Printers supported
Dumpmaster may be used with the following printers:
| Manufacturer | Model
| Acorn | JP101
| Anadex | DP9500, DP9501
| Brother | M1009, HR5
| Canon | PJ-1080A, PW-1080A
| Centronics | GLP
| Cosmos | 80
| Datac | 109V
| Ensign | 1650
| Epson | ALL black and white models
| Epson | JX80 colour
| Facit | 4510
| Gemini | All models
| Ids | 480
| Integrex | Colour Jet 132
| Kaga | Taxan KP810, KP910
| Micro Peripherals | MP165
| Mannesmann Tally | Spirit MT80, MT160
| NEC | 8023
| Olivetti | Spark Jet JP101
| Panasonic | KX-P1080
| Quen-Data | DP100
| Seikosha | GP80, GP100, GP250X, GP550, GP700
| Shinwa | CTI CP80
| Star | All models
| Tandy | CGP-115, DMP-100 | |
Summary of features
Dumpmaster is supplied on a 16k Rom and should be plugged into any vacant sideways Rom socket. If you are not familiar with installing sideways Roms, you should refer to the enclosed Rom fitting instruction sheet.
You can check that the Rom is correctly installed by typing:
*HELP
when you switch your machine on. You should then see the message:
DUMPMASTER 1.00
displayed on the screen. The version number may be different to that shown
above. Please note the version number of your Dumpmaster Rom and always
refer to it in any correspondence.
Calling Dumpmaster On BBC Micro
Once fitted in your machine, you may call Dumpmaster at any time by typing:
*PRINT
(Although you are advised not to try this command now, as it will produce a
screen dump, which may not be suitable for your printer).
You may alternatively abbreviate the command to:
*PR. for example.
Note that Dumpmaster follows the standard Beebugsoft protocol. Preceding the command with the letter 'B' will ensure that it is recognised by Dumpmaster provided that the command is wholly in upper case or wholly in lower case (i.e. *BPRINT or *bprint). Similar commands, where the 'B' and the word 'PRINT' are in mixed upper and lower case (eg. *Bprint or *bPRINT), will be specifically ignored by Dumpmaster, and passed on to the next Rom with the 'B' stripped off.
Calling Dumpmaster On Master 128
If you are using a BBC Master computer then you MUST prefix the command with a
'B', otherwise the operating system command *PRINT will be executed.
Example:
*BPRINT
Dumpmaster is called with the *PRINT command, which may be followed by a number of optional parameters which define the type of dump to be produced. The command may be given in immediate mode (ie. just type it in from the computer and press RETURN), or from within a program. The latter method may prove to be of most use, otherwise the *PRINT command will itself appear on your final printed screen.
Parameters
The general format of the *PRINT command is:
*PRINT P,T,W,L,C,I,F,V,A,S,M,D
The parameters following the *PRINT command will tell Dumpmaster the type of printer you are using and the type of dump that you require. They are all optional and you need only specify those that you require for your particular dump and printer. The parameters may be specified in any order, in upper or lower case and may be separated with either commas or spaces. Some examples of typical commands are:
As mentioned above, you may specify any number of parameters along with the *PRINT command. Any parameters that are not specified will take a default setting. This means that, for example, if you do not specify which printer you are using Dumpmaster will assume the default, which happens to be for Epson compatible printers. See Section 5 of this booklet for a summary of the Dumpmaster defaults.
All the Dumpmaster features are activated or de-activated by use of the *PRINT parameters. In most cases, where a feature's parameter is not given and the default is assumed, the feature will remain inactive. The *PRINT parameters will be explained in turn in the following section along with default settings.
On screen help
The command
*HELP PRINT
provides useful information on Dumpmaster features and current defaults.
Selecting a printer
| Syntax: | *PRINT Pnn
| Function: | Specify printer type
| Default: | nn=0 | |
The following PINs are available:
| Printers | PINs
| Acorn JP101 | 19
| Anadex DP9500 & DP9501 | 1
| Brother M1009 | 0
| Brother HR5 | 2 or 20 (20 is linear)
| Canon PJ-1080A | 3
| Canon PW-1080A | 0 or 5 (5 is linear)
| Centronics GLP | 23 (non-epson compatible)
| Cosmos 80 | 0
| Datac 109V | 0 or 4 (4 is linear)
| Ensign 1650 | 0
| Epson - All models | 0
| Epson LX80 & FX 80 | 0 OR 5 (5 is linear)
| Epson JX80 | 0, 5 or 22 (22 is linear & colour)
| Facit 4510 | 6
| Gemini | 0
| Ids 480 | 7
| Integrex Colour Jet 132 | 8
| Kaga Taxan KP810, KP910 | 0 or 5 (5 is linear)
| Micro Peripherals MP165 | 0
| Mannesmann Tally Spirit MT80 | 9
| Mannesmann Tally MT160 | 10
| NEC 8023 | 11
| Olivetti Spark Jet JP101 | 19
| Panasonic KX-P1080 | 0
| Quen-Data DP100 | 12
| Seikosha GP80 & GP100 | 13
| Seikosha GP250X | 14
| Seikosha GP550 | 21
| Seikosha GP700 | 15
| Shinwa CTI CP80 | 0 or 12 (12 is larger)
| Star DP-8480 | 16 (CJE Micros version)
| Star - All except DP-8480 | 0
| Tandy CGP-115 | 17
| Tandy DMP-100 | 18 | |
You may display the above table at any time by typing:
*HELP PRINT
You will note that the currently selected printer is highlighted, and that
certain printers appear more than once; for example you may use a PIN of
either 0 or 5 for an EPSON FX80. This is because certain printers, including
the FX80, are capable of producing what is called a linear graphics dump.
This means that it can produce a dump in which the horizontal and vertical
axes are in the correct proportions. Non-linear graphics dumps produce an
image that is slightly squashed either horizontally or vertically. The
default setting for the P parameter is a PIN of 0. Therefore to produce a
screen dump for an Epson FX80 or a Canon PW-1080A, this parameter may be
omitted. Example: To dump the current screen to an Anadex DP9500 printer
(with a PIN of 1):
*PRINT P1
Text dumps
| Syntax: | *PRINT T
| Function: | Select a "Text Only" dump
| Default: | Graphics or text dump according to screen mode | |
Such a dump will ignore any colour settings and print only standard Ascii characters. If a non-standard character or a character mis-aligned with the text grid (caused by printing at the graphics cursor after issuing a VDU5) is encountered, dumpmaster will replace the character with a space. Example:
To dump a Mode 3 screen to an Anadex DP9500:
*PRINT P1
To dump a Mode 4 screen containing only text to an Anadex DP9500:
*PRINT P1 T
Text windows
| Syntax: | *PRINT W1
| Function: | Print a text window
| Default: | Print entire screen | |
If the window only contains text, it may be appropriate to use the T parameter in conjunction with W1 to produce a "text only" dump, as described above. It is quite acceptable, however, to produce a graphics dump of the text within a text window, by omitting the T parameter. Example:
To dump the text window with a text dump for any printer:
*PRINT T W1
To dump the text window with a graphics dump for a Brother HR5:
*PRINT P2 W1
Graphics windows
| Syntax: | *PRINT W2
| Function: | Print a graphics window
| Default: | Print entire screen | |
If your graphics window contains only text, you may choose to use the T
parameter in conjunction with W2 to produce a "text only" dump, as described
above. Example: To dump the graphics window to an Epson FX80:
*PRINT W2
Rubber band windows
| Syntax: | *PRINT W3
| Function: | Print a specific area of the screen
| Default: | Print entire screen | |
The cursor keys may be used in the usual way, and will freely move the arrow cursor around the screen. You should now position the arrow close to one of the edges of the window.
If you then press SHIFT at the same time as one of the cursor keys and move over the edge of the window, you will observe that the edge of the window is "shunted" in the direction of the cursor. In this manner, you should now manipulate the window so that it is located over the area of the screen that you wish to print.
The speed of cursor movement may be increased by pressing TAB in conjunction with any of the cursor keys.
When you have created the desired graphics window, press COPY to initiate the graphics dump. If at any stage you wish to abort this process, hold down ESCAPE and press COPY. Example:
To set up the rubber band window and then perform a printer dump to a
Canon PW-1080A:
*PRINT W3
Setting a left margin
| Syntax: | *PRINT Ln
| Function: | Leave a left margin n units wide
| Default: | No margin | |
A graphics unit is the standard BBC micro graphics unit as specified with the PLOT and DRAW commands, where there are 1280 units across a screen. The paper width, expressed in graphics units, is given for each printer identification number in Section 6. Example:
To produce a windowed graphics dump with a left margin half the width of the
screen for an Epson FX80:
*PRINT L640 W2
Logical colours
| Syntax: | *PRINT Cn
| Function: | Redefine logical colours
| Default: | Logical colours the same as actual colours | |
The Dumpmaster C parameter works in a similar manner to the VDU19 command, and allows Mode 2 and Mode 5 screens to be printed in whatever "actual" colour you choose, regardless of the colours displayed on the screen.
The C parameter must be followed by 8 digits, which represent the new "actual" colours, in order of "actual" colour number. The "actual" colour numbers are those used by the VDU drivers in the BBC micro, (except that flashing colours are ignored), and are documented in the BBC Micro User Guide.
The C parameter may only be used in Modes 2 and 5, and all 8 digits must be specified regardless of mode or the number of colours that are to be re-defined. Note also that the flashing colours, "actual" numbers 8 to 15, will be treated as the equivalent non-flashing colours, numbers 0 to 7. Example:
To set the palette such that all "actual" colours other than white are
printed as black, and white is printed as white on an Epson FX80:
*PRINT C77777770
Colour inversion
| Syntax: | *PRINT I
| Function: | Set inversion mode
| Default: | Normal printing | |
With the colour printers (Canon PJ-1080A, Seikosha GP700, Intergrex Colour Jet 132, Epson JX80 and Tandy CGP-115), the rest of the colours will remain unchanged. However, on the black and white printers colour 1 becomes colour 6, colour 2 becomes colour 5 and so on. Example:
To dump a screen with colour inversion to a Mannesmann Tally MT160:
*PRINT P10 I
Mode 7 printing
| Syntax: | *PRINT
| Function: | Print a Mode 7 screen
| Default: | Not applicable | |
Dumpmaster will then convert your screen to the appropriate mode and will ask if you wish to save this new screen to disc or tape, before it is printed. It is not possible to specify a window in conjunction with a Mode 7 screen dump, however, if you have saved the newly created (Mode 4 or Mode 1) screen to disc or tape, you may re-load it and use windows in the normal way.
Owners of the Canon or the Intergrex colour printers may obtain full colour Mode 7 screen dumps. They should choose to convert their Mode 7 screen to Mode 4 and will find that although it appears on the screen in black and white, a special feature of Dumpmaster will ensure that the printer copy is in full colour. (Note that the colour information used by the Canon and Intergrex colour printers is not saved with the Mode 4 screen image, if it is saved to disc or tape). Example:
To dump a Mode 7 screen to a Canon PW-1080A:
*PRINT P3
Form feed option
| Syntax: | *PRINT F
| Function: | Disable automatic form feed
| Default: | Automatic form feed | |
To print a graphics dump without form feed, for a printer with a PIN of 1:
*PRINT P1 F
Sideways and vertical dumps
| Syntax: | *PRINT
| Function: | Print screen vertically
| Default: | Printer dependent | |
Some of the printers that are able to provide normal horizontal dumps are also capable of producing vertical dumps, if required. The parameter which causes such a dump to be produced is V. This parameter should only be used with printers that are capable of producing both horizontal and vertical dumps in conjunction with Dumpmaster.
A table is provided in section 6 to show which printers may use this feature. Example:
To print a vertical screen dump on an Epson printer:
*PRINT V
Snapshot dump
| Syntax: | *PRINT A
| Function: | Instant screen dump
| Default: | Inactive | |
Once this has been issued you may load and run other programs, and then press CTRL SHIFT @ when you wish the screen dump to occur. A screen dump will then be produced, defined by any other parameters on the command line in the usual way. Once the dump has finished, your program will continue again.
Certain programs may be protected to prevent operations of this kind and may either fail to respond to the command or "hang" the computer after the dump has occurred. (Press BREAK to reset the computer if this happens).
The snapshot facility may be cancelled with the command:
*PRINT D
Example: To set up a text dump of the current text window at column 10:
*PRINT W1 L10 T A (CTRL SHIFT @)
Snapshot save
| Syntax: | *PRINT S
| Function: | Instant screen save
| Default: | Inactive | |
To subsequently re-load the file, make sure that you are in the original screen mode that the file was saved in, and use one of the following commands, as appropriate:
*LOAD SCREENn| for disc users, all Modes
| *LOAD SCREENn 3000 | for Modes 0,1 and 2, tape system
| *LOAD SCREENn 4000 | for Mode 3, tape system
| *LOAD SCREENn 5800 | for Modes 4 and 5, tape system
| *LOAD SCREENn 6000 | for Mode 6, tape system
| *LOAD SCREENn 7C00 | for Mode 7, tape system | |
The snapshot facility may be cancelled with the command:
*PRINT D
Example: To save the screen under the filename of "SCREEN1":
*PRINT S
For tape users, now set cassette player to RECORD
(CTRL SHIFT @ 1)
Dumpmaster work space
| Syntax: | *PRINT Mnn
| Function: | Relocate the area of memory used by Dumpmaster
| Default: | Page &A used | |
Should you wish to use this area for another purpose at the same time as running Dumpmaster, you may specify a different area of memory using the M parameter. The Page number of the new area should be given after the M parameter, and should be expressed in hex. Example:
To specify that you wish Dumpmaster to use the area from &1500 onwards as
the new workspace:
*PRINT M15
A technical note
Dumpmaster stores the address of its work area in the Data Direction
Register of the User Port. If anything else uses this area (for example a
joystick connected to the user port) this data may become corrupted. If this
happens, Dumpmaster will give the message
Work space corrupted
You should use the *PRINT command with the M parameter to reset the workspace.
Setting the default values
| Syntax: | *PRINT D
| Function: | Alter Dumpmaster default settings
| Default: | *PRINT causes immediate dump | |
The D parameter is very special and operates in a different manner to all of the other parameters. When D is included on the command line, no dump will actually be printed. Instead, any other parameters included with *PRINT D will cause the appropriate default settings to be changed. Once the defaults have been changed in accordance with your requirements, you may then simply issue the *PRINT command to produce the dump that you require. For example:
To produce a screen dump for a printer with a PIN of 1 a left margin of 50,
you could use:
*PRINT D P1 L50
*PRINT
Instead of the usual:
*PRINT P1 L50
Both of the above commands will produce the same screen dump. However, after the first example the defaults will have been altered to P1 and L. They will remain set to these values until altered with the D parameter again.
The command *PRINT D with no other parameters has a special effect. It causes all of the parameters to return to their original default settings, as shown in section 5 of this booklet.
You may inspect the current default settings of the various Dumpmaster
parameters at any time with the command:
*HELP PRINT
NOTE
If the D parameter is used at the same time as either the A or S parameters, in conjunction with a *PRINT command, no dump will occur even after the second *PRINT command has been issued. The computer will be waiting for you to press CTRL SHIFT @ to indicate that the snapshot should be taken.
The initial status of the Dumpmaster defaults are:
If you wish to set the same defaults each time that you use Dumpmaster, disc users may find it convenient to write a !BOOT file to automatically issue the necessary commands.
It is also possible to directly save and load the section of memory
containing the Dumpmaster defaults. If the standard work area for Dumpmaster
(Page A) is being used, the commands to do this are as follows:
*SAVE Default FFFF0A00+40
*LOAD Default
This table shows for each printer type, the default orientation of the dump (sideways or vertical), the number of dots it can print horizontally, and whether Dumpmaster includes a vertical option for that printer.
| PIN | Dflt | V-Opt | WidthA | WidthB |
| 0 | S | Yes | 960 | 1920 |
| 1 | V | No | 990 | 1980 |
| 2 | S | Yes | 960 | 1920 |
| 3 | V | No | 640 | 1280 |
| 4 | S | Yes | 640 | 1280 |
| 5 | S | Yes | 576 | 1152 |
| 6 | S | No | 576 | 1152 |
| 7 | S | No | 672 | 1344 |
| 8 | V | No | 640 | 1280 |
| 9 | S | Yes | 576 | 1152 |
| 10 | S | Yes | 576 | 1152 |
| 11 | V | No | 640 | 1280 |
| 12 | S | Yes | 640 | 1280 |
| 13 | S | No | 480 | 1920 |
| 14 | S | No | 480 | 1920 |
| 15 | S | No | 640 | 1280 |
| 16 | S | No | 528 | 1056 |
| 17 | S | No | 480 | 1920 |
| 18 | S | No | 880 | 1760 |
| 19 | V | No | 880 | 1760 |
| 20 | S | Yes | 576 | 1152 |
| 21 | S | No | 960 | 1920 |
| 22 | S | No | 576 | |
| 23 | S | Yes | 960 |
Default V = vertical dump
Width A = number of dots each printer is capable of producing horizontally.
Width B = Width A expressed in standard BBC graphics units.