Printer Help Contents

Help Topics

Copies

Fonts Button

Graphics Resolution

Graphics Mode

Ordering Accessories

Options

Orientation

Overlay

Paper Sizes

Paper Source

Copyright © 1992-1995 by Lexmark International, Inc.

PCL is a registered trademark of Hewlett-Packard Company.


Copies

The Copies selection tells Windows how many uncollated copies you want to print from a software application. This setting is independent of the "copies selection" that may be available within the print menus of your software application.

Do not use the two selections simultaneously.

As a general rule:  Set the number of copies in the printer driver window when you want to print uncollated copies.  When you want sets of collated copies, select the number of copies from within your software application.

You should experiment to determine which selection works best for the jobs you print.


Fonts Button

By clicking on the Fonts button you can access the Font Installer where you can install new printer fonts or, if you have Intellifont-for-Windows scalable typefaces.  Step-by-step procedures for installing fonts can be found in the Font Installer help screens.

You can install any PCL® compatible printer fonts with the Font Installer.

Ordering Scalable Typefaces and Fonts

Compatible Fonts


Graphics Resolution

The Graphics Resolution setting in the printer setup dialog box affects the resolution of both graphic images and text. Graphics resolution is measured in dots per inch (dpi). Choosing the highest dpi will produce finer, higher-quality output.  The output quality decreases as the resolution decreases. However, higher resolution output will take longer to print.

If the printer does not print the entire graphic image on one page, then most likely you either need to install more memory in your printer or choose a lower graphics resolution setting.

Ordering Memory

Memory

Graphics Mode


Orientation

Print orientation can be Portrait or Landscape. Portrait orientation means the page is taller than it is wide when you view the printed text upright. Landscape orientation means the page is wider than it is tall when you view the printed text upright.


Paper Source

If you choose Manual Feed or Man. Envelope for the paper source, the printer driver will use this selection only until you exit Windows. The next time you start Windows, the paper source selection will revert to the default paper tray.

Update

Ordering Paper Trays


Paper Size

The printer driver lets you select the following paper and envelope sizes.

Paper

  Letter	8.5 x 11 inches

  Legal	8.5 x 14 inches

  Executive	7.25 x 10.5 inches

  A4	210 x 297 mm

  A5	148 x 210 mm

  B5	182 x 257 mm

Envelopes

  Envelope 9	3 7/8 x 8 7/8 inches

  Envelope 10	4 1/8 x 9 1/2 inches

  Envelope DL	110 x 220 mm

  Envelope C5	162 x 229 mm

  Envelope B5	176 x 250 mm

  Envelope 7 3/4	3 7/8 x 7 1/2 inches


Options

The Options dialog box allows you to select the following:

Dithering

Contrast Control

Print Darkness

Paper Type

Print TrueType as Graphics

Defaults

Advanced Options, which allows you to select the following:

   Page Protection

   PQET

   Memory

   Direct to Port

   NPA BiDi

   Use Printer Patterns

   Screen Font Substitution

   Reduced Checking

   Update

   Defaults


Ordering Accessories

To order additional printer memory, paper trays, and font  or typeface products, check with your authorized Lexmark or IBM dealer.

To locate your nearest Lexmark dealer call:

USA	1-800-438-2468

Canada	1-800-663-7662

Other countries	Contact a Lexmark or IBM sales office

In the USA, to order a Lexmark Business Product Catalog, or to place an order, call Lexmark directly at: 1-800-438-2468


Graphics Mode

Raster uses the printer's PCL® 5 emulator to process the data describing the page to be printed.  When Raster is selected the printer driver can use the printer's resident fonts.  For this reason, text intensive documents will often print faster when Raster is selected than when Print Accelerator is selected.  Also, Raster must be selected when it is desired to use a printer resident font.

Print Accelerator uses a special operating mode of the printer to provide high resolution, high speed graphics.  For a given Graphics Resolution setting, Print Accelerator is generally faster than Raster when printing graphics intensive pages that contain a moderate amount of text.   When Print Accelerator is selected, the printer driver sends only graphic images to the printer.  Text is rendered into graphic images by the printer driver before being sent to the printer.  For this reason, printer resident and downloadable fonts are not available when Print Accelerator is selected.

Quick Print + improves overall printing speed by overlapping transmission of the page data with the actual printing of the page.  A side effect of this process is that the page is never completely held in printer memory.  This change in printer memory use results in both a significant advantage and disadvantage.  The advantage is that this method reduces the amount of printer memory needed to print a page dramatically.  The disadvantage is that error handling and jam recovery are not as complete as with other Graphics Modes.

Quick Print + requires a PC with a reasonably fast parallel port that is bidi-capable and requires that NPA mode is enabled (see the Advanced Options Menu).

GL/2 uses the printer's GL/2 emulator to process the data describing the page to be printed.  When GL/2 is selected the printer driver sends the text content of the page as character strings and sends the graphic content as GL drawing commands.  GL/2 is usually the best option since it allows the use of printer resident fonts and, in most cases, is the fastest.

Auto Select causes the printer driver to automatically select the Graphics Mode based on the active application.

Graphics Resolution


Overlay

By clicking on the Overlay button you can access Overlay Management, where you can store information in the printer, in the form of an overlay, and then use the overlay you stored.

Overlay Management


To print the printer's menu settings, using the front panel (starting from the READY screen):

1) select MENUS,

2) select TESTS MENU,

3) select MORE until Print Menus is displayed,

4) select Print Menus.


AutoFont Support files are provided with some font and typeface products. These files contain font metric (width) information used by the Font Installer.  AutoFont Support files are usually shipped with special installation utilities that must be run prior to using the Font Installer.


WYSIWYG is an acronym for "What You See Is What Your Get." The screen fonts that appear on your display match the fonts used in your printer.


The term scalable describes products that can be reduced or enlarged (scaled) to virtually any point size that your Windows application will support.

Conversely, bitmapped fonts are limited to an exact point size.  A bitmapped font can not be reduced or enlarged (non-scalable).


A  driver is a portion of software code that controls commands sent to a device such as a printer or screen.  Drivers work automatically so that you don't have to enter programming codes.  Drivers allow you to select fonts, set margins, number of copies, etc.


In multiple page jobs that are uncollated, several copies of page One are printed followed by several copies of page Two, followed by several copies of page Three, etc.


In multiple page jobs that are collated, a complete set of pages in a job are printed followed by another complete set of pages.   For example:  One copy of Page 1, then Page 2, then Page 3; followed by another copy of Page 1, then Page 2, then Page 3.


Intellifont-for-Windows is a software program that includes a special screen font driver.  With Intellifont-for-Windows loaded, scalable typeface products can be directly installed to produce both printer fonts and screen fonts.


Manual feed is often used for printing non-standard sizes of paper, envelopes, labels and transparencies.  Also, when an occasional page of special paper, such as letter-head or color paper, is wanted without having to open and load a paper tray.


If Auto Select is used when both input paper trays have the same size of paper, the printer will automatically print from the upper tray until it is empty, then continue printing from the lower tray.

Auto Select can also be used if you store different size paper (for example, letter-size paper in one tray and legal-size paper in the other).


Symbol sets are unique groupings of characters in a font.  Each symbol set is defined with a specific set of applications in mind.  WN: Windows is the default symbol set.  Other symbol sets are used for math and multi-language purposes.  Refer to your printer user's manual for charts showing all the characters in symbol sets.


To receive font files for your printer Font Cards, contact your Lexmark dealer, point of purchase or your country Lexmark representative.


Contents for Options Help

Help Topics

Dithering

Contrast Control

Print Darkness

Paper Type

Print TrueType Fonts As Graphics

Defaults

Copyright © 1992-1995 by Lexmark International, Inc.


Paper Type

Select the desired Paper Type to optimize print quality across a variety of media.  Note, paper type is not supported with envelopes.


Print TrueType As Graphics

If your document contains a lot of graphics but not a lot of repeated TrueType text, it is recommended that you use this feature. If your document does not contain a lot of different TrueType fonts, printing them as graphics requires less printer memory and may speed up printing time.

This option is also useful if you want to print graphics over text such that only the exposed portion of a character is displayed.


Dithering

The Dithering setting affects the amount of detail in the graphics images.  The overall appearance of graphics is affected by the combination of the Graphics Resolution, Dithering, Contrast Control and Print Darkness settings.

Contrast Control

Print Darkness


Contrast Control

The Contrast Control setting determines the degree of difference between levels of gray.  The overall appearance of graphics is affected by the combination of the Graphic Resolution, Dithering, Contrast Control and Print Darkness settings.

Dithering

Print Darkness


Print Darkness

The Print Darkness setting is used to lighten or darken output in print jobs or to preserve toner supply.

Selecting Normal should satisfy most printing requirements.

The overall appearance of graphics is affected by the combination of the Graphics Resolution, Dithering, Contrast Control, and Darkness settings.

Dithering

Contrast Control


Compatible Fonts and Typefaces

Fonts installed through the Font Installer must be in one of the following forms:

*   Bitmapped printer (soft) fonts -- disk-based

Disk-based (soft) bitmapped printer fonts must be in PCL® format.  These fonts have various file extensions.  For example,  .SFP and .SFL.

*   Fonts installed through the AutoFont Support Utility

AutoFont Support uses a file typically called GLUE.TXT

Additionally, if you have Intellifont-for-Windows  you can also use the Font Installer to install

*   Scalable typeface products --

Scalable typeface products must be in AGFA Compugraphics'c FAIS format.  All other font products require AutoFont Support files or PCM files.

Ordering Additional Fonts and Typefaces


Contents for Advanced Options Help

Help Topics

Page Protection

Print Quality

Defining Printer Memory

Direct to Port

NPA BiDI

Use Printer Patterns

Screen Font Substitution

Reduce Checking

Update

Defaults

Copyright © 1992-1995 by Lexmark International, Inc.


Page Protection

"Page Protection" refers to a setting that reserves additional memory for the creation of page images.  The page protection feature allows the printer to create an entire page image in memory before physically moving the paper through the printer. This process ensures that the entire page will be printed and helps eliminate the Complex Page error that can sometimes appear on the printer's display.

Ordering Additional Memory


Print Quality

Print Quality Enhancement Technology (PQET) is a technology that produces smoother edges for better looking text.  PQET provides edge smoothing for a less jagged appearance on 300 dpi jobs. PQET is not used on 600 dpi jobs.  No degradation of graphics should occur with PQET selected.

Standard printing is used to have unmodified image data printed.

Toner Saver provides a more economical way to print by distributing toner to every other PEL.  For this reason, text appears lighter when Toner Saver is invoked.  Toner Saver is not used on 600 dpi jobs.


Defining Printer Memory

The Memory selection, which defines the amount of memory installed in a printer, should be configured to match your printer.  Windows uses this information to determine the amount of memory you have available for printing.

Additional printer memory can eliminate Memory Full and Complex Page errors if you print complex forms, full-page graphics and/or download many fonts.

Update

Ordering Additional Printer Memory


Direct to Port

Direct to Port uses enhanced parallel interface protocols to transfer data to the printer.  These protocols allow for faster data transfer.

Note: This option is available only for local printers and with Windows in Enhanced (386) Mode.


NPA BiDi

NPA BiDi uses enhanced parallel interface protocols to transfer data to the printer.  These protocols allow for bi-directional communication.

Note: This option is available only for local printers and with Windows in Enhanced (386) Mode.


Use Printer Patterns

When "Use Printer Patterns" is selected the printer driver can use the printer's built in gray scale patterns.  This is usually faster than having the printer driver send the patterns to the printer as graphic images.  Using the printer's built in patterns does reduce the selection of gray scale patterns available to the printer driver.  Also, with some applications, white text on black or gray backgrounds may be missing when Use Printer Patterns is selected.


Reduce Checking
Reduced Checking

Reduced Checking controls the amount of signal integrity checking whichis performed by the driver.  Normal signal integrity checking for some Quick Print + and Print Accelerator jobs can result in data transmissionerrors at the printer.  If Reduced Checking is selected, some jobs that do not print will print.  If a  Quick Print + or Print Accelerator job will not print whether Reduce Checking is selected or not, choose another datastream mode and try reprinting the job.


Update

Update uses the bi-directional communication capability of the printer to update the information that the printer driver maintains about the printer's configuration. Some of the items set in this fashion are: installed memory and optional paper sources installed.

This option is only available when the printer is able to respond to the printer drivers's request.  For example, the printer must be turned on.  If the printer is attached through a network, bi-directional communication between the printer driver and the printer must be supported over that network.


Screen Font Substitution

The Screen Font Substitution check box controls the way the printer driver lists printer resident fonts that have corresponding TrueType screen fonts. Normally this box should be checked.

When Screen Font Substitution is on, the printer driver does not list the printer resident fonts which have corresponding TrueType screen fonts installed.  Instead, only the screen font is listed. For example, Arial will only appear in an application's font selection dialog box once. When the document is printed, the printer driver uses the printer resident font in place of the matching screen font. A document that uses Arial will be printed with the printer resident Arial font.

When Screen Font Substitution is off, the printer driver lists both the TrueType screen fonts and the printer resident fonts. For example, Arial will appear in an application's font selection dialog box twice, once as a screen font and a second time as a printer font. When the document is printed, the printer driver uses the font that was selected.  If a TrueType screen font is used in the document, that screen font will be downloaded to the printer and used to print the document. If the printer resident font is used in the document, it will be used to print the document.

There might be unique situations where it is desirable to create a document that specifies the the printer resident font rather than the screen font.  Or, it may be desirable to force the screen font to be downloaded for printing.  In either of these cases, Screen Font Substitution should be turned off.


Defaults

Defaults returns the items set from the current dialog window to the settings they had immediately after installing the printer driver.


Overlay Management

This dialog box contains options that let you store information in the printer and then use the information you stored.

Overlays

An overlay is a template that can be defined and then printed as a background on a form before the data from the current job is printed. The overlay can be an image, such as the background of a preprinted form or a company letterhead. This is sometimes referred to as "watermarking."

See Also

Overlay Order and Overlay Selections

Download Overlay

Update List

Overlay Creation


Overlay Order and Overlay Selections

The Overlay Selections list boxes let you select overlays that have been stored in the printer. Up to two overlays can be used in each job. If None is selected, no overlay will be used. Use the Overlay Order area to determine how the overlays will be used.

Selecting First Page/Other Pages:

Use the First Page list box to select the overlay to be used on the first printed page. If the duplex option is available and is selected, the specified overlay will only be used on the first side of the first printed sheet of paper.

Use the Other Pages list box to select the overlay to be used on all pages of the job after the first page.

Selecting Odd Pages/Even Pages:

Use the Odd Pages list box to select the overlay to be used on all odd pages of the job.

Use the Even Pages list box to select the overlay to be used on all even pages of the job.

Note: The odd/even page numbers refer to the order in which the pages are actually printed, and not to any page numbers which your application may generate and print on the page.


Overlay Download
Download Overlay

Choose the Download Overlay button to bring up a dialog which will allow you to store an overlay file in the printer. You must specify the file name of the overlay file you want to store and a descriptive name for the overlay. You can download the overlay to flash, disk (if available), or memory in the printer.


Update List

Choose the Update List button to bring up a dialog which will allow you to edit the list of available overlays in the Overlay Selections list boxes. This will not in any way change what is actually in the printer; it will only change the list maintained by the driver. You may want to use this option to delete overlay names from the list if you have deleted the overlays from the printer by reformatting the flash or disk (if available).


Overlay Creation

Choose the Create an Overlay checkbox when you want to create an overlay from your document instead of printing it..

If the duplex option is available and is turned on, choosing Create an Overlay will cause it to be ignored, and the overlay will be created without duplex.