Star Micronics 8 Series - Page 47

Cartridgeand downloadedfonts
YourStarLaserPrinter8 canusetwootherkindsof fonts,alongwiththose
builtintotheprinter.
Cartridgefonts,like the internalones, are permanentlystored on ROM
chips.ThedifferenceisthatthoseROMsaminremovablecartridges.Your
StarLaserPrinter8 hasslotsfortwo fontcartridges.
Eachcartridgemayholdanywherefmmhalfadozentotwodozenfonts,all
differingfromtheinternalfontsin size,style,strokeweightor symbolset.
You’llfindthatcartridgefontsopenupawiderrangeoftypefacestoo,such
as HelvetandLetterGothic.Generally,cartridgeandinternalfonttypefaces
aresuitableforbothtextandheadlines.
The third kind of font is neitherbuilt into your Star LaserPrinter8 nor
availablejust by slippingin a cartridge.You downioadthis kindof font,
which means you use a computerprogram to send characters from a
computerdisktoyourprinter’smemory.Anydownloadedfont(sometimes
called a “soft” or “installed”font) that you put into the printer’sRAM
disappearswhenyouturnofftheprinter,soyouhavetodownloadthatfont
againnexttimeyouwantit.
Downloadablefonts run the gamutfromEgyptianhieroglyphicsto those
eye-catchingdecorativefarmknownasdisplayfonts.Theyalsoincludethe
more exoticforeign-languagecharacters,such as Arabicor Cynllic, and
symbolandmathematicalfonts(sometimeswithfractions).
Howcan you comparecartridgeand downloadablefonts?Whenyouuse
cartridgefontsyoudon’thaveto taketimeto downloadthcm.Theydon’t
takeanyofyourStarLaserPrinter8‘sRAMmemoryeither.Butdowrdoad-
ablefontsoffermanymorechoices.Downloadablcfontsusuallycostless
too.
Theprinteralwaysknowswhereits internalfontsarc.For eachemulation
program,it alsokeepstrackof cartridgeanddownloadedfontsin a partof
itsmemorycalledthe~onttable.
SowiththeStarLaserPrinter8youcanhavemanyfontsavailableatanyone
time—theinternalfonts,thefontson anycassettesyou’vepluggedin,and
any fonts you have downloaded.You can change fonts in mid-line to
emphasizea word or two wheneveryou want. You can mix internal,
cartridgeanddownloadedfontsin thesamedocument.Youcanuse fonts
frombothcartridgeslotswithinthe samedocumenttoo.
39