Documentation for Materials Handling Software - Module One:Barcode Printer.

This is the first Module of three that will allow anyone with a Model 100 and 
a Tandy bit-image graphics printer to print quality Barcode Labels. While this
 package is public domain software, I have tried to incorporate many of the 
features used in regular commercial packages costing hundreds of dollars. 

Properly used, this package will print barcode labels on standard 1-wide 
mailing labels in many formats. The labels produced are easily readable by 
the Tandy barcode Wand. All labels are printed in the popular 3 of 9 format.

Currently the menu shows support for three printers,however, the mode is
identical for each.I haven't used any other printers,but I left it in the
structure of the program anyway

General Features:
Modes of setup:
1. File Printing: 
Here labels are printed from reading a .DO file in memory. Basically, the 
program inputs a line from the .DO file, and prints that line in barcode. You 
have the option of having the text on the label (the alphanumerics printed 
below the barcode) be the same as what the barcode READS as, OR being the next 
line input from the file. 
For instance, if we were to print from a file called 'bar.do' that had these lines:

26-3801
12K MODEL 100
26-3802
24K MODEL 100

If we selected this file and selected ALPHA as 'Yes', the first label would 
have '26-3801' printed in barcode, with the TEXT (description) '24K MODEL 100' 
printed right below the barcode on the same label. If we selected ALPHA as 'No'
 , the first label would have '26-3801' printed in barcode,with '26-3801' 
printed right below it. The next label,in this case, would then have '8K 
MODEL 100' printed in barcode, with '8K MODEL 100' printed right below it.

As you can see, this is a very powerful feature of the Module. It can allow 
you,for instance, to have '26-3801' to be your item in your computer inventory 
records, while '8K MODEL 100' printed on the label for human readability. You 
could add to the text the cost and/or the date recieved...it's up to you.

2. Custom Printing:
 Need only one label or a number of the same one? Custom printing does it for 
you. You can select what you want printed in barcode, and what you want 
printed for the text below it. Finally, the Module asks you for how many copies 
of the label you want printed.

3. Sequential Printing
   Do you need a series of barcode labels numbered from 0002 to 0234 ?? In 
increments of 4 ?? Sequential will do this!
The first thing you must enter is the width of the label. For instance, 0234 
is 4 spaces wide. This must be done since smaller numbers must be padded 
with zeroes. You see, 0024 and 24 are two very different numbers to a true 
barcode system. As a rule in barcode systems,each number must be descrete in 
itself. So we do the padding for you!
The next step is to enter the SKIP, 
which is the increment between each number. Then you enter the start and 
stop numbers. Each will appear on the screen with the appropiate zeroes padded
 on! Finally, you're prompted for COPIES, which will allow you to make 
copies of each sequential label!

Running Module One:

On startup:
 The program first displays the greeting message, and then clears and displays 
'Loading System..' . There is a wait here while the program loads the main 
array that 'codes' each legal ASCII charcter into memory.

Parameter Setup:

First make sure the CAPS LOCK is ON.

Here two things appear- 'PRINTER' and 'SETUP' . 

PRINTER is the choice of the printer you are using. The choices are Tandy DMP 
420, 2100, and 2150 printers.
To scroll through the choices, press any key. When you're at your choice, press ENTER.

SETUP is the type of printing you want to do as mentioned earlier. The choices 
are FILE (read from a .DO file), CUSTOM (Custom label creation) and SEQENT (
Sequential label creation).
Press any key to scroll through the choices. Press ENTER to confirm your 
choice and move on to the appropiate SETUP screen.

Notes at this point : There is no exit from the program at this stage yet! If 
you must exit, you must BREAK or CONTROL-C the program. Remember to issue a 
CLOSE command next!

Module Setup : FILE
Prompt- FILE NAME: Type in the name of the .DO file (no extension) 
that you wish to read from.
 If you make a mistake typing, you can press the BKSP key to backspace, or 
press the ESC key to erase the total entry. Note: No other editing keys work!
If you type in a file name that does not exist, the Module 'beeps' and erases 
the entry for you to start over again.
You can Exit the Module now by pressing 
the UP-ARROW key, which will return you to the menu.

PROMPT- ALPHA:
ALPHA specifies the format of the file you'll be reading from. The choice of 
ALPHA = 'N' means that the barcode and the text are the same. ALPHA ='Y' means 
that the barcode label will be printed from the first input from the file, and 
the text from the second input.Each label will take two lines in the .DO file.

Module setup: CUSTOM

Prompt: TEXT
Here type in the text you wish to be produced at the bottom of the label
Editing works the same as file name entry in FILE

Prompt: CODE
Here type in what you want barcoded. Editing same as FILE

Prompt: COPIES
Enter the number of copies you wish of the custom label. Editing same as FILE.

Setup: SEQUENTial

Prompt: WIDTH

Here you must enter the maxium width of the number set to be printed. Remember 
that this is required to 'pad' entries with appropiate zeroes. The entry fields
 for entering the start and stop numbers will automatically be formatted to the 
proper width.Edit same as FILE

Prompt: SKIP

SKIP lets you increment the labels by a factor. It works just like Skip does in 
a 'FOR n=1 TO 6 SKIP 2' statement in basic.

Prompt: START

Enter the starting number for the labels. Editing same as FILE. Note the 
entries become padded with zeroes.

Prompt: END

Enter the ending number for the labels. Works just like Start.

Prompt: COPIES

Lets you make multiples of each sequential label. 


Go ahead prompt:

Says "ESC=> REDO ENTER=>cont"
Esc erases the total entry and returns you to the initial menu
Hitting ENTER takes you to the Print Menu

PRINT MENU

First there is a prompt for checking the alignment of the printer. The printer 
head should be at the point where you want the printing to start; i.e. the 
first line of the label.

             ****SAMPLE LABEL ******
            pqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqr
   LINE ===>upqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqru
 UP HERE    uu** BARCODE PRINTED ** uu
            uu******** HERE ******* uu
            uvqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqwu
            u*** TEXT printed here **u
            vqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqw


Tap any key once aligned,and let it print away.

Once printing is done, you'll return to the startup menu.

Enjoy!    BarUser