pic18f driving usb printers

[NavMicroSystems]

Yes, very easily done...IF ( I say IF) your printer accepts standard ASCII codes...with BUILT IN FONTS.

Ok, let's assume the target printer has built in fonts.

Do you have a working code example?

Yes, very easily done...

come on, it's easy, share the code...

;-)

[Dwayne]

Sending standard ASCII code to the PORTB, just like your LCD.

ASCII in ASCII out...like a ASCII delimited file.

PSUEDO CODE

InputData var byte
Output Var byte

Loop:

Read Inputdata (whether you use SERIN or any other input data method)
Portb=Inputdata
toggle your datapin to send your ASCII byte.

goto Loop

Made one of these programs many years ago to test printers in DOS format...

If you take a look at a OLD printer control manual, you will see that Line feeds are Decimal 10... I think top of page was Decimal 12 contolling similar to the LCD...

Either I am misunderstanding something, or we are not on the same frequency at this very minute Maybe I should go back to bed?

DWayne

[NavMicroSystems]

Dwayne,

Either I am misunderstanding something, or we are not on the same frequency at this very minute...

let's try to get you back on track...

of course, driving a standard parallel (or serial) printer requires only a few lines of PBP code.

But here we are talking about USB

[ephesus]

ralph,
Right, we're talking how to drive USB printers especially inkjet or
laser ones for contiued models. Simply to print a complete ascii A4 page.
First we need some specifications of thoose printers, if available standart
page languages or easiest way to do. Then creating a driver software using pbp USB in/out statements.
Regards

Serkan

[Luciano]

Hi Serkan,

I understand you are currently using a printer with a serial port.

A simple solution could be a DOS compatible printer with a centronics parallel port.

Some low cost printer are GDI printer only. (Windows host-based printers).
These printes will not work if connected to a DOS based PC or microcontroller.

For a quick test, boot the PC from DOS and type the DOS internal command:

DIR *.* > PRN

(Make sure the parallel port is set as "Normal" in PC BIOS).

If you see the output on paper the printer understands "text only".

If the first test is OK, then try to see if the printer supports the
Epson Escape Codes or the Hewlett-Packard PCL commands.


Interface to your portable recorder:

Using a PIC, build a serial to parallel converter. The centronics pin 18 of
the printer will supply the necessary current for the PIC inside the converter.

See this link about PIN 18, search text "VCC (aka SLCT)".
http://nemesis.lonestar.org/referenc...entronics.html

This solution is compatible with the current version of your portable recorder.


Best regards,

Luciano

[ephesus]

Hi Luciano,
I think this topic will be closed by the way that you submitted.
Yes, I'd better to built a serial/parallel converter to drive commonly used, low cost parallel printers.
So we'll never use a pic18f as a host.
Thanks yo very much.

Serkan

[Dwayne]

Hello Serkan,

Serkan>>Right, we're talking how to drive USB printers especially inkjet or
laser ones for contiued models. Simply to print a complete ascii A4 page.
First we need some specifications of thoose printers, if available standart
page languages or easiest way to do. Then creating a driver software using pbp USB in/out statements.<<

This will probably not happen... overhead and stuff is too great...As you have already said and I have said...you will have to create fonts and the works...Each printer is different... same brand printers are sometimes somewhat compatible.

Your only hope relys upon the printer having its own built in fonts. usually by rule of thumb, if it has its own built in fonts, it can do pure ASCII input/output....Like the matrix printers.

Dwayne