GRAPHTEC FC4200-50 - Setting Up Centronics Parallel Interface; Setting Up Centronics-Compatible Parallel Interface

10 – 1
10. INTERFACES
This chapter explains the procedures for setting up the plotter’s interfaces to exchange data with a computer.
This plotter comes standard with an RS-232C serial interface and a Centronics-compatible parallel inter-
face. The plotter’s interface mode is automatically selected according to the type of data being transmitted
to the plotter.
10.1 Setting Up the Centronics-Compatible Parallel Interface
To use the Centronics-compatible parallel interface, it is only necessary to specify the COMMAND mode
and either the STEP SIZE parameter (when the COMMAND setting is GP-GL) or the ORIGIN parameter
(when the COMMAND setting is HP-GL).
For instructions on setting the required parameters, see Section 10.5, “Selecting the COMMAND Mode,”
Section 10.3, “Specifying the STEP SIZE,” and Section 6.1, “Selecting the ORIGIN POINT Position in HP-GL
Mode.”
10.2 Setting Up the RS-232C Serial Interface
To use the RS-232C Serial interface, it is necessary to specify the COMMAND mode, either the STEP SIZE
parameter (when the COMMAND setting is GP-GL) or the ORIGIN parameter (when the COMMAND set-
ting is HP-GL), and the RS-232C interface conditions. At the plotter’s control panel, you can register up to
three different sets of RS-232C interface conditions as COND Nos. RS-1, RS-2, and RS-3, thus allowing
you to quickly and easily switch the interface conditions to suit your application.
Set the interface conditions to the same settings for your software application and for the plotter. If they are
incorrectly set, the plotter may display an error message, fail to properly receive all of the data transmitted
from the computer, or malfunction. In such cases, check your interface conditions once more.
For instructions on setting the required parameters, see Section 10.5, “Selecting the COMMAND Mode,”
Section 10.3, “Specifying the STEP SIZE,” Section 6.1, “Selecting the ORIGIN POINT Position in HP-GL
Mode,” and Section 10.4, “Specifying the RS-232C Interface Conditions.”
Factory-Preset Interface Conditions
COND No. RS-1
COND No. RS-2
COND No. RS-3
FORCE
SPEED
OFFSET
QUALITY
F1 F3
F4
F2
9600 RS–1 N
8BIT H
FORCE
SPEED
OFFSET
QUALITY
F1 F3
F4
F2
9600 RS–2 E
7BIT H
FORCE
SPEED
OFFSET
QUALITY
F1 F3
F4
F2
9600 RS–3 E
8BIT H