minor adjustments. This can be done using the PITCH potentiometer on the front panel. This potentiometer is set at the factory so that it has a range of +/- 3.75

mm. The midpoint setting should have no effect on the pitch. Turning the potentiometer all the way clockwise should move the print position 3.75 mm up towards the top edge of the label. Turning it all the way counterclockwise should move the print position down 3.75 mm.

1. While depressing the FEED key on the front panel, power the printer on.

2. When you hear one beep from the printer, release the FEED key and the printer will display on the LCD panel a message asking what type of Test Label you want to print.

3. Use the LINE key to step to the Configuration selection and press the FEED key to accept the selection.

4. Use the LINE key to select the Test Label Size. After the size is selected, press the

FEED key to accept the selection and the printer will begin to print test labels continuously.

4. Adjust the PITCH potentiometer on the front panel until the first print position is at the desired location on the label. If the potentiometer does not have enough range, then you will have to change the pitch setting using the LCD front panel display.

5. Press the FEED key to stop the printer.

6. To exit the Test Label mode, power the printer off andthen back on.

Adjusting the PITCH potentiometer will affect the stop position of the label.

BACKFEED OFFSET

When a label is printed it must be correctly positioned for dispensing and application.

The Backfeed adjustment is used to position the label so that it is fully dispensed and ready for application. It may then be necessary to reposition the next label before printing. The Backfeed (repositioning of the label)operation is enabled if DSW3-4 is in the Off position. If Backfeed is enabled, placing DSW3-1 is in the Off position will cause the backfeed operation to be performed immediately before each label is printed. If DSW3-1 is in the On position, the backfeed operation is performed as soon as the dispensed label has been printed and taken from the printer.

The amount of backfeed is controlled by the OFFSET potentiometer on the DIP

Switch Panel inside the cover. When turned all the way counterclockwise, the amount of backfeed is +3.75 mm, and -3.75 mm when turned all the way counterclockwise.

M8400RVe PN 900107 5A Page 3-7


1. Turn the printer on.

2. Press the LINE key to place the printer in the Off Line status.

3. Press the FEED key to feed out a blank label.

4. Adjust the position using the OFFSET potentiometer on the front control panel and feed another label by depressing the FEED key. Repeat this procedure until the label is fully released from the liner.

DISPLAY

This potentiometer is used to adjust the contrast of the LCD display for optimum viewing under various lighting conditions.

PRINT

The PRINT potentiometer is used to adjust the amount of heat (i.e., power) applied to the head for printing. It provides a continuous range of adjustment. Maximum print darkness is obtained by turning the potentiometer all the way clockwise and a maximum counterclockwise setting will give the lightest print.

NOTE: The PRINT potentiometer adjustment will affect the darkness in all of the command code speed and darkness ranges.



LCD PANEL PRINTER CONFIGURATION

The LCD Panel is used by the operator in conjunction with the LINE and FEED switches to manually enter printer configuration settings. Many of these settings can also be controlled via software commands and in the case of conflict between software and control panel settings, the printer will always use the last valid setting

(see Service Mode Priority Setting on page 3-22 for exceptions). If you load a label job that includes software settings and then enter a new setting via the LCD panel, the manually set values will be used by the printer. If you set the values manually and then download a job with software settings, the software settings will be used.

There are seven modes of operation. To enter the desired mode, the KEY SEQUENCE combination listed in the table below must be performed. The initial LCD display message is shown for each mode.

MODE

Normal

Advanced

Test Print

KEY SEQUENCE

POWER

LINE + POWER

FEED + POWER

Default Setting

Clear Non-Standard Protocol

LINE + FEED + POWER

DSW2-7 ON + LINE + FEED

+ POWER

Protocol Code Download DSW2-7 ON + POWER + LINE

Hex Dump DSW2-4 ON + POWER

INITIAL DISPLAY

ONLINE

QTY:000000

ADVANCED MODE

TEST PRINT MODE

CONFIGURATION

DEFAULT SETTING

YES NO

ALT. PROTOCOL

COMPLETE

USER DOWNLOAD

PRESS THE LINE KEY

ONLINE

QTY:000000

PAGE

3-10

3-12

3-23

3-23

3-25

3-25

3-26

SATO M8400RVe PN 900107

5A Page 3-9


NORMAL MODE

The printer initially powers on in the ONLINE mode. The user can access the User

Settings using the following procedures.

INITIALIZING

ROM V00.00.00.00

ONLINE

QTY:000000

OFFLINE

000000

PRINT DARKNESS

1 2 3 4 5

PRINT SPEED

2 4 6 8 10

Display lists the current ROM version of the printer during the initialization process.

The LCD will display the ONLINE status on the top line and the bottom line will contain the label quantity (QTY) status. The messsge will be changed to OFFLINE whenever the printer is switched offline by pressing the LINE key. As soon a print job is received, the quantily line will indicate the number of labels to be printed. As soon as the label job begins to print, the display will indicate the number of labels in the print job that remains to be printed.

Press the LINE key once. When the display changes to

OFFLINE, press the FEED and LINE keys simultaneously for more than one second.

The LCD now displays the Print Darkness selections. The current setting is indicated by an underline cursor under one of the range settings.

1.

Press the LINE key to step the cursor to the desired setting.

2.

Once the correct setting is underlined, press the FEED key to accept the selection and step the display to the next adjustment.

The print speed selections are dependent upon the printer setting of DSW2-8. The current setting is indicated by the underline cursor.

1.

Use the LINE key to step the underline cursor to the desired setting.

2.

Once the correct setting is underlined, press the FEED key to accept the selection and step the display to the next adjustment.

DSW2-8 OFF

2 ips

3 ips

4 ips

5 ips

6 ips

DSW2-8 ON

4 ips

6 ips

8 ips

Page 3-10 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe

PITCH OFFSET

+ 00mm


The label Pitch is the distance from the leading edge (the edge that comes out of the printer first) of a label and the leading edge of the next label. The leading edge position of the label can be adjusted relative to the print head +/- 49 mm in increments of 1mm. Once the position is set, it can be fine adjusted +/- 3.75 mm using the PITCH potentometer on the

Adjustment Panel.

1.

The underline cursor will initially be positioned underneath the Pitch Direction setting. Pressing the LINE key will step the setting to the positive (+) or negative (-) selection. A positive selection moves the leading edge of the label forward (away from the print head) while a negative selection moves the leading edge of the label back into the mechanism.

2.

Once the correct direction is selected, pressing the FEED key will accept the setting and advance the cursor to the

Offset selection.

3.

Use the LINE key to step the first digit of the counter to the desired setting. The display will increment one step each timethe LINE key is pressed. The reading will advance to a setting of 4 after which it will automatically wrap and start at 0 again.

4.

Press the FEED key to accept the setting and advance the cursor to the second digit. Again use the LINE key to step to the desired setting. Once it is correct, pressing the

FEED key will step to the next adjustment.

You may wish to print a test label after completing the adjustments to ensure they are correct.

ABCDEFG

ABCDEFG

ABCDEFG

Moved with negative

(-) offset to print on leading edge of the label

Leading edge of the label as detected by

Original (0 offset) first line print position

Moved with positive

(+) offset to print on trailing edge of label

SATO M-8400RVe PN 900107

5A Page 3-11


CANCEL PRINT JOB

YES NO

CANCEL PRINT JOB

COMPLETED

If the printer has a print job(s) in memory, selecting YES will cause the job(s) to be cleared. The default selection is NO. Be sure you want to cancel the print job(s) before selecting yes as the job(s) cannot be recovered and will have to be retransmitted tyo the printer.

1.

Use the LINE key to step the underline cursor to either the

YES or NO selection.

2.

Once the correct setting is underlined, pressing the FEED key will accept the setting.

3.

After the print job(s) have been cleared from memory, the printer will display a COMPLETED message for 3 seconds and then return to the initial ONLINE Normal Mode.

4.

If you wish to change any of the settings, you must enter the User Settings mode again by taking the printer

OFFLINE and pressing the LINE and FEED keys.

ADVANCED MODE

An Advanced Mode is provided to make adjustments that require only occasional changes. Since they affect the basic operation of the printer, the procedure for entering this mode is designed to prevent someone from accidently changing the settings.

INITIALIZING

ROM V00.00.00.00

ADVANCED MODE

The Advance Mode is entered by pressing the LINE key while simultaneously turning power on. The printer will emit one long beep after which the LINE key is released. Pressing the FEED key will step the display to the first selection.

ZERO SLASH

YES NO

AUTO ONLINE

YES NO

This setting determines if a zero is printed with a slash or without a slash. This setting can also be controlled via software commands. When YES is selected, the printer internal fonts will have a slash through the center of the zero character.

1.

Use the LINE key to step the underline cusor to either the


2.

Once the correct setting is underlined, pressing the FEED key will accept the setting and advance the display to the

Auto Online display.

This setting determines the mode in which the printer powers up. If the YES selection is made, the printer powers up in the

ONLINE mode and is ready to print. If NO is selected, the printer powers up in the OFF LINE mode and must be manually placed in the ON LINE mode by pressing the LINE key before it is ready to print.

1.

Use the LINE key to step the underline to either the YES or NO selection.

2.


Print Offset display.

Page 3-12 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


PRINT OFFSET

V:+0000 H:+000

SET CALENDAR

YES NO

Vertical Offset is the distance down from the leading edge (the edge of the label that comes out of the printer first) to the first vertical print position. A positive setting moves the first print position down the length of the label while making it negative moves it up the length of the label. Horizontal Offset is distance that the label image is shifted either to the right or left on the label. The image is shifted to the left (towards the inside edge of the label for a right-hand printer) for a positive setting and it is shifted to the right (towards the outside edge of the label) for a negative setting. This setting changes the base reference point for all subsequent label jobs. It’s effect is identical to the

<ESC>A3 Base Reference point command. Since the printer moves the label in discrete steps equal to the size of the print dot, the units of measure for Vertical and Horizontal Offset distance is dots. The maximum values that can be set for each is +/-800.

1.

Use the LINE key to step the first digit of the counter to the desired setting. The display will increment one step each timethe LINE key is pressed.

2.

Press the FEED key to accept the setting and advance the cursor to the second digit. Again use the LINE key to step to the desired setting. Once it is correct, pressing the

FEED key will step to the next adjustment.

3.

Once the setting is correct, pressing the FEED key will accept the setting and advance to the next display.

You may wish to print a test label after completing the adjustments to ensure they are correct.

Note: This setting can be overriden by the Base Reference

Point Command.

This message will only be displayed if the Calendar Option is installed in the printer.

The Calendar is an optional feature in all CL Series printers allowing the date and time to be set manually using the LCD

Display or via the <ESC>WT Calendar Set command. The last setting, set either manually via software command, received by the printer will be the value used. The format of the display is

YY/MM/DD hh:mm (Year/Month/Day/hours:minutes).The date format is fixed and cannot be changed.

To enable the Calendar feature (if installed), press the LINE key until the underline cursor is beneath the the YES. If the

Calendar feature is to be disabled, press the LINE key until the cursor is underneath the NO. When the desired setting is selected, press the FEED key.


5A Page 3-13


CALENDAR

00/00/00 00:00

IGNORE CR/LF

YES NO

1.

Year - The first display shown will have the two digit year selection underlined. You can scroll through the dates by pressing the LINE key. The year number will increase by one each time the LINE key is pressed until it reaches its maximum legal value (i.e., “99” for the year digits) at which point it will wrap around to the “00” setting.

2.

Month - After you have set the correct year, pressing the

FEED key will advance the underline cursor to the two digit Month position. You can scroll through the numbers corresponding to the month by pressing the LINE key. The month number will increase by one each time the LINE key is pressed until it reaches a value of “12” at which point it will wrap around to the “01” setting.

3.

Day - After you have set the correct month, pressing the

FEED key will advance the underline cursor to the two digit Day position. You can scroll through the numbers corresponding to the month date by pressing the LINE key. The date number will increase by one each time the

LINE key is pressed until it reaches a value of “31” at which point it will wrap around to the “01” setting.

4.

Hour - After you have set the correct date, pressing the

FEED key will advance the underline cursor to the two digit Hour position. You can scroll through the numbers corresponding to the hour (using a 24 hour clock) by pressing the LINE key. The hour number will increase by one each time the LINE key is pressed until it reaches a value of “24” at which point it will wrap around to the “01” setting.

5.

Minute- After you have set the correct hour, pressing the

FEED key will advance the underline cursor to the two digit Minute position. You can scroll through the numbers corresponding to the hour by pressing the LINE key. The minute number will increase by one each time the line key is pressed until it reaches a value of “60” at which point it will wrap around to the “01” setting.

6.

After youhave set the minutes, pressing the FEED key will accept the setting and advance to the Ignore CR/LF selection.

This selection tells the printer to strip out all carriage return/line feed pairs (CRLF ) from the data stream, including graphics and 2D bar codes. It is used primrily to maintain compatibility with earlier models of SATO printers.

1.

Use the LINE key to step the underline cusor to either the


2.


Character Pitch display.

Page 3-14 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


CHARACTER PITCH

PROP FIXED

ADVANCED MODE

This selection allows you to set the default character pitch to either fixed character spacing or proportional character spacing.

1.

Use the LINE key to step the underline cursor to the desired setting.

2.

Once the correct setting is underlined, pressing the FEED key will accept the setting and the advance the display..

Note: This command can be overriden by the <ESC>PR or

<ESC>PS Character Pitch Commands.

To exit the Advanced mode, power the printer off and then back on.

CARD MODE

The Card Mode allows the operator to manage the Expanded Memory (PCMCIA Card or Internal Expanded Flash ROM).

ADVANCED MODE

CARD MODE

The Card Mode is entered from the Advanced Mode display by pressing the LINE key once.

The Card Mode display indicates that the printer is in the Card

Mode. To advance to the first selection, press the FEED key.

MEM SELECT (CC1)

CARD MEMORY

CARD->MEMORYCOPY

TRUETYPEFONT Y/N

This selection determines which type of optional expanded memory will be addressed as “CC1" in the command streams.The CARD selection specifies the optional PCMCIA card as CC1 and the optional Expanded Flash ROM as CC2.

The Memory selection specifies the optional Expanded Flash

ROM as CC1 and the optional PCMCIA card as CC2.

1.

Step the underline cursor to the desired selection using the LINE key.

2.

Once the underline cursor is positioned under the desired selection, press the FEED key to accept the selection and advance the display.

This selection allows you to copy TrueType fonts from the

PCMCIA Memory card installed in the Memory Card slot on the rear of the printer to the optional Flash ROM.

1.

Use the LINE key to step the cursor to desired setting. If

Yes is selected, the printer will enter the Card Copy mode.

If No is selected, the display will advance to the Card to

Memory SATO Font Copy mode.

COPY START

YES

TRUETYPEFONTCOPY

COPYING

NO

2.

Confirm your selection by stepping the underline cursor to the Yes selection. If you select No, the display will return to the previous selection.

3.

Press the FEED key to accept the selection. If Yes was selected the copy process will start.

TRUETYPE FONTCOPY

COMPLETED

4.

Once the copy process is completed, press the FEED key to step the display.


5A Page 3-15


CARD COPY/FORMAT

XXXXXXX ERROR


SATOFONT Y/N

COPY START

YES NO

SATO FONT COPY

COPYING

5.

If an error is encountered in the copy process, one of the following messages will be displayed on the second line:

R/W Error Indicates a Read/Write error occured

No Card Error Indicates no card was recognized

Mem Full Error Indicates that there is insufficient memory available.

This selection allows you to copy SATO fonts from the

PCMCIA Memory card installed in the Memory Card slot on the rear of the printer to the optional Flash ROM.

1.




Memory Copy All mode.

2.


3.

Press the FEED key to accept the selection. If Yes was selected the copy process will start

SATO FONT COPY

COMPLETED

4.



XXXXXXX ERROR


ALL Y/N

COPY START

YES NO

CARD->MEMORY

COPYING

5.


R/W Error

No Card Error

Indicates a Read/Write error occured

Indicates no card was recognized


This selection allows you to copy the entire contents from the

PCMCIA Memory card installed in the Memory Card slot on the rear of the printer to the optional internal Expanded Memory.

1.





2.


3.


CARD-.MEMORY

COMPLETED

4.



XXXXXXX ERROR

5.


R/W Error

No Card Error




Page 3-16 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


MEMORY->CARDCOPY

ALL <XMB> Y/N

This selection allows you to copy the entire contents of the optional Expanded Memory to the PCMCIA Memory card installed in the Memory Card slot on the rear of the printer.

1.





COPY START

YES


COPYING

NO

2.


3.


MEMORY->CARD

COPY

COMPLETED

4.



XXXXXXX ERROR


PROGRAM Y/N

COPY START

YES


COPYING

NO

5.


R/W Error

No Card Error




This selection allows the user to copy printer firmware from the

PCMCIA Memory Card to the printer.

1.



If No is selected, the display will advance to the mode display.

2.


3.



COMPLETED

4.



XXXXXXX ERROR

5.


R/W Error Indicates a Read/Write error occured

No Card Error Indicates no card was recognized



PROGRAM Y/N

This selection allows the user to copy the current firmware installed in the printer to a PCMCIA Memory Card.

1.



If No is selected, the display will advance to the mode display.


5A Page 3-17


COPY START

YES NO


COMPLETED


XXXXXXX ERROR

CARD FORMAT

YES

YES

CARD MODE

NO

MEMORY FORMAT

NO

2.

Press the FEED key to accept the selection. If Yes was selected the copy process will start. If you select No, the display will return to the previous selection.

3.


4.


R/W Error

No Card Error




Before a PCMCIA card can be used, it must be formatted.

Note: Formatting a card destroys all data currently stored on the card.

1.


Yes is selected, the printer will enter the Card Format mode. If No is selected, the display will advance to the mode display.

Before the internal Expanded Memory can be used, it must be formatted.

Note: Formatting the Memory will destroy any stored data.

1.


Yes is selected, the printer will enter the Memory Format mode. If No is selected, the display will advance to the mode display.

To exit the Card Mode, power the printer off and then back on.

Page 3-18 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


SERVICE MODE

The Service Mode allows the operator to set up the basic operation parameters of the printer.

ADVANCED MODE

SERVICE MODE

GAP

INPUT

[X.XV]

[X.XV]

The Service Mode is entered from the Advanced Mode display by pressing the LINE key twice.

The Service Mode display indicates that the printer is in the

Card Mode. To advance to the first selection, press the FEED key.

The M-8400RVe printer determines the location of the leading edge of the label by measuring the difference between light levels when it sees either a label edge or a black “EYE” mark.

This adjustment allows you to manually set the threshold voltage level, between the maximum and minimum light levels.

DIP switch DSW2-2 selects the sensor type. If DSW2-2 is in the OFF position, the setting will be for a See-Thru (or Gap) sensor and the LCD will display “GAP” on the top line along with the current setting. If DSW2-2 is in the ON position, the

LCD will display “EYE” on the top line with its current setting. If the value entered for the bottom line setting is “0.0V”, then the printer will automatically calculate the setting when the first label is fed after the printer is powered on or the head is closed. There are some instances where the automatically calculated value must be adjusted to ensure reliable label feeding, such as when the backing opacity or the reflectance of the EYE mark varies significantly within a roll of labels or between label rolls. In these instances the value should be set using the following procedures.


5A Page 3-19


GAP

INPUT

[X.XV]

[X.XV]

GAP - When setting the “gap” threshold, the voltage shown on the top line of the display must be measured with nothing but the backing in the sensor and then again with a label still attached to the backing. The formula to be used for setting the threshold is:

(High Voltage Level + Low Voltage Level) x 0.5 = Start Value

1.

Insert a label still attached to the backing into the sensor and close the Label Hold-Down. Record the voltage shown on the top line of the LCD panel. This line should have the message “GAP” on the top line (DIP switch

DSW2-2 = OFF). Make sure the label is all the way under the sensor.

2.

Strip the label from the backing and insert the backing strip under the sensor and close the Label Lid. Record the voltage shown on the top line of the LCD panel. The voltage ranges measured should be within the following range

Backing without label = 0.5V or less

Backing with label = 1.0V

≥ the low value

If the measured values are outside this range, you may have trouble in finding a value that will work properly under all conditions. If this is the case, a higher quality label may be needed to get adequate performance.

3.

Calculate the starting point voltage using the formula.

4.

Use the LINE key to step the counter to the desired setting. The display will increment one step for each time the LINE key is pressed. If the LINE key is held pressed for more than two seconds, it will automatically go into the fast scroll mode. The reading will advance to a setting of

3.3 (the maximum voltage) after which it will automatically wrap and start at “0.0” again. If a value of “0.0” is set,the printer will automatically set the level each time the printer is powered on with labels loaded or the head is closed.

5.

Once the setting is correct, pressing the FEED key will accept the setting and advance to the Online Feed display.

Page 3-20 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


EYE

INPUT

[X.XV]

[X.XV]

AUTO ONLINE FEED

YES NO

FEED ON ERROR

YES NO

EYE - When setting the “eye” threshold, the voltage must be measured with nothing but the label under the sensor and then again withthe printed “eye” mark under the sensor. The formula for this is:

(High Voltage Level + Low Voltage Level) x 0.5 = Start Value

1.

Insert a label into the sensor and close the Label

Hold-Down. Make sure the printed “eye” mark is not under the sensor. Record the voltage shown on the top line of the LCD panel. This line should have the message “EYE” on the top line (DIP switch DSW2-2 = ON).

2.

Now pull the label forward until the “eye” mark is positioned under the sensor (the voltage reading should be at its highest point). Record the voltage shown on the top line of the LCD panel. The voltage ranges measured should be within the following ranges:

Label Only = 0.3 to 0.7V

Eye-Mark

≥

1.2V above low value

If the measured values are outside this range, you may have trouble in finding a value that will work properly under all conditions. If this is the case, a higher quality label may be needed to get adequate performance.

3.

Calculate the starting point voltage using the formula.

4.

Use the LINE key to step the counter to the desired setting. The display will increment one step for each time the LINE key is pressed. If the LINE key is held pressed for more than two seconds, it will automatically go into the fast scroll mode. The reading will advance to a setting of

3.3 (the maximum voltage) after which it will automatically wrap and start at “0.0” again. If a value of “0.0” is set, the printer will automatically set the level each time the printer is powered on with labels loaded or the head is closed.

5.

Once the setting is correct, pressing the FEED key will accept the setting and advance to the Online Feed display.

This selection specifies whether or not the printer will automatically feed a blank label when it is placed in the Online mode.

1.


Yes is selected, the printer will feed a blank label anytime it enters the Online mode. If No is selected, the display will advance to the mode display.

This selection specifies whether or not the printer will feed a blank label automatically when an error condition is cleared..

1.


Yes is selected, the printer will feed a blank label anytime an error condition is cleared. If No is selected, the display will advance to the mode display.


5A Page 3-21


Page 3-22

REPRINT W/FEED

YES

FORWARD/BACKFEED

DISTANCE DEFAULT

FORWARD/BACKFEED

DISTANCE

EURO CODE

NO

XXXmm

D5

SELECT LANGUAGE

ENGLISH

PRIORITY SETTING

COMMAND LCD

This selection specifies whether or not the printer will print the last printed label stored in memory when the FEED key is pressed in the Normal Online mode.

1.


Yes is selected, the printer will reprint the last label when the FEED key is pressed when the printer is Online. If the printer is Offline, pressing the FEED key will feed a blank label. If No is selected, the display will advance to the mode display.

This dsiplay will only appear when Backfeed is enabled

(DSW3-4 = OFF). The maximum backfeed distance is 255 mm.

1.

Use the LINE key to select either the Default or the

Distance selection. If Default is selected, the display steps to the Web acceleration selection.

2.

If Manual setting is selected, use the LINE key to advance the distance to the desired setting. Each time the LINE key is pressed, the Distance will advance 1 mm. The maximum distance is 255 mm.

3.

Once the desired distance is set, press the FEED key to accept the setting and step to the next display.

This selection allows the user to specify the hexadecimal code for the character which is replaced with the Euro Character.

The default is D5

H

.

1.

The underline cursor should be positioned underneath the first digit selection. Use the LINE key to step to the desired setting.

2.

Press the FEED key to advance the underlline cursor to the second digit of the desired hexacecimal code.

3.

Press the LINE key to step to the desired setting.

4.

When the setting is correct, press the FEED key to accept the setting and step to the next display.

This selection allows the user to select the character set used by the printer. The selections are English, French, German,

Spanish, Italian and Portuguese. The default is English.

1.

Press the LINE key to advance to the desired languarge setting.

2.

When the setting is correct, press the FEED key to accept the setting and step to the next display.

This selection allows the user to assign a priority for Print

Darkenss, Print Speed and Print Offset.

1.

Use the LINE key to step to the desired priority. If LCD is selected, the setting established via the LCD display/menu system will be used for an incoming label job, regardless of any different command settings. If

Command is selected, any commands in the label job will take precedence and be used for printing the job and the

LCD Display will reflect the new setting.

2. Once the desired setting is selected, press the FEED key to accept the setting and step to the next display.

PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


SERVICE MODE The Service mode is exited by powering the printer off and then back on.

COUNTER MODE

The Counter Mode is provided to allow the user to access the internal printer cousters.

ADVANCED MODE

COUNTER MODE

The Counter Mode is accessed from the Advanced Mode.

Press the LINE key to step to the Counter Mode.

Pressing the FEED key will advance the display to the counter selections.

SELECT COUNTER

HD DSP CUT LIFE

HEAD COUNTER

XXXX.X M

HEAD COUNT CLEAR

YES NO

COUNTERS MODE

The counters are identified in the display as:

HD:Head Counter (should be reset when print head is replaced)

DSP: Dispense Counter

CUT: Cutter Counter

LIFE: Life Counter (cannot be reset)

1.

Use the LINE key to step the underline cursor to the desired counter, the Head (HD) counter or the LIFE counter. The default position is the Head Counter. Use the

LINE key to advance the underline cursor to the desired selection.

2.

Pressing the FEED key again will advance the counter to the Clear mode. All counters with the exception of the

LIFE counter may be cleared.

3.

Once the correct setting is underlined, pressing the FEED key will display the current value (in meters)stored in the counter.

4.

Use the LINE key to select the desired setting. If you only wanted to read the counter value, select NO. If you want to read the counter and reset it to 0.0, place the underline cursor under the YES. Once the desired setting is selected, pressing the FEED key will advance the return you to the Counters Mode display.

5. To exit the Counters Mode, turn power to the printer off and then back on.

TEST PRINT MODE

The Test Print Mode offers five different printer status labels for troubleshooting. If

DSW3-5 is On, the Test Print cycle must be initiated with a Print Start command.


5A Page 3-23


INITIALIZING

ROM V00.00.00.00

TEST PRINT MODE

CONFIGURATION

TEST PRINT SIZE

10 CM

Note: This display does not appear when a

Memory Test Print is chosen. Only a small

Memory Test Print label can be printed.

PRESS FEED KEY

TO STOP PRINTING

This option allows you to print a test label. It is recommended that you print a test label after you have changed any of the settings in the Advanced Mode. The test label allows you to verify that you indeed did make the desired changes. To enter the User Test Print Mode, power the printer on while pressing the FEED key. The printer will beep. Release the FEED key and the printer will display the Test Print Mode message on the

LCD panel:

1.

Use the LINE key to step the underline cursor to type of test label you wish to print. The choices are:

Configuration

Bar Code

Head Check

Memory

Factory

Once you have selected the type of test label to be printed, use the FEED key to accept the selection and the display advances to the Test Print Size display. This display allows you to select the label width.

1.

Use the LINE key to select the label width. Each time the

LINE key is pressed, the label size advances 1 cm until it reaches a maximum width of 10 cm, at which point it will wrap to the smallest size of 4 cm.

2.

Pressing the LINE key accepts the selection.

3.

Press the FEED key to start printing test labels continuously.

4.

Press the FEED key to stop the printer.

5.

To exit the Test Print Mode, power the printer off and then back on.

DEFAULT SETTING MODE

Occassionally it is desirable to reset all printer configuration settings to their original default conditions. This allows the operator to start reconfiguration of the printer starting from a know set of conditions.

INITIALIZING

ROM V00.00.00.00

DEFAULT SETTING

YES NO

DEFAULT SETTING

COMPLETED

You enter the Default Setting Mode by pressing the LINE and

FEED keys while simultaneously powering the printer on. The printer will emit one long beep after which the FEED and LINE keys should be released.

1.

Use LINE key to select either the YES or number

2.

Once the desired setting is selected, pressing the FEED key will accept the selection and the printer will reset to the original default conditions.

3.

When the printer has completed the reset process, the

Default Setting Completed display will appear. At this time the printer is in the default configuration.

4.

To exit the Default Setting Mode, power the printer off and then back on.

Page 3-24 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


CLEAR NON-STANDARD PROTOCOL

The standard protocol codes used by the printer can be modified to accomodate the requirements of different host systems. However, if the printer is to be used with a system that does not use the custom protocol codes, they can be cleared and the default protocol codes reactivated. The default values are: STX = 7B

ESC = 5E

H

, ENQ = 40

H

, NULL = 7E

H

, CAN = 21

H

H and OFFLINE = 5D

, ETX = 7D

H

.

H

,

INITIALIZING

ROM V00.00.00.00

ALT.PROTOCOL

DEFAULT COMPLETE

To Clear Non-Standard protocol codes, DSW2-7 is placed in the ON position and the printer powered on while simultaneously pressing the LINE and FEED keys. The printer will emit one long beep at which time the LINE and FEED keys should be released.

1.

When the keys are released, the printer will replace the

Alternate protocol codes with the default values.

2.

After the default setting is complete, the printer will emit two short beeps indicating the process is complete.

3.

To exit the mode, power the printer off and then back on.

DOWNLOAD USER DEFINED PROTOCOL CODES

The user can define a set of custom protocol codes and download them to the printer using the <ESC>LD command.

INITIALIZING

ROM V00.00.00.00

USER DOWNLOAD

PRESS THE LINE KEY

USER DOWNLOAD

WAITING

To enter the User Download mode, DSW2-7 is placed in the

ON position and the printer is powered on while simultaneously pressing the LINE key. The printer will emit one long beep after which the LINE key should be released.

1.

Set DSW2-7 OFF to replace the Standard protocold codes or on to replace the Alternate set of protocol codes.

2.

Press the LINE key. The printer is now waiting for the data to be sent.

3.

Transmit the download data command stream to the printer.

4.

After the data has been received, the printer will beep and print a status label. If it does not beep and print a status label, the printer did not accept the data.

5.

If the printer did not beep and print a status label, turn the printer off and check your data stream for errors and start the download process over.

6.

If the custom codes are correct, press the FEED key to accept them and terminate the download process. If they are incorrect, turn the printer off without pressing the

FEED key and begin the process again.


75A Page 3-25


HEX DUMP MODE

In addition to the User Test Print Labels, the printer can print the contents of the receive buffer in a hexadecimal format to allow the data stream to be examined for errors and troubleshooting.

INITIALIZING

ROM V00.00.00.00

ONLINE

QTY:000000

The Hex Dump Mode is entered by placing DSW2-4 in the ON position and powering the printer on.

1.

The printer is now ready to receive data.

2.

Send the data stream to the printer.

3.

The received data will be printed in a hexadecimal format

4.

To return the printer to normal operation, place DSW2-4 in the OFF position and power the printer off and then back on.

Page 3-26 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe

SECTION 4.

CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE

INTRODUCTION

This section provides information on user maintenance for the M-8400RVe. This section contains the following information.

• Adjusting the Print Quality

• Cleaning the Print Head, Platen and Rollers

• Replacing the Print Head

• Replacing the Fuse

PROCEDURES

ADJUSTING THE PRINT QUALITY

The M-8400RVe printer is equipped with two different methods of adjusting the quality of the print: print darkness and speed. When adjusting the printer for optimum print quality, a bar code verifier system should be used. The human eye is a poor judge of the relative widths of the bars in a symbol, a characteristic that is extremely important for good bar code quality.

Darkness (Print)

This adjustment allows the user to control (within a specified range) the amount of power that is used to activate the individual print head heat elements. It is important to find a proper print darkness level based on your particular label and ribbon combination. The printed images should not be too light nor should the ink from the ribbon “bleed.” The edges of each image should be crisp and well defined.

The Print Darkness range can be set using the front panel LCD panel or by downloading the setting using the Print Darkness software command. There are five ranges, a “1” will give the lightest print and a “5” will give the darkest print. Once the range has been selected, the PRINT Potentiometer on the front panel can be used to make finer adjustments.


5A Page 4-1

Section 4: Cleaning and Maintenance

Print Darkness

The fine adjustment for Print Darkness is the PRINT potentiometer on the operator panel. It provides a continuous range of adjustment, allowing you to make precise changes. Use a small cross-point screwdriver, turning clockwise for darker print and counterclockwise for lighter print.

Page 4-2

NOTE: The PRINT potentiometer adjustment will affect the darkness in all of the command code speed ranges, i.e. if the PRINT potentiometer is adjusted for lighter print, the darkness will be lighter in all speed ranges selected by the command code.

Print Speed

The other method of controlling print quality is by controlling the speed at which the label is printed. This adjustment is made only on an individual label basis using either the Print Speed command code or the LCD display panel. For more details on this command, see Section 5: Programming Reference. Changing the print speed allows the user to control the amount of time allowed for print element cooling before the media is stepped to the next print position. It is especially critical when printing “ladder” bar codes (bar codes printed with the bars parallel to the print line). When printing a

“ladder” bar code, it is important to allow the head to cool sufficiently before stepping to the next position. If it does not have sufficient time to cool, the bar will be

“smeared” on the trailing edge.

The Print Speed can be set to 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10 inches per second (with DSW2-8 Off)or

2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 inches per second(DSW2-8 On) using the LCD panel or with the Print

Speed command code. The software command will override the any setting entered using the LCD panel.

PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


CLEANING THE PRINT HEAD, PLATEN AND ROLLERS

Supplies needed: SATO SA070 Cleaning Kit

Cleaning the Print Head and Platen

1. Turn the printer off and remove the power cable.

2. Open the Top Access and Side Access doors.

3. Open the Print Head by pushing the Head

Latch toward the rear of the printer. The

Print Head is spring-loaded and will automatically open as soon as the Head

Latch is disengaged. Remove the ribbon.

Print Head

Platen

4. Apply SATO Thermal Print Head Cleaner to a cotton swab.

Head Latch

5. The Print Head faces downward along the front edge of the assembly. Pass the end of the dampened swab along the entire width of the Print Head (you may need to move the ribbon out of the way to do this).

6. Check for any black coloring or adhesive on the swab after cleaning.

7. Repeat if necessary until the swab is clean after it is passed over the head.

8. The head should be cleaned at least every time the ribbon is changed and more often in harsh environments.

9. Apply SATO Thermal Print Head Cleaner to one of the cotton swabs.

10. The Platen is the rubber roller directly below the Print Head. It should be cleaned of any ribbon or label residue.


5A Page 4-3


Cleaning the Rollers and Guides

1. The Label Load Drive is located underneath the Label Hold-Down. It should be cleaned of any label residue or foreign material. The Label Hold Down

Roller is located on the underneath side of the Label Hold Down. It should also be cleaned of any residue or foreign material.

Label Edge

Guides

2. There are two Label Edge Guides used in guiding the labels through the printer. They should be cleaned of any residue or foreign material.

Sensor

Assembly

3. Repeat when necessary. The rollers and guides should be cleaned whenever foreign matter such as dust or adhesive is present.

Label Hold

Down Roller

Label Drive

Roller

CLEANING THE SENSORS

Supplies needed: SATO SA070 Cleaning Kit

There are two sensors that are used to control the positioning of the label. One is a transmissive see-thru sensor that detects the edge of the label by looking through the backing paper which is translucent and detecting the presence of the opaque label.

The other is a reflective sensor that detects the light reflected from the bottom of the label liner. When a printed black Eye-Mark passes through the beam, the light is no longer reflected back to the sensor detector, indicating to the printer that it should use this position as the start of a new label. When dust, dirt or other foreign matter interferes with the light path of either of these sensors, the results is erratic label positioning. These sensors should be cleaned regularly, at least every two rolls of labels. They are both located on an adjustable assembly in the throat of the printer between the Label Hold Down and the Print Head.


2. Open the Top Access and Side Access doors.

3. Open the Print Head by pushing the Head Latch toward the rear of the printer. The Print Head is spring-loaded and will automatically open as soon as the Head Latch is disengaged. Remove the ribbon.

4. Apply SATO Thermal Print Head Cleaner to a cotton swab.

5. Carefully insert the swab between the top and bottom portions of the Sensor

Assembly. The location of the sensors is identified by two marks on the front of the assembly.

6. Move the swab back and forth to clean any residue from the sensors.

Page 4-4 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


REPLACING THE PRINT HEAD

The print head on the M-8400RVe printers is a user-replaceable item. If it becomes damaged for any reason, it can be easily removed and replaced. Contact your local

SATO representative for information on obtaining a new print head.

Supplies needed: No. 2 Phillips screwdriver (a magnetic tip is helpful)

Replacement Print Head


2. Open the Top and Side Access doors.

3. Open the Print Head by pushing the Head Latch toward the rear of the printer. The Print Head is spring-loaded and will automatically open as soon as the Head Latch is disengaged.

4. Remove the ribbon from the Ribbon Rewind Spindle if necessary.

5. Remove the Label Cover Assembly by removing the securing screw from the assembly.

6. View the Print Head from the front of the printer. Locate the center mounting screw on the top of the assembly. Unscrew this screw and set it aside.

Label Cover securing screw

Label Cover


5A Page 4-5


7. The Print Head should now be loosened from the top of the assembly by grasping either side and carefully pulling it down.

Print Head

Mounting Screw

Print Head

Head Latch

Page 4-6

Print Head

Connector

8. Disconnect the signal and power cables from the print head connectors and set the Print Head aside.

DO NOT remove the two outside screws (painted red) on either side of the center mounting screw. The Print Head is pre-aligned and if these screws are lossened, it will have to be re-aligned for proper print quality.

9. Carefully attach the new print head to the connectors, using caution to make sure the connector keys are correctly positioned.

NOTE: Be careful not to scratch the printing surface of the print head while installing it. Scratching the surface will cause permanent and irreparable damage and is not covered by the warranty!

10. Locate the mounting screw in the top plate assembly and align it with the tapped hole in the new print head.

11. Re-secure the print head by tightening the screw.

PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


REPLACING THE FUSE

Supplies needed: 250V 3A Fuse

1. Turn the printer power off and remove the power cable.

2. On the back of the printer, locate the Fuse Cap on the right-hand side of the AC connector.

3. Unscrew the cap and remove the defective fuse.

4. Replace with a new 250V 3A fuse.

5. Screw the cap back onto the printer and replace the power cord.


5A Page 4-7



Page 4-8 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe

SECTION 5.

PROGRAMMING REFERENCE

INTRODUCTION

This section presents the commands that are used with the SATO Series “e” printers to produce labels with logos, bar codes and alphanumeric data. All of the SATO

Programming Language commands use the same syntax. Some commands reference a physical point on the label using horizontal and vertical dot reference numbers. The allowable range for these references is dependent upon the particular printer to accomodate different print widths and resolutions. These differences are noted in tables under the commands affected.

The following information is presented in this section:

• The SATO Programming Language

• Selecting Protocol Control Codes

• Using Basic

• The Print Area

• Command Codes

THE SATO PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE

A programming language for a printer is a familiar concept to most programmers. It is a group of commands that are designed to use the internal intelligence of the printer.

The commands, which are referred to as SATO Command Codes, contain non-printable ASCII characters (such as <STX>, <ETX>, <ESC>) and printable characters. These commands must be assembled into an organized block of code to be sent as one data stream to the printer, which in turn interprets the command codes and generates the desired label output. The programmer is free to use any programming language available to send the desired data to the SATO Series “e” printer.

The command codes used by the SATO Series “e” Printers are based upon “Escape”

(1B hexadecimal) sequences. Typically there are four types of command sequences:

<ESC>{Command}

These commands generally tell the printer to perform a specific action, like “clear the memory.”

<ESC>{Command} {Data}

Commands with this format tell the printer to perform a specific action which is dependent upon the following data, like “print X labels”, where the value for X is contained in the data.


5A Page 5-1

Secton 5: Programming Reference

<ESC>{Command} {Parameter}

These commands set the operational parameters of the printer, like “set the print speed to 3.”

<ESC> {Command} {Parameter} {Data}

Some commands can contain both Parameter and Data elements, such as “print a

Code 39 symbol containing the data”.

SELECTING PROTOCOL CONTROL CODES

Protocol codes are the special control characters that prepare the printer to receive instructions. For example, the <ESC> character tells the printer that a command code will follow and the <ENQ> character asks for the printer status.

There are two pre-defined different sets of Protocol Control codes to choose from.

Each set is made up of six special characters. The Standard Protocol Control codes are non-printable characters, and the Non-Standard Protocol Control codes are printable characters. The Non-Standard set may be useful on host computers using protocol converters or in an application where non-printable ASCII characters cannot be sent from the host. This manual uses the Standard Protocol Control codes for all of the examples. Alternately, the user may define and download a set of custom Protocol

Control Codes (see Appendix E).

The Protocol Control codes are selected by a DIP switch DSW2-7 on the front panel.

CONTROL

CHARACTER

STX

ETX

ESC

ENQ

CAN

Off-Line

STANDARD

DSW2-7 OFF

02 Hex

03 Hex

1B Hex

05 Hex

18 Hex

40 Hex

NON-STANDARD

DSW2-7 ON

7B Hex = {

7D Hex = }

5E Hex = ^

40 Hex = @

21 Hex = !

5D Hex = ]

DESCRIPTION

Start of Data

End of Data

Command code to follow

Get printer status, Bi-Com mode

Cancel print job, Bi-Com mode

Take printer Off-Line

USING BASIC

It may be useful to test your M-8400RVe printer using a BASIC program on a PC. You may also write your actual production programs in BASIC. Whatever the reason, if you will be working in BASIC, some of the following hints may help you get started:

1. Set the WIDTH of the output device to 255 characters to avoid automatically sending <CR> and <LF> characters after every line. The command string should be continuous and uninterrupted by <CR> and/or <LF> commands. The examples given in this manual are printed on separate lines because they will not fit on one line and do not contain any <CR> and/or <LF> characters. If these characters are needed, they are explicitly noted by the inclusion of <CR> and

<LF> notations.

Page 5-2 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe

Section 5: Programming Reference

2. If you are using the printer’s RS232C interface, it is necessary to set the COM port on the PC such that the CTS and DSR signals will be ignored. Send your OPEN

“COM” statement in the following way:

OPEN “COM1:9600,E,8,1,CS,DS” AS #1

This sets the RS232C communication parameters of the host PC’s COM1 port for

9600 baud, Even parity, 8 Data bits, 1 Stop bit and directing the port to ignore the

CTS and DSR control signals.

3. You may want to minimize keystrokes and program size by assigning the <ESC> character to a string variable since this character is used quite often.

The following two examples in BASIC show a typical example using these hints. Both of these examples use the Standard Protocol codes.

Printing with the Parallel Port

5 REM CL612 Parallel Example

10 E$=CHR$(27)

Identifies the program as a CL612 parallel port print label. The “REM” prevents this data from being sent to the printer and displays it only on the screen.

Sets the “E$” string as an <ESC> character

20 WIDTH “LPT1:”,255

30 LPRINT E$;"A";

Sets the width of the output to 255 characters

Sends an “<ESC>A” command code to the LPT1 parallel port

40 LPRINT E$;"H400";E$;"V100";E$;"XL1SATO"; Sends the data “SATO” to be to be placed 400 dots horizontally and 100 dots vertically on the label and printed in the “XL” font.

50 LPRINT E$;"Q1";

60 LPRINT E$; “Z”;

Instructs the printer to print one label.

Tells the printer that the last command has been sent. The printer can now create and print the job.

Printing with the RS232C Port

5 REM CL612 RS232 Example

10 E$=CHR$(27)

20 OPEN “COM1:9600,N,8,1,CS,DS” AS #1

Identifies the program as a CL612

RS232C port print label. The “REM” prevents this data from being sent to the printer and displays it only on the screen.

Sets the “E$” string as an <ESC> character.

Opens the COM1 port for output and sets the parameters as 9600 baud, No parity, 8 Data bits, 1 Stop bit and instructs the port to ignore the CTS and

DSR control signals.


5A Page 5-3


30 PRINT #1,CHR$ (2);

50 PRINT #1,E$;"A";

Sends an <STX> (ASCII Code a decimal “2”) to the printer instructing it to prepare to receive a message.

Sends an “<ESC>A” command code to

Print Port #1 opened by statement 20 above.

60 PRINT #1, E$;"H400";E$;"V100";E$;"XL1SATO"; Sends the data “SATO” to be placed

400 dots horizontally and 100 dots vertically on the label and printed in the

“XL” autosmoothed font.

50 PRINT #1, E$;"Q1";

60 PRINT #1, E$; “Z”;

Instructs the printer to print a quantity of one label.

Tells the printer that the last command has been sent. The printer can now create and print the job.

70 PRINT #1,CHR$ (3); Sends an <ETX> (ASCII Code decimal

“3”) to the printer telling it that this is the end of the message.

THE PRINT AREA

The maximum print area for the M-8400RVe printer is listed in Table 5.1. Many of your label applications may not require labels that fill the entire print area, therefore it is important to understand how to work with labels that do not use the entire print area. The goal is to help you avoid printing where no label exists, which may lead to print head damage, not to mention frustration when you cannot see the printed output.

The diagram below illustrates the maximum print area and a sample 2 inch wide by 3 inch long label placed within this area. As can be seen, your label will be oriented

Page 5-4

Max

Print

Width

Print Area

Label

Feed

Direction

Max. Print

Length

2"

3"

Your

Label

Normal

Reference

Point

H1, V1

Max. Print

Width minus 2"

PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


Table 5.1, Print Area

Resolution

Max Print Width

Max Label Width

Std Print Length

Expanded Print Length using <ESC>EX0 command

(1). Limited by number of digits in command field.

M-8400RVe

203 dpi

8 dpmm

832 dots

4.1 in.

104 mm

5.0 in.

128 mm

1424 dots

7.0 in.

178 mm

9999 dots

49.2 in.

1249 mm

(1) against the inside left edge of the printer as viewed from the front of the printer. The normal reference point is located at the H1, V1 position of the print area in the normal print orientation (no rotation).

There are three methods available to make sure your printed output will appear correctly on your label. They are as follows:

1. Media Size Command. Use the <ESC>A1 Media Size Command. This command specifies the width and length of the label. The printer will automatically calculate the correct offsets for printing labels of that size. However, if you specify a label size with this command, the labels loaded should match the size specified to correctly position the label.

2. Base Reference Point Command. Send the <ESC>A3 Base Reference Point command as part of your data to the printer to set a new base reference point for your label.

Calculate the distance (in dots) from the normal base reference point to the closest edge of the label.

For an M-8400RVe 8 dpmm printer , this would be:

Label Width = 2" x 25.4 mm/in x 8 dpmm = 406 dots

The new Base Reference Point then becomes:

New Base Reference Point = Maximum Print Width - Label Width

= (832 dots) - (406 dots) = 426 dots

Issue the Base Reference Point command <ESC>A3 after the Start command in your data stream.


5A Page 5-5


<ESC>A<ESC>A3H0426V0001. . . . . .

This resets the reference point for all the following data.

3. Add the correct offset to all horizontal commands. Use the normal base reference point from the print area and use the horizontal position for each field to properly locate it on the label.

Calculate the distance (in dots) from the normal base reference point to the closest edge of the label.

For an M-8400RVe 8 dpmm printer:

Label Width = 2" x 25.4 mm/in x 8 dpmm = 406 dots

New Base Reference Point = Maximum Print Width - Label Width

= (832 dots) - (406 dots) = 426 dots

Each <ESC>H command would have the value “426” added to it to correctly position each field.

Note: The <ESC>A3 Base Reference Point command can also shift the reference point in a negative direction (toward the outside edge of the label).

The Command Code subsection contains a sample label output for each command code. These samples reflect how the printed information would appear on a five inch wide label. If you want to test any of the sample label outputs and are using labels less than five inches in width, we suggest that you add the Base Reference Point command to the data stream in order for the images to print on your labels.

You must be careful not to print off the label surface as the label provides a heat sink for the print head elements. Doing so will cause irreparable damage to the head. This damage is not covered under the print head warranty. The addition of the Base

Reference Point command to the sample data stream may help to adjust the print for your labels. See the following two examples or refer to the Base Reference Point command description.

For example, the following illustrates a sample data stream for a M-8400RVe printer and the resulting label assuming a 4 inch wide label:

<ESC>A

<ESC>H0050<ESC>V0100<ESC>L0303<ESC>XMSATO

<ESC>H0050<ESC>V0200<ESC>B103100*SATO*

<ESC>H0070<ESC>V0310<ESC>L0101<ESC>XUSATO

<ESC>Q1

<ESC>Z

If you are using a 2 inch wide label, the entire image may not appear on your label.

By adding the following Base Reference Point command to the second line of the data stream, the base reference point will be changed, causing the image to be shifted over toward the inside of the printer where it can be printed on the narrower label.

Page 5-6 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


Label

4.0"

Label

2"

<ESC>A

<ESC>A3H0406V0001

<ESC>H0050<ESC>V0100<ESC>L0303<ESC>XMSATO

<ESC>H0050<ESC>V0200<ESC>B103100*SATO*

<ESC>H0170<ESC>V0310<ESC>L0101<ESC>XUSATO

<ESC>Q1

<ESC>Z

The image is moved horizontally to the right 2 inches (406 dots) so that it can be printed on a 2 inch wide label.

For more information, see the Base Reference Point command description.

SATO M8400RVe

H=50

V=100

V=200

V=310

SATO

S A T O

H=70

6.5"

PN 90010

75A Page 5-7


SATO

S A T O

4.0"

SATO

S A T O

2" Label

ROTATED FIELDS

The M-8400Rve printer can rotate each print field in 90° increments using the Rotate command.

• <ESC>% - The field rotates, but the base reference point for the field remains the same.

The following data stream will rotate the print field but will not change the base reference point of the field:

<ESC>A<ESC>%1<ESC>V800<ESC>H200<ESC>L0202<ESC>XB1E<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

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5A SATO M8400RVe


Base

Ref

Point

H=20

Label

Feed

Direction

V=800

“%1”

COMMAND DEFAULT SETTINGS

There are some types of commands that must have a value specified before a label can be printed. If the data stream does not contain these commands, a “default” value is assumed. The commands and the corresponding default values are:

COMMAND

Print Rotation

Vertical Reference Point

Horizontal Reference Point

Character Pitch

DEFAULT

0°

0

0

2

Base Reference Point

Character Expansion

H=0, V=0

1

Print Darkness 2

Print Speed (DSW2-8 = On) 6 ips

Print Speed (DSW2-8 = Off) 4 ips

Proportional Spacing Enabled

Cutter Command Disabled

NOTE

(1)

(1)

(1)

(1)

(2)

(1)

(1)

(2)

(2)

(1)

(1)

NOTES:

(1) The settings for these commands will revert to the default value when the printer receives an <ESC>Z or an <ESC>*.

(2) The values transmitted with these commands will remain in effect until a new command is received.


5A Page 5-9


COMMAND CODES

This section contains all the M-8400RVe printer Command Codes. The commands must be sent to the printer in an organized fashion in order for the label(s) to print.

The purpose of this section is to:

1. Explain the different commands and provide examples of their usage.

2. To provide a detailed reference for programming the M-8400RVe printers

Each command begins on a separate page with its own heading. A uniform layout is used to help you find key information about each command. For each Command

Code in this section, there will be a sample data input stream to the printer and the expected print output. By studying the examples, you can learn how to use the particular command within a whole block of printer code. Pay particular attention to the “Special Notes” with each command to learn other important information.

The subject commands are highlighted in bold letters in the Reference Sheets. There are two parts of most, but not all, commands. The first is the command character which immediately follows the <ESC> code. It is always an upper case alpha or a special character (such as an “&” or a “%”). It is never a lower case alpha character. If the command requires additional variable information, it is represented by a group of lower case alpha characters immediately following the command character. For example, if an aaaabb is listed following the basic command, the printer will look for six characters immediately following the command. The first four would represent the value of aaaa and the next two the value of bb.

The maximum number of characters defined in a parameter is represented by the number of characters shown in the command structure. For example, a command followed by an aaaa can have up to four characters. In general, commands with only one parameter following the command can be entered without the leading zeroes.

However, certain commands require the exact number of matching characters. A command with two parameters listed following the command code without a comma delimiter, such as aaaabbbb require the exact number of digits to be entered. If the value of aaaa is “800” and the value of bbbb is “300”, then the parameters must be entered as “08000300”. It is recommended that you make it a practice to always enter leading zeros to prevent any mistakes.

NOTE: These examples assume the use of the Standard Protocol Command Codes, a parallel interface and a 5 inch wide label in a M-8400RVe printer. The labels for all other printers will be similar, but, because of different resolutions and print widths may be larger or scaled differently.

An alphabetical listing of the command codes is contained in Appendix A: Command

Code Quick Reference.

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Bar Codes


Command Structure 1:3 narrow/wide bar ratio:

2:5 narrow/wide ratio:

1:2 narrow/wide bar ratio:

<ESC>Babbcccd

<ESC>BDabbcccd

<ESC>Dabbcccd a = Bar Code Symbol

0 Codabar

1 Code 39

2 Interleaved 2 of 5 (I 2/5)

3 UPC-A / EAN-13

4 EAN-8

5 Industrial 2 of 5

6 Matrix 2 of 5

7 reserved

8 reserved

9 reserved

A MSI

B reserved

C Code 93

D reserved

E UPC-E

F Bookland

G Code 128

I UCC 128 bb = Number of dots (01-12) for narrow bar and narrow space

Command Function ccc = Bar height in dots (001-600) d = UCC 128 only. Not used for other bar code types

0 No human readable text

1 Human readable at top

2 Human readable at bottom

Example: <ESC>BD103200

Placement: Immediately preceding data to be encoded

Default: None

To print bar code images on a label. With this command, there are 14 standard bar code symbologies available to be printed and three two dimensional symbols (see Two Dimensional bar code symbols). Each of the bar codes are unique, and it is important to know the differences. See Appendix B for specific information on using each individual bar code symbol.


75A Page 5-11


Input to Printer

<ESC>A

<ESC>H0025<ESC>V0025<ESC>B103100*CODE 39*

<ESC>H0155<ESC>V0130<ESC>XS*CODE 39*

<ESC>H0025<ESC>V0200<ESC>BD20210045676567

<ESC>H0075<ESC>V0310<ESC>XM45676567

<ESC>H0025<ESC>V0375<ESC>BD30215001234567890

<ESC>H0025<ESC>V0600<ESC>BD50210012345

<ESC>H0175<ESC>V0710<ESC>XS12345

<ESC>H0025<ESC>V0775<ESC>BD60210012345


<ESC>H0025<ESC>V0950<ESC>BA03100123455


<ESC>H0025<ESC>V1125<ESC>BC03100081234ABCD

<ESC>H0080<ESC>V1240<ESC>XS1234ABCD

<ESC>H0525<ESC>V0025<ESC>B002100A12345B


<ESC>H0475<ESC>V0200<ESC>BD303100123456789012

<ESC>H0525<ESC>V0375<ESC>BD4031001234567

<ESC>H0525<ESC>V0550<ESC>DE03100123456

<ESC>H0500<ESC>V0600<ESC>OB0

<ESC>H0533<ESC>V0655<ESC>OB123456

<ESC>H0350<ESC>V0725<ESC>D30315009827721123

<ESC>L0101<ESC>H0320<ESC>V0800<ESC>OB0



<ESC>H0665<ESC>V0760<ESC>BF0313021826


<ESC>H0425<ESC>V1125<ESC>D30315000633895260




<ESC>H0730<ESC>V1155<ESC>BF0314024


<ESC>H0325<ESC>V0950<ESC>BG03100>GAB>B789>C123456

<ESC>H0435<ESC>V1055<ESC>XSAB789123456

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

Note: Carriage Returns and Line Feeds have been added to the command listing for clarity and should not be included in the actual data stream.

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Printer Output



5A Page 5-13


UCC-128 Without Incrementing

<ESC>A

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0100<ESC>BI07150101234567000000001

<ESC>Q2<ESC>Z

With Incrementing

<ESC>A<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0100

<ESC >F001+001 <ESC>BI07150101234567000000001

<ESC>Q2<ESC>Z

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Special Notes


1. UPC and EAN bar codes are not affected by the different types of narrow to wide ratios. Instead, the <ESC>D command adds descender bars to these codes where needed to meet UPC specifications. The <ESC>BD command puts decender bars and human readable text below the symbol.

2. The Code 128, UCC 128, MSI, and Code 93 bar codes are not affected by the narrow to wide ratios.

3. The Codabar, Code 39, Industrial 2 of 5, and Matrix 2 of 5 bar codes are affected by the Character Pitch command. This command must be placed before the Bar Code command.

4. See Appendix B for more specific instructions and detailed information regarding individual bar code symbols.

5. Because of their unique characteristics, 2-D (two-dimensional) symbols are covered separately.

6. For UCC128, the FNC1 code is automatically inserted and the

Mod 10 and Mod 103 check digits are automatically calculated.

For the MSI bar code, the check digit is not automatically calculated.

7. The <ESC>D and <ESC>BD commands are not valid for the MSI,

Code 128, Code 93, UPC-E, Bookland, UCC128 and Postnet symbologies.


5A Page 5-15


Bar Codes, Expansion

Command Structure <ESC>BWaabbb aa = Expansion factor by which the width of all bars and spaces will be increased (01-12)

Command Function bbb= Bar height by dot (004-600 dots)

Example: <ESC>BW02100

Placement: Immediately follows the <ESC>BT command and precedes data to be encoded.

Default: None

This command works together with the <ESC>BT command to specify an expansion factor and the bar code height for the particular symbol being printed.

Input to Printer: <ESC>A

<ESC>H0050<ESC>V0050<ESC>BT101030103

<ESC>BW04100*1234*

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

Printer Output:

Special Notes 1. This command must be preceded by the Variable Ratio Bar Codes

<ESC>BT command.

2. The following bar codes will be affected by the Character Pitch command: Codabar, Code 39, Interleaved 2 of 5, Matrix 2 of 5.

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Bar Codes, Variable Ratio

Command Structure <ESC>BTabbccddee a = Bar Code Symbol:

0 Codabar

1 Code 39

2 Interleaved 2 of 5

5 Industrial 2 of 5

6 Matrix 2 of 5 bb = Narrow space in dots (01-99) cc = Wide space in dots (01-99) dd = Narrow bar in dots (01-99) ee = Wide bar in dots (01-99)

Example: <ESC>BT101030103

Placement: Following print position commands and preceding

<ESC>BW

Default: Current setting

Command Function

Input to Printer:

To print a bar code with a ratio other than those specified through the standard bar code commands (B,BD, and D). This is done through individual control of each of the bar code elements (bars, spaces) as shown above. Remember that this command only applies to the five bar code types shown.

<ESC>A

<ESC>H0050<ESC>V0050<ESC>BT101030103

<ESC>BW03100*1234*

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

Printer Output:


5A Page 5-17


Special Notes 1. This command must be immediately followed by the <ESC>BW

Bar Code Expansion command.

2. You may use only one variable ratio bar code per label.

3. If the data specified in this command is incorrect, the command is ignored and the ratio used will be based on the previous setting.

4. See Appendix B for more specific instructions and details regarding individual bar code symbols.

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Base Reference Point

Command Structure <ESC>A3H-aaaa-Vbbbb

= This character is optional. When present, it specifies that the horizontal offset is in the negative direction. If it is left out the offset direction is positive.

Command Function aaaa = Horizontal Print Offset (see Note 7 for field range) bbbb = Vertical Print Offset (see Note 7 for field range)

Example: <ESC>A3H100V0050

Placement: Preceding all images that are based on the new base reference point

Default: Current V and H offset setting

To establish a new base reference point for the current label. The base reference point is the top left corner or “origin” from where all print position commands are based.

This command may be very helpful when using labels less than four inches wide to place images on the printable label surface. It may also be used to move images past preprinted fields on a label.

Input to Printer: <ESC>A<ESC>L0202

<ESC>H0025<ESC>V0025<ESC>WB0MNORMAL REFERENCE POINT

<ESC>A3H0300V0075

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0050<ESC>WB0MNEW REFERENCE POINT

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

Printer Output:


5A Page 5-19


Special Notes 1. Use of this command will set the Vertical/Horizontal Offset setting of the printer configuration until a new Base Reference Point command is issued or the setting is changed from the operator panel. See

Section 3: Configuration.

2. This command may be used more than once in a print job.

3. An alternative to using this command is to make changes to your current Horizontal and Vertical Print Position commands.

Example:

Let’s say the current base reference point is H=1, V=1 and you wish to move all the fields on your label downward vertically by

150 dots. You could either (1) add the Base Reference Point command or (2) change all the vertical position commands by an additional 150 dots.

4. For a more detailed example of the Base Reference Point command, see “Print Area” in this section.

5. The M-8400RVe will not “wrap” (i.e. if any part of a character or image extends beyond the last print dot position, it will disappear and not be visible on any part of the label).

6. The allowable field ranges for this command are:

M-8400RVe

Horizontal aaaa

Vertical Default bbbb

Vertical Expanded bbbb

-832 to 832

0001 to 1424

0001 to 9999

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Characters, Custom-Designed

Command Structure Store Command: <ESC>Tabcc

Recall Command: <ESC>Kab90cc a = 1 16x16 matrix

2 24x24 matrix b = Specifies the character encoding method

H Hexadecimal characters

B Binary characters


Printer Input cc = Memory location to store/recall the character. Valid memory locations are 21

H to 52

H or “!” to “R” in Binary

(data) = Data to describe the character

Example: <ESC>T1H3F

<ESC>K1H903F

See Appendix C for a more detailed explanation

Placement: The Store command is sent in its own data stream to the printer, between the Start/Stop commands.

The Recall command is sent in a secondary data stream to print the character,and follows any necessary position or size commands.

Default: None

To allow for the creation, storage, and printing of custom characters, such as special fonts or logos. Up to 50 individual characters may be stored in the custom character volatile memory.

See Appendix C for a detailed explanation.

<ESC>A

<ESC>T1H3F

0100038007C00FE01FF03FF87FFCFFFE07C007C007

C007C007C007C007C007C0

<ESC>Z

<ESC>A

<ESC>H150<ESC>V100<ESC>L0505<ESC>K1H903F

<ESC>H350<ESC>V100<ESC>L1010<E SC>K1H903F

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z


5A Page 5-21


Printer Output

Special Notes 1. When printing the custom character using the Recall command, the character is affected by the following commands:

Character Expansion

Character Pitch

Line Feed

Rotate, Fixed Base Reference Point

2. The characters are stored in volatile memory and must be reloaded if the printer power is lost.

3. Do not use ASCII <CR> or <LF> characters (carriage return or line feed) as line delimiters within the graphic data or the actual image will not be printed as specified.

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Character Expansion

Command Structure <ESC>Laabb aa = Multiple to expand horizontally (01-12) bb = Multiple to expand vertically (01-12)


Example: <ESC>L0305

Placement: Preceding the data to be expanded

Default: <ESC>L0101

To expand characters independently in both the horizontal and vertical directions. The command allows you to enlarge the base size of each font (except the vector font) up to 12 times in either direction.

Expanded characters are typically used for added emphasis or for long distance readability.

Input to Printer <ESC>A<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0100<ESC>XMSATO

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0200<ESC>L0402<ESC>XMSATO

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0300<ESC>L0204<ESC>XMSATO

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

Printer Output


5A Page 5-23


Special Notes 1. This command will expand the following fonts:

Fonts U, S, M, XU, XS, XM, OA & OB

Fonts WB, WL, XB and XL.

2. This command will also affect the following commands:

Character Pitch

Characters, Custom-Designed

3. The Character Expansion value is in effect for the current print job until a new expansion command is specified.

4. The Line and Box command, if used within the data stream, may return all subsequent text to the default expansion of 1 x 1.

Therefore, either send the Character Expansion command before all printed data, or send Line and Box commands last, preceding the <ESC>Q Quantity command.

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Character, Fixed Spacing

Command Structure <ESC>PR


Example:

Placement:

See Above

Preceding the data

Default: The default is Proportional Spacing.

To reset proportional spacing and place the printer back to fixed spacing.

Printer Input <ESC>A

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0050<ESC>PS

<ESC>L0404<ESC>XMPROPORTIONAL SPACING

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0180<ESC>PR

<ESC>L0404<ESC>XMFIXED SPACING

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

Printer Output

Special Notes 1. This command only works with the proportionally spaced fonts

XU, XM, XS, XL and XB.

SATO M8400RVe PN 9

001075A Page 5-25


Character Pitch

Command Structure <ESC>Paa aa = Number of dots between characters (00-99)

Example: <ESC>P03


Placement:

Default:

Preceding the text to be printed

<ESC>P02

To designate the amount of spacing (in dots) between characters.

This command provides a means of altering character spacing for label constraints or to enhance readability.

Input to Printer <ESC>A

<ESC>H0025<ESC>V0025<ESC>L0202<ESC>XB1SATO

<ESC>H0025<ESC>V0125<ESC>L0202<ESC>P20<ESC>XB1SATO

<ESC>H0025<ESC>V0225<ESC>L0202<ESC>P40<ESC>XB1SATO

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

Printer Output

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Special Notes


1. This command is affected by the <ESC>L Character Expansion command. The character pitch is actually the product of the current horizontal expansion multiple and the designated pitch value.

Example:

<ESC>L0304

<ESC>P03

Pitch = (03) x (03) = 9 dots

2. To avoid confusion, you may want to include the <ESC>L

Character Expansion command and this command together in your program.

3. This command affects fonts U, S, M, XU, XS, XM, OA & OB, WB,

WL, XB and XL, and the vector font.

4. Character Pitch will always revert to the default value unless it is specified before each new font command in the data stream.

5. This command also affects Codabar, Code 39 and Industrial

2 of 5 bar codes.


5A Page 5-27


Character, Proportional Spacing

Command Structure <ESC>PS

<ESC>PR

Example:

Placement:


Printer Input

Set to proportional spacing

Reset to fixed spacing

See above

Preceding the data to be proportional spaced

Default: <ESC>PS

To specify the printing of proportional or fixed spacing for proportionally spaced fonts.

<ESC>A

<ESC>H0025<ESC>V0050<ESC>PS

<ESC>L0202<ESC>XMPROPORTIONAL SPACING

<ESC>H0025<ESC>V0130<ESC>PR

<ESC>L0202<ESC>XMFIXED SPACING

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

Printer Output

Special Notes 1. Once this command is sent in the data stream, it is in effect until the end of the print job unless a reset command is sent.

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Clear Print Job(s) & Memory

Command Structure <ESC>*a a = If the “a” parameter is not included with this command and the printer is in the multi-buffer mode, this command clears all print jobs in the printer memory, including the current print job.

a = If “a” is included with this command, it specifies the internal memory section to be cleared

T To clear the custom character memory

& To clear the form overlay memory

X To clear all internal memory

Example: <ESC>*

<ESC>*&

Placement: This command should be sent to the printer as an independent data stream.

Default: None

To clear individual memory or buffer areas of the printer.



Printer Output

Special Note

<ESC>A

<ESC>*

<ESC>Z

There is no printer output as a result of this command. The current print job in the buffer will be terminated and all other print jobs in the buffer cleared.

1. See Expanded Memory Functions for variations of this command used to clear data from the optional Expanded Memory.

2. It is not necessary to clear the printer’s memory between each print job.

3. The primary purpose of this command is to clear all print jobs in the multi-buffer mode. The “a” parameter can be used in either the multi-buffer or single job mode to clear specific parts of the memory.

4. When the “a” parameter is used, the section of memory specified will not be cleared until the label is printed.


5A Page 5-29


Continuous Forms Printing

Command Structure None

The printer locates the end of an adhesive label by sensing the backing between labels or through the use of an eye-mark (black rectangle on the reverse side of the backing). It locates the end of a tag from a notch, eye-mark, or a hole between tags. Both sensors should be disabled when printing continuous forms by placing the

Label Sensor Selection switch (DSW3-3) in the ON position. See

Section 3: Printer Configuration for instructions on configuring the printer using the front panel DIP switch array.

If you will be using continuous labels or tags, the printer must be told to stop feeding in another manner. The length is determined by the position of the last printed image on the label or tag. The printer will stop feeding when this last field is finished printing. The length may be increased with printed spaces (20 hexadecimal) if necessary. There is no command code to control label length.

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Copy Image Area

Command Structure <ESC>WDHaaaaVbbbbXccccYdddd aaaa = Horizontal position of the top left corner of the copy area bbbb = Vertical position of the top left corner of the copy area cccc = Horizontal length of the image area to be copied dddd = Vertical length of the image area to be copied



Example: <ESC>WDH0100V0050X0600Y0400

Placement: Anywhere within the data stream, after specifying the location of the duplicate image.

Default: None

To copy an image from one location to another on the same label.

This may be useful for duplicating individual fields or entire sections of the label with only one command.

<ESC>A

<ESC>H0050<ESC>V0050<ESC>E010<ESC>XM

SATOSATOSATOSATOSATOSATOSATO




<ESC>H0180<ESC>V0250<ESC>WDH0130V0050X0400Y0200

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

Printer Output


5A Page 5-31


Special Notes 1. Use the Print Position commands (V and H) to locate the new area for the duplicate image.

2. Position of the new target area must not be inside the original image.

3. If you use the Rotate command, V, H, X and Y axis will be reversed.

4. If the reference area of the target image exceeds the print area, it will not be printed.

5. The allowable ranges for these fields are as follows:

Horizontal aaaa cccc

Vertical Default bbbb dddd

Vertical Expanded bbbb dddd

M-8400RVe

0001 to

0832

0001 to

1424

0001 to

9999

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Cut

Command Structure ESC>~Aaaaa aaaa = Number of labels to print between each cut (1-9999)

Example: <ESC>~A2



Placement: Preceding the <ESC>Q Print Quantity command.

Default: <ESC>~A1 (if cutter enabled)

To control the cutting of labels when using a SATO cutter unit with the printer printer. This command allows the cutting of a multi-part tag or label at a specified interval within a print job. It differs from the

<ESC>~ Cut Job command in that it does not interact with the quantity command.

<ESC>A

<ESC>H0020<ESC>V0020<ESC>XB1ABC<ESC>~A0002

<ESC>Q7<ESC>Z

Printer Output This set of commands will print seven labels with two labels between each cut. One label will be cut separately.

Balance 1pc

Cut Cut Cut Cut

2pc

Special Notes

ABC ABC ABC ABC ABC ABC ABC

7pc

1. You must have the optional printer Cutter to use this function.

Contact your SATO representative for more information.

2. To use this command, the printer configuration must have the cutter option enabled. See Configuration Commands in this section of the manual.

3. If the cutter option has been enabled in the printer configuration and the cut value (a = 0), the cutter is inactive.

4. This command is independent of the <ESC>Q Quantity command.

It will cut the specified number of labels.


5A Page 5-33


Cut Job

Command Structure <ESC>~aaaa aaaa = Number of labels to print between each cut (1-9999)

Example: <ESC>~2


Placement: Following the Print Quantity command <ESC>Q

Default: <ESC>~1 (if cutter enabled)

To control the cutting of labels when using a SATO cutter unit with the printer printer. This command allows the cutting of a multi-part tag or label at a specified interval within a print job.


<ESC>H0020<ESC>V0020<ESC>XB1ABC<ESC>Q3

<ESC>~0002

<ESC>Z

Printer Output This set of commands will print 6 labels (3 x 2) with two labels between each cut.

Cut Cut Cut

2pc

ABC ABC ABC ABC ABC ABC

Special Notes

Page 5-34

6pc



2. To use this command, the printer configuration must have the cutter option enabled. See Printer Configuration commands in this section manual.

3. If the cutter option has been enabled in the printer configuration and the cut value (a = 0), the cutter is inactive.

4. A “~” (tilde) character or <NUL> (ASCII 00 Hex) character can be can be used in this command. It is recommended that the “~” be used whenever possible.

5. When using the Cutter command, the total number of labels printed is the product of the cut value and the print quantity.

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Cut Last

Command Structure <ESC>~B

Example: <ESC>~B

Placement: Separate data stream sent to the printer



Printer Output

Default: None

To control the cutting of labels when using a SATO cutter unit with the printer. This command allows the cutting of a printed multi-part tag or label that is left in the printer after a job is cut.

<ESC>A

<ESC>~A

<ESC>Z

This command will feed the last printed label to the cut position, cut the label and then backfeed to the head position in preparation for printing the next job.

Special Notes

Cut position Head position

Label A printed

Labels B, C, D unprinted.

A B C

Feed A to cut position

A B C D

2

Cut A B C D 2

Backfeed to place B at print position

B C D

2




5A Page 5-35


Fonts U, S, M, OA, OB, XU, XS & XM

Command Structure Font XU: <ESC>XU

Font XS: <ESC>XS

Font XM:<ESC>XM

Font OA:<ESC>OA

Font U:

Font S:

Font M:

Font OB:

Example: See above

Placement: Preceding the data to be printed

<ESC>U

<ESC>S

<ESC>M

<ESC>OB


Default: None

To print text images on a label. These are eight of the built-in fonts available on the printer. All matrices include descenders.

U

S

M

OA

OB

NON-PROPORTIONAL

5W x 9H dot matrix

8W x 15H dot matrix

13W x 20H dot matrix

OCR-A font 15W x 22H

OCR-B font 20W x 24H

PROPORTIONAL

(1)

XU 5W x 9H dot matrix

XS 17W x 17H dot matrix

XM 24W x 24H dot matrix

(1) These fonts will be printed with proportional spacing only if preceded by an

<ESC>PS command.

Input to Printer <ESC>A<ESC>PS

<ESC>H0001<ESC>V0100<ESC>L0202<ESC>XUSATO

<ESC>H0001<ESC>V0175<ESC>L0202<ESC>XSSATO

<ESC>H0001<ESC>V0250<ESC>L0202<ESC>XMSATO

<ESC>H0001<ESC>V0325<ESC>L0101<ESC>OASATO

<ESC>H0001<ESC>V0400<ESC>L0101<ESC>OBSATO

<ESC>H0300<ESC>V0100<ESC>L0202<ESC>USATO

<ESC>H0300<ESC>V0175<ESC>L0202<ESC>SSATO

<ESC>H0300<ESC>V0250<ESC>L0202<ESC>MSATO

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

Printer Output

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Special Notes


1. Characters may be enlarged through the use of the Character

Expansion command.

2. Character spacing may be altered through the use of the

Character Pitch command. The default is 2 dots between characters. It is recommended to use a spacing of 5 dots for

OCR-A and 1 dot for OCR-B.

3. You may also create custom characters or fonts. See the <ESC>T

Custom-Designed Characters command.

4. A font must be defined for each field to be printed. There is no default font.

5. Fonts U, S, M, OA and OB are identical to fonts U, S, M, OA and

OB on the SATO M-8400 printer.

6. The proportionally spaced fonts XU, XS, XM, XL and XA can be printed with fixed spacing using the <ESC>PS Proportional Space command.


5A Page 5-37


Font, Raster

Command Structure <ESC>RDabb,ccc,ddd,nn. . .n a bb

= A

B

CG Times font style

CG Triumvirate font style.

= Always 00 ccc ddd

=

=

Horizontal size (16 - 999 dots or P08 - P72)

Vertical size (16 - 999 dots or P08 - P72) nn..n

= Data to be printed.

Example: <ESC>RDA00,018,018ABCD

Placement: Within normal command stream

Default: None

To print point size characters created using font definitions.



<ESC>V0100<ESC>H0100

<ESC>RDA00,P28,P28,CG Times


<ESC>RDB00,075,075,CG Triumvirate

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

Printer Output

Special Notes

Page 5-38

1. The “cccc” Horizontal Size and “dddd” Horizontal Size parameters can be entered either in dots or points, but both parameters must use the same value types. If point size is used, the point size is preceded by a “P”.

2. The same value should be used for both the Horizontal and

Vertical size, i.e. if “ccc” = 50, then “ddd” should be 50.

PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe

Font, Vector


Command Structure Specify Vector Font: <ESC>$a,b,c,d

Data for Vector Font: <ESC>$=(data) a = A Helvetica Bold (proportional spacing)

B Helvetica Bold (fixed spacing) b = Font width (50-999) c = Font height (50-999 dots) d = Font variation (0-9) as follows:

0 Standard

1 Standard open (outlined)

2 Gray (mesh) pattern 1



5 Standard open, shadow 1

6 Standard open, shadow 2

7 Standard mirror image

8 Italic

9 Italic open, shadow

Example: <ESC>$A,100,200,0<ESC>$=123456

Placement: Immediately preceding data to be printed.

Default: None



To specify printing of the unique SATO vector font. The vector font allows large characters to be printed with smooth, round edges. Each character is made of a number of vectors (or lines), and will require slightly more printer compiling time.

<ESC>A

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0100<ESC>$A,100,100,0<ESC>$=SATO AMERICA

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0200<ESC>$=VECTOR FONT

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0350<ESC>$A,200,300,8<ESC>$=SATO

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z


5A Page 5-39


Printer Output

Special Notes 1. The Pitch command can be used with Vector fonts.

2. If the font size designation is out of the specified range, a default value of 50 is used.

4. The font width and height values include asenders, desenders and other space.


Page 5-40 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


Fonts WB, WL, XB & XL

Command Structure Font WB: <ESC>WBa

Font WL: <ESC>WLa

Font XB:

Font XL:

<ESC>XBa

<ESC>XLa a = 0 Disables auto-smoothing of font

1 Enables auto-smoothing of font (see notes below)

Example: <ESC>WB1123456

Placement: Preceding the data to be printed


Default: None

To print text images on a label. These are the four auto-smoothing fonts available on the printer.

WB

WL

NON-PROPORTIONAL



PROPORTIONAL

(1)

XB 48W x 48H dot matrix

XL 48W x 48H dot matrix

(1) These fonts will be printed with proportional spacing only if preceded by an

<ESC>PS command.

Input to Printer <ESC>A<ESC>PS

<ESC>H0001<ESC>V0100<ESC>WB0SATO

<ESC>H0001<ESC>V0185<ESC>WB1SATO

<ESC>H0001<ESC>V0270<ESC>WL0SATO

<ESC>H0001<ESC>V0355<ESC>WL1SATO

<ESC>H0300<ESC>V0100<ESC>XB0SATO

<ESC>H0300<ESC>V0185<ESC>XB1SATO

<ESC>H0300<ESC>V0270<ESC>XL0SATO

<ESC>H0300<ESC>V0355<ESC>XL1SATO

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

Printer Output


5A Page 5-41


Special Notes 1. Auto-smoothing (when enabled) is only effective if the character expansion rate is at least (3) times in each direction.

2. Characters may be enlarged through the use of the <ESC>L

Character Expansion command.

3. Character spacing may be altered through the use of the <ESC>A

Character Pitch command.


5. The proportionally spaced fonts XU, XS, XM, XL and XB can be printed with fixed spacing using the <ESC>PS Proportional Space command.

Page 5-42 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe

Form Feed


Command Structure <ESC>A(space)<ESC>Z

Example: See above

Placement: Separate data stream sent to printer

Default: None

To feed a blank tag or label, which is the equivalent of a “form feed” Command Function


Printer Output

<ESC>A(space)

<ESC>Z

Blank label or tag


5A Page 5-43


Form Overlay, Recall

Command Structure <ESC>/


Example: See above

Placement: Must be preceded by all other data and placed just before the Print Quantity command (<ESC>Q)

Default: None

To recall the label image from the form overlay memory for printing.

This command recalls a stored image from the overlay memory.

Additional or different data can be printed with the recalled image.


<ESC>H01000<ESC>V0125

<ESC>STHIS IS THE STORED IMAGE WITH A BARCODE

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0165<ESC>B103100*12345*

<ESC>&<ESC>Z

<ESC>A<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0050

<ESC>STHIS IS RECALLING AND ADDING TO THE STORED

IMAGE<ESC>/

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

Printer Output

Special Notes

Page 5-44

1. The overlay is stored using the <ESC>& Form Overlay Store command.

2. If the this command is used with the <ESC>EX0 Expanded Print

Length command the Form Overlay length cannot exceed 9999 dots.

PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


Form Overlay, Store

Command Structure <ESC>&

Example: See above

Placement: Must be preceded by all other data and placed just before the Stop command (<ESC>Z)

Default: None



Printer Output

Special Notes

To store a label image in the volatile form overlay memory. Only one label image may be stored in this memory area at a time.

<ESC>A

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0125

<ESC>STHIS IS THE STORED IMAGE WITH A BARCODE

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0165<ESC>B103100*12345*

<ESC> &

<ESC>Z

There is no output from this command. It stores the label image in the overlay buffer.

1. Remember that this storage is volatile. Therefore, if the printer loses power, the overlay must be sent again.

2. The overlay is recalled using the <ESC>/ Form Overlay Recall command.

3. Form overlays do not have to be recompiled each time they are called to be printed and therefore may result in much faster print output.


5A Page 5-45


Graphics, BMP

Command Structure <ESC>GMaaaaa,(data) aaaaa = Number of bytes to be downloaded

Example: <ESC>GM32000, ... data...


Printer Input

Placement: Anywhere within the job data stream

Default: None

To allow the creation and printing of graphic images using a BMP file format.

See Appendix Appendix C for a detailed example

<ESC>A

<ESC>V0150<ESC>H0100<ESC>GM03800,(...Data...)

<ESC>Q1

<ESC>Z

Printer Output

Special Notes

Page 5-46

1. The maximum number of bytes that can be downloaded is 32K

(compressed). The number specified by this command includes the BMP header information. The maximum size of the uncompressed BMP file is 64K. If the uncompressed file exceeds

64K, the graphic will not print.

2. Only black and white BMP files can be downloaded.

3. The file size specified by this command is the DOS file size in bytes

PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


Graphics, Custom

Command Structure <ESC>Gabbbccc(data) a = Specifies format of data stream to follow

B Binary format

H Hexadecimal format bbb = Number of horizontal 8 x 8 blocks

(see note 7 for allowable range) ccc = Number of vertical 8 x 8 blocks

(see note 7 for allowable range)

(data)= Hex data to describe the graphic image

Example: <ESC>GH006006

See Appendix C for a detailed example


Printer Input

Placement: May be placed anywhere within the data stream after the necessary position commands.

Default: None

To create and print custom graphics (logos, pictures, etc.) on a label.

The graphic image may be printed along with other printed data to enhance label appearance or eliminate the need for preprinted label stock. Using a dot-addressable matrix, design the graphic image in 8 dot by 8 dot blocks, then send it in a binary format to the printer.

<ESC>A<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0100<ESC>GH006006

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFC00000000003

C00000000003C000FFFFFFF3C00080000013

C00080000013C0009FFFFF13C00080000013

C00080000013C0009FFFFF13C00080000013

C00080000013C000FFFFFFF3C00000000003

C00000000003C00000000003C00000000003

C00000000003C00000000003C00003C00003

C00007E00003C0000FF00003C0000FF00003

C0000FF00003C0000FF00003C00007E00003

C00003C00003C00003C00003C00003C00003

C00003C00003C00003C00003C00003C00003

C00003C00003C00003C00003C00003C00003

C00003C00003C00001800003C00000000003

C00000000003FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

<ESC>H0300<ESC>V0100<ESC>XSPLEASE PLACE YOUR DISK

<ESC>H0300<ESC>V0150<ESC>XSIN A SAFE PLACE

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

SATO M8400RVe

See Appendix C for a details on the data format.

PN 900107

5A Page 5-47


Printer Output

Special Notes 1. Do not use ASCII <CR> or <LF> characters (carriage return or line feed) as line delimiters within the graphic data or the actual image will not be printed as specified.

2. A custom graphic cannot be enlarged by the <ESC>L Character

Expansion command.

3. A custom graphic is not affected by either of the Rotation commands. Therefore, always design and locate your graphic image to print in the appropriate orientation.

4. To store graphic images in optional Expanded Memory, see the

Expanded Memory Functions section.

6. The binary format reduces the transmission time by 50%.

7. The maximum allowable settings are:

Horizontal Blocks bbb

Vertical Blocks

Default ccc

Expanded ccc

M-8400RVe

001 to 104

001 to 178

001 to 999

8. Use the <ESC>E0 Expanded Print Length command to get the maximum label length.

Page 5-48 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


Graphics, PCX

Command Structure <ESC>GPaaaaa,(data) aaaaa = Number of bytes to be downloaded

Example: <ESC>GP32000, ... data...


Printer Input

Placement: Anywhere within the job data stream

Default: None

To allow the creation and printing of graphic images using a PCX file format.

See Appendix Appendix C for a detailed example

<ESC>A

<ESC>V0150<ESC>H0100<ESC>GP03800,(...Data...)

<ESC>Q1

<ESC>Z

Printer Output

Special Notes

SATO M8400RVe

1. The maximum number of bytes that can be downloaded is 32K

(compressed). The number specified by this command includes the PCX header information. The maximum size of the uncompressed PCX file is 64K. If the uncompressed file exceeds

64K, the graphic will not print.

2. Only black and white PCX files can be downloaded.

3. The file size specified by this command is the DOS file size in bytes.

PN 90010

75A Page 5-49


Job ID Store

Command Structure <ESC>IDaa aa = Job ID assigned (01 to 99)

Example: <ESC>ID09


Placement: Immediately following the <ESC>A in the data stream.

Default: None

To add an identification number to a job. The status of the job can then be determined using the ENQ command in the Bi-Com status mode (See Section 5: Interface Specifications for more information).

Printer Input

Printer Output

Special Notes

<ESC>A

<ESC>ID02

. . . Job . . .

<ESC>Z

There is no printer output as a result of this command.

1. Works only in Bi-Communications modes. The Job ID number must be stored before Bi-Com status mode can be used.

2. If more than one ID number is sent in a single job, i.e.

<ESC>A

<ESC>ID01

. . . . . . . . . .

<ESC>ID02

. . . . . . . . .

the last number transmitted will be used.

Page 5-50 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe

Job Name


Command Structure <ESC>WKnnn. . . n nn..n

= Job Name assigned, up to 16 ASCII characters

Example: <ESC>WKSATO

Placement: Immediately following the <ESC>A in the data stream.

Default: None

This command is to identify a particular job using a descriptive name Command Function

Printer Input

Printer Output

Special Notes

<ESC>A

<ESC>WKSATO

. . . Job . . .

<ESC>Z

There is no printer output as a result of this command. The information is returned to the host upon receipt of a Bi-Com status request.

1. Works only in Bi-Com 4 mode. The Job Name must be stored before Bi-Com status mode can be used.

2. If more than one Job Name is sent in a single job, i.e.

<ESC>A

<ESC>WKSATO

. . . . . . . . . .

<ESC>WKSATO AMERICA

. . . . . . . . .

the last name transmitted will be used.


5A Page 5-51


Journal Print

Command Structure <ESC>J

Example: See above

Placement: Immediately following <ESC>A


Default: None

To print text in a line by line format on a label. By specifying this command, you automatically select Font XS with a Character

Expansion of 2x2. You also establish a base reference point of H2,V2.

The character pitch is 2 dots and the line gap is 16 dots. Simply issue an ASCII <CR> at the end of each text line.


<ESC>J WITH THE JOURNAL FEATURE

YOU CAN PRINT TEXT WITHOUT

USING ANY FONT COMMANDS

OR POSITION COMMANDS

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

Printer Output

Special Notes 1. Journal mode assumes a maximum label width . Otherwise, you may print where there is no label and damage your print head.

2. It is effective only for the current print job.

Page 5-52 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


Lines and Boxes

Command Structure Line <ESC>FWaabcccc aa = Width of horizontal line in dots (01-99) b = Line orientation

H Horizontal line

V Vertical Line cccc = Length of line in dots (see Note 2 for max length)


Box: <ESC>FWaabbVccccHdddd aa = Width of horizontal side in dots (01-99) bb = Width of vertical side in dots (01-99) cccc = Length of vertical side in dots (see Note 2 for max) dddd = Length of horizontal side in dots (see Note 2 for max)

Example: <ESC>FW02H0200

Placement: Following the necessary positioning commands

Default: None

To print horizontal lines, vertical lines, and boxes as images on the label.


<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0100<ESC>FW20H0200

<ESC>H0320<ESC>V0100<ESC>FW20V0200

<ESC>H0350<ESC>V0100<ESC>FW1010H0200V0200

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z


5A Page 5-53


Printer Output

Special Notes 1. It is recommended that all lines and boxes be specified in the normal print direction.

2. The maximum allowable lengths are as follows.

LINE/BOX LENGTH

Horizontal cccc

Vertical Default cccc

Vertical Expanded cccc

M-8400RVe

0001 to 832

0001 to 1424

0001 to 9999

3. Use the <ESC>E0 Expanded Print Length command for maximum label length.

Page 5-54 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe

Line Feed


Command Structure <ESC>Eaaa aaa = Number of dots (001-999) between the bottom of the characters on one line to the top of the characters on the next line



Example: <ESC>E010

Placement: Preceding the text that will use the line feed function

Default: None

To print multiple lines of the same character size without specifying a new print position for each line. With the Line Feed command, specify the number of dots you want between each line. Then, send an ASCII

<CR> at the end of each line of text. The printer automatically identifies the size of the last character, moves down the number of dots specified, and begins printing the next line.

<ESC>A<ESC>E010<ESC>H0050<ESC>V0050<ESC>L0202<ESC>S

THIS IS THE 1ST LINE<>CR>

THIS IS THE 2ND LINE>CR>

THIS IS THE 3RD LINE>CR>

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

Printer Output

Special Notes

SATO M8400RVe

1. It is effective only for the current data stream.

2. When printing lines or boxes in the same data stream with the

Line Feed command, the Lines and Boxes command should be specified last, preceding <ESC>Q Quantity command.

3. This command is invalid only if the value specified is zero.

4. Following this command with a <CR> character will allow you to print with auto line feed. The print position will be determined from the value specified and the H value set in the printer. If you specify several H values after this command, the print position will be determined by the H value last specified. You must redefine the font to be used after each H command.

PN 900107

5A Page 5-55


Media Size

Command Structure <ESC>A1aaaabbbb aaaa = Label Width in dots (0 to Hmax) bbbb = Label Length in dots (0 to Vmax)

Default: <ESC>A108322136

Command Function To set the size of the media.


Example: <ESC>A108323200

Placement: Separate data stream to the printer.

Printer Output:

Special Notes

<ESC>A

<ESC>A108321424

<ESC>Z

Ther is no printer output resulting from this command. It is used to automatically adjust the offset values for the size of label being used.

The sample command stream specifies a label 832 dots wide by 1424 dots long.

1. The Base Reference point is always the on the right (looking at the front of the printer) side of the print head. This command adjusts the Base Reference Point to correspond with the right edge of the loaded media.

2. If the label size is changed, then this command must be respecified to center the print image on the label.

3. All eight variables (“aaaa” and “bbbb”) must be included in this command.

Maximum

Hmax aaaa

Vmax

Default bbbb

Expanded bbbb

M-8400RVe

0832

1424

9999

Page 5-56 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


Mirror Image

Command Structure <ESC>RM

Example: <ESC>A1<ESC>RM

Placement: After fields to be mirrored



Default: None

To allow mirror image printing of data, such as on transparent labels to be applied to a glass or other transparent surface.

<ESC>A

<ESC>A108321424

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0050<ESC>XL0ABCDEF

<ESC>RM

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

Printer Output

Special Notes

SATO M8400RVe

1. The <ESC>A1 Media Size command must precede this command. The image area specified by the Media Size command will be mirrored. In the example above, The <ESC>A108321424 specifies a label 832 dots wide by 1424 dots long.

2. This command can be used with the <ESC>% Rotate Fixed Base

Reference Point command. Please note that the reference point rotation is dependent upon the location of the <ESC>% command in the data stream

3. This command should not be specified more than once in any single job.

4. This command cannot be used with commands requiring re-editing of the print area, such as Sequential Numbering, Real time clock or Copy Image Area.

PN 900107

5A Page 5-57


5. Any data outside the area specified by the Media Size command is not mirrored and the command is treated as a command error.

Any print job containing the <ESC>RM command and without any print data will be treated as a command error.

Page 5-58 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


Off-Line/Pause

Command Structure <ESC>@,nn . . . n nn...n

= Optional message to be displayed on the LCD.

Maximum of 32 characters.



Printer Output

Special Notes

Example: See above

Placement: Anywhere in the print job between the <ESC>A and

<ESC>Z

Default: None

To specify the printer to come to an off-line state. When used within a print job, the printer goes off-line after finishing the print job.

<ESC>A

<ESC>@, LOAD BLUE LABELS AND PLACE PRINTER ON-LINE

...Job...

<ESC>Z

There is no printer output for this command. The printer is placed in the Off-Line mode as soon as the current print job is finished.

1. You must press the LINE key on the front panel to return the printer to an On-Line status (see Operator Panel in

Section 2:

Installation of this manual).

2. Remember, when using this command, that the print job specifies

<ESC>Q10, all ten labels will print before the printer goes off-line.


75A Page 5-59


Postnet

Command Structure <ESC>BPn...n n...n

Example:

= 5 digits (Postnet-32 format)

6 digits (Postnet-37 format)


11 digits (Postnet-62, Delivery Point format)

<ESC>BP123456789

Placement: Immediately preceding the data to be encoded

Default: None


Printer Input

To print Postnet bar codes

<ESC>A

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0120<ESC>BP94089

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0160<ESC>BP123456

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0200<ESC>BP123456789

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0240<ESC>BP12345678901

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

Printer Output

Special Notes 1. If the number of data digits does not match those listed, the command is ignored.

2. Only numeric data will be accepted.

Page 5-60 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


Print Darkness

Command Structure <ESC>#Ea a = Print Darkness Value

(see note 2 for allowable range)


Example: <ESC>#E2

Placement: Must be placed immediately after <ESC>A and immediately before <ESC>Z in its own separate data stream

Default: 2

To specify a new print darkness settings. This command allows software control of the darkness setting for unique media and ribbon combinations.


Printer Output

Special Notes

<ESC>A

<ESC>#E2

<ESC>Z

There is no printer output for this command.

1. This becomes the new setting in the printer configuration for all subsequent print jobs, unless changed. The setting is stored in non-volatile memory and is not affected by cycling power.

2. The allowable ranges for heat settings are:

Heat Range a

M-8400RVe

3

4

1

2

5

3 The lighest setting is the smallest value and the darkest setting is the largest value.


5A Page 5-61


Print Length, Expanded

Command Structure <ESC>EX0 Sets the print length to maximum

<ESC>AR Resets the maximum print length to 7" (178 mm)

Example: See above

Placement: Must follow the Start Code command and be in it’s own separate data stream.

Default: <ESC>AR (7")

To increase the maximum print length (in feed direction) for a label.



<ESC>EX0

<ESC>Z

<ESC>A

<ESC>H0050<ESC>V0100<ESC>WB1EXPAND TO:

<ESC>H0050<ESC>V2700<ESC>WB149 INCHES

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

<ESC>A

<ESC>AR

<ESC>Z

Printer Output

EXPAND TO:

49"

Page 5-62

49 INCHES

PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe

Special Notes


1. <ESC>EX0 is effective until <ESC>AR is sent to reset the printer to its standard print length, or until the printer is repowered.

2. It may be included in an independent data stream to specify the size of the maximum print area:

LENGTH

<ESC>A

<ESC>EX0

<ESC>Z

<ESC>A

<ESC>AR

<ESC>Z

M-8400RVe

49.2"

1249 mm

9999 dots

7"

178 mm

1424 dots

3. When this command is used with the <ESC>& Store Form

Overlay command the Form length cannot exceed the maximum specified.

7. If a job contains elements out of the memory range, it is ignored.

8. If the Forms Overlay command <ESC>& is used with Expanded

Memory to expand the print area, the Form Overlay length is still limited to the maximum..


5A Page 5-63


Print Position

Command Structure Horizontal Position: <ESC>Haaaa

Vertical Position: <ESC>Vbbbb aaaa = Number of dots horizontally from the base reference point 1 to maximum) See Note 2.

bbbb = Number of dots vertically from the base reference point

(1 to maximum) See Note 2.



Example: <ESC>H0020<ESC>V0150

Placement: Preceding any printed field description of lines/boxes, fonts, bar codes or graphics.

Default: <ESC>H0001

<ESC>V0001

The Horizontal and Vertical commands specify the top left corner of a field or label, using the current base reference point as an origin. They also establish a reference point for subsequent fields until the next horizontal and/or vertical print position command is issued.

<ESC>A

<ESC>H0025<ESC>V0050<ESC>L0303<ESC>MSATO

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0150<ESC>MSATO

<ESC>Q2<ESC>Z

Printer Output

Page 5-64 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe

Special Notes


1. To expand the print length to the maximum limit, the <ESC>EX0

Expanded Print Length command must be used.

Maximum Print Width aaaa

M-8400RVe

832

4.1 in.

104 mm

Default Print Length bbbb

Expanded with <ESC>EX0 bbbb

1424 dots

7.0 in.

178 mm

9999 dots

49.2 in.

1249 mm

(1)

(1) Limited by the number of digits in the command field.

2. If any part of an image is placed past the maximum number of dots, that part of the image will be lost.

3. If any part of an image is placed past maximum allowable dots across the label, that part of the image will be lost.

4. If you attempt to print where there is no paper, you may damage the print head.

5. For these commands, the leading zeroes do not have to be entered. The command V1 is equivalent to V0001.


5A Page 5-65


Print Quantity

Command Structure <ESC>Qaaaaaa aaaaaa = Total number of labels to print (1-999999)

Example: <ESC>Q500

Placement: Just preceding <ESC>Z, unless <ESC>NUL exists, then preceding that. This command must be present in every print job.

Default: None

To specify the total number of labels to print for a given print job.



Printer Output

Special Notes

<ESC>A

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0100<ESC>WB1SATO

<ESC>Q3

<ESC>Z

Three labels containing the data “SATO” wll be printed.

1. To pause during a print job, you must press the LINE key on the

Operator Panel.

2. To cancel a print job, you must turn off the printer, or you may send the <CAN> code if using the Bi-Com mode. Multi-Buffer jobs can be cleared with the <ESC>* Clear Print Job(s) and Memory command.

3. When used with the <ESC>F Sequential Numbering command, the Print Quantity value should be equal to the total number of labels to be printed.

4. If you do not specify a Print Quantity, the printer will not print a label.

5. For this command, leading zeroes do not have to be entered. The command Q1 is equivalent to Q000001.

Page 5-66 PN 90010

75A SATO M8400RVe


9. All commands can be used with this command. However, the following commands may cause improper results if they are included in the middle of the data stream.

<ESC>A

<ESC>Z

<ESC>C

<ESC>O

Start Code

Stop Code

Repeat Lbel

Partial Edit

<ESC>A3 Base Reference Point

<ESC>CS Print Speed

<ESC>#E Print Darkness

<ESC>@ Offline

<ESC>ID Store Job ID

<ESC>&

<ESC>T

<ESC>YS Store Format

<ESC>/N Store Field

<ESC>GI

<ESC>PI

Store Form Overlay

Store Custom Characters

Store Custom Graphics

Store PCX Graphics

<ESC>GT Store BMP Graphic

<ESC>TE Store Bitmapped Font

<ESC>CC Memory Area Select

<ESC>* Clear Print Job/Mem <ESC>BJF Initialize Exp. Memory

<ESC>BT Variable Ratio Bar Codes <ESC>EX Expand Memory Area

<ESC>BW Expanded Bar Codes <ESC>~ Cutter Command


75A Page 5-67


Print Speed

Command Structure <ESC>CSa a = Designates the speed selection (see note 2)

Example: <ESC>CS6



Default: As previously set in the printer configuration

To specify a unique print speed through software for a particular label.

This allows flexibility in finding the best performance and quality for the particular label format, media, and ribbon. All subsequent labels will print at this speed unless the speed is changed with this command or through the Operator Panel.


Printer Output

Special Notes

<ESC>A

<ESC>CS6

<ESC>Z

There is no printer output for this command. It sets the print speed of the printer.

1. This becomes the new setting for all subsequent print jobs, unless changed. The setting is stored in non-volatile memory and is not affected by cycling the power. The allowable speed ranges are:

DSW2-8 = OFF

1 = 2 ips (50 mm/sec)

2 = 4 ips (100 mm/sec)

3 = 6 ips (150 mm/sec)

4 = 8 ips (200 mm/sec)

5 = 10 ips (250 mm/sec)

DSW2-8 ON

2 = 2 ips (50 mm/sec)

3 = 6 ips (75 mm/sec)

4 = 5 ips (150 mm/sec)

5 = 5 ips (125 mm/sec)

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Repeat Label

Command Structure <ESC>C

Example: See above


Default: None



Printer Output

Special Notes

To print duplicate of the last label printed

<ESC>A

<ESC>C

<ESC>Z

A duplicate of the previous label will be printed.

1. This command will have no effect if the power to the printer was cycled off and back on since printing the previous label.


5A Page 5-69


Replace Data (Partial Edit)

Command Structure <ESC>0 (<ESC>zero)

Example: See above

Placement: Must follow <ESC>A and precede all other print data



Default: None

To replace a specified area of the previous label with new data. This command will cause the previous label to print along with any changes specified within the current data stream.

<ESC>A

<ESC>H0025<ESC>V0020<ESC>WB0Company Name


<ESC>H0025<ESC>V0150<ESC>WL0SATO

<ESC>H0025<ESC>V0215<ESC>WL1SATO

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

<ESC>A

<ESC>0<ESC>H0025<ESC>V0020<ESC>WB0SATO

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

Printer Output

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Special Notes


1. Specify the exact same parameters for the image to be replaced as were specified in the original data stream, including rotation, expansion, pitch, etc. This will ensure that the new data will exactly replace the old image. If the replacement data contains fewer characters than the old data, then the characters not replaced will still be printed.

2. This command will not function if the power has been cycled off and back on since the last label was printed.

3. Proportional Pitch text cannot be used with this command.


5A Page 5-71


Reverse Image

Command Structure <ESC>(aaaa,bbbb a = Horizontal length in dots of reverse image area b = Vertical height in dots of reverse image area.

See Note 6 for field ranges


Example: <ESC>(100,50

Placement: This command must be preceded by all other data and be placed just before <ESC>Q

Default: None

To reverse an image area from black to white and vice versa. Use the

Print Position commands (<ESC>H and <ESC>V) to locate the top left corner of the reverse image area.


<ESC>H0050<ESC>V0120<ESC>L0202<ESC>WB1REVERSE

<ESC>H0250<ESC>V0300<ES C>L0202<ESC>WB1HALF

<ESC>H0040<ESC>V0110<ESC>(370,100

<ESC>H0240<ESC>V0290<ESC>(220,47

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

Printer Output

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Special Notes


1. A reverse image area is affected by the rotate commands.

Therefore, always assume the printer is in the normal print orientation when designing and sending the Reverse Image command.

2. If using reverse images with the form overlay, place this command before the Form Overlay command in the data stream.

3. If the height and width to be reversed contain other than alphanumeric data, the area is not printed.

4. If the values specified exceed the maximum ranges, the reverse image is not created.

5. The maximum allowable settings are as follows:

Horizontal aaaa

Vertical Default bbbb

Vertical Expanded bbbb

M-8400RVe

001 to 832

0001 to 1424

0001 to 9999


5A Page 5-73


Rotate, Fixed Base Reference Point

Command Structure <ESC>%a a = 0 Sets print to normal direction

1 Sets print to 90°CCW

2 Sets print to 180° rotated (upside down)

3 Sets print to 270° CCW

Example: <ESC>%3


Placement: Preceding any printed data to be rotated

Default: <ESC>%0

To rotate the print direction in 90° increments without changing the location of the base reference point. The diagram below illustrates the use of the <ESC>% Rotate command. Note that the entire print area is shown, but your label will probably not be as large as the entire area.


<ESC>%0<ESC>L202<ESC>H0200<ESC>V0100<ESC>MNORMAL DIRECTION

<ESC>%1<ESC>H0200<ESC>V0300<ESC>MONE

<ESC>%2<ESC>H0200<ESC>V0400<ESC>MTWO

<ESC>%3<ESC H0200<ESC>V0500<ESC>MTHREE

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

Printer Output

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Special Notes


1. The specified values are valid until another Rotate (<ESC>%) command is received.

2. Receipt of a Stop Print (<ESC>Z) command will reset the setting to the default value.


5A Page 5-75


Sequential Numbering

Command Structure <ESC>Faaaabcccc,dd,ee,g aaaa = Number of times to repeat the same data (0001-9999) b = Plus or minus symbol (+ for increments; - for decrements) cccc = Value of step for sequence (0001-9999)

,dd = Number of digits for sequential numbering (01-99). The first incrementing character position starts after the positions exempted from sequential numbering as specified in ee. If these digits are left out, the default is 8.

,ee = Number of digits free from sequential numbering (00-99) starting with the right most position. If these digits are left out, the default is 0.

,g = Count base

1 Decimal Count

2 Hexadecimal Base

Example: <ESC>F001-001,04,03

Decrementing



004321321

Free from Decrementing

In this example, the right most (least significant) three digits would not decrement and the next four would decrement.

Placement: Preceding the starting value to be incremented or decremented.

Default: None

To allow the ability to print sequential fields (text, bar codes) where all incrementing is done within the printer. Up to eight different sequential fields can be specified per label. Sequencing is effective for up to

99-digit numeric data within each field.

<ESC>A<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0100<ESC>MSERIAL NUMBER:

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0200<ESC>F001+005

<ESC>L0202<ESC>M1000

<ESC>Q2<ESC>Z

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Printer Output


Special Notes

SATO M8400RVe

1. The value specified for Print Quantity should be equal to the number of different sequential values desired multiplied by the number of repeats specified.

Example:

To print 2 sets each of the numbers 1001-1025 on separate labels, we need 50 total labels. The commands would be as follows:

<ESC>A

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0100<ESC>F002+001<ESC>XM1001

<ESC>Q50<ESC>Z

2. It is necessary to specify the print position for each sequential field on a label.

3. Up to eight different sequential fields can be specified per label.

4. This command ignores alpha characters in the sequential number field.

5. This command can not be used with the following commands:

Copy Image

Reverse Image

Line Feed

PN 900107

5A Page 5-77


Start/Stop Label

Command Structure Start Command: <ESC>A

Stop Command: <ESC>Z

Example: See above


Placement: <ESC>A must precede data

<ESC>Z must follow data

Default: None

For all print jobs, the Start command must precede the data, and the

Stop command must follow. The print job will not run properly if these are not in place.


Printer Output

<ESC>A


<ESC>H0130<ESC>V0200<ESC>B103150*MSATO*

<ESC>H0170<ESC>V0360<ESC>L0202<ESC>S*SATO*

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

There is no output for these commands they are not accompanied by other label printing commands. However, these commands must precede and follow each print job sent to the printer.

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5A Page 5-79


CALENDAR OPTION COMMANDS

The following commands in this section are used to control the Optional Calendar

Functions. The Calendar Option must be installed in the printer before they are valid.

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Calendar Increment

Command Structure <ESC>WPabbb a = Y Years

M Months

D Days h Hours

W Week Number bbb= Numeric data: Years (0-9), Months (01-99),

Days (001-999), Hours (000-999), Week (00-99)



Example: <ESC>WPM03

Placement: Anywhere within the data stream

Default: None

To add a value to the printer’s current date and/or time, which may then be printed on the label. This command does not change the printer’s internal clock setting.

<ESC>A

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V100<ESC>XB1Current Date:

<ESC>WAMM/DD/YY

<ESC>WPM06

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0200<ESC>XB1Expiration Date:

<ESC>WAMM/DD/YY

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

Printer Output

Special Notes

SATO M8400RVe

1. Once the year increments past “99” it will wrap back to “00”.

2. This command can only be used once per data stream.

3. The printer’s internal clock may be set through the Calendar Set command.

4. If a print quantity of more than one label per job is used, the same time and date will be on each label of the entire print job.

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5. Calendar Increment Example:

1998 January 15 (ww=03) plus 48 weeks = week 51

6. The Week Calendar specification follows ISO8601. Days of the week are numbered 1 thru 7, beginning with Monday. The first week of the year is the week containing the first Thursday. If

January 1st falls on Friday, it belongs to the last week of the previous year. If December 31st falls on a Wednesday, it belongs to the first week of the following year. If Calendar Increment calculation extends over the year, the result belongs to the week number of the following year.

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Calendar Print

Command Structure <ESC>WA(aa. . . a) a...a

= YYYY 4 digit Year (1981-2080)

YY 2 digit Year (00-91)

MM Month (01-12)

DD Day (01-31)

HH 12 Hour Clock (00-11) hh 24 Hour Clock (00-23) mm Minute (00-59) ss

TT

Seconds (00-59)

AM or PM

JJJ Julian Date (001-366)

WW Week (00-53) ww Week (01-54)

Example: <ESC>WAMM/DD/YY hh:mm

Placement: Anywhere within the data stream

Default: None



To specify the printing of a date and/or time field from the printer’s internal clock. This may be used to date/time stamp your labels.

<ESC>A

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0100<ESC>XB1The current date is:

<ESC>XB1<ESC>WAMM/DD/YY

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0200<ESC>XB1The current time is:

<ESC>XB1<ESC>WAhh:mm

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

Printer Output

Special Notes 1. The date and time elements may be placed in any order for printing.


5A Page 5-83


2. Use a slash (/) to separate date elements and a colon (:) to separate time elements.

3. The font for the date/time elements must be specified before this command.

4. The printer’s internal clock may be set through the Calendar Set command.

5. This command can be used up to six times per job.

6. The Copy (<ESC>WD), Mirror Image (<ESC>RM) or Reverse

Image (<ESC>/)commands cannot be used with this command.

7. Up to 16 characters can be used with this command.

8. Century ranges are:

For Year = YY, any year equal to or greater than 80 and less than or equal to 99, then the century equals 19

For Year specified as YYYY=1999, and printed as <ESC>WAYY, will be equal to 99.

9. The Julian date is the accumulated day from January 1st to the current date. The first day of the year is January 1st (001) and the last day of the year is December 31st (365 or 366 for leap years).

10. The TT command should not be specified for printing in numeric only bar codes.

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Calendar Set

Command Structure <ESC>WTaabbccddee aa = Year (00-99) bb = Month (01-12) cc = Day (01-31) dd = Hour (00-23) ee = Minute (00-59)

Example: <ESC>WT9101311200

Placement: This command must be sent in an independent data stream.

Default: None

To set the time and date of the printer’s internal clock.



Printer Output

<ESC>A

<ESC>WT9312251300

<ESC>Z

There is no printer output for this command. It sets the current date to

December 25, 1993 and the current time to 1:00 PM in the printer.

Special Notes


5A Page 5-85


EXPANDED MEMORY OPTION COMMANDS

These commands require the optional Expanded Memory.

Note: Before Expanded Memory can be used for the first time, it must be initialized using the <ESC>BJF command. If it is not initialized, the printer will not recognize the memory and respond as if no expanded memory was installed.

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Expanded Memory Function

Clear Expanded Memory

Command Structure <ESC>*a,bbb a = Memory card section to be cleared

G To clear SATO graphic files from memory card

P To clear BMP/PCX graphic files

F To clear formats from the memory card

O To clear TrueType bit-mapped fonts

R To clear TrueType raster fonts bbb= Memory Card storage area to be cleared

001 to 999 for Graphics, PCX or Formats

000 to 099 for TrueType fonts

Example: <ESC>*G,01

Placement: This command should be sent to the printer immediately following the <ESC>CC Memory Area

Select command.

Default: None

To clear individual memory areas in the Expanded Memory.



Printer Output

Special Notes

<ESC>A

<ESC>CC1<ESC>*O,09

<ESC>Z


1. To clear everything in the Expanded Memory, use the <ESC>BJF

Expanded Memory Initialize command.

2. This command is ignored if there is no data to be cleared.

3. This command is ignored if Expanded Memory is not installed in the printer.


5A Page 5-87



Fonts, TrueType Recall

Command Structure <ESC>BJRabbccddeeffffgg...g

<ESC>BJTaa,bb,cc,dd,ee,ffff,gg...g a aa bb cc dd ee

=

=

=

=

=

=

Font ID (0 thru 9)

Font ID (00 thru 99)

Horizontal Expansion (01 thru 12)

Vertical Expansion (01 thru 12)

Character Pitch (01 thru 99)

Reserved, always 00 f f f f = Number of characters to be printed using the font gg..g

= Data to be printed

Example: <ESC>BJR1020201000004SATO


Placement: Immediately following the <ESC>CC Slot Select command.

Default: None

This command recalls previously stored bit mapped TrueType fonts from Expanded Memory.

Printer Input <ESC>A<ESC>V0100<ESC>H0100

<ESC>CC1<ESC>BJT01,02,02,01,00,0004,SATO

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

Printer Output

Special Notes 1. TrueType fonts for this command are stored as bit-mapped fonts in specific sizes.

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Fonts, TrueType Store

Command Structure Begin Download <ESC>BJ( aa...abb..b

Download

End Download

<ESC>BJDcccccddddee...e

<ESC>BJ) aa..a

= 40 byte font description bb..b

= 10 byte date information ccccc = Memory offset (hexadecimal) dddd = Number of data bytes to be stored (0001-2000) ee...e

= Font data to be downloaded


Example: <ESC>BJ({50 byte header}

<ESC>BJD{5 byte hex memory offset}{data}

<ESC>BJ)

Placement: Immediately following the <ESC>CC Slot Select command.

Default: None

This command allows bit mapped TrueType fonts to be stored in a

Expanded Memory.

Printer Input

Printer Output

Special Notes

The download data stream is very complex and it is recommended that the TrueType Download utility program be used instead of manually creating the required command and data stream.

There is no printer output as a result of this command. See

<ESC>BJR TrueType Font Recall command.

1. This command requires the Expanded Memory option. See your

SATO representative for details.

2. The SATO TrueType Download utility program can be used to automate the download process from a computer running

Windows 3.1 or above. A copy of this utility program is included as a part of the Expanded Memory Option.

3. TrueType fonts stored with this command are stored as bit-mapped fonts and a specific size.


5A Page 5-89


Expanded MemoryFunction

Format/Field Recall

Command Structure <ESC>YR,aa <ESC>/D,bb,cc...c aa = Format number to be recalled (01-99) bb = Field number to be recalled (01-99) cc..c= Data to be placed in recalled field.


Printer Input

Example: <ESC>YR,01<ESC>/D,01,99

Placement: Immediately after <ESC>CC Memory Area Select command

Default: None

To recall a field from a stored format and place new data in the field.

<ESC>A

<ESC>CC1

<ESC>YR,02<ESC>/D,01,TWO FIELDS OF<ESC>/D,02,VARIABLE DATA

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

Printer Output

Special Notes

Page 5-90



2. Only one format can be recalled at a time. However, multiple fields may be recalled from the same format.

3. The number of data characters contained in the “cc...c” field cannot exceed the value designated in the <ESC>/N Field Store command. If it does, the data will be truncated to fit the field length defined in the Field Store Command.

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5A SATO M8400RVe



Format/Field Store

Command Structure <ESC>YS,aa<ESC>/N,bb,cc{.......} aa = Format number to be stored (01-99) bb = Field number to be stored (01-99) cc = Length of field to be stored (01-99)

{.....}= Command stream describing the field to be stored.

Example: <ESC>YS,01<ESC>/N,01,05

Placement: Immediately after <ESC>CC Memory Area Select command.

Default: None


Printer Input

Printer Output

Special Notes

To store a format field description in the memory card.

<ESC>A

<ESC>CC1

<ESC>YS,02<ESC>/N,01,13<ESC>V0100<ESC>H0100<ESC>XB1

<ESC>/N,02,13<ESC>V0200<ESC>H0200<ESC>XB1

<ESC>Z

There is no printer output as a result of this command. See <ESC>YR

Format/Field Recall command.



2. Each job should be sent individually. If more than one job is sent in a data stream, only the first one will be accepted and the remainder ignored.

3. The following commands cannot be stored in a format:

<ESC>CS Print Speed

<ESC>NULL Cut Label

<ESC>/D Recall Field

<ESC>T Custom Characters

<ESC>@ Off Line

<ESC>C

<ESC>Q

<ESC>EX

<ESC>&

Repeat Label

Print Quantity

Expanded Label Storage

Store Form Overlay

<ESC>#E Print Darkness

<ESC>BJ TrueType Fonts

<ESC>G Store Custom Graphics

<ESC>ID

<ESC>*

Store Job ID

Clear Memory & Buffer

<ESC>BT

<ESC>0

Variable Ratio Bar Codes <ESC>PI

Partial Edit

Store PCX Graphics


5A Page 5-91



Form Overlay Recall

Command Structure <ESC>&R,aa aa = Storage Number (01 to 99)

Example: <ESC>&R,01

Placement: Following The <ESC>CC Memory Area Select

Command

Command Function: To recall the label image from stored in the Expanded Memory.

Input to the Printer <ESC>A

<ESC>CC1

<ESC>&R,01

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

Printer Output

To be added

Special Notes

Page 5-92

1. The Expanded Memory option is required for this command. See your SATO representative for details.

2. The <ESC>CC Memory Area Select Command must be sent prior to this command.

3. Several label images stored under different Storage Numbers can be printed with this command.

4. The Storage number must be specified. A Read/Write error will occur if an unused Storage number is specified by this command.

5. The label image reference point will be V=1 H=1 if the window area has not been specified.

6. The label image can be moved by using the <ESC>V and

<ESC>H commands when it is stored. aong with a window size. If it exceeds the printable area by being moved, the label image will be truncated.

PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe



Form Overlay Store

Command Structure <ESC>&S,aa,bbbb,cccc aa = Store Number (01 to 99) bbbb = Horizontal size of window (50 to H max) cccc = Vertical size of window (50 to V max)

Example: <ESC>&S,01

Placement: Following the <ESC>CC Memory Area Select

Command

Default: None

To store a label image in Expanded Memory Command Function


<ESC>CC1

<ESC>&S,01

<ESC>Z

Printer Output

Special Notes

There is not printer output as a result of this command.

1. The <ESC>CC Memory AreaSelect command must be sent before this command.

2. The label image must be divided from other label images by the

<ESC>A and <ESC>Z bounding commands.

3. The parameters of “bbbb” and “cccc” may be omitted. By specifying them, the label image can be moved by using the

<ESC>V and <ESC>H position commands when recalling the label image. If the repositioned label image exceeds beyond the printable area, the image will be truncated. If an <ESC>A1 Media

Size command has not been sent, the maximum label size image will be stored.

4. A label image cannot be stored in a location that already contains data.

5. Graphics, PCX and BMP files can be stored with this command.

6. As many as 99 Form Overlays can be stored, however their combined storage area cannot exceed the available memory.

7. The forms stored by this command are cleared by the <ESC>*R command.


5A Page 5-93



Graphics Recall, BMP

Command Structure <ESC>GCaaa aaa

Example:

= Storage Number (001 to 999)

<ESC>GC001

Placement:

Default:

After the CC Memory Area Select command.

None

To recall a previously stored BMP file stored in Expanded Memory Command Function


<ESC>CC1<ESC>V100<ESC>H100

<ESC>GC001

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

Printer Output

To be added

Special Notes 1. The <ESC>CC Memory Area Select command must be sent before this command.

2. The printed image can be expanded or rotated.

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Graphics Store, BMP

Command Structure <ESC>GTaaa,bbbbb,nn...n aaa = Storage area number (001 thru 999) bbbbb = Size of BMP file in bytes nn..n

+ Data

Example: <ESC>GT001

Placement: This command must be placed within its own data stream specifying the placement of the graphic.

Default: None


Printer Input

Printer Output

Special Notes

To store a BMP format graphic file in the optional Expanded Memory.

<ESC>A

<ESC>CC1<ESC>GT001, 12345, nn...n

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z


1. This command requires the Expanded Memory Option. See your


2. Data must be sent in binary format.

3. The Memory Area Select Command <ESC>CCa must be sent before this command.

4. The graphic will not be printed correctly if the specified size does not match the actual graphic size.

5. Only black and white non-compressed BMP files can be stored.

Color BMP files will cause an error.

6. If you try to store an image in a memory area that already contains data, an error will occur.


75A Page 5-95



Graphics, Custom Recall

Command Structure <ESC>GRaaa aaa = Graphics storage number (001-999)

Example: <ESC>GR111

Placement: The Recall command is sent in a secondary data stream to print the graphic, and follows any necessary position or size commands.


Default: None

Use the Recall command any time you want to print a graphic image on a label along with other printed data.

Printer Input Non Rotated Graphic

<ESC>A<ESC>CC1

Graphic Rotated 90°

<ESC>A<ESC>CC1<ESC>%1

<ESC>V0100<ESC>H0080<ESC>L0505 <ESC>V0180<ESC>H0250<ESC>L0505

<ESC>GR001

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

<ESC>GR001

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z





<ESC>V0180<ESC>H0500<ESC>L0505 <ESC>V0100<ESC>H0700<ESC>L0505

<ESC>GR001 <ESC>GR001

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z <ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

Printer Output

Special Notes

Page 5-96

1. The graphic image to be stored cannot be rotated before it is stored. It can be rotated when it is recalled.

2. Graphic images cannot be stored as part of a label format.

3. See the <ESC>GI Custom Graphic Store command.

PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe



Graphics, Custom Store

Command Structure <ESC>GIabbbcccddd{data} a = Specifies character format of the data

H Hex data

B Binary data bbb= Number of horizontal 8 x 8 blocks (see Note 7 for range) ccc = Number of vertical 8 x 8 blocks (see Note 7 for range) ddd= Graphics storage number (001-099)

{data}= Hex or binary data to describe the graphic image

Example: See Appendix C for detailed information on creating

Hex and Binary graphic files.


Printer Input

Printer Output

Placement: Immediately following the <ESC>CC Memory Area

Select command.

Default: None

To provide similar functionality to the <ESC>G Custom Graphic command, but allows for the graphic image to be stored in Expanded

Memory. Use the Store command to send the graphic data to the printer, which is held in the optional Expanded Memory, even if printer power is lost.

<ESC>A

<ESC>CC1<ESC>GIH002002001

0100038007C00FE01FF03FF87FFCFFFE

07C007C007C007C007C007C007C007C0

<ESC>Z

Note: See Appendix C for detailed explanation on how to format a graphics data stream.

There is no printer output as a result of this command. See <ESC>GR

Recall Custom Graphics command.

Special Notes 1. You must have the optional Expanded Memory to use this command. Call your SATO representative for details.

2. The maximum storage capacity is 999 graphics, up to the capacity of the memory card used.

3. If a data transmission error occurs, the printer will beep and the

“ERROR” LED will come on. You must then retransmit the image.

4. Each graphic to be stored must be sent in its own data stream.


5A Page 5-97


Example of correct data stream:

<ESC>A

<ESC>GIHaaabbb001(DATA)

<ESC>Z

<ESC>A


<ESC>Z

Example of incorrect data stream:

<ESC>A



<ESC>Z

5. Do not use ASCII <CR> or <LF> characters (carriage return or line feed) as line delimiters within the graphic data or the actual image will not be printed as specified.

6. The graphics storage number (ddd) must be specified with this command.

Horizontal Blocks bbb

Vertical Blocks Default ccc

Vertical Blocks Expanded ccc

M-8400RVe

001 to 104

001 to 191

001 to 999

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5A SATO M8400RVe



Graphics, PCX Recall

Command Structure <ESC>PYaaa aa = Storage area number (001 thru 999)

Example: <ESC>PY001

Placement: This command must be placed within its own data stream specifying the placement of the graphic.


Default: None

To recall for printing a graphic file previously stored in a PCX format in the Memory Card.

Printer Input Normal Rotation

<ESC>A<ESC>CC1

Rotate Base Reference Point


<ESC>V0100<ESC>H0050<ESC>PY001 <ESC>V0330<ESC>H0160<ESC>PY001


2nd Rotation, Base Reference Point


3rd Rotation, Base Reference Point


<ESC>V0330<ESC>H0600<ESC>PY001 <ESC>V0100<ESC>H0800<ESC>PY001


Printer Output

Special Notes 1. This command requires Expanded Memory option. See your


2. See the <ESC>PI Store PCX Graphics command.


5A Page 5-99



Graphics, PCX Store

Command Structure <ESC>PIaaa,bbbbb,{data} aaa = Storage area number (001 thru 999) bbbbb = Size of PCX file in bytes

{data} = Data


Printer Input

Printer Output

Special Notes

Example: <ESC>PI001,32000,{data}

Placement: This command must be placed within its own data stream

Default: None

To store for later printing a PCX graphic file in the Expanded Memory.

BASIC Program to Download a PCX file to Expanded Memory Area

#1, Storage Area #1

OPEN “C:\WIZARD\GRAPHICS\LION.PCX” FOR INPUT AS #2

DA$ = INPUT$(3800,#2)

C$ = CHR$(27)

WIDTH “LPT1:”,255

LPRINT C$;"A";C$;"CC1";

LPRINT C$; “PI001,03800,”;DA$

LPRINT C$;"Z";

CLOSE #2

There is no printer output as a result of this command. See <ESC>PY

PCX Graphics Recall command.

1. This command requires Expanded Memory option. See your


2. Graphics cannot be stored as part of a format.

3. Only black and white PCX files can be stored.

4. The file size specified by this command is the DOS file size in bytes.

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Initialize

Command Structure <ESC>BJFaaaaaaaa aaaaaaa = Eight character alphanumeric user ID

Example: <ESC>BJFsatocard

Placement: Immediately following the <ESC>CC Memory Area

Select command.


Default: None

This clears all of the data from Expanded Memory in the specified memory area and prepares the area to accept data.


Printer Output

Special Notes

<ESC>A

<ESC>CC2<ESC>BJFsatocard

<ESC>Z


1. You must have the optional Expanded Memory to use this command. Call your local SATO representative for information.

2. All Expanded Memory must be initialized before it can be used for the first time.

3. Care should be exercised when using this command as it destroys any data previously written to the card. It will clear all data from the card and assign the new ID (“satocard” in the above example).


5A Page 5-101



Memory Area Select

Command Structure <ESC>CCa a = Memory Area

1 Memory Area 1

2 Memory Area 2


Printer Input

Printer Output

Special Notes

Example: <ESC>CC1

Placement: Immediately following the <ESC>A Start Code.

Default: Last selected Memory Area.

Selects the Memory Area to be used for following Expanded Memory commands.

<ESC>A

<ESC>CC1

{commands}

<ESC>Z



SATO representative for more information.

2. The Memory Areas specified by this command may be reversed using the LCD menu/configuration panel (see Section 3:

Configuration).

3. Unless otherwise modified via the LCD menu/configuration panel,

CC1 selects the PCMCIA Expanded Memory and CC2 selects the internal Expanded Memory.

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Status

Command Structure <ESC>BJS

Example: <ESC>BJS

Placement: After the <ESC>CC Memory Area Select command.

Default: None

Casues the printer to print the status of the selected Memory Area.



<ESC>CC1<ESC>BJS

<ESC>Z

Printer Output

FLASHMEMORY

Slot [ 2 ]

Special Notes

SATO M8400RVe


SATO representative for more information

2. The following information is provided on the status label:

Line 1: Memory size in Kbytes

Line 2: The ID number assigned with the <ESC>BJF command

Line 3: Number of formats stored and bytes used

Line 4: Number of graphics stored and bytes used

Line 5: Number of PCX graphic files and bytes used

Line 6: Number of BMP graphic filesstored and bytes used

Line 7: Number of downloaded fonts stored and bytes used

Line 8: Remaining free memory

Line 9: Max expandable print length

PN 900107

5A Page 5-103


TWO-DIMENSIONAL SYMBOLS

The following commands are used to create the two-dimensional symbologies supported by the printers.

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5A SATO M8400RVe


Two-Dimensional Bar Codes

Data Matrix, Data Format

Command Structure <ESC>BXaabbccddeeefffghh aa = Format ID. 01-06 or 11-16. The values 07 and 17 will not be accepted by the printer.

bb = Error correction level. 00 ,05, 08, 10, 14 or 20 or 200.

All other values will be processed as a 00.

cc = Horizontal cell size. 03 - 12 dots/cell.

dd = Vertical cell size. 03 - 12 dots/cell.

eee= Number of cells in one line. Must use 000 to optimize.

fff = Number of cell lines. Must use 000 to optimize.

g = Mirror Image

0 =

1 =

Normal Print

Reverse Print hh = Guide Cell Thickness. 01-15. 01 indicates normal type.

Example: <ESC>BX03080505000000001



Default: None

To designate the format for a Data Matrix two-dimensional bar code image on a label.

Printer Input

Printer Output

Special Notes

<ESC>A

<ESC>%0<ESC>V0100<ESC>H0100<ESC>BX05051010000000001

<ESC>DCDATA MATRIX DATA MATRIX

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

There is no printer output as a result of this command. See the

<ESC>DC Print Data command for printer output.

1. If any of the parameters entered are outside the valid range, a symbol will not be printed when the <ESC>DC Print Data command is sent to the printer.

2. The number of cells per line (eee) and the number of cell lines (fff) should be specified as all zeroes, allowing the printer to automatically calculate the optimum configuration for the symbol.

3. The Reference Point for the Data Matrix symbol is the upper-left corner.

4. The Format ID specified for “aa” is defined by the following table.

The printer only supports the Format ID’s defined in the table.


5A Page 5-105


ECC

Level

(bb)

00

(ECC000)

05

(ECC050)

08

(ECC080)

10

(ECC100)

01

500

457

402

300

14

(ECC140)

20

(ECC200)

144

02

452

Format ID (aa)

03 04

394 413

05

310

333

293

218

291

256

190

305

268

200

105 91 96

Numeric

Alphanumeric

ISO 8-bit (01

H

- FF

H

)

5. The character set or each Format ID is:

01

02

03

04

05

06

ID

NUMBER

CHARACTER SET

16 Bit CRC

Numeric, Space

Upper Case Alpha, Space

Upper Case Alpha, Space,Comma, Period,

Slash, Minus

Upper Case Alphanumeric, Space

ASCII 7-bit, Full Keyboard (20

H

-7F

H

)

ISO 8-bit, International (20

H

-FF

H

)

228

201

150

06

271

200

176

131

72

3116

2336

1556

83

ENCODING

SCHEME

Base 11

Base 27

Base 41

Base 37

ASCII

8-Bit

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5A SATO M8400RVe



Data Matrix, Print Data

Command Structure <ESC>DCxx...x xx...x

= Data

Example: <ESC>DC00006000

Placement: Immediately following the <ESC>BC Data Format designation command or the <ESC>FX Sequential

Numbering command.

Default: None

To print a Data Matrix two-dimensional bar code image on a label.



<ESC>%0<ESC>V0100<ESC>H0100<ESC>BX05051010000000001

<ESC>DCDATA MATRIX DATA MATRIX

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

Printer Output

Special Notes 1. If an <ESC>BX Data Format designation command contains any parameters out of the valid range, no symbol will be printed when this command is sent.


5A Page 5-107



Data Matrix, Sequential Numbering

Command Structure <ESC>FXaaabcccdddeee aaa= Number of duplicate labels to be printed (001 -999) b = Increment or Decrement

+ Increment

Decrement ccc = Increment/Decrement Steps (001 - 999) ddd= Sequential numbering start position (001 - 999)

Referenced to left side.

eee= Incremented data length measured from start position

(001 - 999)

Placement: Immediately following the <ESC>BX Data Format designation command and preceding the <ESC>DC

Print Data Command.

Default: None


Printer Input

Printer Output

To print sequential numbered Data Matrix symbols.

<ESC>A


<ESC>BX03081010000000001

<ESC>FX002+001005003<ESC>DC000060000

<ESC>Q4<E SC>Z

Label Set #1

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5A SATO M8400RVe

Label Set #2


Special Notes 1. The maximum number of <ESC>FX Sequential Numbering commands that can be used in one job is eight.

2. In the example above four total labels will be printed

(<ESC>FX002+005003<ESC>DC00006000), the sequential numbering will start at position 5 and the three digits “600” will be incremented in steps of 1. A total of two sets of labels will be printed, the first set of two labels with the value “00006000” and the next two label set with the value “00006010”.

1st Label

Label Set #1

00006000

2nd Label 00006000

Label Set #2

3rd Label 00006010

4th Label 00006010

3. The <ESC>Q Label Quantity command must be set for the total number of labels to be printed. In the above example, the value for the <ESC>Q command should be 2 sets x 2 labels/set = 4. If, in the above example, it was set to a value of “1”, only the first label would be printed.


5A Page 5-109



Maxicode

Command Structure <ESC>BVa,b,c,ddddddddd,eee,fff,gggg.....<ESC> a b c

= Position of Maxicode symbol within the set, when used in a structured append format 1~8.

= Total number of Maxicode symbols in the set, when used in a structured format 1~8.

= 2 For Mode 2 Structured Carrier Message

3 for Domestic U.S. UPS shipments

For Mode 3 Structured Carrier Message

4

5

6 for International UPS shipments

Standard symbol

Not currently supported

Reader programming ddd..d

= 9 digit numeric Postal Code eee = 3 digit numeric Country Code f f f = 3 digit numeric Service Class gg..g

= Data, terminated by <ESC>



Example: <ESC>BV1,2,3,123456789,222,333,MESSAGE<ESC>


Default: None

To print a Maxicode two-dimensional bar code image on a label. See

Appendix B for specific information on using each individual bar code symbol.

To print a UPS Maxicode symbol.

<ESC>A<ESC>V0100<ESC>H0100

<ESC>BV1,1,2,123456789,840,001,[)<RS>01<GS>961Z01547089<GS>UPSN

<GS>056872<GS>349<GS>99999999<GS>001/005<GS>029<GS>N<GS>

<GS>LENEXA<GS>KS<RS><EOT>

<ESC>Q001<ESC>Z

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5A SATO M8400RVe


Printer Output

Special Notes 1. <Rs> represents Hex 1E, <Gs> represents Hex 1D, <Eot> represents Hex 04, <ESC> represents Hex 1B and <Sp> represents Hex 20.


5A Page 5-111



PDF417

Command Structure <ESC>BKaabbcddeeffffnn...n,g aa bb c dd

= Minimum module dimension (01-09 dots). Will not print if values of 01, 02 or greater than 10 are specified.

= Minimum module pitch dimension (01-24 dots). Will not print if values of 01, 02, 03 or greater than 25 are specified.

= Security (error detection) Level (1-8).

= Code words per line (01-30). If 00 is specified for both ee dd and ee, the printer automatically optimizes the number of rows per symbol.

= Rows per symbol (00 or 03-40). If 00 is specified for both dd and ee, the printer automatically optimizes the ffff = number of rows per symbol.

Number of characters to be encoded (0001-2700).

nn...n

= Data to be printed.

g = PDF417 type. If not specified, standard PDF417

T

M

Truncated PDF417

Micro PDF417

Example: <ESC>BK0304400000021


Default: None


Printer Input

To print a PDF417 two-dimensional bar code image on a label.


<ESC>BK0607400000021PDF417 PDF417 PDF417

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

Printer Output

Page 5-112 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe

Special Notes


1. When the code words per line and the number of rows per symbol

(“dd” and“ee”) are set to all zeroes, the printer will calculate the optimum configuration.

2. If the product of the values entered for “dd” and “ee” are not equal to or less than the value of “fff” (i.e.,“ffff” is greater that “dd” x “ee”), an error will occur and the symbol will not be printed. It is recommended that these values each be set to “000” and the printer be allowed to automatically calculate the optimum values.

3. The values for “dd” and “ee” need to be made larger if the security level is increased.

4. The maximum data length is 2700 characters, but may be less depending upon:

- the minimum module dimension (“aa”)

- the security level specified by “c”.

- the number of data characters

5. The Reference Point of the PDF417 symbol is the upper-left corner.

6. The <ESC>F Sequential Numbering command cannot be used with this command.

7. The <ESC>E Line Feed command cannot be used with this command.

8. The values 00

H thru 1F

H can be specified as print data.

9. This command can be stored in a format.

10. The print height of the symbol will vary depending upon the data specified; numeric only, alpha only or alphanumeric.

11. Symbol quality may be degraded for Module dimensions less than

“3” and Module Pitch dimensions less than “4”.


5A Page 5-113


QR Code

Command Structure <ESC>2D3m,a,bb,c,d (,ee,f f,gg)

<ESC>DSk,nn.......n

<ESC>DNIIII,xx.......x m = Model

0 Model 2

1 Model 1

2 Micro QR Code a = Error Correction Level

L 7%

M 15%

Q 25%

H 30% bb = Cell Size (01 to 32 dots/cell) d = Connection Mode

0 Normal

1 Connection (parameters ee, ff and gg will be used if the file is split into several blocks as independent symbol) ee = Total Connection Number (01 - 16) f f = Connection number of each symbol encoded as an independent symbol (01 - 16) gg = Connection Mode Parity Data (00

H

- FF

H

) k = Input Data Type

1 Numeric

2 Alphanumeric

3 Kanji (shift JIS Code) nn...n

= Data

Special Notes xx...x

= Data Size. Used in Automatic or Manual mode with binary data (0001 - 2953 bytes)

1. Contact SATO Technical Support for specific usage information.

2. Parameters “c”, “d”, “ee”, “f f” and “gg” are not used for Micro QR

Code.

3. Parameter “xx...x” is limited to 0001 to 0486 bytes for Model 1 and

Micro QR Code.

4. The data command should be used according to the input mode or data type.

5. In Automatic Mode, the data for 80

H interpreted as Kanji, not binary data to 9F

H or E0

H to FF

H will be

Page 5-114 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


6. In Manual Mode, The multiple data fields for numeric, alphanumeric, Kanji and binary can be specified in a job. In this case, the data fields for <ESC>2D30 and each data field must follow the data field. Also, the maximum data size should be less than 7000 bytes and the maximum block number for the data field is 200.

7. If the parameters are not correctly specified, the symbol will not be printed.


5A Page 5-115


CONFIGURATION COMMANDS

These commands are used to change to operating configuration of the printer.

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5A SATO M8400RVe


Custom Protocol Command Codes

Download

Command Structure <ESC>LD,a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,i,j a = Replacement character for STX in ASCII or hex format b = Replacement character for ETX in ASCII or hex format c = Replacement character for ESC in ASCII or hex format d = Replacement character for ENQ in ASCII or hex format e = Replacement character for CAN in ASCII or hex format f = Replacement character for NULL in ASCII or hex format g = Replacement character for Offline in ASCII or hex format h = Auto-Online. Printer powers up in the On Line mode.

0 = Yes

1 = No i = Zero Slash. Places a slash through the “0” character.

0 = Yes

1 = No j = ASCII code for character to be replaced by Eurocharacter

Example: <ESC>LD,{,},%,#,&,*,~,0,0,Õ

Placement: Immediately following the <ESC>A Start command and in an independent data stream.

Default: Standard Protocol command Codes

Allows the user to defines custom Protocol Command codes.


Printer Input

Printer Output

<ESC>A

<ESC>LD,{,},%,#,&,*,~,0,0,Õ

<ESC>Z

A Protocol Command code status label will be printed as a result of the a successful download of a custom set of Protocol Command codes.

STX = 7B ETX = 7D

ENQ = 23 CAN = 26

OFFLINE = 7E

AUTO ONLINE = YES

ZERO SLASH = YES

ESC = 25

NULL = 2A

Press the FEED key to activate the User

Default or power the printer off to ignore them.


5A Page 5-117


Special Notes 1. Commas must be used to separate the parameters. If a parameter is omitted between two commas, the default Non-Standard

Protocol Command codes for that parameter will be used. See

Appendix E.

2. This command must be sent as an independent data stream immediately following the <ESC>A Start code and immediately preceding the <ESC>Z Stop code. No other commands can be included in the data stream.

3. If more or less than nine commas are included in the command, the entire command sequence will be ignored. The command must contain exactly nine commas.

4. If two characters are specified for a parameter, it will be interpreted as a hex value. For example:

Command Parameter

2B

+

Resulting Command Code

+

+

If a combination of characters are outside the hexadecimal range, the entire command sequence will be ignored.

5. Downloading Auto Online and Zero Slash settings will overwrite the values selected using the LCD panel. If these settings are changed using the LCD panel, they will overwrite any previously downloaded settings.

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5A SATO M8400RVe

Pitch Offset


Command Structure <ESC>POabcc a = 0 Cutter

1 Dispense

2 Tear-Off

3 Continuous b = + Positive Offset cc =

Negative Offset

00 to 99, Offset value in dots



Printer Output

Special Notes

Example: See above


Default: Default value set by <ESC>PC command

To set the pitch offset used for a job.

<ESC>A

<ESC>PO3+20

<ESC>Z

Blank label or tag

1. When power is cycled, the value set by this command is lost and replaced by the default value stored in the EEPROM.

2. To change the value stored in the EEPROM, use the <ESC>PC

Printer Setting command or use the Printer Setting Utility program contained on the CDROM shipped with the printer.


5A Page 5-119


Printer Setting

Command Structure <ESC>PCaa,a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,h,i,j,k,l,m,n,o,p,q,r,s,t,u,v,w,x,y,z

<ESC>PCaa,bb aa = Setting to be changed (01 to 26). Only revelant setting can be changed. To change multiple settings, must be set to “F”.

08

08

08

09

09

09

07

08

08

08

04

05

05

05

06

06

03

03

03

03

SETTING

(ASCII)

COMMAND

PARAMETER

01

02 a b c 03

03

03 d e f i g h

1

2

0

1

0

0

5

6

3

4

ASCII

VALUE

0

0

0

1

2

F

1

2

3

D

E

B

C

0

A

DESCRIPTION

Reserved

Reserved

Print Speed, 2 ips (50 mm/s)







Reserved

Cutter Mode, Backfeed after print

Cutter Mode, Backfeed before print

Cutter Mode, no Backfeed

Dispense Mode, Backfeed after print

Dispense Mode, Backfeed before print

Reserved

Print Darkness Range A

Print Darkness Range B

Print Darkness Range C

Print Darkness Range D

Print Darkness Range E

Print Darkness Range F

Print Darkness Level 1



Page 5-120 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400Rve


15

16

17

13

14

14

15

SETTING

(ASCII)

COMMAND

PARAMETER

09

09

10

10 j

10

11

11

12

13 l k m n o p q

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

26 r s t u v w x y z

ASCII

VALUE

4

5

2

0

0

1

1

0

0

DESCRIPTION



Reflective (Eye-Mark) Sensor

Transmissive (Gap) Sensor

Sensors Disabled

Zero Slash disabled

Zero Slash enabled

Reserved

Paper Type, Labels

1

0

1

0

Paper Type, Fan-Fold

Autofeed disabled

Autofeed enabled

Pitch Fixed

1 Pitch Proportional

0000 to 9999 Vertical Label Size (0 to Vmax dots)

000 to Hmax Horizontal Label Size (0 to Hmax dots)

000 to 792

-001 to -792

Vertical Offset (0 to 792 dots)

Vertical Offset (-1 to -792 dots)

000 to 792

-001 to -792

00 to 99

Horizontal Offset (0 to 792 dots)

Horizontal Offset (-1 to -792 dots)

Pitch Offset (0 to 99 dots)

00 to 99

-01 to -99

00 to 99

-01 to -99

00 to 99

-01 to -99

0

0 to 64

0

1

Tear Off Offset (0 to 99 dots)

Tear Off Offset (-1 to -99 dots)

Cut Offset (0 to 99 dots)

Cut Offset (-1 to -99 dots)

DispenseOffset (0 to 99 dots)

Dispense Offset (-1 to -99 dots)

Reserved

Gap Size (0 to 64 dots)

Buzzer Enabled

Buzzer Disabled



Default: None

To set the printer default configuration into EEPROM


5A Page 5-121



Printer Output

Special Notes

<ESC>A

<ESC>PC26,0

<ESC>Z

There is no printer output as a result of this command. This command example enables the buzzer.

1. All command setting values must be in ASCII format.

2. These settings are stored in EEPROM and will remain valid until receipt of another <ESC>PC command.

3. All positions in this command must be separated by a comma. If the parameter. To change multiple settings, the correct number of commas must be placed in the command, i.e. to change the label gap sensor to reflective (eye-mark), the command would be:

<ESC>PC, , , , , , , , ,0, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

4. If only one setting is to be changed, the “aa” parameter must be an “F”.

Page 5-122 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400Rve

Print Mode


Command Structure <ESC>PMa a = 0 Continuous

1 Tear-Off

2 Cut, Backfeed after print

3 Cut, Backfeed before print

4 Cut, no Backfeed

5 Reserved

6 Reserved

7 Dispense, Backfeed after print

8 Dispense, Backfeed before print

Example: See above





Printer Output

Special Notes

To set the print mode for a job.

<ESC>A

<ESC>PM1

<ESC>Z





3. The Print Mode can also be set using DSW3-1, 3-2 and 3-4. The setting priority is determined by the Priority Setting in the LCD

Panel Service Mode.


5A Page 5-123


Print Type

Command Structure <ESC>PHa a = 0 Thermal Transfer printing

1 Direct Thermal Printing

Example: See above


Default: Default value set by <ESC>PC command.

To set the printing method used for a job Command Function


Printer Output

Special Notes

<ESC>A

<ESC>PH1

<ESC>Z





3. The Print Type can also be set using DSW2-1. The setting priority is determined by the Priority Setting in the LCD Panel Service

Mode.

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5A SATO M8400Rve


Sensor Type

Command Structure <ESC>IGa a = 0 Reflective (Eye Mark) sensor

1 See-thru (transmissive) sensor

2 Sensor not used

Example: See above



To select the label sensing method for a job.



Printer Output

Special Notes

<ESC>A

<ESC>IG1

<ESC>Z

There is no printer output as a result of this command




3. The Sensor Type can also be set using DSW3-3 and 2-2. The setting priority is determined by the Priority Setting in the LCD

Panel Service Mode.


5A Page 5-125


Serial Interface Parameters

Command Structure <ESC>I2abcde a = 0 Baud rate, 9600 bps

1 Baud Rate, 19200 bps

2 Baud Rate, 38400 bps

3 Baud Rate, 57600 bps b = 0 8 Data bits

1 7 Data Bits c = 0 No Parity

1 Odd Parity

2 Even Parity d = 0 1 Stop Bit

1 2 Stop Bits e = 0 Single Item Buffer

1 Multi Item Buffer

2 X-On/X-Off Flow Control

3 Bi-Com 4

4 Bi-Com 3

Example: See above



To set the operating parameters of the RS232 Inferface for a job.



Printer Output

Special Notes

<ESC>

<ESC>I230011

<ESC>Z


1. The setting are stored in the EEPROM by this command and they will remain in effect until a new <ESC>I2 command is received.

Cycling power will have no effect on these settings.



3. All command parameters must be present in the data stream sent to the printer.

4. Selecting X-On/X-Off, Bi-Com 3 or Bi-Com 4 will automatically place the printer in the Multi Buffer mode.

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5A SATO M8400Rve


5. The Serial Interface Parameters can also be set using DSW1 on the RS232C Serial Interface Module. The setting priority is determined by the Priority Setting in the LCD Panel Service Mode.


5A Page 5-127



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5A SATO M8400Rve

SECTION 6.

INTERFACE SPECIFICATIONS

INTRODUCTION

The M-8400RVe printer utilize a Plug-In Interface Module for maximum printer configuration flexibility. This section presents the interface specifications for the

M-8400RVe printer. These specifications include detailed information on how to properly interface your printer with your host system.

The following information is presented in this section:

• Interface Types

• Using the Receive Buffer

• IEEE1284 Parallel Interface

• Universal Serial Bus (USB) Interface

• Local Area Network (LAN) Interface

• RS232C Serial Interface

• Bi-Comm Communications Protocol

• Status Response

INTERFACE TYPES

The parallel interface for the M-8400RVe printer is a high speed, bi-directional interface that conforms to the IEEE1284 specification (ECP mode on some computers). The interface is also compatible with the older Centronics parallel interface standard. If it does not detect the correct IEEE1284 signals in the interface connection, it will automatically operate in the standard Centronics mode which is much slower. To use the IEEE1284 parallel interface to its fullest capability requires that the host also have an IEEE1284 compatible interface and that the two be connected with a cable that meets the IEEE1284 specification. If either of these two are not present, the data rate is severely compromised.

In order to provide flexibility in communicating with a variety of host computer systems all “e” printers use a Plug-In Interface Module. The IEEE1284 Interface module is shipped with the printer unless another interface type is specified at the time of the order. The other interfaces available are a high speed (to 57.6K bps) serial interface, an Ethernet interface or an optional Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface.

The Parallel interface will probably be the most useful in communicating with IBM

PCs and compatibles. The RS232C Serial interface allows connectivity to a number of other hosts. The USB interface allows the printer to be connected to a computer that supports peripherals attached to a USB bus. Up to 127 peripherals can be connected to a single USB port.


5A Page 6-1

Section 6: Interface Specifications

WARNING: Never connect or disconnect interface cables (or use a switch box) with power applied to either the host or the printer. This may cause damage to the interface circuitry in the printer/host and is not covered by warranty.

THE RECEIVE BUFFER

The M-8400RVe printers have the ability to receive a data stream from the host in one of two ways. The receive buffer may be configured to accept one print job at a time or multiple print jobs. The single job print buffer is generally used by software programs that wish to maintain control of the job print queue so that it can move a high priority job in front of ones of lesser importance. The multiple job buffer, on the other hand prints all jobs in the order they are received by the printer, and the order of printing cannot be changed.

Single Job Buffer

The printer receives and prints one job at a time. Each job must not exceed 2.95 MB.

Multi Job Buffer

The printer is able to continuously receive print jobs, compiling and printing other jobs at the same time. It acts much like a “print buffer” to maximize the performance of the host and the printer.

When using the RS232C Serial interface, the Multi Job Buffer uses either the

Ready/Busy with DTR (pin 20) or X-On/X-Off flow control protocols. See these sections for more details. With an empty receiving buffer, the status of DTR is “high”

(or an X-On status if using X-On/X-Off), meaning the printer is ready to receive data. When the receive buffer is holding 2.0 MB of data (1 MB from being full), DTR

Page 6-2 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe

Section 6: Interface Specifications will go “low” (or an X-Off is sent) indicating the printer can no longer receive data.

This condition is called “Buffer Near Full.”

0 2.0 MB 2.95 MB

DTR High or

X-On

Buffer Near Full

DTR Low or

X-Off

The receiving buffer will not be able to receive more data again until a “Buffer

Available” condition occurs. This takes place when the receiving buffer has emptied so that only 1 MB bytes of data are being held (2.0 MB bytes from being full). At this time, DTR will go “high” or an X-On is sent to tell the host that it can again receive data.

0 1 MB 2.95 MB

DTR Low or

X-Off

Buffer Available

DTR High or

X-On

All printer error conditions (i.e., label out, ribbon out) will cause the printer to go busy (DTR “low” or X-Off) until the problem is corrected and the printer is placed on-line. The printer will also be busy if taken off-line from the front panel.

IEEE1284 PARALLEL INTERFACE

The parallel interface for the Series “e” printers is a Plug-In Interface Module that can be installed by the user. It conforms to the IEEE1284 specification. It will automatically detect the IEEE1284 signals and operate in the high speed mode. If it does not detect the IEEE1284 signals, it will operate in the standard Centronics mode, which is significantly slower. For this reason, an interface cable and host interface conforming to the IEEE1284 specification must be present to fully utilize the speed

capabilities. This interface also operates bi-directionally and can report the status of the printer back to the host.

ELECTRICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Printer Connector

Cable Connector

AMP 57-40360 (DDK) or equivalent

AMP 57-30360 (DDK) or equivalent


5A Page 6-3


Cable

Signal Level

IEEE1284 Parallel, 10 ft. (3 m) or less

High = +2.4V to +5.0V

Low = 0V to -0.4V

DATA STREAMS

<ESC>A . . Job#1 . . <ESC>Z<ESC>A . . Job#n . . <ESC>Z

IEEE1284 Parallel Interface Pin Assignments

PIN

1

SIGNAL

STROBE

DIRECTION

To Printer

PIN

19

7

8

5

6

2

3

4

13

14

15

9

10

11

12

DATA 1

DATA 2

DATA 3

DATA 4

DATA 5

DATA 6

DATA 7

DATA 8

ACK

BUSY

PTR ERROR

SELECT

AUTOFD

(1)

Not Used

16

17

Logic Gnd

FG

18 +5V (Z=24K ohm)

To Printer

To Printer

To Printer

To Printer

To Printer

To Printer

To Printer

To Printer

To Host

To Host

To Host

To Host

To Host

Frame Ground

To Host

31

32

33

27

28

29

30

23

24

25

26

20

21

22

34

35

36

(1) Signals required for IEEE1284 mode.

SIGNAL

STROBE

Return

DATA 1 Return

DATA 2 Return

DATA 3 Return

DATA 4 Return

DATA 5 Return

DATA 6 Return

DATA 7 Return

DATA 8 Return

ACK Return

BUSY Return

PE Return

INIT

FAULT

Not Used

Not Used

Not Used

SELECTIN

(1)

DIRECTION

Reference

From Host

Reference

Reference

Reference

Reference

Reference

Reference

Reference

Reference

Reference

Reference

Reference

From Host

To Host

Page 6-4 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


RS232C SERIAL INTERFACE

The High Speed Serial Interface is a Plug-In Interface Module that can be installed in the printer by the user.

GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS

Asynchronous ASCII Half-duplex communication

Ready/Busy Hardware Flow Control

Pin 20, DTR Control

Pin 4, RTS Error Condition

X-On/X-Off Software Flow Control

Bi-Directional Communication

Data Transmission Rate 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600 bps

Character Format 1 Start Bit (fixed)

7 or 8 data bits (selectable)

Odd, Even or No Parity (selectable)

1 or 2 Stop bits (selectable)


Connector DB-25S (Female)

Cable

Signal Levels

DB-25P (Male), 50 ft. maximum length. For cable configuration, refer to Cable Requirements appropriate to the RS232C protocol chosen.

High = +5V to +12V

Low = -5V to -12V

PIN ASSIGNMENTS

Pin 13 Pin 1

SATO M8400RVe

Pin 25

Pin 14

PN 900107

5A Page 6-5


RS232C Interface Signals

PIN DIRECTION

1 Reference FG (Frame Ground)

2

3

SIGNAL DEFINITION

To Host

TD (Transmit Data) - Data from the printer to the host computer.

Sends X-On/X-Off characters or status data (Bi-Directional protocols).

To Printer RD (Receive Data) - Data to the printer from the host computer.

4

5

To Host

To Printer

RTS (Request to Send) - Used with Ready/Busy flow control to indicate an error condition. RTS is high and remains high unless the print head is open (in this case, RTS would return to the high state after the print head is closed and the printer is placed back on-line) or an error condition occurs during printing (e.g., ribbon out, label out).

CTS (Clear to Send) - When this line is high, the printer assumes that data is ready to be transmitted. The printer will not receive data when this line is low. If this line is not being used, it should be tied high (to pin 4).

6

7

20

To Printer

DSR (Data Set Ready) - When this line is high, the printer will be ready to receive data. This line must be high before data is transmitted. If this line is not being used, it should be tied high (to pin 20).

Reference SG (Signal Ground)

To Host

DTR (Data Terminal Ready) - This signal applies to Ready/Busy flow control. The printer is ready to receive data when this pin is high. It goes low when the printer is off-line, either manually or due to an error condition, and while printing in the Single Job Buffer mode. It will also go low when the data in the buffer reaches the

Buffer Near Full level.

Cable Requirements

DB9 DB25 HOST INTERCONNECTION DB25 PRINTER

1

2

3

8

7

4

1

3

2

5

4

20

FG

RD

TD

CTS

RTS

DTR

←→

←

→

←

→

→

1

2

3

4

5

6

FG

TD

RD

RTS

CTS

DSR

(Frame Ground)

(Transmit Data)

(Receive Data)

(Request to Send)

(Clear to Send)

(Data Set Ready)

6

5

6

7

DSR*

SG

←

←→

20

7

DTR

SG

(Data Terminal Ready)

`(Signal Ground)

* This connection at the host side of the interface would depend upon the pin that is being used as the Ready/Busy signal by the driving software. Typically, on a PC, it would be either CTS (pin 5) or DSR (pin 6) on a DB-25 connector.

READY/BUSY FLOW CONTROL

Ready/Busy is the hardware flow control method for the serial interface on the Se printers. By raising/lowering the voltage level on Pin 20 of the RS232C port, the printer notifies the host when it is ready to receive data. Pin 4 (RTS) and pin 20

(DTR) are the important signals on the printer for this method of flow control. The

Page 6-6 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe

Section 6: Interface Specifications host must be capable of supporting this flow control method for it to function properly.

X-On/X-Off FLOW CONTROL

X-On/X-Off flow control is used whenever hardware (Ready/Busy) flow control is not available or desirable. Instead of a voltage going high/low at pin 20, control characters representing “Printer Ready” (X-On =11 hexadecimal) or “Printer Busy”

(X-Off = 13 hexadecimal) are transmitted by the printer on pin 2 (Transmit Data) to the host. In order for this method of flow control to function correctly, the host must be capable of supporting it. X-On/X-Off operates in a manner similar to the function of pin 20 (DTR) as previously explained. When the printer is first powered on it sends an X-Off when the “Buffer Near Full” level is reached and a X-On when the data level of the buffer drops below the “Buffer Available” mark. When the printer is taken off-line manually, it transmits an X-Off indicating it cannot accept data. When it is placed back on line manually, it sends an X-On, indicating it is again available for receipt of data. If an error occurs during printing (paper out, ribbon out), the printer sends an X-Off as soon as an error condition is detected. When the error is cleared and the printer is placed back on-line, it transmits an X-On indicating it is again ready to accept data.

Upon power up if no error conditions are present, the printer will continually send

X-On characters at five millisecond intervals until it receives a transmission from the host.

Data Streams

The data streams for X-On/X-Off and Ready/Busy flow control are constructed in the same way as they are for Ready/Busy flow control.

<ESC>A . . Job#1 . . <ESC>Z<ESC>A . . Job#n . . <ESC>Z

Example: <ESC>A . . Job#1 . . <ESC>Z

NOTE: All charactersare in ASCII.

UNIVERSAL SERIAL BUS (USB) INTERFACE

The Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface is a Plug-In Interface Module that can be installed by the user. It requires a driver (shipped with each printer that has the interface installed) that must be loaded on your PC and the PC must be configured to support USB peripherals using Windows 98. Details for loading the USB driver are contained in the USB Interface Manual that is shipped with each printer with a USB

Optional interface installed. Up to 127 devices may be connected to a USB port using powered hubs.


Connector: USB Type B Plug

Cable: 10 ft (3 m) max


5A Page 6-7


Host: Windows 98

USB Port


Power Supply:

Power Consumption:

BUS Power through cable

+5V@80ma

LOCAL AREA NETWORK (LAN) OPTIONAL INTERFACE

A Local Area Network (LAN) interface is a Plug-In Interface Module that can be installed by the user. It requires a driver shipped with each printer that has the interface installed. The driver that must be loaded on your PC and the PC must be configured to run one of the supported network protocols using a 10/100BaseT LAN connection. Details for loading the LAN driver are contained in the LAN Interface

Manual that is shipped with each printer with a LAN Optional interface installed.


Cable: 10/100BaseT Category 5

Connector: RJ-45 Receptical


Power Supply: Powered from printer

BI-DIRECTIONAL COMMUNICATIONS

This is a two-way communications protocol between the host computer and the printer, thus enabling the host to check printer status. When Bi-Com 4 communications is selected, there is no busy signal from the printer. The host must request the complete status from the printer, including ready/busy. The host may request status in two different ways.

ENQUIRE/ACK/NAK

In the Bi-Com 4 mode, the host transmits an ENQ (05 hexadecimal) to the printer and the printer will respond with its status within five milliseconds. If printing, it will respond upon finishing the current label, then resume printing. In order for this protocol to work properly with an RS232C Optional Interface, pin 6 (DTR) and pin 5

(CTS) must be held high by the host. One way to ensure these pins are always in the correct state is to tie pin 20 (DTR) to pin 6 (DSR) and pin 4 (RTS) to pin 5 (CTS) at the printer end of the cable.

Page 6-8 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


Enquire (ENQ)

Upon receipt of an ENQ command, the printer responds with 25 bytes of status information bounded by an STX/ETX pair. The Bi-Com protocol works only in the

Multi Job Buffer mode. The status information is defined as follows:

<STX>{ 2 Byte ID}{1 Status Byte}{6 Byte Label Remaining}{16 Byte Job Name}<ETX>

ID - This is a two byte number identifying the current print job ID. The print job ID is defined using the <ESC>ID Job ID command transmitted with the print job (see Job ID Store in the command listing for more information on how to use this command). The range is from 00 to 99.

Status - A single byte defining the current status of the printer (see the Status

Byte Definition table).

Label Remaining - Six bytes defining the number of labels remaining in the current print job. The range is from 000000 to 999999 labels.

Job Name - 16 bytes of ASCII characters identifying the name assigned to the job by the <ESC>WK Job Name command. If the Job Name is less than

16 characters, the field will be padded with leading zeroes.

If an ENQ is received after the print job specified in the ID bytes has been completed, or there is no data in the buffer, the printer will respond with two “space” characters

(20 hexadecimal) for the ID number, six “zero” characters (30 hexadecimal) in the

Remaining Labels bytes and the 16 byte Job Name.

Cancel (CAN)

If a CAN (18 hexadecimal) command is received , it will stop the print job and clear all data from the receive and print buffers. A delay of five milliseconds or more is required before any new data can be downloaded. The CAN command is effective immediately upon receipt, even if the printer is off-line or in an error condition. The printer will return an ACK (06 hexadecimal) if there is no printer error condition and a NAK (15 hexadecimal) if an error condition exists.

Print Job

Upon receipt of a valid print job (<ESC>A . . . <ESC>Z), an ACK (06 hexadecimal) will be returned by the printer if there are no errors and a NAK (16 hexadecimal) if a printer error exists.

Print Stop (DLE)

If a DLE (10 hexadecimal) is received by the printer, the print process is stopped and an ACK (06 hexadecimal) is returned if there are no errors and a NAK (16 hexadecimal) if a printer error exists.

Print Start (DC1)

If the printer has been stopped by receipt of a DLE (10 hexadecimal) command, it can be restarted by sending a DC1 (hexadecimal 11) command. Upon receipt of this


5A Page 6-9

Section 6: Interface Specifications command an ACK (06 hexadecimal) is returned if there are no errors and a NAK (16 hexadecimal) if a printer error exists.

(1) To provide compatibility with older SATO printers, the RS232C interface can be configured to use an earlier Bi-Com 3 ENQ/ACK/NAK protocol selected via DSW2-8 and DSW1-7/8 (on the RS232 Interface module).The earlier protocol did not have provisions for the Job Name and did not respond to the DLE or DCI commands.

Also, there are additional Response Codes in the Status Byte Definition. It is recommended that you use the current protocol rather than the earlier version unless it is necessary for compatibility with existing software.

Page 6-10 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


Status Byte Definition, Bi-Com Protocol

ASCII HEX DEFINITION

0

1

2

4

3

(1)

A

B

C

D

E

(1)

G

H

I

J

K

(1)

M

N

O

P

Q

(1)

S

T

U

V

(1)

W

(1)

OFF-LINE

30 No Errors

31 Ribbon Near End

32 Buffer Near Full

33 Ribbon Near End and Buffer Near Full

34 Print Stop (no error)

ON-LINE, WAITING FOR DATA

41 No Errors

42 Ribbon Near End

43 Buffer Near Full


45 Print Stop (without error)

ON-LINE, PRINTING

47 No Errors

48 Ribbon Near End

49 Buffer Near Full

4A Ribbon Near End and Buffer Near Full

4B Print Stop (without error)

ON-LINE, WAITING TO DISPENSE A LABEL

4D No Errors

4E Ribbon Near End

4F Buffer Near Full


51 Print Stop (without error)

53

54

55

56

56

ON-LINE, COMPILING PRINT JOB

No Errors

Ribbon Near End

Buffer Near Full

Ribbon Near End and Buffer Near Full

Print Stop (without error) b e f c d

OFF-LINE, ERROR CONDITION

62 Head Open

63

64

65

66

Paper End

Ribbon End

Media Error

Sensor Error g j

67

6A

Head Error

Cutter Error k 6B Other Error Condition

(1) Not supported by legacy Bi-Com protocols


5A Page 6-11


STATUS RESPONSE

The second method of determining printer status is to interrograte the printer with specific commands. The response from these commands will provide specific information about the printer status depending upon the command. This allows the controlling application to determine the status of a printer when it is located in a remote location.

Printer Status (SOH + MG)

Upon Receipt of an SOH (hexadecimal 01) followed immediately by an ASCII MG causes the printer to return a 30 byte Printer Status Word bounded by an STX-ETX pair that reports the current operating status of the printer.

BYTE

NUMBER

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

00

01

02

03

04

00

01

02

00

01

00

41

42

43

00

01

02

03

04

00

01

02

HEX

VALUE

00

01

00

01

00

01

02

03

04

05

06

DESCRIPTION

Thermal Transfer Print Type

Direct Thermal Print Type

203 dpi Resolution

305 dpi Resoution

2 ips Print Speed

3 ips Print Speed

4 ips Print Speed

5 ips Print Speed

6 ips Print Speed

7 ips Print Speed

8 ips Print Speed

Continuous Print Mode

Tear-Off Print Mode

Cutter Print Mode

Label Dispense Print mode

Reserved

Cut at head position

Cut at cutter position

No backfeed after cut

Dispense at head position

Dispense at dispense position

Reserved

Not Supported

Not Supported

Not Supported C

Print Density Level 1





Reflective (Eye-Mark) Sensor

Gap (See-Thru) Sensor

No Sensor

Page 6-12 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


BYTE

NUMBER

11

12

13

14

15

16-17

18-19

20-21

HEX

VALUE

00

01

00

00

01

00

01

00

01

Zero Slash Disabled

Zero Slash Enabled

Reserved

Label Media

Tag Media

Online Feed Disabled

Online Feed Enabled

DESCRIPTION

Fixed Pitch

Proportional Pitch

Not Supported 00 to C80

00 to 12C0

00 to 340

00 to 4E0

Not Supported

00 to 3E7

FFFF to FC19

Vertical Base Reference Point Offset in dots (0 to 792)

Vertical Base Reference Point Offset in dots (-1 to -792)

22-23

24

25

26

00 to 320

00 to FCE0

00 to 63

FF to 9D

00 to 63

FF to 9D

00 to 63

FF to 9D

Horizontal Base Reference Point Offset in dots (0 to 800)

Horizontal Base Reference Point Offset in dots (-1 to -800)

Paper Pitch Offset in dots (0 to 99)

Paper Pitch Offset in dots (-1 to -99)

Tear-Off Offset in dots (0 to 99)

Tear-Off Offset in dots -1 to -99)

Cut Offset in dots (0 to 99)

Cut Offset in dots (-1 to -99)

27

28

29

30

00 to 63

FF to 9D

00

01

08 to 40

00

01

Dispense Offset in dots (0 to 99)

Dispense Offset in dots (-1 to -99)

Compatibility Mode Enabled

Compatibility Mode Disabled

Label Gap Size in dots (8 to 64 dots)

Buzzer Enabled

Buzzer Disabled


5A Page 6-13


Counter Status (SOH + ME)

Upon Receipt of an SOH (hexadecimal 01) followed immediately by an ASCII ME causes the printer to return a 28 byte Head Counter Status Word bounded by an

STX-ETX pair that reports the current status of the printer life counters.

BYTE

NUMBER

1-8

9-12

13-16

17-20

21-24

25-28

VALUE

Hex

Hex

Hex

Hex

Hex

Hex

DESCRIPTION

Current Life Counter in dots

1st (Current) Head Counter in dots

2nd (Previous) Head Counter in dots

3rd Head Counter in dots

Current Cut Counter in dots

Current Dispense Counter in dots

Sensor Status (SOH + SG)

Upon Receipt of an SOH (hexadecimal 01) followed immediately by an ASCII SG causes the printer to return a 4 byte Sensor Status Word bounded by an STX-ETX pair that reports the values of the printer counters.

BYTE

NUMBER

1

2

3

4

VALUE

Hex

Hex

00

H

01

H

00

H

01

H

DESCRIPTION

Reflective Sensor Level

Transmissive Sensor Level

Out of Paper

Paper Present

Head Open

Head Closed

Page 6-14 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


Head Status (SOH + HC)

Upon Receipt of an SOH (hexadecimal 01) followed immediately by an ASCII HC causes the printer to return a 1 byte Head Fault Status Word bounded by an

STX-ETX pair that reports the current operating status of the print head. Before the printer will respond to this command, it must be in the Head Check Mode (DSW2-3 =

On).

BYTE

NUMBER

1

HEX

VALUE

00

01

DESCRIPTION

Print Head OK

Electrical Fault in Print Head

System Version Information

Upon Receipt of an SOH (hexadecimal 01) followed immediately by a ASCII SB causes the printer to return a 50 byte Printer Status Word bounded by an STX-ETX pair that reports the system version of the printer.

BYTE

NUMBER

1-50

VALUE

ASCII

DESCRIPTION

Firmware Version Information

Memory Status

Upon Receipt of an SOH (hexadecimal 01) followed immediately by an ASCII EB causes the printer to return a 24 byte Memory Status Word bounded by an STX-ETX pair that reports the current user memory allocation.

BYTE

NUMBER

1-4

5-8

9-12

13-16

17-20

21-24

VALUE

Hex

Hex

Hex

Hex

Hex

Hex

DESCRIPTION

Free Font Memory

Total Font Memory

Free Form Overlay Memory

Total Form Overlay Memory

Free Graphic Memory

Total Graphic Memory


5A Page 6-15


Form Overlay Status (SOH + FO)

Upon Receipt of an SOH (hexadecimal 01) followed immediately by an ASCII FO causes the printer to return a 18 byte Form Overlay Status Word bounded by an

STX-ETX pair that reports the Forms downloaded into the printer.

BYTE

NUMBER

1-2

3-18

VALUE DESCRIPTION

01 to 99 Form Registration Number (ASCII value)

ASCII Form Name

Page 6-16

Font Configuration (SOH + FG)

Upon Receipt of an SOH (hexadecimal 01) followed immediately by an ASCII FG causes the printer to return a 102 byte Font/Graphics Status Word bounded by an

STX-ETX pair that reports information on the stored font or graphic.

Note: The printer must be in the Font/Graphic Download (See Section 3:

Configuration) mode before a response will be received.

5-36

37-48

49-52

53-54

54-60

57-60

58-64

65-68

69-72

73-74

75

76

77

78

79-80

BYTE

NUMBER

1-2

VALUE

3-4

DESCRIPTION

ASCII Font ID Number

00

H

01

H

Font

Graphic

ASCII Font Name

ASCII Font Style

ASCII Font Point Size

Hex

Hex

Hex

Hex

Hex

Hex

Hex

Hex

Character Width in dots

Character Height in dots

Font Size

Font Registration Number

Font Data Top Address

Total Size

Vertical/Horizontal Writing Flag

Character Pitch, Fixed/Variable

Family Attribute Hex

Hex

Hex

Hex

Character Set

Italic Attribute

Weight Attribute

PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


81-82

83-84

85-86

86-87

88-95

96-98

99-100

101-102

Hex

Hex

Hex

Hex

Hex

Hex

Hex

Hex

Spread

Assent in dots

Registration Start Code

Registration End Code

Reserved

Code

Horizontal Valid Size

Left Gap Size

Interface Status

Upon Receipt of an SOH (hexadecimal 01) followed immediately by an ASCII IG causes the printer to return a 1 byte Interface Status Word bounded by an STX-ETX pair that reports the type of interface connection currently set in the printer.

BYTE

NUMBER

VALUE

1

2

3

0

1

IEEE 1284 Parallel

Serial RS232

Local Area Network

Universal Serial Bus

DESCRIPTION

Serial Interface Settings

Upon Receipt of an SOH (hexadecimal 01) followed immediately by an ASCII H2 causes the printer to return a 5 byte Serial IF Status Word bounded by an STX-ETX pair that reports the current operating parameters of the Serial RS232 Interface.

BYTE

NUMBER

VALUE

1

2

3

4

0

1

3

0

1

2

3

0

1

4

2

3

0

1

DESCRIPTION

9600 BPS

19200 BPS

38400 BPS

57600 BPS

No Parity

Odd Parity

Even Parity

1 Stop Bit

2 Stop Bits

Single Item Buffer with Ready/Busy Flow Control

Multi-Item Buffer with Ready/Busy Flow Control

X-ON/X-OFF Flow Control

Status 4 Bi-Comm

Status 3 Bi-Comm


5A Page 6-17


EXT CONNECTOR

The EXT connector on the rear panel of the M-8400RVe printer is intended for use with the external printer accessories such as label rewinders or applicators. The

14-pin Centronics type connector provides a choice of four different output signals along with various error conditions.

PIN ASSIGNMENTS

PIN

13

10

4

7

5

6

9

11

12

14

1

3

2

8

DIRECTION

To Host

To Host

To Host

To Printer

To Printer

To Host

To Host

To Host

Reference

To Printer

To Host

To Host

SIGNAL DESCRIPTION

Vcc - +5V

Ribbon Near End - This pin goes high when the amount of ribbon on the unwind shaft is approximately 46 feet (14 m). The output will be low when the ribon is completely out.

Error - This pin goes low when the printer detects an error condition such as head open or receiving buffer full.

Reprint - A duplicate of the last label in a print job will be reprinted when this signal is received.

Print Start - The printer will print one label when this pin is pulled to ground. This signal must be enabled by placing switch DSW3-5 on the Control Panel in the OFF position.

End Print - It is used to drive an applicator or other external device requiring synchronization with the print cycle. You may choose between four types of output signals using control panel

DSW3-6 and DSW3-7 selections.See timing charts on next page.

Label Out - This pin goes low (0V) when a label out error exists.

Ribbon Out - This pin goes low (0V) when the ribbon is out.

Signal Ground

Reserved

Off Line - This pin goes low (0V) when the printer if Off Line.

Reserved

+24V +/- 10% @2A - Power for external devices.

Frame Ground

NOTE: The signals on pins 1, 3, 4, 6, 9 and 10 each have an open collector output. These pins normally measure

+.07V maximum when a true condition exists. If a false condition occurs, the voltage will drop to 0V. To achieve a signal level of +5V, you must add a 330 ohm, 1/4W pull-up resistor between the open collector output pin and Vcc (pin

13) as illustrated . This will provide a signal level of +5V for a true condition and 0V when a false condition exists. The maximum voltage that can be applied to these pins is +50V and the maximum current they can sink is 500 milliamps.

Page 6-18 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


Vcc= +5V

Pin 13

Pin 1, 3, 4, 6, 9 or 10

330 ohm, 1/4W

Signal Out

STANDARD OPERATION

Print Start

Input

Print Repeat

Input

Print End

Type 1

+5V

0V

+5V

0V

+5V

0V

Print End

Type 2

+5V

0V

Start of Print Cycle End of Print Cycle

20 milliseconds

Print End

Type 3

Print End

Type 4

+5V

0V

+5V

0V


5A Page 6-19


REPEAT PRINT

Print Start

Input

Print Repeat

Input

Print End

Type 1

+5V

0V

+5V

0V

+5V

0V

Print End

Type 2

+5V

0V

Start of Print Cycle End of Print Cycle

20 milliseconds

Print End

Type 3

Print End

Type 4

+5V

0V

+5V

0V

ERROR SIGNALS

Print Motion

Paper End

Ribbon End

Machine Error

Print End

Type 1

+5V

0V

+5V

0V

+5V

0V

Moving

Stopped

Paper or Ribbon End

Head

Open

Paper/Ribbon

Replinished

Head

Closed

+5V

0V

Print End

Type 2

+5V

0V

Print End

Type 3

Print End

Type 4

+5V

0V

+5V

0V

Page 6-20 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe

SECTION 7.

TROUBLESHOOTING

This section has been devised to help you if you are unable to produce output on the

“e” Series printers. Use this section to make sure the basics have been checked before deciding you are unable to proceed any further. The section is divided into three parts:

• Initial Checklist

• IEEE1284 Parallel Interface

• RS232C Serial Interface

• Universal Serial Bus Interface

• LAN Ethernet Interface

INITIAL CHECKLIST

1. Is the printer powered up and ON-LINE?

2. Is the ERROR light on the front panel off? Is this light is on, it may mean the Print Head Assembly or the Label Hold-Down is not closed and latched in position..

3. Are the LABEL and RIBBON lights on the front panel off? If these lights are on, the labels or ribbons may be incorrectly loaded.

USING THE IEEE1284 PARALLEL INTERFACE

1. Is the IEEE1284 printer cable connected securely to your parallel port

(DB-25S Female) on the PC and to the Parallel Interface connector on the printer?

WARNING: Never connect or disconnect interface cables (or use a switch box) with power applied to either the printer or the host. This may cause damage to the interface circuitry and is not covered by warranty.

2. Does the Parallel interface cable used meet IEEE1284 specifications? If it does not and you are connected to an IEEE1284 or ECP parallel port on the computer, the printer may not be able to communicate correctly.

3. Is there more than one parallel interface port on your PC (LPT1, LPT2, etc.)? If so, make sure you are sending data out the correct port.

4. Is the IEEE1284 Interface Module installed in the printer? The M-8400RVe requires the new IEEE1284 Parallel Interface (PN WCL40470) to take


5A Page 7-1

Section 7: Troubleshooting

Page 7-2 advantage of the faster data transmission speeds. The older Parallel

Interface Modules will work, but at a reduced capability.

5. When you send the print job to the printer, and it does not respond, do you get an error message on your PC that says “Device Fault” or something similar?

This may mean that the computer doesn’t know the printer is there. Verify that: a. Both ends of the cable are securely inserted into their respective connectors.

b. The printer is ONLINE.

c. The cable is not defective. There are other things that can cause this error message on your computer, but at this stage, a defective cable may be one of the reasons.

5. When you send the print job to the printer and it does not respond, and there is no error message on the PC: a. Check your data stream for some of the basics. Is your job framed as follows?

<ESC>A—DATA—<ESC>Z b. Verify that you’ve included all required parameters in the data stream.

c. Verify the following:

• You have not typed a “0” (zero) for an “O” (letter) or vice-versa.

• You have not missed any <ESC> characters where they’re needed.

• Make sure all printer command codes are capital letters.

6. If you’ve checked all of the above and the printer still isn’t printing, you may want to try a Buffer Hex Dump to determine what (if anything) the printer is receiving from your computer. See Printing Hex Dump Labels in

Section 3: Configuration.

The Parallel port is now listening for incoming data. Send your print job.

The printer will now print (only once) a Hexadecimal (Hex) Dump of everything it received from the host computer. Each 2-digit hexadecimal character represents a character the printer received. It may be tedious, but now you can analyze and troubleshoot the data stream.

7. While checking the Hex Dump printout, if you notice 0D

H

0A

H

(Carriage

Return and Line Feed) characters throughout. The command string should be continuous and no CR or LF characters are allowed between the Start

Command (<ESC>A) and the Stop Command (<ESC>Z). If you are using BASIC, it may be adding these characters automatically as the line

PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe

Section 7: Troubleshooting wraps. Adding a “width” statement to your program can help to suppress these extra 0D

H

0A

H characters by expanding the line length up to 255 characters. See the beginning of Section 5: Programming Reference for details on writing a program in BASIC.

If you’re not programming in BASIC, check to see if you have an equivalent statement in the language you’re using to suppress extra carriage returns and line feeds from your data being sent out to the printer. We want the data stream to be one complete line going to the printer.

USING THE RS232C SERIAL INTERFACE

1. Is the RS232C Serial cable connected securely to your serial port on the PC

(DB- 25S or DB-9S Male) and to the RS232C connector on the printer?

WARNING: Never connect or disconnect interface cables (or use a switch box) with power applied to either the printer or the host. This may cause damage

to the interface circuitry and is not covered by warranty.

2. Is the cable defective? At the very least, you should be using a “Null

Modem Cable,” which crosses pins in a specific manner. This should enable your printer to print. But we recommend that you eventually use a cable built to specifications as described in Section 6: Interface

Specifications.

3. Is the RS232 Interface Module installed in the printer? The M-8400RVe requires the new Hi Speed Serial Interface (PN WCL40451)to take advantage of the faster data transmission speeds. The older Serial

Interface Modules will work, but at a reduced capability.

4. Check for obvious errors in the data stream. Is the data properly framed with the <ESC>A and <ESC>Z commands? See Section 5: Programming

Reference if necessary.

5. If after sending your job to the printer, it only “beeps” and displays an error message on the LCD display, you may have a configuration problem.

There may be some inconsistencies with the Baud Rate, Parity, Data Bits, or Stop Bits in relation to your host computer. If you are confused as to what the printer’s current RS232 settings are, print a Configuration Test label(see Section 3). It will list all of the current printer configuration settings.

6. If you still are unable to get printer output, try the Hex Dump as described in Step 5 under the Parallel Interface troubleshooting. In this case, the printer monitors the RS232C interface for incoming data.

7. From the Hex Dump, if you are seeing extra 0D

H

0A

H

(CR and LF) characters, and are using BASIC, refer to the beginning of the Command

Code section. It provides hints for writing a SATO program in BASIC.


5A Page 7-3


USING THE UNIVERSAL SERIAL BUS (USB) INTERFACE

If nothing prints when doing a test print you will need to verify that the device drivers have been successfully installed by doing the following:

1. Click on Start, then Settings and then Control Panel.

2. Within the new Window you should have an Icon listed as System. Double

Click on this.

3. Click on the Device Manager tab.

4. Make sure that the View Device by type is checked. Scroll down until you get to SATO-USB device.

5. Verify that it does not have any errors next to it. If it shows an error, remove the device and then reinstall it.

6. Reboot the PC and the Printer.

7. Consult the Windows 98 Troubleshooting guide or contact technical support for further assistance.

USING THE LAN ETHERNET INTERFACE

Printer Does Not Come Up Ready

If you cannot print to the print server after you install it, check the following:

1. Make sure that the printer is powered on, that all cables are securely plugged in, and that the printer is on-line.

2. If possible, connect a terminal to the serial port. If you see the boot prompt, the print server firmware has not been loaded properly. If reloading does not fix the problem, try setting switch 1 to ON (factory defaults) and powering the print server off and then on again; if the problem persists, the product may be defective.

Installation Problems (Printer Comes up Ready but You Cannot Print)

If the printer starts up OK but you cannot print, the problem could one of the following:

• There is a problem with the interface between the print server and the printer

• There is a problem with the network connection or cabling.

• There is a queue setup problem, a print server setup problem, or other protocol-related problem.

Checking the Interface between the Print Server and the Printer

Page 7-4 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


First make sure that the cable between the print server and the printer is securely plugged in at both sides. Then:

1. Wait about two minutes after the printer is powered on and then run a printer self-test (see Secton 3:Configuration for information on how to run the self-test).

• If the self-test does not print, then there is possibly a hardware problem.

Double check the connections.

• In some rare instances, disabling NBUF with the command SET PORT P1

NBUF DISABLED will solve port compatibility issues.

Checking the Network Connection and Cabling

If the self-test page prints but you cannot print documents, first check the network connection and cabling.

1. If you are connecting to a 10baseT network, verify that the OK LED is on.

If the appropriate LEDs are not on, there is probably a bad 10BaseT or

100BaseTX cable or the hub port is bad. If possible, try a different cable and hub port, or try connecting a different device (such as a PC) to the cable.

2. If you are using a repeater or hub, make sure that SQE (heartbeat) is turned off at the hub (this is the default setting for most hubs). Also, if you have a hub or multiport repeater, verify that the hub or repeater port is good by trying the print server on a different port.

3. If you have a bridge or router located between the print server and the host computer, make sure that the device is set up to allow the print server to send and receive data from the host. For example, a bridge can be set up to only allow certain types of Ethernet addresses to pass through (a process known as filtering); therefore, such a bridge must be configured to allow print server addresses. Likewise, a router can be set up to pass only certain protocols, so be sure that the desired protocol can be passed through to the print server. In the case of routers, also make sure that the protocol is routable (LAT, NetBEUI, and DLC/LLC are not routable).

4. Make sure that you are not trying to perform an illegal operation, such as attempting to print a label larger than the printer can handle.

5. Check the individual protocol troubleshooting sections in provided with the Ethernet Interface Module for additional causes of intermittent printer problems.

Intermittent Problems

If the print server and the printer start up OK, but you intermittently have problems printing, check the following:

1. Excessive NetWare polling can be a big cause of intermittent problems.

Make sure that you have only enabled the NetWare file servers that you


5A Page 7-5

Section 7: Troubleshooting need for printing (do a SHOW NETWARE command from the print server console to see the enabled file servers). If you have V3.21 or earlier firmware, make sure that NetWare polling is disabled by using the console command SET NETWARE RANGE 0. If you are not using NetWare, you can disable NetWare entirely with the command SET NETWARE

DISABLED.

2. Check the individual protocol troubleshooting sections provided with the

Ethernet Plug-In Interface Module for additional causes of intermittent printer problems.

Page 7-6 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


ERROR SIGNALS

The LCD Display, Front Panel LED Indicators and Buzzer provide a visual/audio indication of the type of error encountered.

LED

Error On

Error On

Error On

Error On

Error Blinks

LCD

MESSAGE

Machine Error

EEPROM Error

Head Error

Sensor Error

Card R/W Error

AUDIBLE

BEEP

1 Long

1 Long

1 Long

3 Short

ERROR CONDITION

Machine Error

EEPROM Read/Write

Head

Sensor

1 Long Memory Card Read/Write

Error Blinks Card Low Battery 1 Long Memory Card Battery Low

Error Blinks

Error Blinks

Error On

Line Blinks

Error On

Line Blinks

Head Open

Cutter Error

Parity Error

Overrun Error

3 Short

3 Short

3 Short

3 Short

Head Open

Cutter

RS232 Parity Error

RS232 Overrun Error

Error On

Line Blinks

Error On

Line Blinks

Framing Error

Buffer Over

3 Short

3 Short

RS232 Framing Error

Buffer Overflow

Error Blinks

Label On

Paper End 3 Short Label End

Error Blinks

Ribbon On

Error Blinks

Label Blinks

Ribbon Blinks

Line Blinks

Ribbon End

Media Error

3 Short

3 Short

None

None

Ribbon End

Media Error

Ribbon Near End

Buffer Near Full

TO CLEAR

Cycle power on/off

Cycle power on/off

Cycle power on/off

Cycle power on/off

Cycle power on/off

Cycle power on/off

Close head lever

Cycle Power On/Off

Cycle power on/off

Cycle power on/off

Cycle power on/off

Cycle power on/off

Open/close Head Lever

Open/close Label

Hold-down


Open/close Label

Hold-down


Replace ribbon with full roll

Slow down transmission rate


5A Page 7-7



Page 7-8 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe

APPENDIX A.

COMMAND CODE QUICK REFERENCE

INSTRUCTION DESCRIPTION

A Start Code. Begins all print jobs.

A1aaaabbbb Media Size. Specifies the label size.

aaaa = Label Width in dots (0 to Vmax) bbbb = Label Length in dots (0 to Hmax)

A(space)Z

AR

A3H-aaaa

-Vbbbb

Form Feed. Feeds a blank tag or label.

Normal Print Length. This command resets the printer to the

Standard print length (7 inches).

Base Reference Point. Establishes a new base reference point position in dots for the current label. Units of measurement are dots.

- = Optional character. If included, will shift reference point in negative direction.

aaaa = Horizontal Print Offset bbbb = Vertical Print Offset

M-8400RVe

+/- 832

0001 to 1424

Babbcccd Bar Codes. Prints a 1:3 ratio bar code.

a= 0 Codabar

1 Code 39

2 Interleaved 2 of 5 (I 2/5)

3 UPC-A/EAN-13

4 EAN-8

5 Industrial 2 of 5

6 Matrix 2 of 5

7 reserved

8 reserved

9 reserved

A MSI

B reserved

C Code 93

D reserved

E UPC-E

F Bookland

G Code 128

I UCC 128 bb = Number of dots (01-12) for narrow bar and narrow space ccc = Bar height in dots (001-600) d = UCC 128 only

0 No human readable text

1 Human readable at top

2 Human readable at bottom

PAGE

5-78

5-56

5-43

5-62

5-19

5-11


5A Page A-1

Appendix A: Quick Command Reference


BDabbcccd Bar Codes. Prints a 2:5 ratio bar code, except for UPC, EAN, Code

93, Code 128 and UCC128 symbols, which are fixed width bar codes.

For values a, bb, ccc and d see instructions for Babbcccd.

For UPC/EAN bar codes, this command puts descender bars and humand readable text below the symbol.

BKaabbcdd eeefffnn...n

PDF417. Prints PDF417 2-D symbols.

aa = Minimum module dimension (03-09 dots). Will not print for values of 01, 02 or

≥

10.

bb = Minimum module pitch dimension (04-240 dots). Will not print for values of 01, 02, 03 or greater than 25.

c = Security level (1-8).

dd = Code words per line (01-30). If 00 is specified for dd and ee, printer will automatically optimize settings.

ee = Rows/symbol (00 or 03). If 00 is specified for dd and ee, printer will automatically optimize settings.

fff = Number of characters to be encoded (0001-2700) g = Not specified, standard PDF417

M Micro PDF417

T Truncated PDF417 nn...n = Data to be printed.

PAGE

5-11

5-112

BPn...n

Postnet. Prints Postnet bar codes.

n...n = 5 digit ZIP (Postnet-32 format)


9 digit ZIP+4 (Postnet -52 format)

11 digit ZIP+4+DPC (Postnet-62, Delivery Point format)

.

BTabbccddee Bar Codes. Variable Ratio. provides the ability to print a bar code with a ratio other than those specified through the standard bar code commands (B, BD, and D).

a = Bar code option:

0 Codabar

1 Code 39

2 Interleaved 2 of 5

5 Industrial 2 of 5

6 Matrix 2 of 5 bb = Narrow space in dots (01-99) cc = Wide space in dots (01-99) dd = Narrow bar in dots (01-99) ee = Wide bar in dots (01-99)

BVa,b,c, ddddddddd, eee,f f f,gg..g

Maxicode. Prints 2-D Maxicode symbols per AIM I.S.S. specification.

a b c

=

=

=

Position of symbol within the set

Total number of symbols in the set

Mode dd..d = 9 digit numeric Postal Code eee = 3 digit numeric Country Code f f f = 3 digit numeric Service Class gg..g = Data, terminated by <ESC>

5-60

5-17

5-110

Page A-2 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe

Appendix A: Command Quick Reference


BWaabbb Bar Codes. Expansion. Works together with the BT command to specify an expansion factor and the bar code height for the particular symbol being printed.

aa = Expansion factor by which the width of all bars and spaces is increased (01-12) bbb = Bar height by dot (004-600 dots)

PAGE

5-16

BXaabbccdd eeefffghh

Data Matrix. Data Format. Specifies the format of the Data Matrix 2-D symbology.

aa = Format ID (01-16, The values 07 and 17 will not be accepted) bb = Error correction level (00, 05, 08, 10, 20 or 200, all other values will be processed as 00).

cc = Horizontal cell size (03-12 dots/cell) dd = Vertical cell size (03-12 dots per cell) eee = Cells per line. Must use 000 for optimized symbol.

fff = Cell lines. Must use 000 to optimize.

g = Mirror image

0 Normal Print

1 Reverse Print hh = Guide cell thickness (01-15) 01 indicates normal type.

5-105

C

CSa

Repeat Label. Prints a duplicate of the last label printed.

Print Speed Selection. Specifies a unique print speed in in./sec.

through software for a particular label.

a = Speed Setting

DSW2-8 = OFF

1 = 2 ips

2 = 4 ips

3 = 6ips

4 = 8 ips

5 = 10 ips

DSW2-8 = ON

1 = 2 ips

2 = 3 ips

3 = 4 ips

4 = 5 ips

5-69

5-68

Dabbcccd

DCxx...x

Eaaa

EX0

Bar Codes. Prints 1:2 ratio bar code. For UPC and EAN bar codes, this will add descender bars. For values a, bb, ccc and d see instructions for Babbcccd.

Data Matrix. Print Data. Prints data using Data Matrix format specified in BX Data Format command.

xx...x = Data to be printed. Cannot exceed 500 characters.

Line Feed. Provides the ability to print multiple lines of the same character size without specifying a new print position for each line.

aaa = Number of dots (1-999) between the bottom of the characters on one line to the top of the characters on the next line.

Expanded Print Length. Expands the print length to 9999 dots.

5-11

5-107

5-55

5-62


5A Page A-3


INSTRUCTION

Faaaabcccc ddee

FWaaHbbbb

DESCRIPTION

Sequential Numbering. Allows the printing of sequencing fields (text, bar codes) where all incrementing is done within the printer.

aaaa = Number of times to repeat the same data (0001-9999) b = Plus or minus symbol (+ for increments; - for decrements) cccc = Value of step for sequence (001-9999) dd = No. of digits for sequential numbering (01-99, default = 8) ee = No. of digits free from sequential numbering (01-99, default = 0)

Horizontal Line. Prints a horizontal line. Units of measurement are dots.

aa = Width of Horizontal Line bbbb = Length of Horizontal Line

M-8400RVe

01 to 99

0001 to 0832

PAGE

5-76

5-53

5-53 FWaabbVccc

Hdddd

Box. Prints a box. For values aa, bbbb, cc, and dddd, see instructions for horizontal and vertical lines. Units of measurement are dots.

aa = Width of Horizontal Side bb = Width of Vertical Side cccc = Length of Vertical Side

Expanded Vertical Length dddd = Length of Horizontal Side

M-8400RVe

01 to 99

01 to 99

0001 to 1424

0001 to 9999

0001 to 0832

FWccVddd

FXaaabccc dddeee

Vertical Line. Prints a vertical line. Units of measurement are dots.

cc = Width of Vertical Line dddd = Length of Vert Line

Expanded Vertical Length

M-8400RVe

01 to 99

0001 to 1424

0001 to 9999

Data Matrix. Sequential Numbering. Prints sequential numbered Data

Matrix 2-D symbols.

aaa = Number of duplicate labels (001-999) b = Increment or decrement

+ Increment

Decrement ccc = Increment/decrement steps (001-999) ddd = Sequential numbering start position (001-999). Referenced to left side.

eee = Incremented data length (001-999). Measured from start position.

5-53

5-108

Page A-4 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe



Gabbbccc(data) Custom Graphics. Allows the creation and printing of graphic images using a dot-addressable matrix.

a = Specifies format of data stream to follow

B Binary

H Hexadecimal bbb = Number of horizontal 8 x 8 blocks ccc = Number of vertical 8 x 8 blocks data = Data to describe the graphic image

GMaaaaa

GPaaaaa

BMP File. Downloads BMP file to the internal graphics image memory.

aa..a = No. of bytes to be downloaded (max DOS file size = 32K

PCX File. Downloads PCX file to the internal graphics image memory.

aa..a = No. of bytes to be downloaded (max DOS file size = 32K)

PAGE

5-47

5-46

5-49

Haaaa Horizontal Position. Specifies a field’s horizontal location across the width of the label from the current base reference point. The units of measurement are dots.

aaaa = New Horizontal Position

M-8400RVe

0001 to 0832

5-64

IDaa 5-50

J

Kab90cc

Laabb

M

OA

Store Job ID. Stores the Job ID number.

aa = Job ID number assigned (01-99)

Journal Print. Provides the ability to print text line by line. Fixed

Recall Custom Designed Characters. Recalls for printing a custom character stored by the Tabcc(data) command.

a = 1 16 x 16 matrix b

2 24 x 24 matrix

= Indicates the format that data stream was stored in

B Binary

H Hexadecimal bb = Memory location where the character was stored.

Valid locations are 21 to 52 or “!” to “R” in hex values.

Character Expansion. Expands characters in both directions.

aa = Multiple to expand horizontally (01-12) bb = Multiple to expand vertically (01-12)

Font type. Specifies the 13W x 20H dot matrix font (including descenders).

Font type. Specifies the OCR-A font with dot matrix.

OA Font Matrix

M-8400RVe

15W x 22H

5-52

5-21

5-23

5-36

5-36


5A Page A-5



OB Font type. Specifies the OCR-B font dot matrix.

OB Font Matrix

M-8400RVe

20 W x 24H

Paa

PR

PS

Qaaaaaa

RDabb,ccc, ddd,nn...n

RM

S

Tabcc(data)

U

Character Pitch. Designates the number of dots between characters.

aa = Number of dots between characters (01-99)

Fixed Font Spacing. Returns the printer to fixed character spacing mode.

Proportional Font Spacing. Places the printer in the proportional character spacing mode. Will not work with U Font.

Print Quantity. Specifies the total number of labels to print.

aaaaaa = Total number of labels to print for the job

(000001-999999)

Font Type. Specifies the internal AGFA raster fonts.

a = A Specifies CG Times font

B Specifies CG Triumvirate font bb = 00 Specifies Normal

01 Specifies Bold ccc = Horizontal Size (16 to 999 dots or P08 to P72 point size) ddd = Vertical Size (16 to 999 dots or P08 to P72 point size) nn..n = Data to be printed

Mirror Image. Prints mirror image of label. Must be preceded by an A1

Media Size command.


Store Custom Designed Characters. To create and store custom characters or images in the printer’s volatile memory. See Kab90cc to recall the character for printing.

a = 1 16 x 16 matrix b

2 24 x 24 matrix

= Specifies data stream format to follow

B Binary

H Hexadecimal cc = Memory location to store the character.

Valid locations are 21 to 52 or “!” to “R” in hex values.

(data)= Data to describe the character.

Font type. Specifies a 5W x 9L dot matrix font (including descenders).

PAGE

5-36

5-26

5-25

5-28

5-66

5-38

5-57

5-36

5-21

5-36

Page A-6 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe



Vbbbb Vertical Position. Specifies a field’s vertical location down the length of the label from the current base reference point. Units of measurement are dots.

bbbb = Vertical Position

Expanded Vertical Position

M-8400RVe

0001 to 1424

0001 to 9999

PAGE

5-64

WBa

WDHaaaaVbbbb

XccccYdddd

Copy Image Area. To copy an image to another location of the label.

aaaa = Horizontal position of the top left corner of image area bbbb = Vertical position of the top left corner of image area cccc = Horizontal length of image area dddd = Vertical length of image area

WKnn...n

Job Name. Stores the job name.

nn..n = Job name, up to 16 ASCII characters

WLa

Font type. Specifies the 18W x 30L dot matrix font (including descenders).

a = 0 Disables auto-smoothing of font

1 Enables auto-smoothing if expansion is greater than 3

XM

Font type. Specifies the 28W x 52L dot matrix font (including decenders).




XS

XU

XLa

XBa

Z









Stop Code. Ends all print jobs.

5-41

5-31

5-51

5-41

5-36

5-36

5-36

5-41

5-41

5-78


5A Page A-7



%a Rotate. Fixed Base Reference Point. Rotates printing in 90° increments without changing the base reference point.

a = 0 Sets print to normal direction

1 Sets print to 90° CCW

2 Sets print to 180° rotated (upside down)

3 Sets print to 270° CCW (90° CW)

$a,b,c,d

$=(data)

#Ea

Vector font. Specifies printing of the unique SATO vector font.

a = A Helvetica Bold (proportional spacing) b

B Helvetica Bold (fixed spacing)

= Font width (50-999 dots*) c d

=

=

Font height (50-999 dots*)

Font variation (0-9) as follows:

0 Standard

1 Standard open (outlined)




5 Standard, shadow 1

6 Standard, shadow 2

7 Standard mirror image

8 Italic

9 Italic open (outlined)

Data for Vector font .

Print Darkness. Specifies a new print darkness setting. The lightest setting is “1”. The darkenss levels that can be specified are: a = Print Darkness

M-8400RVe

1, 2, 3, 4, or 5

(aaaa,bbbb

/

&

0 (zero)

Reverse Image. Reverse image from black to white and vice versa.

Units of measure are dots.

aaaa = Horizontal Length bbbb = Vert Length

Expanded Vertical Length

M-8400RVe

0001 to 0832

0001 to 1424

0001 to 9999

Store Form Overlay. Stores a specified label image in the printer’s volatile form overlay memory.

Recall Form Overlay. Recalls the label image from the printer’s formoverlay memory for printing.

Replace Data (Partial Edit). Provides the ability to replace a specified area of the previous label with new data.

PAGE

5-74

5-39

5-39

5-61

5-72

5-45

5-44

5-70

Page A-8 PN 90010




*a Clear Print Job(s) and Memory. Clears individual memory and buffers.

a = When not included in command, clears print jobs in a

Multi-Buffer mode.

= If included in command, specifies memory section to be cleared

T Custom character memory, printer

& Form overlay memory, printer

X Clears all memory all memory and buffers

@,nn...n

Off-Line. Signals the printer to go off-line after the completion of a print job.

nn...n = Optional message displayed on the LCD. Maximum of 32 characters.

PAGE

5-29

5-59

~aaaa 5-34

~Aaaaa

Cut Job. Cuts labels at a specified interval in a print job. Number of labels printed is equal to the product of the Quantity specified times the value of aaaa.

aaaa = Number of labels between each cut (0001 to 9999)

Cut. Specifies the number of labels to print between each cut. It is independent of the Quantity command.

aaaa = Number of labels between each cut

5-33

~B

2D3m,a,bb,c d,ee,ff,gg

Cut Last. Cuts any printed labels that remain in the printer

QR Code. Prints QR Code symbols. See command description for parameter definition and usage.

5-35

5-114

Calendar Option Commands

WA(elements) Calendar Print. Prints the date and/or time field (up to 16 characters) from the printer’s internal clock. Use slash to separate date elements and colon to separate time elements.

elements = YY 2 digit Year (00-91)

YYYY 4 digit Year (1981-2080)

MM Month (01-12)

DD

HH

Day (01-31)

12 Hour Clock (00-11) hh 24 Hour Clock (00-23) mm Minutes (00-59) ss

TT

Seconds (00-59)

AM or PM

JJJ Julian Date (000-366)

WW Week (00-53) ww Week (01-54)

5-83


5A Page A-9



WPabbb Calendar Increment. To add a value to the printer’s current date and/or time. Does not change the printer’s internal time setting.

a = Y Years

M Months

D Days h Hours bbb = Numeric data, Week (00-99), Years (1-9), Months (01-99),

Days (001-999), Hours (001-999).

PAGE

5-81

5-85 WTaabbccddee Calendar Set. To set the time and date of the printer’s internal clock.

aa = Year (00-99) bb = Month (01-12) cc = Day (01-31) dd = Hour (00-23) ee = Minute (00-59)

Expanded Memory Option Commands

BJ(aa..abb..b

Start TrueType Font Storage. Prepares the Expanded Memory to accept TrueType font data.

aa...a = 40 byte font description bb...b = 10 byte date field

5-89

5-89 BJDcccccdddd ee...e

Download Bit Mapped TrueType Font Data. Downloads the bit mapped TrueType font data to the memory area specified.

ccccc = Memory Offset (hexadecimal) dddd = Data size in bytes (max = 2000) ee...e = Font data to be downloaded

BJ) End TrueType Font Storage.Ends the bit mapped TrueType font storage process

BJFaaaaaaaa Initialize Memory Card. Initializes the Memory Area and formats it for use. Should be preceded by the Memory Area Select command for the memory area to be initialized.

aaaaaaaa = 8 character alphanumeric password

BJRabbccdd eeeeff..f

BJS

TrueType Font Recall. Recalls a previously stored bit mapped

TrueType font for use.

a = Font ID (1-9 bb = Horizontal Expansion (01-12) cc = Vertical Expansion (01-12) dd = Character pitch (01-99) eeee = Number of characters ff...f

= Data to be printed using font

Expanded Memory Status. Reports the status of the currently active

Memory Card to the host by printing a status label.

5-89

5-101

5-88

5-103

Page A-10 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe



BJTaa,bb,cc, dd,ee,fff,gg..g

TrueType Font Recall. Recalls a previously stored bit mapped

TrueType font for use.

aa = Font ID (01-99 bb = Horizontal Expansion (01-12) cc = Vertical Expansion (01-12) dd = Reserved, always 00 ee = Character pitch (01-99) f f f f = Number of characters gg...g = Data to be printed using font

CCa Memory Area Select. Selects the Memory area for all following

Expanded Memory commands.

a = 1 Memory Area 1 b = 2 Memory Area 2

GCaaa Recall BMP Graphic. Recalls BMP graphic files stored in Expanded

Memory.

GIabbbcccddd ee...e

Store Custom Graphics. Stores a graphic image in the memory card to be called later for printing on a label.

a = Specifies format of data stream to follow

B Binary

H Hexadecimal bbb = Number of horizontal 8 x 8 blocks ccc = Number of vertical 8 x 8 blocks ddd = Graphics storage number (001-999) ee...e = Data to describe the graphic image

GRccc Recall Custom Graphics. Recalls for printing the graphic image stored by the GI command.

ccc = Storage number (001-999)

GTaaa,bbbbb, nn. . . n

Store BMP Graphics. Stores BMP files in Expanded Memory.

aaa = Storage area number (001 to 999) bbbbb= Size of BMP file in bytes nn...n = Data

PIaaa,bbbbb, cc...c

PYaaa

Store PCX Graphics File. Stores a PCX graphic file.

aaa = Storage number (001-999) bbbbb= Number of bytes in the file to be stored.

Recall PCX Graphics File. Recalls a PCX graphics file.

aaa = The storage number assigned to the file (001-999)

YR,aaa

/D,bb,cc...c

Recall Format/Field. To recall a field from a format previously stored in the memory card.

aaa = Number of format to be recalled (001 to 999) bb = Number of field to be recalled (01-99) cc...c = Data to be placed in field.

PAGE

5-88

5-102

5-94

5-97

5-96

5-95

5-100

5-99

5-90


5A Page A-11



YS,aaa

/Nbb,cc

Store Format/Field. To store a field in a format in the memory card.

aaa = Format number (001 -999) bb = Field number (01-99) cc = Number of characters in the field

&R,aa Recall Form Overlay. Recalls a label image previously stored in

Expanded Memory.

aa = Storage number (00 to 99).

&S,aa,bbbb,cccc Store Form Overslay. Storesa label image in Expanded Memory.

aa = Storage number (00 to 99) bbbb = Horizontal size of window to be stored (50 to Hmax) cccc = Vertical size of window to be stored (50 to Vmax)

*a,bbb Clear Card Memory. Clears individual memory and buffer areas.

a = Memory section to be cleared

G SATO graphic files (001-999)

P PCX graphic file (001-999)

F Stored formats (001-999)

O TrueType fonts (001-099)

R Downloaded fonts (001 to 099) bbb = Storage number

PAGE

5-91

5-92

5- 93

5-87

Printer Configuration Commands

I2abcde

IGa

LD,a,b,c,d,e, f,g,i, j j

Serial Interface. Sets the operating parameters for the Serial RS232C interface. Sets the default printer configuration in Flash ROM. See

Serial Interface Parameters command in the Configuration Commands of Section 5: Programming Reference of this manual for details.

Sensor Type. Selects the sensor type.

a = 0 Reflective (Eye-Mark) sensor.

1 Transmissive (See-Thru) sensor

2 Sensor not used

Download Protocol Command Codes. Downloads a user defined set of Alternate Protocol Command Codes. See

Appendix E for details on the proper usage of this command.

PCaa,bb

PCF,a,.....z

PHa

Printer Setting. Sets the default printer configuration in Flash ROM.

See Printer Setting command in the Configuration Commands of

Section 5: Programming Reference of this manual for details.

Print Type. Selects the thermal printing method.

a = 0 Thermal transfer printing

1 Direct thermal printing

5-126

5-125

5-117

5-120

5-124

Page A-12 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe



PMa Print Mode. Selects desired backfeed operation.

a = 0 No backfeed, continuous operation

1 Tear-Off

2 Cut, backfeed after print

3 Cut, backfeed before print

4 Cut, no backfeed

7 Dispense, backfeed after print

8 Dispense, backfeed before print

POabcc Pitch Offset. Sets the pitch type, direction and offset to be used a = 0 Cutter

1 Dispense b

2 Tear-Off

3 Continuous

= + Positive offset

Negative offset cc = 00 to 99, offset value in dots.

PAGE

5-123

5-119

Legacy Commands

These commands are provided for legacy applications that use command streams created for older SATO printers. It is not recommended that these commands be used for new applications.

AX Expanded Print Length. This command sets the printer to the

Expanded print length (14 inches). <ESC>EX0 is the recommended replacement.

N Rotate, Moving Base Reference Point. Sets the original base reference point and returns printing to normal orientation. <ESC>% is the recommended replacement.

R Rotate, Moving Base Reference Point. Rotates the printing of all subsequent images by 90 degrees counterclockwise each time it is used. Also moves the base reference point. <ESC>% is the recommended replacement.


5A Page A-13



Page A-14 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe

APPENDIX B.

BAR CODE SPECIFICATIONS

BAR CODE SYMBOLOGIES

This section contains detailed information on the printing of bar codes on the

M-8400RVe printer. Information on printing the following bar code symbologies is provided:

•

Codabar

•

Code 39

•

Interleaved 2 of 5

•

UPC-A/EAN-13

•

EAN-8

•

Industrial 2 of 5

•

Matrix 2 of 5

•

Code 128

•

MSI

•

Code 93

•

UPC-E

•

UPC Supplements(Bookland)

•

UCC-128

•

Postnet

•

Data Matrix

•

Maxicode

•

PDF417


5A Page B-1

Appendix B: Bar Code Specifications

Codabar

Command Structure 1:3 ratio <ESC>B0bbcccd (data) d

2:5 ratio < ESC>BD0bbcccd (data) d

1:2 ratio <ESC>D0bbcccd (data) d

Character Set bb = Width of narrow element in dots (01-12) ccc = Bar height in dots (001-600) d = Required Start and Stop character (A, B, C, or D)

(data) = Bar code data (alphanumeric)

0-9, -,$,:,/,+

A, B, C, D (Start/Stop characters)

Density Table

Printer

Model

M-8400RVe

Narrow/

Wide

Ratio

1:3

1:3

2:5

1:2

Value of “bb”

01

02

01

02

“X”

Dimension

(mils)

5.0

10.0

10.0

5.0

Density

(char/inch)

16.9

8.5

9.2

10.2

Example

Notes

<ESC>H0400<ESC>V0025<ESC>B002100A12345B


You must add the appropriate (A, B, C or D) Start and Stop characters to the data string. The printer does not automatically add them when printing.

Page B-2 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


Code 39

Command Structure 1:3 ratio: <ESC>B1bbccc* (data) *

2:5 ratio: <ESC>BD1bbccc* (data) *

1:2 ratio: <ESC>D1bbccc* (data) *

Character Set bb = Width of narrow element in dots (01-12) ccc = Bar height in dots (001-600)

* = Required Start and Stop character (asterisk)

(data) = Bar code data (alphanumeric)

0-9, A-Z, Space, $, %, +, -, .,/

* (Start/Stop character)

Density Table

Printer

Model

M-8400RVe

Narrow/

Wide

Ratio

1:3

1:3

2:5

1:2

1:2

Value of

“bb”

01

02

01

01

02

“X”

Dimension

(mils)

5.0

10.0

10.0

5.0

10.0

Density

(char/inch)

12.7

6.4

7.0

15.6

7.8

Example

Notes

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0025<ESC>B103100*CODE 39*

<ESC>H0230<ESC>V0130<ESC>XS*CODE 39*

You must add the “*” Start/Stop characters to the data stream. The printer does not add them automatically.


5A Page B-3


Interleaved Two of Five (I 2/5)

Command Structure 1:3 ratio: <ESC>B2bbccc (data)

2:5 ratio: <ESC>BD2bbccc (data)

1:2 ratio: <ESC>D2bbccc (data) bb = Width of narrow element in dots (01-12) ccc = Bar height in dots (001-600)

(data) = Bar code data (numeric); must be an even number of digits or else the printer will add a leading zero; start and stop code are provided by the printer

Character Set

Density Table

0-9 (numeric only)

Printer

Model

M-8400RVe

Narrow/

Wide

Ratio

1:3

1:3

2:5

1:2

1:2

Value of

“bb”

01

02

01

01

02

“X”

Dimension

(mils)

5.0

10.0

10.0

5.0

10.0

Density

(char/inch)

22.6

11.3

12.7

14.5

9.7

Example

Notes

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0100<ESC>B20310045676567

<ESC>H0140<ESC>V0210<ESC>XM4567 6567

To add horizontal guard bars to the top and bottom of the bar code, use the Line and Box command.

Page B-4 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


UPC-A/EAN-13

Command Structure <ESC>B3bbccc (data)

<ESC>D3bbccc (data)

<ESC>BD3bbccc (data) bb = Width of narrow element in dots (01-12) ccc = Bar height in dots (001-600)

(data) = Bar code data (numeric); must be exactly 13 digits. For

UPC-A, the first digit must be a zero and the last 11 digits are the actual UPC-A data followed by a check digit.

To select UPC-A, 11 digits of data is sent. The printer adds a “0” and automatically generates the check digit. If 12 digits of data are sent, the printer assumes an EAN-13 symbol and automatically generates the check digit. The last digit of the bar code data is a modulo 10 check digit. If 13 digits of data are sent to the printer, the check digit is not created and must be supplied by the programmer. It must be the last character in the 13 digit string and can be determined by using the calculations outlined below.

0-9 (numeric only) Character Set

Density Table

Printer

Model

M-8400RVe


02

03

04

Narrow Bar

Width (mils)

10.0

15.0

20.0

Magnification

Factor

75%

112%

150%

Notes

Example

D3 provides guide bars that extend longer than the rest of the bar code. BD3 provides guide bars and the human readable text below the symbol.

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0375<ESC>BD30215001234567890


5A Page B-5


Calculating the

Mod 10 Check Digit

ODD 0

EVEN

If you wish to encode the UPC-A data “01234567890”, follow these steps to find the correct check digit.

2 4 6 8 0

1 3 5 7 9 CD

1. First add all the numbers in the ODD positions.

i.e., 0+2+4+6+8+0 = 20

2. Multiply the result of Step 1 by 3.

i.e., 20 x 3 = 60

3. Add up all the numbers in the EVEN positions.

i.e., 1+3+5+7+9 = 25

4. Add the result of Step 2 to that of Step 3.

i.e., 60 + 25 = 85

5. Subtract the result of Step 4 from the next highest increment of

10.

i.e., 90 - 85 = 5

6. The correct Modulo 10 check digit for the 11 digit string

“01234567890” is 5.

Page B-6 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


EAN-8

Command Structure <ESC>B4bbccc (data)

<ESC>D4bbccc (data) bb = Width of narrow element in dots (01-03) ccc = Bar height in dots (001-600)

(data) = Bar code data (numeric); must be exactly 8 digits.

Character Set

Density Table

0-9 (numeric only)

Printer

Model

M-8400RVe


02

03

04

Narrow Bar

Width (mils)

10.0

15.0

20.0

Magnification

Factor

75%

112%

150%

Notes

Example

1. D4 provides guide bars that extend longer than the rest of the bar code and the human readable text below the symbol.

2. The check digit is automatically calculated for EAN-8.

<ESC>H0400<ESC>V0375<ESC>BD4031001234567


5A Page B-7


Industrial Two of Five

Command Structure 1:3 ratio: B5bbccc (data)

2:5 ratio: BD5bbccc (data)

1:2 ratio: D5bbccc (data)


(data) = Bar code data (numeric); must be an even number of digits or the printer will add a leading zero

0-9 (numeric only)

Notes To add horizontal guard bars to the top and bottom of the bar code, use the Line and Box command.

Example

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0600<ESC>BD50310012345


Page B-8 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


Matrix Two of Five

Command Structure 1:3 ratio: <ESC>B6bbccc (data)

2:5 ratio: <ESC>BD6bbccc (data)

1:2 ratio: <ESC>D6bbccc (data)

Character Set bb = Width of narrow element in dots (01-12) ccc = bar height in dots (001-600)

(data) = Bar code data (numeric only); must be an even number of digits or else the printer will add a leading zero.

0-9 (numeric only)

Notes To add horizontal guard bars to the top and bottom of the bar code, use the Line and Box command.

Example

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0775<ESC>BD60310012345



5A Page B-9


Code 128

Command Structure <ESC>BGbbcccdd (data) bb = Width of narrow element in dots (01-12) ccc = Bar height in dots (001-600) dd = Start code to specify initial subset of bar code data

>G Subset A Start code

>H

>I

Subset B Start code

Subset C Start code

(data) = Includes bar code data and subset Shift codes; Shift codes are used to change the subset type within the bar code data.

Shift codes:

>E

>D

Subset A Shift code

Subset B Shift code

>C Subset C Shift code

See Code 128 Character Table on Page B-18 Character Set

Density Table

Printer

Model

M-8400RVe

Value of

“bb”

01

01

03

“X”

Dimension

(mils)

5.0

10.0

15.0

Density

Subsets A,

B

18.2

9.1

13.8

(char/inch)

Subset C

36.5

18.3

12.2

Example The following will start in Subset A for the characters “AB”, shift to

Subset B for “789”, then shift to Subset C for “123456”.

<ESC>H0200<ESC>V0550<ESC>BG03100>GAB>B789>C123456

<ESC>H0310<ESC>V655<ESC>XSAB789123456

Page B-10 PN 90010



MSI

Command Structure 1:3 ratio: <ESC>BAbbccc (data) d

2:5 ratio <ESC>BDAbbccc (data) d

1:2 ratio <ESC>DAbbccc (data) d


(data) = Bar code data (numeric); maximum of 15 digits d = Required check digit

0-9 (numeric only)

Example <ESC>H0100<ESC>V0950<ESC>BA03100123455



5A Page B-11


Code 93

Command Structure 1:3 ratio: <ESC>BCbbcccdd (data) bb = Width of narrow element in dots (01-12) ccc = Bar height in dots (001-600) dd = Length of data (number of digits, 00-99)

(data) = Bar code data (alphanumeric); length must match value of parameter “dd”; check digit is supplied by printer

0-9, A-Z, -, ., Space, $, /, +, % Character Set

Density Table

Printer

Model

M-8400RVe

Narrow/Wide

Ratio

1:3

1:3

1:3

Value of

“bb”

01

02

03

“X”

Dimension

(mils)

5.0

10.0

15

Density

(char/inch)

22.5

11.3

7.5

Example <ESC>H0100<ESC>V1125<ESC>BC03100081234ABCD

<ESC>H0155<ESC>V1240<ESC>XS1 234ABCD

Page B-12 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


UPC-E

Command Structure <ESC>BEbbccc (data)

<ESC>DEbbccc (data) bb = Width of narrow element in dots (01-03) ccc = Bar height in dots (001-600)

(data) = Bar code data (numeric); must be exactly 6 digits

Character Set

Density Table

0-9 (numeric only)

Printer

Model

M-8400RVe


02

03

04

Narrow Bar

Width (mils)

10.0

15.0

20.0

Magnification

Factor

75%

112%

150%

Notes

Example

Command DE provides guide bars that extend longer than the rest of the bar code.

<ESC>H0400<ESC>V0550<ESC>DE03100123456


<ESC>H0408<ESC>V0655<ESC>OB123456


5A Page B-13


Bookland (UPC/EAN Supplements)

Command Structure <ESC>BFbbccc (data) bb = Width of narrow element in dots (01-03) ccc = Bar height in dots (001-600)

(data) = Bar code data (numeric); must be exactly 2 or 5 digits

0-9 (numeric only) Character Set

Density Table

Printer

Model

M-8400RVe


02

03

04

Narrow Bar

Width (mils)

10.0

15.0

20.0

Magnification

Factor

75%

112%

150%

Example <ESC>H0325<ESC>V0725<ESC>D30315009827721123



<ESC>H 0480<ESC>V0878<ESC>OB21123

<ESC>H640<ESC>V0760<ESC>BF0313021826


Page B-14 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe

UCC-128


Command Structure <ESC>BIbbcccd (data) bb = Width of the narrow elements in dots (01 to 12) ccc = Bar height in dots (001 to 600) d = Placement of human readable text

0 None

1 Text at top of bar code

2 Text at bottom of bar code

(data) = 17 digits made up of the following:

1st digit = Container type digits 2-8, Shipper identification digits 9-17, Container Sequential number

Note: The Container Sequential number is not automatically sequenced by the printer.

Character Set

Density Table

Notes

See Code 128 Character Table on Page B-18

See Code 128, Page B-10

1. The Start, Function, Stop and Extension codes will be created by the printer and added automatically.

2. The internal Modulo 10 check character will be automatically created and added by the printer. The overall Code 128 symbol check character will be automatically created by the printer and added.

3. The automatically created human readable text will be created according to the following rules:

•

The spacing between the bar code and the text is fixed at 10 dots (.050 inches).

•

If the width of the human readable text is wider than the bar code, it will start at the same position as the bar code and extend past the right of the bar code.

•

If the width of the human readable text is less than the bar code, it will be centered on the bar code.

•

The automatically generated human readable font is OCR-B.

•

If any part of the human readable text extends outside the printable area, none of it will be printed. Care should be exercised when placing the bar code to allow for any automatically created human readable text.


5A Page B-15


Example Without incrementing

<ESC>A

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0100<ESC>BI04150101234567000000001

<ESC>Q2<ESC>Z

With incrementing

<ESC>A

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0100<ESC>F001+001

<ESC>BI04150101234567000000001

<ESC>Q2<ESC>Z

Page B-16 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


Postnet

Command Structure <ESC>BP (data) data = 5 digits ZIP

= 6 digits for Postnet 37

= 9 digits for ZIP+4

= 11 digits for Dlelivery Point Bar Code

Character Set

Notes

1-9 (numeric only)

1. Frame bits and check digits added automatically by printer.

2. Bar code width and height are fixed and cannot be changed.

3. If the number of digits sent to the printer as data does not match one of the formats specified above (i.e. 5, 6, 9 or 11), the command is ignored and nothing will be printed.

4. If a “–” is included in the data stream (i.e. 84093-1565), it is ignored.

Example <ESC>H0100<ESC>V0120<ESC>BP94089

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0160<ESC>BP123456

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0200<ESC>BP123456789

<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0240<ESC>BP12345678901


5A Page B-17


Data Matrix

Command Structure <ESC>BXaabbccddeeefffghh

Data Format aa bb cc dd

= Format ID. 01-06 or 11-16. The values 07 and 17 will not be accepted by the printer.

= Error correction level. 00 ,01, or 04-14. The values 02, 03 or values of 15 or greater will be processed as a 00.

=

=

Horizontal cell size. 03 - 12 dots/cell.

Vertical cell size. 03 - 12 dots/cell.

eee = Number of cells in one line. Must use 000 to optimize.

fff = Number of cell lines. Must use 000 to optimize.

g = Mirror Image

0 = Normal Print hh

1 = Reverse Print

= Guide Cell Thickness. 01-15. 01 indicates normal type.

Sequential Numbering <ESC>FXaaabcccdddeee aaa = Number of duplicate labels to be printed (001 - 999) b = Increment or Decrement

+ = Increment

= Decrement ccc = Increment/Decrement Steps (001 - 999) ddd = Sequential numbering start position (001 - 999)

Referenced to left side.

eee = Incremented data length measured from start position

(001 - 999)

Print Data <ESC>DCxxx...x xx...x

= Data

Page B-18 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe

Character Set

Notes

Example


ECC

Level

(bb)

00

(ECC000)

05

(ECC050)

08

(ECC080)

01

500

457

402

10

(ECC100)

14

(ECC140)

20

(ECC200)

300

144

02

452

Format ID (aa)

03 04

394 413

05

310

333

293

291

256

305

268

228

201

218

105

190

91

200

96

Numeric

Alphanumeric

ISO 8-bit (01

H

- FF

H

)

150

72

3116

2336

1556

06

271

200

176

131

83

ID

NUMBER

CHARACTER SET ENCODING

SCHEME

04

05

06

01

02

03

16 Bit CRC

Numeric, Space

Upper Case Alpha, Space

Upper Case Alpha, Space,Comma, Period,

Slash, Minus

Upper Case Alphanumeric, Space

ASCII 7-bit, Full Keyboard (20

H

- 7F

H

)

ISO 8-bit, International (20

H

- FF

H

)

Base 11

Base 27

Base 41

Base 37

ASCII

8-Bit

See AIM USA Technical Specification Data Matrix for information on the structure of this symbology.


<ESC>BX05051010000000001

<ESC>DCDATA MATRIX DATA MATRIX


5A Page B-19


Maxicode

Command Structure <ESC>BVa,b,c,ddddddddd,eee,fff,gggg.....<ESC> a b c

= Position of Maxicode symbol within the set, when used in a structured append format 1~8.

= Total number of Maxicode symbols in the set, when used in a structured format 1~8.

= 2 For Mode 2 Structured Carrier Message for Domestic U.S. UPS shipments

3 For Mode 3 Structured Carrier Message for International UPS shipments

4 Standard symbol

5 Not currently supported

6 Reader programming ddd..ddd

9 digit numeric Postal Code eee = 3 digit numeric Country Code fff = 3 digit numeric Service Class gg..g

= Data, terminated by <ESC>

Character Set

MODE POSTAL CODE COUNTRY CODE SERVICE CLASS

2

3

4

6

9 digits max numeric only

6 digits fixed alphanumeric

“000000“ fixed data







MESSAGE

LENGTH

84 characters alphanumeric



Notes

Example

See AIM I.S.S specification for information on the structure of this symbology.


<ESC>BV1,1,2,123456789,840,001,[)<RS>01<GS>961Z01547089

<GS>UPSN<GS>056872<GS>349<GS>99999999<GS>001/005

<GS>029<GS>N<GS><GS>LENEXA<GS>KS<RS><EOT>

<ESC>Q001<ESC>Z

Page B-20 PN 90010



PDF417

Command Structure <ESC>BFaabbcddeeffffnnn...n

Character Set

Notes aa bb c dd

= Minimum module dimension (03-09 dots). Will not print if values of 01, 02 or greater than 10 are specified.

= Minimum module pitch dimension (04-24 dots). Will not print if values of 01, 02, 03 or greater than 25 are specified.

= Security (error detection) Level (1-8).

= Code words per line (01-30). If 00 is specified for both dd and ee, the printer automatically optimizes the number ee ffff gg of rows per symbol.

= Rows per symbol (00 or 03-40). If 00 is specified for both dd and ee, the printer automatically optimizes the number of rows per symbol.

= Number of characters to be encoded (0001-2700).

= If not specified, standard PDF417

M Micro PDF417

T Truncated PDF417 nn...n = Data to be printed.

ASCII 128 character set plus PC437 Extended Character set.

See AIM USA Uniform Symbology Specification PDF417 for information on the structure of this symbology.

Example <ESC>V0100<ESC>H0100<ESC>BK0607400000021PDF417 PDF417 PDF417


5A Page B-21


CODE 128 CHARACTER TABLE

The Code 128 Table lists 105 data values for the three subsets: A, B, and C. Each subset column displays either a single column of data or a double column of data.

• If the subset column displays a single column of data, that is the data to be entered to produce the result.

• If the subset column displays a double column of data, the first column contains the desired output, and the second column contains the actual characters to be entered.

For example, look at value 99 in the table:

If you are currently using Subset A or Subset B, you can change to Subset C by encoding “>C”.

VALUE

99

100

101

102

SUBSET A SUBSET B

Subset C >C Subset C >C

Subset B >D FNC4 >D

FNC4 >E

FNC1 >F

SUBSET C

99

Subset B >D

Subset A >E Subset A >E

FNC1 >F FNC1 >F

Note: When Subset C is chosen, you must specify an even number of data positions because of the interleaved encodation method.

Page B-22 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


Code 128 Character Table

SUBSET

B

>J

?

<

=

9

:

;

B

C

@

A

7

8

5

6

3

4

1

2

/

0

.

-

,

*

+

)

(

&

$

%

SP

!

#

VALUE

28

29

30

31

25

26

27

32

33

34

35

21

22

23

24

17

18

19

20

13

14

15

16

10

11

8

9

12

6

7

4

5

2

3

0

1

SUBSET

A

>J

?

<

=

9

:

;

B

C

@

A

7

8

5

6

3

4

1

2

/

0

.

-

,

*

+

)

(

&

$

%

#

SP

!

SUBSET

C

28

29

30

31

25

26

27

32

33

34

35

21

22

23

24

17

18

19

20

13

14

15

16

08

09

10

11

12

04

05

06

07

00

01

02

03

VALUE SUBSET

A

\

[

Y

Z

W

X

U

V

]

^

__

NUL >(space)

SOH >!

a

STX

ETX

>"

># b c

EOT

ENQ

ACK

BEL

>$ d

>% e

>& f

> g

S

T

Q

R

N

O

L

M

P

J

K

H

I

F

G

D

E

64

65

66

67

61

62

63

68

69

70

71

57

58

59

60

53

54

55

56

49

50

51

52

44

45

46

47

48

40

41

42

43

36

37

38

39

SUBSET

B

]

^

__

>(space) or >!

or >" or >#

\

[

Y

Z

W

X

U

V or >$ or >% or >& or >

S

T

Q

R

N

O

L

M

P

J

K

H

I

F

G

D

E

SUBSET

C

64

65

66

67

61

62

63

68

69

70

71

57

58

59

60

53

54

55

56

49

50

51

52

44

45

46

47

48

40

41

42

43

36

37

38

39


5A Page B-23


Code 128 Character Table (cont’d)

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

76

77

78

79

72

73

74

75

VALUE

DLE

DC1

DC2

DC3

DC4

NAK

SYN

FF

CR

SO

SI

BS

HT

LF

VT

SUBSET

A

>0 p

>1 q

>2 r

>3 s

>4 t

>5 u

>6 v

>( h

>) i

>* j

>+ k

>, l

>m

>.

n

>/ o

SUBSET

B

>0

>1

>2

>3

>4

>5

>6

>.

>/

>,

>-

>(

>)

>*

>+

87 ETB >7 w >7

88 CAN >8 x >8

SUBSET

C

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

76

77

78

79

72

73

74

75

87

88

97

98

99

100

101

102

103

93

94

95

96

89

90

91

92

VALUE

104

105

SUBSET

A

SUBSET

B

SUBSET

C

EM

SUB

ESC

FS

GS

RS

US

FNC3

>9 y

>: z

>; {

>< | or >9 or >: or >; or ><

>= }

>> ~

>?

DEL

>@ FNC3 or >= or >>

>?

>@

FNC2

SHIFT

>A FNC2

>B SHIFT

>A

>B

97

98

Subset C >C Subset C >C

Subset B >D FNC4 >D

99

Subset B >D

FNC4

FNC1 >F FNC1

SUBSET

>F

START CODE

FNC1

>G

A

B

>E Subset A >E Subset A >E

>F

SUBSET START CODE >H

SUBSET START CODE >I

C

93

94

95

96

89

90

91

92

Page B-24 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe

APPENDIX C.

CUSTOM CHARACTERS AND GRAPHICS

1

2

7

8

5

6

3

4

5

6

3

4

7

1

2

8

CUSTOM-DESIGNED CHARACTER EXAMPLE

The following example is presented to help understand the use of the

Custom-Designed Characters command. It demonstrates the design and printing of an

“arrow” in a 16 x 16 matrix.

1. Determine which matrix size to use

•

•

16 dot x 16 dots

24 dots by 24 dots

2. Lay out a grid and draw the image on the grid.

• Each square represents one dot

• Blacken squares for each printed dot

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8


5A Page C-1

Appendix C: Custom Charactersand Graphics

3. Transfer the image into two bit map representations and then into hexadecimal or binary format.

ROW BIT MAP HEX

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

3

4

5

1

2

6

7

0000 0001 0000 0000

0000 0011 1000 0000

0000 0111 1100 0000

0000 1111 1110 0000

0001 1111 1111 0000

0011 1111 1111 1000

0111 1111 1111 1100

1111 1111 1111 1110

0000 0111 1100 0000

0000 0111 1100 0000

0000 0111 1100 0000

0000 0111 1100 0000

0000 0111 1100 0000

0000 0111 1100 0000

0000 0111 1100 0000

0000 0111 1100 0000

01 00

03 80

07 C0

0F E0

1F F0

3F F8

7F FC

FF FE

07 C0

07 C0

07 C0

07 C0

07 C0

07 C0

07 C0

07 C0

4. To store the custom designed character in memory using a hexadecimal data stream, the command would be:

<ESC>A

<ESC>T1H3F0100038007C00FE01FF03FF87FFCFFFE07C007C007C007C007C007C007C007C

0<ESC>Z

Note: This should be a continuous data string without any CR or LF characters.

5. To recall the custom character from memory, send the following code to the printer. Note that you can print other data as well. Also note how the character size was expanded using the <ESC>L command.

<ESC>A

<ESC>L0505<ESC>H0150<ESC>V100<ESC>K1H903F

<ESC>L0505<ESC>H0600<ESC>V100<ESC>K1H903F

<ESC>L0303<ESC>H0125<ESC>V0250<ESC>MTHIS SIDE UP !

<ESC>Q1

<ESC>Z

6. To store the custom designed character in memory using a binary data stream, the command would be:

<ESC>A

<ESC>T1B3F 01

H

00

H

03

H

80

H

07

H

C0

H

0F

H

E0

H

1F

H

F0

H

3F

H

F8

H

7F

H

FC

H

FF

H

FE

H

07

H

C0

H

07

H

C0

H

07

H

C0

H

07

H

C0

H

07

H

C0

H

07

H

C0

H

07

H

C0

H

07

H

C0

H

<ESC>Z

NOTE: Spaces are shown between hexidecimal values in the above example for clarity only and

are not included in the data string.

Note that the data stream is only half as long as the hexadecimal format. This is because we can send the binary equivalent of “11111111” (represented above in its hexidecimal value of FF

H

), for example, using one eight bit word while it takes two eight bit words to transmit the hexadecimal equivalent “F” and “F”. To send binary characters using BASIC, the expression “CHR (&HFF) will send the binary equivalent of FF (i.e., 11111111).

Page C-2 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe

Appendix C: Custom Characters and Graphics

6. To recall the custom character from memory, send the following code to the printer:

<ESC>A

<ESC>L505<ESC>H0150<ESC>V100<ESC>K1B903F

<ESC>L505<ESC>H0600<ESC>V100<ESC>K1B903F

<ESC>L0303<ESC>H0125<ESC>V0250<ESC>XMTHIS SIDE UP !

<ESC>Q1

<ESC>Z

The printer output for both the hexadecimal and binary format examples is:


5A Page C-3


CUSTOM GRAPHICS EXAMPLE

The following example is presented to help you understand the use of the Custom

Graphics command. It demonstrates the design and printing of a “diskette” in a 48 x

48 matrix.

1. Determine the matrix size for the graphic. It must be in 8 dot by 8 dot blocks. The example here has six blocks horizontally and six blocks vertically (48 x 48).

2. Lay out a grid and draw the image on the grid.

• Each square represents one dot

• Blacken squares for each printed dot

Page C-4 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe


3. Transfer the image into a bit map representation and then into hexadecimal format:

1 2 3

BIT MAP

4 5 6

11111111 11111111 11111111 11111111 11111111 11111111

11111111 11111111 11111111 11111111 11111111 11111111

11000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 11111111 11111111 11111111 11110011

11000000 00000000 10000000 00000000 00000000 00010011

11000000 00000000 10000000 00000000 00000000 00010011

11000000 00000000 10011111 11111111 11111111 00010011

11000000 00000000 10000000 00000000 00000000 00010011

11000000 00000000 10000000 00000000 00000000 00010011

11000000 00000000 10011111 11111111 11111111 00010011

11000000 00000000 10000000 00000000 00000000 00010011

11000000 00000000 10000000 00000000 00000000 00010011

11000000 00000000 11111111 11111111 11111111 11110011

11000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00000011 11000000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00000111 11100000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00001111 11110000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00001111 11110000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00001111 11110000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00001111 11110000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00000111 11100000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00000011 11000000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00000001 10000000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00000011 11000000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00000011 11000000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00000011 11000000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00000011 11000000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00000011 11000000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00000011 11000000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00000011 11000000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00000011 11000000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00000011 11000000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00000011 11000000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00000001 10000000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000011

11000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000011

11111111 11111111 11111111 11111111 11111111 11111111

11111111 11111111 11111111 11111111 11111111 11111111

HEXADECIMAL FORMAT

1 2 3 4 5 6

FF FF FF FF FF FF

FF FF FF FF FF FF

C0 00 00 00 00 03

C0 00 00 00 00 03

C0 00 FF FF FF 03

C0 00 80 00 00 13

C0 00 80 00 00 13

C0 00 9F FF FF 13

C0 00 80 00 00 13

C0 00 80 00 00 03

C0 00 9F FF FF 13

C0 00 80 00 00 13

C0 00 80 00 00 13

C0 00 FF FF FF F3

C0 00 00 00 00 03

C0 00 00 00 00 03

C0 00 00 00 00 13

C0 00 00 00 00 13

C0 00 00 00 00 13

C0 00 00 00 00 13

C0 00 03 C0 00 03

C0 00 07 E0 00 03

C0 00 0F F0 00 03

C0 00 0F F0 00 03

C0 00 0F F0 00 03

C0 00 0F F0 00 03

C0 00 07 E0 00 03

C0 00 03 C0 00 03

C0 00 00 00 00 03

C0 00 00 00 00 03

C0 00 00 00 00 03

C0 00 00 00 00 03

C0 00 01 80 00 03

C0 00 03 C0 00 03

C0 00 03 C0 00 03

C0 00 03 C0 00 03

C0 00 03 C0 00 03

C0 00 03 C0 00 03

C0 00 03 C0 00 03

C0 00 03 C0 00 03

C0 00 03 C0 00 03

C0 00 03 C0 00 03

C0 00 03 C0 00 03

C0 00 01 80 00 03

C0 00 03 C0 00 03

C0 00 03 C0 00 03

FF FF FF FF FF FF

FF FF FF FF FF FF


5A Page C-5


4. Using the hexadecimal data, send the following code to print the graphic image as designed.

<ESC>A<ESC>H0100<ESC>V0100<ESC>GH006006

FFFFFF FFFFFF FFFFFF FFFFFF C00000

C00000 000003

C00080 000013

C00080 000013

C00080 000013

C00000 000003

C00000 000003

C00007 E00003

C0000F F00003

C000FF

C0009F

C0009F

C000FF

C00000

C00000

C0000F

C0000F

FFFFF3

FFFF13

FFFF13

FFFFF3

000003

000003

F00003

F00003

C00080

C00080

C00080

C00000

C00000

C00003

C0000F

C00007

C00003 C00003

C00000 000003

C00003 C00003

C00003 C00003

C00003 C00003

C00003 C00003

C00000 000003

<ESC>Q1<ESC>Z

C00000

C00000

C00003

C00003

C00003

C00001

FFFFFF

000003

000003

C00003

C00003

C00003

800003

FFFFFF

C00000

C00001

C00003

C00003

C00003

C00000

FFFFFF

000003

000013

000013

000013

000003

000003

C00003

F00003

E00003

000003

800003

C00003

C00003

C00003

000003

FFFFFF

Note: Spaces shown in the hexadecimal listing above are for emphasis only. Spaces must not be encoded within the graphic portion of the data stream to the printer. Also, CR and

LF characters to separate the lines must not be encoded in the data stream.

5. To send the data in binary format, the software must convert the data into binary format before transmitting it to the printer. Using the BASIC programming language for example, this is done by notation “CHR$ (&HC0)” which sends the hexidecimal value of “C0” as binary data (11000000). The BASIC program listing for sending this graphic to the printer (using the RS232 port) in binary format is:

CLS

OPEN “COM2:9600,N,8,1,CS,DS” FOR OUTPUT AS #1

E$ = CHR$(27)

PRINT #1,CHR$(2); E$; “A”; E$; “V0100"; E$; ”H0100"; E$; “GB006006";

PRINT #1,CHR$(&HFF);CHR$(&HFF);CHR$(&HFF);CHR$(&HFF);CHR$(&HFF);


PRINT #1,CHR$(&HFF);CHR$(&HFF);CHR$(&HC0);CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H00);

PRINT #1,CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H03);CHR$(&HC0);CHR$(&H00);

PRINT #1,CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H03);CHR$(&HC0);

PRINT #1,CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&HFF);CHR$(&HFF);CHR$(&HFF);CHR$(&HF3);

PRINT #1,CHR$(&HC0);CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H80);CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H00);

PRINT #1,CHR$(&H13);CHR$(&HC0);CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H80);CHR$(&H00);

PRINT #1,CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H13);CHR$(&HC0);CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H9F);

PRINT #1,CHR$(&HFF);CHR$(&HFF);CHR$(&H13);CHR$(&HC0);CHR$(&H00);


PRINT #1,CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H80);CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H13);

PRINT #1,CHR$(&HC0);CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H9F);CHR$(&HFF);CHR$(&HFF);


PRINT #1,CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H13);CHR$(&HC0);CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H80);


PRI NT #1,CHR$(&HFF);CHR$(&HFF);CHR$(&HFF);CHR$(&HF3);CHR$(&HC0);





Page C-6 PN 900107

5A SATO M8400RVe





PRINT #1,CHR$(&HC0);CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H03);CHR$(&HC0);CHR$(&H00);


PRINT #1,CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H03);CHR$(&HC0);CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H0F);

PRINT #1,CHR$(&HF0);CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H03);CHR$(&HC0);CHR$(&H00);

PRINT #1,CHR$(&H0F);CHR$(&HF0);CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H03);CHR$(&HC0);

PRINT #1,CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H0F);CHR$(&HF0);CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H03);

PRINT #1,CHR$(&HC0);CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H0F);CHR$(&HF0);CHR$(&H00);

PRINT #1,CHR$(&H03);CHR$(&HC0);CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H07);CHR$(&HE0);









PRINT #1,CHR$(&H03);CHR$(&HC0);CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H03);CHR$(&HC0);













PRI NT #1,CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H00);CHR$(&H03);


PRINT #1,CHR$(&H03);CHR$(&HFF);CHR$(&HFF);CHR$(&HFF);CHR$(&HFF);


PRINT #1,CHR$(&HFF);CHR$(&HFF);CHR$(&HFF);

PRINT #1,E$; “Q1"; E$; ”Z"; CHR$(3)

CLOSE #1

The printer output for both the hexadecimal and binary format examples is:


5A Page C-7


PCX GRAPHICS EXAMPLE

A graphics file in a PCX format may also be transmitted to the printer. The file must not be larger than 32K bytes (DOS file size reported in a DIR listing). For example, the WIZ.PCX image shown below has a file size of 15076 bytes.

The uncompressed size (PCX is a compressed file) of the file must not be greater than

64K bytes. Generally this is not a problem unless the graphic image is surrounded by large amount of white space which the PCX algorithm can compress very efficiently. If this is the case, the file should be recaptured to eliminate the surrounding white space as much as possible.

The following basic program will send and print this file:

OPEN “WIZ.PCX” FOR INPUT AS #2

DA$ = INPUT$(15706, #2)

C$ = CHR$(27)

WIDTH “LPT1:”, 255

LPRINT C$; “A”;

LPRINT C$; “V150"; C$; ”H100"; C$; “GP15706,”; DA$

LPRINT C$; “Q1"; C$; ”Z";

CLOSE #2

The printer output for this program is:

Page C-8 PN 90010


APPENDIX D.

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES

INTRODUCTION

This section contains instructions for using the following M-8400RVe optional features:

• Label Rewinder

• Label Cutter

• Label Dispenser

• PCMCIA Expanded Memory

• Internal Flash Expanded Memory

• Plug-In Interface Modules

• Calendar

LABEL REWINDER

The rewinder is an external unit that allows for labels and tags to be rewound in rolls up to 8.5 inches in diameter. It derives its power directly from the printer’s EXT connector using a built-in cable. The rewinder provides the ability to rewind tags/labels from the printer and subsequently be unwound for later use with applicators.

Installation

1. Position the Rewinder at the front of the printer and align it with the label slot.

(The Rewind Wheel/Spindle should be positioned away from the printer.)

2. Connect the built-in cable from the Rewinder to the EXT connector at the rear of the printer.

3. On the Rewinder, remove the metal clamp from the Rewind Spindle.

4. Feed the lead end of the label stock under the first spindle and onto the Rewind

Spindle. Feed the stock around the spindle once, then replace the metal clamp over the label stock. Wind another revolution to ensure the labels are secure on the spindle.

5. Select the REWIND option on the rewinder, then set the power switch to ON.

(The printer must be powered ON for the rewinder to function.)

Removing and Unwinding the Roll

As labels are printed, tension from the rewinder should keep the label stock taut as it wraps itself on the spindle.

SATO M8400RVe PN 9001075A Page D-1

Appendix D: Optional Features

To remove the roll from the spindle, first set the power switch to OFF. Remove the metal clamp, then remove the rewound roll of labels.

To unwind for using with an applicator, first set the power switch OFF. Attach the lead edge of the labels from the rewind spindle to the applicator entry point. Select the WIND option on the rewinder, and when ready to begin, set the power switch to

ON.

LABEL CUTTER

The label cutter consists of an internal mechanism that will cut labels or tags as they exit from the printer. The cutter can be used to print labels of various lengths using continuous form label/tag stock or to easily separate labels when there is no perforation at the label gap.

Operator Setup

The following steps should be taken to set up the label cutter.

1. Install the label cutter, following the instructions provided with the unit.

2. Power the printer ON.

3. The printer must be configured to use the Label Cutter option. Switches

DSW3-1 and DSW3-2 on the front panel are used to configure the printer. To enable the cutter, DSW3-1 should be in the ON position and DSW3-2 should be in the OFF position.

4. Open the Print Head Assembly and feed the edge of the labels/tags into the cutter assembly and out between the label cutters.

NOTE: Although the cutting blade is fairly well protected, be careful as you feed labels into the cutter area. You may want to have the printer powered OFF at this point.

5. Close the Print Head Assembly and place the printer on-line.

6. The Label Cutter is ready for use.

7. Adjust the cut position using the backfeed adjustment procedures outlined in

Section 2, Installation and Configuration.

General Operation

The data stream to be sent to the printer may need to be altered to add the Cutter

Command. If this command is not used, the cutter will default to cut after every label assuming it has been enabled in the printer configuration. For more details, see

Section 4, Command Codes. As the labels are printed, they will be cut based on the the data supplied using the cutter command.

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LABEL DISPENSE OPTION

The M-8400RVe Label Dispense Option is an external mechanism that provides the ability to print labels in the “demand” mode. It is attached to front of the printer.

When the label dispenser is installed and configured for operation, the printer dispenses one label at a time, peeling the backing from the label, which allows for immediate application to the product by the operator.

Operator Setup

The following steps should be taken to set up the Label Dispense Option.

1. Install the option using the instructions provided with the unit. The installation time is approximately 30 minutes.

2. Power the printer ON.

3. The printer must be configured to used the label dispenser option. Switches

DSW3-1 and DSW3-2 on the front panel are used to configure the printer. To enable the dispenser, both DSW3-1 and DSW3-2 should be in the ON position.

4. Remove enough labels from the backing paper to provide 12 inches of backing free from labels.

5. Open the Print Head assembly and feed the backing paper through the print area in the normal manner.

6. At the label exit area, feed the backing paper down and behind the Knurled

Roller, then back down and around the Backing Roller.

7. Close the Print Head and place the printer on-line.

8. The Label Dispense Option is ready for use.

SATO M8400RVe

Label Dispenser Routing

PN 9001075A Page D-3


General Operation

Send your data stream in the normal manner to the printer. Labels should print one at a time, even if your print quantity command requests more than one label. As the labels are printed and presented for the operator to remove, the backing paper will be rewound on the spindle. The next label will only print after removing the current label from the label exit path.

Note: The label dispenser will function only if it has been enabled using the front panel switches (DSW3-1 and DSW3-2 in the ON positions).

The Label Taken Sensor is adjusted at the factory for the optimal setting for most label material. However, the use of labels with a substantially different opacity may require that the threshold be adjusted.



EXPANDED MEMORY OPTIONS

There are two Expanded Memory Options for the M-8400RVe, both of which are user installable. One is a PCMCIA memory card that can be easily removed and installed a printer, giving it the advantage of portability between printers. The other is an internal Flash Memory option which is installed internally in the printer.

EXPANDED PCMCIA MEMORY

The Expanded PCMCIA Memory Option provides a connector and interface board for one PCMCIA memory card slot. Access to these cards is provided on the rear panel without having to removing PC board compartment cover. The printer memory can be expanded up to 16 MB using a Flash Memory Card.

Type

Applicable Specifications

Size

Connector Pins

Battery

Write Protect

Low Battery Detect

SRAM or Flash ROM

PCMCIA Version 2.1 (JEIDA Version 4.1)

4 MB SCRAM or 16 MB Flash

68

Approximately 2 years (manufacturer dependent)

Yes

Yes

Installation

Instructions for installing the PCMCIA Memory Card Option are included with the installation kit.

EXPANDED FLASH ROM MEMORY

The Expanded Flash ROM Memory Option adds an additiona 4 MB of Flash ROM to the printer, extending the on-board Flash ROM to 8 MB. The Expanded Flash ROM requires the installation of an upgraded Memory Module inside the printer which replaces the standard Memory Module.

Installation

Instructions for installing the PCMCIA Memory Card Option are included with the installation kit.



MEMORY OPTION ERROR HANDLING

Expanded Memory error conditions are indicated to the operator using a combination of the ERROR LED on the front panel, the LCD display and the audible indicator.

ERROR DESCRIPTION

Low Battery - Low battery condition is detected when printer is powered on (PCMCIA SRAM card only).

INDICATION

ERROR LED: Blinking

Audible Beep: 1 long

Display: Card Low

Battery

Card R/W Error

1. No card is inserted.

2. Card is write protected.

3. Invalid store/recall number.

4. Card has not been initialized.

Warning

1. Duplicate number.

2. Data not in print area.

3. Data overflows card memory.

Depress LINE key to print Card

Status.

ERROR LED:

Audible Beep:

Display:

On

1 long

Card R/W Error

Printer must be powered off to reset.

Audible Beep: 1 short

Display: None

Printer will ignore invalid commands.

REMEDY

Replace Memory Card battery.

Note that all data will be lost when the battery is removed.

1. Insert card into selected slot.

2. Remove write protect tab.

3. Correct program

4. Initialize card with BJF command

1. Correct program.

2. Correct program.

3. Use card with more capacity.



CALENDAR

The Calendar Option allows the date and time to be maintained in the local printer rather than using the system clock. It consists of a special clock chip that replaces the

EEPROM on the main pcb assembly. A qualified technician should perform the upgrade as it requires modifications to the main PCB assembly. Please call SATO

Technical Support if you need to add this option to an existing printer in the field.



PLUG-IN INTERFACE MODULES

The Series “e” printers have user changable Plug-In Interface Modules. The

Interface Module is accessible from the Rear Panel and is retained by two screws. Use the following procedure to replace an interface molule.

1. Turn power off both the printer and the host and remove the power and interface cables.

WARNING: Never connect or disconnect interface cables (or use a switch box) with power applied to either the host or the printer. This may cause damage to the interface circuitry and is not covered by warranty.

2. Remove the two Interface Module Retaining Screws.

3. Grasp the Interface Module and pull it out of the connector.

4. Place the new Interface Module in the slot and press inward firmly until it is properly seated.

5. Replace the two Interface Card Retaining Screws.

6. If the new Interface Module is for a serial interface, set DSW1 for the proper operation.

7. Connect the interface cable to the connector.


APPENDIX E.

CUSTOM PROTOCOL COMMAND CODES

DESCRIPTION

This section contains information on creating custom Protocol Command Codes for operating the Series “e” printers. The Protocol Command codes are used to tell the printer that a specific type of information is being transmitted to the printer. As an example, the Standard Protocol Command Code specifies the use of an <ESC> character to tell the printer that the following character(s) will represent a specific command. Sometimes the host computer is unable to generate the character or it uses the <ESC> character to control another function. In this case, an Alternate Protocol

Command Code set can be selected for use by placing DIP switch 2-7 in the ON position. When the Alternate set is selected, the <ESC> character is not used and is instead replaced with a “carrot” (^) character. A command stream would then start with an “^A” instead of an “<ESC>A”. These two sets of Protocol Command Codes are adequate for the majority of all applications, but ocassionally situations occur where conflicts exist when using the Alternate set. In these cases, the user can define and download a custom set of Protocol Command Codes that are stored in EEPROM memory in the printer. After these are downloaded, they replace the Alternate

Command Code set when DIP switch DS2-7 is in the ON position. When DIP switch

DS2-7 is in the OFF position, the Standard Protocol Command Codes are used.

DOWNLOAD COMMAND STRUCTURE

The command for downloading a new set of Protocol Command Codes takes the form of <ESC>LD,a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,i,j.

The parameters specified for “a” through “i” can be transmitted in either ASCII characters or hex notation, allowing a complete 128 character (except for the “,”) set to be used for selecting the custom code.

PARAMETER STANDARD SETTING ALTERNATE SETTING

(DEFAULT)

{ e f g c d a b h (Auto ONLINE) i (Zero Slash) j (Eurocharacter)

STX

ETX

ESC

ENQ

CAN

NULL

OFFLINE

No

No

D5

H

}

~

]

@

!

0 = YES

1 = NO

0 = YES

1 = NO

User Defined

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Appendix E: Custom Protocol Command Codes

RESET

If the custom Protocol Command codes are incorrect or if the printer does not respond to commands using the custom set, the Alternate Protocol Control Codes can be restored by the following procedure:

1. Turn the printer off.

2. Place DIP switch DS2-7 in the ON position.

3. Turn power on while simultaneously pressing the FEED and LINE switches.

4. When the message “ALT PROTOCOL DEFAULT COMPLETED” appears on the display turn the printer off.

ALT PROTOCOL

DEFAULT COMPLETE

For printers that do not have a display panel and the completion of the Protocol

Default is signified by a single “beep”. Once this beep is heard, then turn the printer off.

5. When the printer is powered up again, the Alternate Protocol Command Code set will be active. All previous custom settings will be lost.

DOWNLOAD PROCEDURE

The procedure for downloading a custom Protocol Command Code set is:

1. Reset the printer to the default settings using the Reset procedure.

2. Place DIP switch DS2-7 in the ON position.

3. Turn the POWER switch ON while simultaneously pressing the LINE switch. This places the printer in the USER DOWNLOAD mode as signified by a “User

Download” displayed on the LCD panel.

USER

WAITING

For printers that do not have an LCD panel, you will hear a single “beep” signifying the printer is in the User Download mode.

4. Set DIP switch DS2-7 in the position to accept the Protocol Control codes to be used for downloading (i.e. DS2-7 = OFF for Standard codes and DS2-7 ON to use the Alternate set).

5. Press the LINE key to place the printer in the ON-LINE mode. The printer is ready to receive the download command data stream.

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6. After the command has been sent, the unit will beep and print a status label. If it does not beep and print the label, the printer did not accept the data.

7. If the printer does not beep and print a setting label, turn the printer off, check your download command stream for errors and start the download process over at step 1.

8. If the custom codes are correct, press the FEED key to accept them and terminate the download process. If they are incorrect, turn the unit off without pressing the

FEED key and begin the download process again at step 1.

STX = XX

ETX=XX

ESC=XX

ENQ=XX

CAN=XX

NULL=XX

AUTO ONLINE=YES

ZERO SLASH=YES

Eurocharacter = D5

See Custom Protocol Command Codes Download in Section5: Programming Reference of this manual for sample command stream.

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