Intelligent Printer Switch plus
Contents
1. Indicators Connectors Up to 55 000 characters per second cps per printer port From computers to Intelligent Printer Switch Distances above 33 feet 10 m are not recommended From Intelligent Printer Switch to printers 328 feet 100 m Maximum distance will be affected by data rate and cable quality 256 KB 1 MB 2 MB or 4 MB of buffer RAM depending on the model Optional 1 MB and 4 MB Memory Expansion Kits are available buffer can be expanded to a maximum of 4 MB Parallel models 1 Bottom mounted 6 position DIP switch for timeout normal vs burst mode and Port 2 direction Serial models 3 Bottom mounted 10 position DIP switches for data rate data format and flow control 1 for Port 1 1 for Port 2 and 1 for Ports 3 through 6 or 8 6 LEDs 1 Power 1 Activity 4 Buffer 6 or 8 DB25 female depending on the model 1 dedicated printer port 1 printer or computer port user selectable on parallel models auto configuring on serial models 4 or 6 ports for computers only CHAPTER 1 Specifications Power Models with A suffix From wallmount power supply Input 115 VAC 50 to 60 Hz Output 9 VAC 1 5 A Models with AE suffix From desktop power supply Input 230 VAC 50 to 60 Hz Output 9 VAC 1 5 A Size 3 2 H x 10 2 W x 5 5 D 8 1 x 26 x 14 cm Weight 4 3 Ib 2 kg INTELLIGENT PRINTER SWITCH PLUS 2 Intr2. Llr _ _r _ _ lrPr r lr _ Sets data rate data Sets data rate data Sets data rate data format amp flow control format amp flow control format amp flow control for serial port 1 for serial port 2 for other serial ports 8 NH BEE 123 57 6 Kbps S la Up onE ORT MOS 38 4 Kbps BL E m X ON X OFF computer 19 2 Kbps E imi E connections only 9 6 Kbps E i H ETX ACK 4 8 Kbps a E E 2 4 Kbps EE DTR CTS 1 2 Kbps ES anne ia a ll Even parity pm ml Odd parity al ll No parity 7 data bits W 2 stop bits 8 data bits ll 1 stop bit Figure 3 3 Option switches and settings for serial models Factory default settings are shown in larger type 3 4 Powering On Attached Devices You can switch on your equipment in any order however it is generally better to switch on all your devices at the same time or switch on the Intelligent Printer Switch last When the IPSP is powered on the Buffer and Activity LEDs will flash for a few seconds while the unit performs a self test INTELLIGENT PRINTER SWITCH PLUS 3 5 Enabling Your Computer Ports 3 5 1 FOR PARALLEL MODELS Your PC s parallel interfaces do not normally need to be configured Howe
3. BLACK BOX Copyright 1995 Black Box Corporation All rights reserved 1000 Park Drive e Lawrence PA 15055 1018 e 724 746 5500 e Fax 724 746 0746 e BLACK BOX I a a E NOVEMBER 1995 PI9120A PI9120AE PI9121A PI9121AE PI9122A PI9122AE PI9123A PI9123AE PI9124A PI9124AE PI9125A PI9125AE PI9126A PI9126AE PI9127A PI9127AE PI9128A PI9128AE PI9129A PI9129AE PI9130A PI9130AE PI9131A PI9131AE PI9140A PI9140AE PI9141A PI9141AE PI9145 PI9146 Intelligent Printer Switch Jus itch nter SW gent Prin Intellige g Power g Activity a Buffer a ESSE A SSE ei eo SS SSS SS SS SS l Emo mti N N E E E E E E A AAAA CUSTOMER Order toll free in the U S 24 hours 7 A M Monday to midnight Friday 877 877 BBOX SUPPORT FREE technical support 24 hours a day 7 days a week Call 724 746 5500 or fax 724 746 0746 INFORMATION Mail order Black Box Corporation 1000 Park Drive Lawrence PA 15055 1018 Web site www blackbox com E mail info blackbox com FCC AND IC STATEMENTS TRADEMARKS FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION AND INDUSTRY CANADA RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE STATEMENTS This equipment generates uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and used properly that is in strict accordance with the manufacturer s instructions may cause interference to radio communication It has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A computing device in accordance with the specif
4. CIRL gt AL H5 selects LEFT SHIFT gt RIGHT SHIFT gt lt SHIFT gt can be either the left or the right shift key The selected combination is confirmed in the installation message N and R R default These options allow the ADMENU software to be run as a resident or non resident utility To install the menu as a resident program use the R option To run the software as a non resident utility use the N option M Standard color default M ensures that the menu appears in monochrome mode This option is provided for compatibility with certain types of monochrome screens found on some laptops and other computers If the ADMENU menu bars on your screen are faint or non existent install the software using the M option 4 6 Using ADMENU Invoking the ADMENU software causes a menu to appear on the screen Options can be selected as follows Use the up and down cursor keys to highlight the options in the menus Use enter to select a highlighted option Use escape to quit from any menu or the application INTELLIGENT PRINTER SWITCH PLUS 4 7 Main Menu PRINTER SWITCH ADMENU SELECT PRINTER FUNCTIONS OPTIONS DIRECT OUTPUT PRINTER 2 LPT1 Figure 4 1 Map of the Main Menu Commands A SELECT PRINTER Used to connect your computer to the required printer or plotter B FUNCTIONS Lets you clear data set priority form feed the printer or end a long timeout see S
5. SWITCH ADMENU SELECT PRINTER FUNCTIONS OPTIONS DIRECT OUTPUT ESC gt TO QUIT PRINTER PRINTER 1 lt PRINTER 2 BOTH EITHER Figure 4 2 Main Menu Commands for Selecting a Printer Specify other default ports using the L or C command line options see Section 4 5 INTELLIGENT PRINTER SWITCH PLUS 4 9 The FUNCTIONS Menu PRINTER SWITCH ADMENU SELECT PRINTER FUNCTIONS OPTIONS DIRECT OUTPUT lt ESC gt TO QUIT FUNCTIONS CLEAR DATA PRIORITY END OF FILE Figure 4 3 Main Menu Commands for Functions FORM FEED Selecting FORM FEED will send a form feed character to the currently selected printer The dialog box will briefly respond with FORM FEED SENT to confirm that the character has been sent CLEAR DATA Select CLEAR DATA to delete all the data that has been sent from your PC This command will not affect any data sent from any other computer PRIORITY Selecting PRIORITY ensures that the next print file you send to Intelligent Printer Switch will be given urgent priority This print file will be sent at the earliest possible opportunity and before queued print jobs from other users The priority status is automatically canceled once the priority print job has been sent from your PC END OF FILE When an infinite OFF timeout has been set an end of file instruction needs to be sent to the IPSP to allow other users to access the currently selected printer The END OF FILE
6. Timeout Port 2 direction Automatic IN OUT detection on port 2 1 minute Set Port 2 as INPUT Burst mode 30 seconds Set Port 2 as OUTPUT Normal mode 16 seconds INPUT Computer connections OUTPUT Printer connections Default settings Figure 3 2 Option switches and settings for parallel models Factory default settings are shown in larger type Port 2 Direction Port 2 can be used as an input from a computer or an output to a printer In automatic mode the default setting the port intelligently detects the type of device that it is connected to and configures itself automatically You can also manually switch the port from input to output using the option switches When using data boosters or powered cables you should set the direction of the port manually because automatic detection might not work If you experience any problems with Port 2 set the direction manually INTELLIGENT PRINTER SWITCH PLUS 3 1 2 SERIAL MODELS Set the option switches on the underside of the IPSP to those required by your system See Figure 3 3 The default settings are suitable for most installations Note that the option switches are read only when the IPSP is first powered on The IPSP can be set to use these types of flow control handshaking DTR CTS Hardware Handshake Uses hardware signal lines Pins 5 and 20 to control the flow of data X ON X OFF Printer amp Plotter Connections Only The flow of data
7. desired port highlighted and then press lt enter gt The PC port you have selected will now be displayed Note that the ADMENU software defines the routing from the selected port on your PC it does not set the port that your software will use for output INTELLIGENT PRINTER SWITCH PLUS 4 11 Direct Output of Typed Keyboard Characters Normal keyboard characters and control characters can be sent to the printer using the DIRECT OUTPUT option In the keyboard characters box all characters typed will be sent directly to the printer except lt up gt lt down gt and lt escape gt Control characters such as those to set condensed or bold printing can be specified in hexadecimal ASCII format In the hexadecimal ASCII characters box the specified character is sent when lt enter gt is pressed PRINTER SWITCH ADMENU SELECT PRINTER FUNCTIONS OPTIONS DIRECT OUTPUT PRINTER 1 LPT1 lt ESC gt TO QUIT DIRECT OUTPUT KEYBOARD CHARACTERS HEXADECIMAL ASCII CHARACTERS Figure 4 5 Main Menu Commands for Direct Output Note that characters such as line feeds are displayed using an unusual set of non alphanumeric characters NOTE The direct output will not be sent to the printer until 80 charactersare exceeded or a carriage return is sent CHAPTER 5 Controlling the IPSP with PC Commands 5 Controlling the Intelligent Printer Switch with PC Commands 5 1 Overview The Intelligent Printer Swit
8. equipment to maintain compliance with radio frequency emission regulations and ensure a suitably high level of immunity to environmental electromagnetic disturbances NOM STATEMENT NORMAS OFICIALES MEXICANAS NOM ELECTRICAL SAFETY STATEMENT 10 11 INSTRUCCIONES DE SEGURIDAD Todas las instrucciones de seguridad y operaci n deber n ser le das antes de que el aparato el ctrico sea operado Las instrucciones de seguridad y operaci n deber n ser guardadas para referencia futura Todas las advertencias en el aparato el ctrico y en sus instrucciones de operaci n deben ser respetadas Todas las instrucciones de operaci n y uso deben ser seguidas El aparato el ctrico no deber ser usado cerca del agua por ejemplo cerca de la tina de ba o lavabo s tano mojado o cerca de una alberca etc El aparato el ctrico debe ser usado nicamente con carritos o pedestales que sean recomendados por el fabricante El aparato el ctrico debe ser montado a la pared o al techo s lo como sea recomendado por el fabricante Servicio El usuario no debe intentar dar servicio al equipo el ctrico m s all a lo descrito en las instrucciones de operaci n Todo otro servicio deber ser referido a personal de servicio calificado El aparato el ctrico debe ser situado de tal manera que su posici n no interfiera su uso La colocaci n del aparato el ctrico sobre una cama sof alfombra o
9. 21A PI9121AE PI9122A PI9122AE PI9140A PI9140AE 8 Port Parallel PI9123A PI9123AE PI9124A PI9124AE PI9125A PI9125AE PI9141A PI9141AE 6 Port Serial PI9126A PI9126AE PI9127A PI9127AE PI9128A PI9128AE 8 Port Serial PI9129A PI9129AE PI9130A PI9130AE PI9131A PI9131AE Optional Memory Expansion PI9145 PI9146 NOTE Models with product codes ending in A have 115 VAC power adapters Product codes ending in AE have 230 VAC adapters 2 3 Cable Requirements FOR MODELS WITH PARALLEL PORTS PC to Intelligent Printer Switch input ports DB25 male to DB25 male all lines connected Cables longer than 25 feet 7 6 m might not function reliably you might be able to reach or exceed this distance by using a powered parallel extension cable call your supplier for technical support Intelligent Printer Switch to Printer output ports DB25 male to 36 pin Centronics male standard printer cable Maximum distance Up to 330 feet 100 m FOR MODELS WITH SERIAL PORTS Cable requirements will vary depending on your equipment See Appendix B INTELLIGENT PRINTER SWITCH PLUS 3 Installation 3 1 Configuring Your Intelligent Printer Switch Figure 3 1 below shows the rear panel of an eight port Intelligent Printer Switch IPSP On a six port model the top two connector slots on the left would be empty On all models Port 1 is a dedicated printer
10. PE name TXT gt pc printer port F6 lt enter gt name is the name of the batch file you re creating pc printer port is the port COMI COM2 LPT1 LPT2 or LPT3 that you wish to be routed to the required printer and F6 stands for pressing function key 6 For example COPY CON CONNECT2 BAT lt enter gt TYPE CONNECT2 TXT gt LPT1 F6 lt enter gt As before the screen will display 1 File s copied which indicates that a batch file name BAT has been created containing the text TYPE name TXT gt pc printer port To send the software command that you have stored in name TXT type the name of the batch file at the DOS prompt This procedure can be used to create a batch file to send any software command to any of your PC s ports CHAPTER 5 Controlling the IPSP with PC Commands 5 6 Setting Up Default Start of Day Destination Ports Every time you switch on power to your PC or reboot it each computer input port will be routed by default to Port 1 For IBM compatible PCs however individual start of day destinations can be set for each computer port To do this create a text file containing the desired selection command see Section 5 5 and modify your AUTOEXEC BAT file to send this command when your computer powers up For example by including the line TYPE CONNECT2 TXT gt LPT1 in your PC s AUTOEXEC BAT file after copying the file CONNECT2 TXT from the utility software diskette
11. Plotters A wide range of different pinning configurations are used on plotters serial ports A cable pinned as shown in Figure B 6 can be used for most plotters including those manufactured by Hewlett Packard and Roland Notable exceptions are Calcomp plotters which need a straight through cable the same as that used for modems see Section B 4 Intelligent Printer Switch end Plotter end 25 pin plug connector 25 Pin plug connector Figure B 6 Pinning Chart for Connecting to Plotters If you have a cable that currently works between your PC and plotter then this can be used between the Intelligent Printer Switch and your plotter with the addition of a separate adapter not included as shown below Adapter A or B Intelligent Printer Switch Plotter serial port PC to plotter cable Adapter A DB25 male DB25 male all leads connected gender matcher our product code FA402 Adapter B DB25 male DB9 male AT converter call us for a quote NOTES
12. a viiei 39 Bebe Connecting to Plotters c eee re eene iaia pearl 40 CHAPTER 1 Specifications 1 Specifications For all specifications in which the phrase depending on the model appears refer to Section 2 1 of this manual especially to Table 2 1 for a breakdown of features by model System Hardware Required For included software IBM PC PC XT AT or PS 2 computers System Software Required For included ADMENU software DOS 2 1 or later or Windows 3 0 3 1 or 95 For included ADMODE software DOS 2 1 or later System Memory Required For included ADMENU software 10 KB if installed for text only 22 KB if installed for text and graphics For included ADMODE software 1 KB System Disk Space Required Minimum ADMENU and ADMODE 30 KB Maximum all included software 450 KB Compliance FCC Part 15 Class A DOC Class MDC classe A Interface EIA RS 232 serial DTE or IBM PC parallel depending on the model Protocol Serial Asynchronous only Data Format Serial 7 or 8 data bits 1 or 2 stop bits and odd even or no parity user selectable Flow Control Hardware DTR CTS or software X ON X OFF or ETX ACK user selectable Operating Mode Serial Full duplex Data Rate Serial 57 600 38 400 19 200 9600 4800 2400 1200 or 300 bps user selectable INTELLIGENT PRINTER SWITCH PLUS Throughput Maximum Distance Internal Memory User Controls
13. able directory on your PC At the DOS prompt type a command following this format ADMODE COMn data rate parity data bits stop bits You only need to include a parameter after the data rate if it needs to be changed from the default values shown in Table 6 1 on the next page The minimum command syntax is ADMODE COMn data rate Example To set serial port one COMI to 38 400 bps eight data bits one stop bit and no parity use the following command ADMODE COM1 38400 N 8 1 enter Parameter COMn port data_rate CHAPTER 6 ADMODE Serial Port Control Utility Options COM1 or COM2 300 1200 2400 4800 9600 19 200 38 400 or 57 600 bps Table 6 1 ADMODE Command Parameters Entered As COM1 COM2 300 1200 2400 4800 9600 19200 38400 57600 Default parity odd even or none O E N data_bits 70r8 stop_bits 1or2 High Data Rate Limitations In practice almost all modern PCs will support data rates of 38 400 bps however a number of PCs that we tested were not able to support data rates of 57 600 bps due to the design of their serial ports If you experience problems with particular PCs try reducing the data rate Increasing the data rate of serial connections reduces the maximum cable lengths As a rule of thumb doubling the data rate halves the maximum distance At 57 600 bps limit the cable lengths to 50 feet 15 2
14. ach attached computer can commence printing as if directly connected to a printer By default all print data is routed to Port 1 If you want to route data to a second printer attached to Port 2 you ll need to use the ADMENU software utility see Chapter 4 or appropriate PC commands see Chapter 5 Once a computer has selected a new printer all print data from that computer will be routed to this printer until a different printer is selected or until the IPSP is switched off 3 7 Front Panel Indicators Activity LED Lights When data is available or a timeout is pending If data has been sent in on a port the activity light will remain on until the port has timed out Dark When no data is being transferred and no data is available Flashes When data is being transferred Buffer Status LEDs These show the current state of the internal buffer s memory capacity E m Buffer is more than full Bi Buffer is more than full BH E E Buffer is more than full E E Buffer is completely full If your buffer frequently fills to the level you should consider ordering the optional Memory Expansion to increase performance The Intelligent Printer Switch will continue to operate even if its buffer is full 4 ADMENU Printer Control Software 4 1 Overview The ADMENU printer control software allows you to switch between printers and to control printer functions It s located on the utility software d
15. cable that works directly between your IBM PC and serial printer it can be used as the input cable to your IPSP B 2 2 Connecting to IBM AT and Compatible Computers IBM AT and compatible PCs provide a DB9 male connector for the serial port For those computers the cable required to connect to the IPSP is wired as in Figure B 3 IBM AT end Intelligent Printer Switch end 9 pin socket connector 25 pin plug connector TXD 2 8 RXD 8 8 GND O 8 DTR 20 CTS o Figure B 3 Pinning Chart for Connecting IBM AT and Compatibles APPENDIX B Serial Port Specifications B 3 Connecting to Printers Most printers provide a standard DB25 connector for serial data The required cable pinning is shown in Figure B 4 This wiring configuration is suitable for popular printers such as HP LaserJet Diablo QUME OKIDATA and Epson with a serial port card Intelligent Printer Switch end Printer end 25 pin plug connector 25 Pin plug connector TXD O Figure B 4 Pinning Chart for Connecting to Printers B 4 Connecting to Modems The cable pinning shown in Figure B 5 is used to connect to most standard modems A DB25 cable with all 25 lines pinned straight through is suitable Intelligent Printer Switch end Modem end 25 pin plug connector 25 Pin plug connector Figure B 5 Pinning Chart for Connecting to Modems INTELLIGENT PRINTER SWITCH PLUS B 5 Connecting to
16. ch can be controlled by sending software commands to it from any computer The ADMENU software automatically generates the required software commands This section gives the format and purpose of each command All software commands have the following format lt PM command parameters gt Commands must begin with the three characters lt PM and end with the single character gt In the command templates and examples that appear in this chapter upper case letters are used to represent a key word Anything in braces is optional Text in lowercase letters should be replaced by the key word or option that it represents For example the command to connect to Port 2 would be lt PM CONNECT 2 gt A string of characters will be recognized as a command only if all the characters are correct thus making confusion with normal text extremely unlikely Software commands should be sent to the IPSP as a string of ASCII characters The best way to do this is to create a file containing the required command and then just print it as needed There are many other ways to do this however such as inserting the required selection string at the top of a word processor document refer to the user s manual for your word processor Users of IBM compatible computers can even create batch files to send software commands see Section 5 5 Items in a software command can be separated by spaces tabs line feeds or form feeds however only on
17. cto ha sido da ado u B Objectos han ca do o l quido ha sido derramado dentro del aparato o C El aparato ha sido expuesto a la lluvia o D El aparato parece no operar normalmente o muestra un cambio en su desempe o o E El aparato ha sido tirado o su cubierta ha sido da ada TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents Chapter Page 1 Sp cifications M 9 2 Introduction a a aA A One de uon li ai OES 12 A a ai eee 12 2 2 Package Contents seeen eene eet ie 12 2 9 Cable Requirements siii arri ariani 13 Is talla iii do 14 3 1 Configuring Your Intelligent Printer Switch 14 St Parallel Model iaa 14 BAD Serial Model Seeonee eE E A a E A REES 16 3 2 Selecting Ports for Your Equipment eee 16 3 9 Connecting PCs and Printers eite err tete eee toan 16 3 4 Powering On Attached Devices eias aiaa 17 3 5 Enabling Your Computer POrts roueed a iers 18 3 0 1 For Parallel Models asso ds 18 3 5 2 For Serial Models poe entre ez aii 18 5 6 Using the Intelligent Printer Switch iii iii 19 93 7 Eront Panel Indicators nitrilo 19 4 ADMENU Printer Control Software ener 20 dT Id id 20 4 2 Installing the ADMENU Software i 20 425 Runnmpg ADMENU 1 tetti natillas rire i 21 4 4 Installing ADMENU for Use in Microsoft Windows 21 4 5 Command Line Options eet
18. e for use with Windows 3 0 and 3 1 by following these steps Step 1 Insert the ADMENU software diskette into your floppy disk drive Launch Windows then choose Run from the Program Manager s File menu Type A INSTALL Follow the instructions given by the setup program then reboot your PC Step 2 Insert the ADMENU software diskette into your floppy disk drive Launch Windows then choose Run from the Program Manager s File menu Type A SETUP Follow the instructions given by the setup program then reboot your PC Once ADMENU is installed an icon will appear on your Windows desktop in the program group Printer Switch Double click on this icon to start ADMENU If ADMENU has not been loaded into memory the nonresident version will be used see the README file for details INTELLIGENT PRINTER SWITCH PLUS 4 5 Command Line Options ADMENU supports a number of command line options that allow the utility to be installed and run in several different formats They also allow you to change a number of default settings and to select different hotkey combinations Command options are preceded by a slash character on the command line Any number of options can be specified For example the following command line would install the utility for use in text modes with LPT2 as the default port and lt CTRL gt lt SHIFT gt as the hotkey combination ADMENU T L2 H2 The rest of this s
19. e of these may be used between each item INTELLIGENT PRINTER SWITCH PLUS 5 2 The CONNECT Command Selecting a Destination Port By default the Intelligent Printer Switch automatically sends all data to Port 1 To send data to a different port or route it back to Port 1 use the following command format where port represents the port number either 1 or 9 PM CONNECT port The new destination will now be used for all subsequent data sent from the port that gave the command until either a new command is sent or the IPSP is powered off Printing Several Copies To automatically generate multiple copies use this command format PM CONNECT port copies gt For example the following command would print three copies of a file on the printer attached to Port 1 PM CONNECT 1 3 gt Note that the extra copies will not start printing until the IPSP has accepted the whole file into its memory see Section 4 10 Also note that if the file is too large to fit inside the buffer multiple copies will not print Broadcasting Data to Two Printers To set the IPSP to broadcast data to two printers simultaneously use this command PM CONNECT 1 2 gt First Available Printer To send data to the first of two available printers use this command PM CONNECT G1 CHAPTER 5 Controlling the IPSP with PC Commands Varying the Timeout Period The timeout sets the length of time that the output port remains dedicated
20. ection 4 9 C OPTIONS Used to select the number of copies timeout period and the PC port that the menu will control see Section 4 10 D DIRECT OUTPUT Used to output characters and control codes directly from your keyboard see Section 4 11 E DESTINATION PRINTER Indicates the printer to which your print jobs are currently routed F PC PORT Indicates the port on your PC that the ADMENU software will use to send control commands to your Intelligent Printer Switch Make sure that the port that is physically connected to the IPSP is displayed in this box see Section 4 10 E F DIALOG BOX Displays messages CHAPTER 4 ADMENU Printer Control Software 4 8 Selecting a Destination Printer ADMENU initially assumes that the Intelligent Printer Switch is connected to the PC with a parallel link to LPT1 If a different parallel PC port LPT2 or LPT3 or one of the serial PC ports has been connected you must first select that port see Section 4 10 Select the required printer from the SELECT PRINTER menu The arrow shows the currently selected printer The options are PRINTER 1 The printer connected to Port 1 on the IPSP PRINTER 2 The printer connected to Port 2 on the IPSP BOTH Both of the printers connected to Port 1 and Port 2 on the IPSP EITHER Either the printer connected to Port 1 or the printer connected to Port 2 the first that is available for printing PRINTER
21. ection is a summary of all the options The default settings shown in parentheses are assumed for all options that you do not specify JU No default Deletes the utility from memory Tand G G default The G option allows use of the resident software in both text and graphics modes When installed with the G option the software will occupy 22 KB of memory Software installed with the T option allows ADMENU to be used in text modes only and the memory requirement is reduced to 10 KB The memory size used is confirmed in the installation message x and Cx L1 default x 1 2 or 3 These options specify the PC port that is displayed when the ADMENU software is initially invoked any of LPT1 LPT2 LPT3 COMI or COM2 The number of the required port serial or parallel is specified after the letters L or C respectively The port to be used can be specified once the software has been invoked using the PC PORT function so these options are primarily for convenience only CHAPTER 4 ADMENU Printer Control Software Hx H1 default This option lets you change the hotkey combination that invokes the resident ADMENU software There are five possible options Select the desired option by specifying the corresponding number after the letter H The available hotkey combinations are Hl selects lt CIRL gt lt ALT gt lt SHIFT gt H2 selects lt CIRL gt lt SHIFT gt H3 selects ALD lt SHIFT gt M selects lt
22. function can be used to do this END OF FILE can also be used to end long timeouts CHAPTER 4 ADMENU Printer Control Software 4 10 The OPTIONS Menu PRINTER SWITCH ADMENU SELECT PRINTER FUNCTIONS OPTIONS DIRECT OUTPUT lt ESC gt TO QUIT OPTIONS COPIES TIMEOUT PC PORT Figure 4 4 Main Menu Commands for Options COPIES The Intelligent Printer Switch can generate multiple copies of a print file Simply select the COPIES option enter the number of copies required in the entry box up to 255 and press lt enter gt Send the document once and when it has timed out no more data sent for at least 16 seconds or the timeout period the IPSP will start printing the extra copies Note that the size of the data file must be less than the size of the buffer memory otherwise only one copy can be produced TIMEOUT You can set the timeout period to anything from one to 255 seconds or you can disable it infinite timeout Use caution with the infinite timeout because other users data will not be sent to the printer until you have sent an END OF FILE instruction see Section 4 9 The default timeout is set with the option switches mounted on the underside of the IPSP PC PORT If the correct PC port is not shown on the main menu see Section 4 7 use the PC PORT option to select this Highlight the PC PORT option and type lt enter gt Use the lt up gt and lt down gt cursor keys to select the
23. gure B 1 below DATA OUT DATA IN 12V N ORON 20 FLOW CANTARE FLOW CONTROL OUT M 7 Figure B 1 Pin assignments of the IPSP s DB25 serial ports B 2 Connecting to Computers RS 232 serial ports on computers tend to vary considerably The RS 232 standard recommends a DB25 connector but some machines such as the IBM AT and compatibles currently employ a DB9 connector Computer ports intended for connection to a modem are not configured like those intended for connection to a serial printer Therefore a standard RS 232 cable does not exist NOTE Refer to your computer s user s manual to determine the type of cable required The following specifications may also help If you are uncertain which type of cable is right for your application call your supplier INTELLIGENT PRINTER SWITCH PLUS B 2 1 Connecting to IBM PC and Compatible Computers The IBM PC and its compatibles provide a parallel port and usually a serial port Both use a DB25 connector However the parallel port is usually a female connector and the serial port is usually a male connector The cable wiring required for connection to a serial port on the IPSP is shown in Figure B 2 IBM PC end Intelligent Printer Switch end 25 pin socket connector 25 pin plug connector O RXD O TXD 2 GND D CTS 8 o PG Figure B 2 Pinning Chart for Connecting IBM PC and Compatibles If you already have a
24. ications in Subpart J of Part 15 of FCC rules which are designed to provide reasonable protection against such interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause interference in which case the user at his own expense will be required to take whatever measures may be necessary to correct the interference Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user s authority to operate the equipment This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class A limits for radio noise emission from digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulation of Industry Canada Le pr sent appareil num rique n met pas de bruits radio lectriques d passant les limites applicables aux appareils num riques de la classe A prescrites dans le Reglement sur le brouillage radio lectrique publi par Industrie Canada TRADEMARES AT and IBM are registered trademarks and PC XT is a trademark of IBM Corporation Calcomp is a registered trademark of Calcomp Incorporated Centronics is a registered trademark of GENICOM Corporation Diablo is a registered trademark of Xerox Corporation Epson is a registered trademark of Seiko Epson Corporation Hewlett Packard HP and LaserJet are registered trademarks of Hewlett Packard Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporatio
25. is controlled by the receiving device which transmits X OFF stop data flow and X ON start data flow characters to the IPSP Use this setting only on ports connected to printers and plotters X ON X OFF Computer Connections Only The flow of data is controlled by the IPSP which transmits X ON start data flow and X OFF stop data flow characters to the computer Use this setting only on ports connected to computers NOTE The X ON X OFF setting for printer and plotter connections WILL NOT WORK correctly for computer connections and vice versa The X ON and X OFF characters are not passed through the IPSP ETX ACK The flow of data is controlled by sending blocks of data and waiting for an ACKnowledgement character to be received 3 2 Selecting Ports for Your Equipment If you re sharing one printer connect it to Port 1 You may use any of the other ports to connect to computers If you have two printers connect the most commonly used printer to Port 1 and the other to Port 2 By default all print data will automatically be routed to Port 1 All ports have equal priority access to the Intelligent Printer Switch and data output is handled on a first come first served basis 3 3 Connecting PCs and Printers Turn off power to all computers and printers before connecting them to the Intelligent Printer Switch CHAPTER 3 Installation FRONT o a Eat a Underside of Serial Models O REAR o O
26. iskette supplied with your Intelligent Printer Switch and is for use with IBM compatible PCs You can run the software as a memory resident or nonresident program in both DOS and Windows environments Installing ADMENU as a memory resident program allows you to pop up the menu on your screen using a hotkey combination 4 2 Installing the ADMENU Software The ADMENU installation program INSTALL will automatically copy files to your hard disk and install ADMENU as a memory resident or nonresident program as required You can also install the software by adding the ADMENU command line to your AUTOEXEC file see Section 4 5 The following commands refer to the floppy drive as drive A If your floppy drive has a letter designation other than A substitute that letter for A in these commands To install ADMENU Insert the ADMENU disk in drive A and type A enter Then at the A prompt type INSTALL enter Follow the instructions given in the installation program Reboot your PC CHAPTER 4 ADMENU Printer Control Software 4 3 Running ADMENU When memory resident Press the hotkey combination shown in the ADMENU installation message When not memory resident Run the batch file MENU BAT created by the installation program You can also run ADMENU COM by using the command line Al DMENU N 4 4 Installing ADMENU for use in Microsoft Windows Install the ADMENU softwar
27. m If you experience any problems using ADMODE reduce the data rate In practice 38 400 bps is a safe setting for most applications Appendix A Parallel Port Specifications Parallel Pin Assignments Each parallel port uses a DB25 female connector similar to those found on an IBM PC XT or AT Figure A 1 shows the pin numbers as viewed from the rear of the Intelligent Printer Switch Fig Table A 1 The IPSP s DB25 parallel connectors and their pinouts Pin Name Input from Computer Output to Printer 1 STROBE INPUT OUTPUT 2 9 DATA 0 to 7 INPUT OUTPUT 10 ACKNOWLEDGE OUTPUT no connection 11 BUSY OUTPUT INPUT 12 PAPER END OUTPUT low no connection 13 SELECT OUTPUT high no connection 14 AUTOFEED XT no connection no connection 15 ERROR OUTPUT high no connection 16 INIT no connection OUTPUT high 17 SELECT IN no connection OUTPUT low 18 25 SIGNAL GROUND ground ground Cables for IBM PC XT AT or Compatible Computers Parallel cables to connect IBM compatibles to the IPSP require a DB25 male connector on both ends All wires should be connected straight through 1 to 1 2 to 2 etc Printer Cables Use DB25 male to 36 pin Centronics male parallel printer cables APPENDIX B Serial Port Specifications Appendix B Serial Port Specifications B 1 RS 232 Pin Assignments The serial ports on the Intelligent Printer Switch are DTE type They use a DB25 female connector with the pin assignments shown in Fi
28. n OKIDATA is a registered trademark of Oki America Incorporated QUME is a registered trademark of DTC Data Technology Any other trademarks mentioned in this manual are acknowledged to be the property of the trademark owners INTELLIGENT PRINTER SWITCH PLUS Eurpoean Union Declaration of Conformity This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a class A computing device in accordance with the specifications in the European standard EN55022 These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a commercial environment This equipment generates uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions may cause harmful interference to radio or television reception Operation of this equipment in a domestic environment may cause radio interference If this equipment does cause interference to radio or television reception which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on the user is encouraged to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected Consult the dealer or an experienced radio TV technician for help Warning Shielded interface cables must be used with this
29. nti ninth ettet tiir ii 22 4 6 Using ADMENU wes p ERR e ORI een 23 47 Main MEDU isbn 24 4 8 Selecting a Destination Printer i 25 4 9 The FUNCTIONS MenNUoccccccccnncncnnncnnnanananinnnncnnnnononnononnoncnnonencnnononinnnnnns 26 4 10 The OPTIONS Menu nnne nnne nennen rene recereneeri serene ee zenenezene 27 4 11 Direct Output of Typed Keyboard Characters sess 28 INTELLIGENT PRINTER SWITCH PLUS Contents continued Chapter or Appendix Page 5 Controlling the Intelligent Printer Switch with PC Commands 29 bel OOVerVIe Wiss ds o das 29 5 2 The CONNECT Command 30 5 5 The CLEAR Command ri eins 31 5 4 The END OF FILE Command soniccssstesccsecssnneveretescessescodeassiewscccdesserceets 31 5 5 Creating Batch Files for IBM PCS 32 5 6 Setting Up Default Start of Day Destination Ports 33 6 ADMODE Serial Port Control Utility 34 Appendix A Parallel Port Specifications i 36 Appendix B Serial Port Specifications 37 Bil RS 232 Pin Assignments iicet trt ero cete ege aeta 37 B 2 Connecting to Computers 37 B 2 1 Connecting to IBM PC and Compatible Computers 38 B 2 2 Connecting to IBM AT and Compatible Computers 38 B 3Gonnectnie to Pratt id 39 B 4 Connecting to Modems ase iie een tesa Yo east eene epa oed etae een aaeo
30. oduction 2 1 Overview The Intelligent Printer Switch IPSP is a high performance buffered data switch that provides fast turnaround for multiple PC users sharing one or two printers Operation is fully automatic when sharing a single printer With two printers ADMENU PC software included or PC commands let you control operation The IPSP can accept data simultaneously from all the attached computers buffering the overflow until your printer is ready for more It accepts data files from each computer on a first come first served basis and recognizes each as a single printable file It won t start printing another file until there s been a break in transmission that exceeds the timeout period Only then will the IPSP recognize input from the next computer The IPSP is available in a variety of models Parallel models are compatible with PCs printers and plotters that support IBM PC and Centronics parallel interfaces Serial models support the EIA RS 232 standard serial interface Table 2 1 provides a complete list of all the models Unless otherwise noted the information in this manual is applicable to all the models 2 2 Package Contents e Intelligent Printer Switch IPSP Power supply e 3 5 ADMENU software diskette for IBM compatible PCs e This manual CHAPTER 2 Introduction Table 2 1 Available Intelligent Printer Switch Models Product Codes Buffer Size 6 Port Parallel PI9120A PI9120AE PI91
31. output port Port 2 is a bidirectional input output port The remaining ports are all computer input ports Refer to Figure 3 1 as you read the configuration instructions PARALLEL Ports INPUT PORT j INPUT PORT E INPUT PORT J EA CEA RAY 9V UT Computer J L Computer li Computer 1A fL INPUT PORT INPUT PORT fL INPUT PORT ouTPUT PORT 1 m emm umm umm ERED f 1 of Je LO Computer Computer Le Computer Le Printer J PORT 2 zi CEI e L Computer or Printer J Figure 3 1 Rear view of an Intelligent Printer Switch 3 1 1 PARALLEL MODELS Set the option switches on the underside of the IPSP to the settings required by your system See Figure 3 2 on the next page The default settings are suitable for most installations Note that the option switches are read only when the IPSP is first powered on Timeout The IPSP switches between users on a timeout basis If no data has been sent from the current user for the timeout period the IPSP will switch to the next user A timeout period of 16 seconds the default setting is suitable for most systems Mode If you are using fast PCs and printers with enhanced parallel ports burst mode may speed up your printing performance For most systems normal mode the default setting will give the best overall performance CHAPTER 3 Installation 3 FRONT Underside of Parallel Models L1
32. superficie similar puede bloquea la ventilaci n no se debe colocar en libreros o gabinetes que impidan el flujo de aire por los orificios de ventilaci n El equipo el ctrico deber ser situado fuera del alcance de fuentes de calor como radiadores registros de calor estufas u otros aparatos incluyendo amplificadores que producen calor El aparato el ctrico deber ser connectado a una fuente de poder s lo del tipo descrito en el instructivo de operaci n o como se indique en el aparato INTELLIGENT PRINTER SWITCH PLUS 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Precauci n debe ser tomada de tal manera que la tierra fisica y la polarizaci n del equipo no sea eliminada Los cables de la fuente de poder deben ser guiados de tal manera que no sean pisados ni pellizcados por objetos colocados sobre o contra ellos poniendo particular atenci n a los contactos y recept culos donde salen del aparato El equipo el ctrico debe ser limpiado nicamente de acuerdo a las recomendaciones del fabricante En caso de existir una antena externa deber ser localizada lejos de las lineas de energia El cable de corriente deber ser desconectado del cuando el equipo no sea usado por un largo periodo de tiempo Cuidado debe ser tomado de tal manera que objectos liquidos no sean derramados sobre la cubierta u orificios de ventilaci n Servicio por personal calificado deber ser provisto cuando A El cable de poder o el conta
33. this lt PM EOF gt INTELLIGENT PRINTER SWITCH PLUS 5 5 Creating Batch Files for IBM PCs On IBM compatible PCs batch files are a convenient way of sending commonly used software commands To create batch files Step 1 At the DOS prompt type COPY CON name TXT lt enter gt lt PM CONNECT port number gt F6 lt enter gt name is the name of the text file you re creating to store the desired command port number is the number of the port you re connecting to and F6 stands for pressing function key 6 For example COPY CON CONNECT2 TXT lt enter gt lt PM CONNECT 2 gt F6 lt enter gt Note that no spaces should be typed after the gt bracket and before function key 6 is pressed After pressing function key 6 a Z will appear on the screen at the end of the line When the enter key is pressed the screen will display 1 File s copied This indicates that a file name TXT has been created which contains the software command text Normally it is not possible to use a word processing package to create this file because most of these insert a line feed and carriage return character at the end of each line A file created with these extra characters could upset your printouts by inserting a blank line at the top of your printout page This could offset label printers by one line and cause laser printers to output a blank page Step 2 At the DOS prompt type COPY CON name BAT lt enter gt TY
34. to a suitable directory on your PC you can set the start of day default port for your computer to be Port 2 6 ADMODE Serial Port Control Utility The ADMODE software utility allows serial ports on IBM compatible PCs to run at the high data rates supported by Intelligent Printer Switch ADMODE can be used to control COMI or COM and supports a wide range of data formats In addition to saving time by running serial ports at higher data rates ADMODE also ensures that the correct data format is used regardless of the settings on the application program Although DOS will normally only support data rates up to 9600 bps most PCs with a 65550 serial UART are capable of running at much higher speeds 19 200 38 400 or even 57 600 bps A number of high speed utilities which act like the DOS MODE command are available However these utilities are of little practical use because many application programs change the data rate and data format when they are run The ADMODE utility overcomes this problem by preventing application programs from changing the data rate or format of the serial port being controlled This has two major advantages First the user doesn t need to worry about setting the data rate or format in the application program and second high data rates can be used for plotting from software packages that would normally only support lower rates To run ADMODE copy the program ADMODE COM from the IPSP utility disk into a suit
35. to the input port once the incoming data has ceased It can be set anywhere between one and 255 seconds or it can be switched off With the timeout off the output port remains constantly dedicated to the input port until an END OF FILE command see Section 5 4 or a new connect command is sent The timeout remains as set until it is changed again or until the IPSP is turned off To change the timeout use this command format PM CONNECT port TIMEOUT value gt The timeout value is either a number from one to 255 or the word OFF For example if a computer requires uninterrupted use of the printer connected to Port 1 until further notice you would send this command lt PM CONNECT 1 TIMEOUT OFF gt 5 3 The CLEAR Command The CLEAR command allows a computer to delete any data that has been sent into the Intelligent Printer Switch that has not yet been printed As with all software commands CLEAR affects only the data from the computer which sends the command The command looks like this lt PM CLEAR gt 5 4 The END OF FILE Command Sending the END OF FILE command terminates the present input file It is used when the timeout option has been set off to allow other computers access to the printer If multiple copies are required the END OF FILE command indicates the end of the document Note that a new connect command will also automatically terminate the present input file The END OF FILE command looks like
36. ver for IBM PCs running DOS PC timeouts may occur if the buffer on the Intelligent Printer Switch becomes full To prevent timeouts in case of a full buffer use the MODE command with the P parameter like this gt MODE LPT1 P This forces your PG to retry sending the data to the IPSP instead of timing out Refer to your DOS manual for more information about the MODE command 3 5 2 FOR SERIAL MODELS To enable your PC s serial ports set the required data rate and data format On IBM compatible PCs this can be done with the DOS MODE command You may also use the ADMODE software utility supplied with the IPSP see Chapter 6 The MODE command can be used together with the ADMODE command The ADMODE settings will always override the MODE settings and the MODE command with P option can be used to prevent application timeouts The example shown below would set COMI to 57 600 bps no parity eight data bits one stop bit and no application timeout See Chapter 6 gt MODE COM1 9600 N 8 1 P gt ADMODE COM1 57600 N 8 1 On IBM PGs running DOS you might also want to redirect all print data that would have been sent to the parallel printer port LPT1 to the serial port To do this use the MODE command this way gt MODE LPT1 COM1 CHAPTER 3 Installation 3 6 Using the Intelligent Printer Switch Once all the preceding connections are made your Intelligent Printer Switch is ready for use E
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