[comp.sys.apple2] Imagewriter 1 Question

mlc%29706.decnet@CONSRT.ROCKWELL.COM ("29706::MLC") (05/03/91)

Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
From: mlc@aten.cca.rok.com (Michael L. Cook)
Subject: Imagewriter 1 Question
Sender: news@zoot.avgrp.cr.rok.com
Reply-To: MLC%GVA.DECNET@CONSRT.ROK.COM
Organization: myself

I'm having a printing problem with my Imagewriter 1 printer.

I am using an Apple 2c and AppleWorks 2.0.

When printing a word processor document or spreadsheet, the
printer default is to print bi-directionally.  The lines that
print left-to-right print just fine.  The lines that print
right-to-left are very faint.  They print with faint characters,
or none at all.  The next left-to-right line is fine, etc.  The
problem diminishes after several pages have been printed
(printhead warmed up?), but I don't like wasting 6-10 sheets of
paper to print a 2 page document.

I tried using the Special printer Code ideas in the AppleWorks
manual. I used the special code  ESCAPE>  to send to the printer. 
(No, I didn't type the word ESCAPE, just pressed the ESC key.) 
This put the Imagewriter in left-to-right only print mode, but
somehow caused font size/spacing to get changed.  Characters
printed in the expanded font (4 chars/inch?).

The printer ribbon is pretty new.  I bought it recently at an
Apple dealer.  It is a NEC(?) ribbon compatible with the
Imagewriter.

Questions:

1) Could the ribbon be the problem?  If so, what type of ribbon
should be used?

2) Does the printhead need cleaned?  If so, how or by whom?

3) Is there a better way to get the uni-directional codes into a
word processor document or spreadsheet?  The method of defining
Special Codes using the menus didn't work.

Thanks for tips.

--

Michael Cook
Internet: mlc%gva.decnet@consrt.rok.com

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