6.6. Using customized characters; Esc %; Esc &- Page 313

CHAPTER 6 EPSON - 23 

6.6.

Using customized characters 

Define characters 

Esc&NUL

n

1

n

2

(

n

3

<character definition data>) 

(27)(38)(00)n1n2(n3....)

   <1Bh><26h><00h>n1n2(n3...) 



This command enables you to define and download characters for printing. 



Monospaced characters are designed on a grid eleven dots wide by nine dots high.  Characters either occupy 
the top 8 rows of the grid (ascending characters) or rows 2 to 9 of the grid (descending characters). 

1

2
3

4

5
6

7

8
9

10
11

12

Blank columns

Character width

Rows 1 - 8

Replication area

Rows 2 - 9



Proportionally spaced characters are subject to the same height constraints (that is, eight dots high and either 
ascending or descending).  The width of proportionally spaced characters is specified by the value in 

n3.



n

1

 is the character code of the first character in the sequence to be defined.   



n

2

 is the character code of the last character in the sequence to be defined.   



It is assumed that you are defining a sequence of characters whose code numbers increment by one for each 
character as default.  If this is not the case,  you must split the characters you are defining into sets of 
characters with contiguous code numbers and use a separate command for each set. 



Each character is defined as a series of bytes - each byte defining a column of dots.  The columns are read 
from left to right in the order in which they occur in the definition.  The most significant bit of each byte 
represents the top dot of the column, and the least significant bit represents the bottom dot.  Simply set a bit 
to 1 to print a dot in that position on the grid, or to 0 to print white space. 



The MSB (bit 8) of 

n

3 

specifies whether the defined character is an ascender or a descender.  Set bit 8 to 0 

when defining an ascender, and to 1 for a descender.  Ascending characters occupy the top 8 rows of the grid 
while descending characters occupy rows 2 to 9 of the grid.   



Bits 5 to 7 of 

n

3

 specify the number of columns left blank to the left of the defined character in proportional 

spacing mode.  The number of columns to skip is the number held in bits 5 to 7 minus 1.  Up to six columns 
can be skipped.  Hence, if you set this number to 4 it is equivalent to setting the first three character 
definition data bytes to 0. 



Bits 1 to 4 of 

n

3

 specify the width in columns of the defined character in proportional spacing mode.  The 

width in columns is the number held in bits 1 to 4.  Characters can be up to fifteen columns wide, including 
skipped blank columns.   



Downloaded characters are selected using the 

Esc %

1 NUL 

command and then printed by sending the 

appropriate character codes. 

Select standard / downloaded characters 

Esc%

n

NUL (27)(37)n(00) 

<1Bh><25h>n<00h> 



Once you have defined and downloaded one or more customized characters using the 

Esc &

 command, you 

can choose between the normal characters contained in the printer ROM and the characters you have 
downloaded. 



Set 

n

 to 0 to select the printer standard characters.  In this mode you cannot print any of your own defined 

characters. 



Set 

n

 to 1 to select your own downloaded characters for printing.  Now you can print using your user-defined 

characters but you cannot print any of the printer standard characters unless you have previously downloaded 
them to RAM as well, using the 

Esc :

 Copy ROM to RAM command. 

LPRINT CHR$(27); CHR$(37); CHR$(1); CHR$(0); 'Select downloaded  
characters