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PrimeGIF

Print a Compuserve GIF image file on a Fargo Primera color thermal printer


Syntax

PRIMEGIF [<switches>] <cFILENAME.GIF> <nLeft> <nTOP> 
   <nNewWidth> <nNewHeight>


Switch

/f
Do not send a form feed after print.

/b<n>
Set brightness change to <n> (-255(dark) to 255(light). Default is 30.

/h<n>
Set heat setting to <n> (1 to 96). Default is 25.

/metric
Set print area in millimeters. Default is in inches.

/fast
Set fast data transfer mode (LPT ports only).

/com<n>
Send output to com <n>.

/lpt<n>
Send output to lpt <n>. Default is lpt1.

/prn
Send output to standard print.

/file:<FILE>
Send output to <FILE>.


Arguments

<cFILENAME.GIF>
The GIF image to print.

<nLeft>
The left offset into page in inches (default is 0.0).

<nTop>
The top offset into page in inches (default is 0.0).

<nNewWidth>
The new width in inches (default is 8.0).

<nNewHeight>
The new height in inches (default is 6.0).


DOS Error Messages

<nLeft> + <nNewWidth> should be less than 8.5" 
<nTop> + <nNewHeight> should be less than 11.5"
Unknown switch: /<switch>

DOS Error Levels

0
Success.

1
Cannot open <cFILENAME.GIF>.

2
Cannot allocate enough memory for line buffers.

3
<cFILENAME.GIF> is not a valid GIF file.

4
Print terminated by user.

5
Printer does not acknowledge.

6
Printer is out of paper.

7
Printer time out error.


Remarks

Print a GIF image file on a Fargo Primera thermal color printer 
(76000/76001). The image will be quantized on your computer in about 
3 - 5 minutes, with a typical total print time of about 9 minutes. By 
printing to a file, SendBIN (part of Sunshow, standard edition) can also 
be used to print the PRN file on the Primera. By quantizing the image to 
a file, actual print time using SendBIN will be much faster. The Fargo 
Primera requires RGB temp files for quantizing, thus sufficient hard disk 
space is required.

Includes special /FAST method providing similar speed as SendBIN. /FAST 
parameter writes directly to printer ports, supports LPT ports only; does 
not support COM ports, PRN, FILE, and is not network redirectable, 
therefore cannot be used with network. Network use of PrimeGIF requires, 
use of network print services. Alternative, non-networked method: print to 
diskfile with /file switch, then use SendBIN for fastest print speed.

Maximum Printable Image Sizes

Size      Maximum Color    Maximum Monochrome
A-Size    8.5" x 9.3"      8.5" x 9.8"
A-Long    8.5" x 11.0"     8.5" x 11.5"
A4        210mm x 254mm    210mm x 266mm
A4-Long   210mm x 292mm    210mm x 297mm


Primera Printer Tips

The Fargo Primera uses thermal wax transfer on plain paper, specially 
coated paper, or transparency film at 200 DPI for high quality color 
graphics and monochrome text printing. It supports 3-color (cyan, magenta, 
yellow), 4-color (cyan, magenta, yellow, black), and monochrome ribbons. 
The paper is shuttled back and forth while printing takes place. Printing 
occurs in the following order: yellow plane, magenta plane, cyan plane. 
On 4-color ribbons, the black plane is printed last. While the Primera is 
Windows compatible with the drivers supplied by Fargo, DOS printing requires 
no other drivers or setup beyond what is required for this printer driver.

The RIP processing (Raster Image Processing) on the image data is performed 
by the PC and the Sunshow Pro driver, therefore faster PCs with more memory 
will provide significant performance increases. Fargo recommends a minimum 
of a 386 CPU with 2 MB of memory, however a 486 with 4 MB of memory is 
recommended for best results.


Heat Settings Notes

The default heat setting of 25 should be fine for most color/monochrome 
graphic printing on most papers. The heat control is used by Fargo to 
adjust image intensity, however Sunshow Pro uses it's own software 
brightness algorithm which has a wider range of intensity and does not 
affect ink adhesion or quality. It is suggested that the heat setting be 
reserved for special paper situations where paper texture, tooth or coating 
cause poor ink adhesion due to insufficient heat or image darkness caused 
by burning of the ink through too much heat. Ink deterioration caused by 
incorrect heat settings should be avoided. In our experience, through 
programming many thermal print drivers, we recommend always use the 
manufacturers' recommended paper type, and that specially coated paper 
(synthetic or wood-pulp) for thermal printers be always preferred. We do 
not recommend plain paper for any thermal graphic printing. In addition to 
a front coating for ink adherance and image quality, many papers also have 
a back anti-static coating. Plain paper also may be too abrasive for 
thermal printers.

Use the switch (instead of disconnecting the power cube) to power down the
printer so that the printer can properly shut down. You must remove the 
power cube from the outlet to completely disconnect the printer even though 
the switch is off.

Thermal printers produce best results if allowed to completely warm up to 
operating temperature when first starting up or following power down for 
reset.

Occasionally, printer cables are found that are not completely connected at 
all pins. This can cause much hair pulling when trouble shooting (it may be 
worth checking all the pins with a continuity checker). Remember, all cables 
should always have all wires or lines available and enabled to avoid 
possible connection difficulties, especially when using different equipment 
at many locations on a network. Color thermal print quality is highly 
dependent on paper quality and finish. Using the manufacturers recommendation is the best policy. Experimenting with different 
papers could void the warranty and cause costly damage to the printer. 
Specially coated papers with a very smooth finish produce the best 
presentation quality. Some synthetic "papers" are too slippery for some 
printers, cannot feed correctly, and have ink adherance problems.


Example

To print a 7.0" x 8.0" GIF image, ASMUSSEN.GIF at the upper, left corner of 
the page at 200 DPI:

PRIMEGIF /FAST /B80 ASMUSSEN.GIF 0 0 7 8