User manual EPSON LX-300- - REFERENCE GUIDE

9-pin Dot Matrix Printer Reference Guide All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Seiko Epson Corporation. The information contained herein is designed only for use with this Epson printer. Epson is not responsible for any use of this information as applied to other printers. Neither Seiko Epson Corporation nor its affiliates shall be liable to the purchaser of this product or third parties for damages, losses, costs, or expenses incurred by the purchaser or third parties as a result of: accident, misuse, or abuse of this product or unauthorized modifications, repairs, or alterations to this product, or (excluding the U.S.) failure to strictly comply with Seiko Epson Corporation's operating and maintenance instructions. Seiko Epson Corporation shall not be liable for any damages or problems arising from the use of any options or any consumable products other than those designated as Original Epson Products or Epson Approved Products by Seiko Epson Corporation. Epson and Epson ESC/P are registered trademarks, and Exceed Your Vision is a trademark of Seiko Epson Corporation. Epson Store is a service mark of Epson America, Inc. General Notice: Other product names used herein are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners. Epson disclaims any and all rights in those marks. © 2006 Epson America, Inc. All rights reserved. 4/06 Contents Introduction About This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Warnings, Cautions, and Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Safety Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Hot parts caution symbol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 When setting up the printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 When operating the printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 When handling paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 When maintaining the printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Chapter 1 Paper Handling Printing on Continuous Paper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Printing with the push tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Printing with the pull tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Adjusting the top-of-form position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Advancing paper to the tear-off edge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Printing on Single Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Printing on Special Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Adjusting the paper thickness lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Multipart forms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Envelopes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Chapter 2 Using the Printer Software Accessing the Printer Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 From Windows applications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 From the Start menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Changing the Printer Driver Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 3 Using EPSON Status Monitor 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Setting up EPSON Status Monitor 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Accessing EPSON Status Monitor 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Installing EPSON Status Monitor 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Setting Up Your Printer on a Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Setting up the printer server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Setting up the clients. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Installing the printer driver from the CD-ROM . . . . . . . . . . . Canceling Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Uninstalling the Printer Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Uninstalling the printer driver and EPSON Status Monitor 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 42 43 44 45 45 49 57 58 59 59 Chapter 3 Using the Control Panel Control Panel Buttons and Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Selecting a built-in font . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Changing the Default Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using Default Setting mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Restoring the printer's default settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 65 67 72 73 Chapter 4 Maintenance and Troubleshooting Cleaning the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Transporting the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using the error indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Problems and solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Clearing a paper jam. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Printing a self test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Where To Get Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Internet support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Speak to a support representative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Purchase supplies and accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 75 76 77 79 93 94 96 96 96 97 4 Chapter 5 Options and Consumables Cut-sheet Feeder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98 Optional Tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102 Roll Paper Holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104 Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105 Chapter 6 Product Information Printer Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109 Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111 Mechanical. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111 Electronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113 Electrical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115 Environmental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115 Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115 Printable area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119 Paper alignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121 Command Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122 EPSON ESC/P control codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122 IBM 2380 Plus emulation control codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123 Standards and approvals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125 Safety approvals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125 CE marking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126 5 Introduction Your Epson® LX-300+II printer provides high-quality printing and superior performance in a compact design. This 9-pin dot matrix printer provides: A variety of paper paths to suit your printing needs. The ability to handle a wide range of paper types, including continuous paper, multipart forms (with one original and up to four copies), labels, single sheets, and envelopes. High-speed printing of up to 300 cps (characters per second) at 10 cpi (characters per inch). The CD-ROM that came with your printer contains the printer driver for Microsoft® Windows® 98, Me, 2000, XP and NT 4.0, plus the EPSON Status Monitor 3 utility. About This Manual This manual provides detailed information about your printer: Chapter 1, "Paper Handling," explains how to load various types of paper. Chapter 2, "Using the Printer Software," describes how to print using the printer software. Chapter 3, "Using the Control Panel," provides information about the control panel functions, including how to change the printer's default settings. Chapter 4, "Maintenance and Troubleshooting," includes basic maintenance procedures and solutions to possible problems. 6 Introduction Chapter 5, "Options and Consumables," describes how to use options such as the roll paper holder and cut-sheet feeder, and explains how to replace the ribbon cartridge. Chapter 6, "Product Information," contains technical information about the printer. For setup instructions and basic information, please see the User's Guide. Warnings, Cautions, and Notes w c Warnings must be followed carefully to avoid bodily injury. Cautions must be observed to avoid damage to your equipment. Notes contain important information and useful tips on the operation of your printer. Safety Instructions Read all of these safety instructions before using the printer and follow all warnings and instructions marked on the printer. Hot parts caution symbol K This symbol is placed on the print head and other parts to indicate that they may be hot. Never touch these parts just after the printer has been used. Let them cool for a few minutes before touching them. Introduction 7 When setting up the printer Do not place the printer on an unstable surface or near a radiator or heat source. Place the printer on a flat, stable surface. It will not operate properly if it is tilted or placed at an angle. Do not place the printer on a soft surface like a bed or a sofa, or a small, enclosed area, as this restricts ventilation. Do not block or cover the slots and openings in the printer's cabinet, and do not insert objects through the slots. Use only the type of power source indicated on the printer's label. If you are not sure of the power supply specifications in your area, contact your local power company or consult your Epson reseller. Connect all equipment to properly grounded electrical outlets. Avoid using outlets on the same circuit as photocopiers or air control systems that regularly switch on and off. Do not use a damaged or frayed power cord. The power cord should be placed to avoid abrasions, cuts, fraying, crimping, kinking, and other damage. If you use an extension cord with the printer, make sure the total ampere rating of all devices plugged into the extension cord does not exceed the cord's ampere rating. Also, make sure the total ampere of all devices plugged into the electrical outlet does not exceed the electrical outlet's ampere rating. Use only the power cord that comes with this product. Use of another cord may result in fire or electric shock. 8 Introduction When operating the printer Adjust only those controls that are covered in the user documentation. Improper adjustment of other controls may result in damage requiring extensive repair by a qualified technician. Whenever you turn off the printer, wait at least five seconds before turning it back on; otherwise, you may damage it. Do not turn off the printer while it is printing the self test. Always press the Pause button to stop printing and then turn off the printer. Do not reconnect the power cord to an electrical outlet that has the wrong voltage for your printer. Never replace the print head yourself; you may damage the printer. Also, other parts of the printer must be checked when the print head is replaced. You may need to move the print head by hand to replace the ribbon cartridge. If you have just used the printer, the print head may be hot; let it cool before touching it. When handling paper Because labels are sensitive to temperature and humidity, use them only under these normal operating conditions: Temperature: 59 to 77°F (15 to 25°C) Humidity: 30 to 60% RH Do not leave labels in the printer between jobs; they may curl around the platen and jam when you resume printing. Do not load paper that is curled or has been folded. Introduction 9 When maintaining the printer Unplug the printer before cleaning it, and always clean it with a damp cloth only. Do not spill liquid onto the printer. Except as specifically explained in this manual, do not attempt to service the printer yourself. Unplug the printer and refer servicing to qualified service personnel under the following conditions: i. If the power cord or plug is damaged. ii. If liquid has entered the printer. iii. If the printer has been dropped or the cabinet damaged. iv. If the printer does not operate normally or exhibits a distinct change in performance. Do not use aerosol blowers which contain flammable gas inside or around this product. Doing so may cause fire. Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions. 10 Introduction Chapter 1 Paper Handling Your printer can handle continuous paper in either the push or the pull position, as well as single sheets and special papers such as labels and envelopes. For instructions on using continuous paper, see the following section. To load single sheets, see page 26. For information about special paper, see page 29. Printing on Continuous Paper You can print on continuous paper using the tractor in either the push or pull position: Use the tractor in the push position if you want to be able to switch between printing on single sheets and continuous paper without removing the paper supply, or if you will be tearing off continuous paper sheet-by-sheet. (Follow the instructions in the next section.) The printer comes with the tractor installed in the push position. Use the tractor in the pull position if you will be printing on labels, multipart forms, or other documents that require a precise print position. (See "Printing with the pull tractor" on page 17 for instructions.) Paper Handling 11 Printing with the push tractor Follow these steps to load continuous paper on the push tractor: 1. Turn off the printer. 2. Remove the printer cover and the paper guide, and pull the paper release lever forward to the continuous paper position. 3. Unlock the sprockets on the tractor by pulling the blue lock levers forward. 12 Paper Handling 4. Slide the left sprocket so the pins are aligned with the 0 mark on the printer scale (which is beneath the tractor). Push the lock lever back to lock it in place. Then slide the right sprocket to match the width of your paper, but do not lock it. Move the paper support so it is midway between the sprockets. 0 mark 5. Stack your continuous paper behind the printer. Make sure there are no obstructions between the paper and the printer and that the paper is aligned squarely with the printer so it will feed in straight. 6. Make sure your paper has a clean, straight, leading edge. Then open the sprocket covers and fit the first holes of the paper over the sprocket pins. 7. Close the covers. Slide the right sprocket to remove any slack in the paper and lock it in place. Paper Handling 13 8. To separate the incoming paper from the printed paper, attach the paper guide by holding it horizontally and fitting its notches over the printer's mounting posts as shown below. Then slide the paper guide toward the front of the printer until you feel it click. 9. Replace the printer cover and close it. 10. Turn on the printer. 11. When using the push tractor, it is a good idea to turn on the Auto tear off feature in Default Setting mode. See page 67. 12. Press the LF/FF button to feed the paper to the loading position. When the printer receives data, it begins printing automatically. 13. After you finish printing, follow the steps in the next section to tear off your printed document. If the first printed line on your page appears too high or too low, you can change its position using the Micro Adjust feature. See "Adjusting the top-of-form position" on page 22. c Caution: Never use the paper feed knob to adjust the top-of-form position; this may damage the printer or cause it to lose the top-of-form position. The next time you print, the paper automatically feeds back to the loading position. 14 Paper Handling Removing a printed document from the push tractor Follow these steps to remove the printed document: 1. Press the Tear Off (Font) button. The Tear Off (Font) lights start flashing. (This indicates that your paper is at the current tear-off position.) 2. Open the printer cover and tear off the printed document using the tear-off edge on the paper tension unit. Note: If your paper's perforation is not properly aligned with the tear-off edge, you can adjust the tear-off position using the Micro Adjust feature. See "Adjusting the tear-off position" on page 25. c Caution: Never use the paper feed knob to adjust the tear-off position; this may damage the printer or cause it to lose the tear-off position. 3. Close the printer cover. When you resume printing, the printer automatically feeds the paper back to the top-of-form position and starts printing. Paper Handling 15 To feed continuous paper backward to the standby position, where you can remove the paper, first tear off any printed sheets. Then press the Load/Eject button. Open the sprocket covers on the tractor and remove the paper. c Caution: Always tear off your printed document before you press the Load/Eject button. Reverse feeding several pages at a time may cause a paper jam. Switching between continuous paper and single sheets If you want to switch to single sheets while continuous paper is loaded in the push tractor position, follow these steps: 1. Tear off your printed document. c Caution: Always tear off your printed document before you press the Load/Eject button. Reverse feeding several pages at a time may cause a paper jam. 2. Press the Load/Eject button to feed the paper backward to the standby position. 3. Push the paper release lever back to the single sheet position. 4. Follow the instructions on page 26 to load single sheets. To switch back to continuous paper, follow these steps: 1. Press the Load/Eject button to eject any sheet in the printer. 2. Move the paper release lever to the continuous paper position. 3. Press the LF/FF button to load the paper on the tractor. 16 Paper Handling Printing with the pull tractor To load continuous paper using the pull tractor, you must move the tractor to the pull tractor position, as described below. If your tractor is already installed in this position, make sure the printer is turned off and skip to step 6. 1. Turn off the printer. 2. Remove the printer cover and the paper guide. 3. Remove the paper tension unit by gently squeezing the lock tabs and pulling it out of the printer. 4. Pull the paper release lever forward to the continuous paper position. Paper Handling 17 5. To remove the tractor from the push position, gently squeeze the lock tabs on both sides and then rotate the tractor up to pull it away from the printer. 6. Lower the tractor onto the mounting slots at the top of the printer as shown below, and tilt it back until you feel it lock into place. 18 Paper Handling 7. Unlock the sprockets by pulling the blue lock levers forward. 8. Feed the paper into the rear paper slot as shown below, and pull it up. Position the paper using the scale on the printer as a guide. Printing starts to the right of the position marked 0 (under the paper now). Paper Handling 19 9. Slide the left sprocket so its pins are aligned with the holes in the paper and push the blue lock lever to lock the sprocket in place. Then slide the right sprocket to match the width of your paper, but do not lock it. Move the paper supports midway between the two sprockets. 10. Make sure your paper has a clean, straight leading edge. Open the sprocket covers. Fit the first holes of the paper over the sprocket pins and then close the sprocket covers. Slide the right sprocket to remove any slack in the paper and then lock it in place. Note: Remove any remaining slack by gently pulling the paper from the back. 20 Paper Handling 11. To separate the incoming paper from the printed paper, attach the paper guide. Hold it horizontally and fit its notches over the printer's mounting posts. Then slide the paper guide toward the back of the printer until you feel it click. 12. Turn the paper feed knob to adjust the paper position. The perforation between pages should be just above the print head. 13. Replace the printer cover but leave it open. 14. Turn on the printer. 15. Set the Auto tear off feature in the Default Setting mode to Off; otherwise, the paper may jam. (See page 67 for more information.) When the printer receives data, it begins printing automatically. If you want to change the position where printing begins on the page, press the LF/FF button to advance the page to the next topof-form position, and then see the next section to adjust the loading position. To eject the paper, tear off the paper entering the printer; then press the LF/FF button to feed the paper forward. Paper Handling 21 Adjusting the top-of-form position The top-of-form position is the position on the page where the printer starts printing. If your printing appears too high or too low on the page, you can use the Micro Adjust mode to adjust the top-of-form position. c Caution: Never use the paper feed knob to adjust the top-of-form position; this may damage the printer or cause it to lose the top-of-form position. 1. Make sure the printer is turned on and paper is loaded. 2. Remove the printer cover. 3. Hold down the Pause button for about three seconds. The printer beeps and the Pause light starts flashing as the printer enters Micro Adjust mode. 4. Press the LF/FF D button to move the top-of-form position higher on the page, or press the Load/Eject U button to move the top-of-form position lower on the page. 22 Paper Handling Note: The printer has a minimum and a maximum top-of-form position. If you try to adjust it beyond these limits, the printer beeps and stops moving the paper. When the paper reaches the default top-of-form position, the printer beeps and stops moving the paper briefly. You can use the default position as a reference point when adjusting the top-of-form position. 5. After you set the top-of-form position, press the Pause button to exit Micro Adjust mode. Note: Your top-of-form position setting remains in effect until you change it, even if you turn off the printer. The top margin setting made in some software applications overrides the top-of-form position setting you make with the Micro Adjust feature. If necessary, adjust the top-of-form position in your software. If you want to restore the printer's default top-of-form position, you can reset the printer. See page 73 for instructions. Advancing paper to the tear-off edge When the push tractor is installed, you can use the tear-off feature to advance your continuous paper to the printer's tearoff edge when you finish printing. You can then easily tear off the printed document. When you resume printing, the printer automatically feeds the paper back to the top-of-form position; so you can save the paper normally lost between documents. Paper Handling 23 You can use the tear-off feature in two ways: Manually, by pressing the printer's Tear Off (Font) button Automatically, by turning on the Auto tear-off function in Default-setting mode. Using the Tear Off button After the printer finishes printing your document, check that the Tear Off (Font) lights are not flashing. Then press the Tear Off (Font) button. The printer advances the paper to the tear-off edge. Note: If the Tear Off (Font) lights are flashing, the paper is in the tear-off position. If you press the Tear Off (Font) button again, the printer feeds your paper to the next top-of-form position. Advancing paper to the tear-off position automatically To automatically advance your printed documents to the tearoff position, you need to turn on the Auto tear-off mode and select the appropriate page length for continuous paper in Default Setting mode. For instructions, see page 67. When Auto tear-off is on, the printer automatically advances the paper to the tear-off position whenever it receives a full page of data or a form feed command followed by no more data. 24 Paper Handling Adjusting the tear-off position If your paper's perforation is not aligned with the tear-off edge, you can use the Micro Adjust mode to move the perforation to the tear-off position. Follow these steps: 1. Make sure the Tear Off (Font) lights are flashing. You may need to press the Tear Off (Font) button to advance the paper to the tear-off position. 2. Open the printer cover. 3. Hold down the Pause button for about three seconds. The printer beeps and the Pause light begins to flash as the printer enters Micro Adjust mode. 4. Press the LF/FF D button to feed the paper backward, or press the Load/Eject U button to feed the paper forward, until the paper perforation is aligned with the tear-off edge on the paper tension unit. Tear-off edge Note: The printer has a minimum and a maximum tear-off position. If you try to adjust the tear-off position beyond these limits, the printer beeps and stops moving the paper. Paper Handling 25 5. After you set the tear-off position, press the Pause button to exit Micro Adjust mode. 6. Tear off the printed pages. When you resume printing, the printer automatically feeds the paper back to the top-of-form position and begins printing. Note: Your tear-off position setting remains in effect until you change it, even if you turn off the printer. (If you want to restore the printer's default tear-off position, you can reset the printer. See page 73 for instructions.) Printing on Single Sheets You can load single sheets of paper one at a time using the printer's paper guide. Before printing on single-sheet multipart forms, envelopes, or other special paper, make sure the paper thickness lever is set to the correct position. See "Printing on Special Paper" on page 29. Note: Load only one sheet at a time. To load a stack of single-sheet paper, use the optional cut-sheet feeder. (See page 98 for more information.) For detailed specifications on the types of single-sheet paper you can use, see page 115. You can use the paper guide to load single-sheet carbonless multipart forms that are fastened at the top by line gluing. Insert multipart forms in the paper guide, bound edge first and printable side down. 26 Paper Handling Follow these steps to load a single sheet: 1. If continuous paper is loaded in the push tractor, press the Load/Eject button to feed it back to the standby position. 2. Push the paper release lever back to the single-sheet position and make sure the paper guide is in the upright position, as shown below. 3. Slide the left edge guide until it locks in place at the guide mark. Then adjust the right edge guide to match the width of your paper. Paper Handling 27 4. Insert a sheet of paper between the edge guides until it meets resistance. The printer automatically pulls it into the correct printing position. When the printer receives data, it begins printing. If the document is more than one page, the printer beeps three times after printing each page. Load the next sheet and the printer will continue printing. c Caution: Use the paper feed knob on the right side of the printer only to clear paper jams and only when the printer is off. Otherwise, you may damage the printer or cause it to lose the top-of-form position. 28 Paper Handling Printing on Special Paper With the LX-300+II, you can print on a wide variety of special paper types, including multipart forms, labels, and envelopes. c Caution: When printing on multipart forms, thicker-than-normal paper, labels, or envelopes, make sure your application software settings keep the printing entirely within the printable area. Printing past the edge of these papers can damage the print head. Adjusting the paper thickness lever Before printing on special paper, you need to make sure the paper thickness lever is set correctly for the type of paper you're using. Follow these steps: 1. Lift up or remove the printer cover. The paper thickness lever is on the left side of the printer. Paper Handling 29 2. The numbers next to the lever indicate the thickness setting. Use the table below to select the appropriate paper thickness. Paper type Standard paper (single sheets or continuous) Multipart forms 2-sheet 3-sheet 4-sheet 5-sheet Lever position 0 0 1 2 3 1 2 or 4 Labels Envelopes 3. Close the printer cover. Multipart forms You can use continuous or single-sheet carbonless multipart forms of up to five parts (one original plus four copies). Follow these guidelines: Set the paper thickness lever to the correct position for your forms. (See page 29.) Use continuous multipart forms that are joined only by spot gluing or side-crimping. Never load continuous multipart forms joined by metal staples, tape, or continuous gluing. Use single-sheet multipart forms that are line-glued only at the top. Insert the forms glued-edge-first into the printer. Make sure that multipart forms are not wrinkled. 30 Paper Handling If you need to adjust the loading position, use your application software, or change the loading position as described on page 22. When you use side-crimped continuous multipart forms, the copies may not align with the original. If this happens, raise the paper guide. For multipart forms, you should not print any closer than 0.5 inch (13 mm) from either side of the paper. For information on the printable area of envelopes, see the paper specifications on page 115. Labels To print on labels, you must use continuous paper loaded on the pull tractor. Keep the following tips in mind: Set the paper thickness lever to the correct position for labels. (See page 29.) Choose labels mounted on a continuous backing sheet with sprocket holes designed for tractor use. Do not print labels as single sheets, because the shiny backing causes the paper to slip slightly. Load labels the same way you load ordinary continuous paper. See "Printing with the pull tractor" on page 17 for loading instructions. Because labels are especially sensitive to temperature and humidity, use them only under normal operating conditions. Do not leave labels loaded in the printer between jobs; they curl around the platen and may jam when you resume printing. Paper Handling 31 To remove the labels from the printer, tear off the fresh supply at the back of the printer; then press the LF/FF button to advance the remaining labels out of the printer. c Caution: Never feed labels backward through the printer; they can easily peel off the backing sheet and jam the printer. Envelopes You can feed envelopes individually using the paper guide. Keep the following tips in mind: Set the paper thickness lever to the proper position. See page 29. To load an envelope, follow the steps on page 26 for printing a single sheet. Insert the wide edge of the envelope into the printer first, printable-side down. When you insert the envelope between the edge guides, push it firmly and hold it until it feeds into the printer. Use envelopes only under normal temperature and humidity conditions. Make sure the printing stays entirely within the printable area. The print head must not go past the left or right edge of the envelope or other thick paper. It's a good idea to print a test page using a normal single sheet of paper before you print on envelopes. 32 Paper Handling Chapter 2 Using the Printer Software The Epson software includes the printer driver software and EPSON Status Monitor 3. The printer driver allows your computer to control the printer and enables your Windows software applications to take full advantage of the printer's capabilities. Status Monitor 3 lets you monitor the status of your printer, alerts you when errors occur, and provides you with troubleshooting tips. It is automatically installed when you install the printer driver. Note: Before proceeding, make sure you have installed the printer software on your computer as described in the User's Guide. Make sure the software setting is set to ESC/P. The printer driver software and EPSON Status Monitor 3 can function only in ESC/P mode. (See page 67 for more information.) Windows NT does not support the USB interface. Using the Printer Software 33 Accessing the Printer Driver You can access the printer driver from your Windows applications or from the Start menu: When you access the printer driver from a Windows application, any settings you make apply only to the application you are using. See "From Windows applications" on page 34 for more information. When you access the printer driver from the Start menu, the printer driver settings you make apply to all your applications. See "From the Start menu" on page 36 for more information. Note: While many Windows applications override the settings made with the printer driver, some do not. Check your printer driver settings to make sure they are correct for your document. From Windows applications Follow these steps to access the printer driver from a Windows application: 1. Select Print or Print Setup from the File menu of your application. 34 Using the Printer Software 2. Make sure your printer is selected in the Name drop-down list: 3. Click Printer, Setup, Properties, or Options. (The button you click depends on your application and you may need to click a combination of these buttons.) The Properties window appears: Windows 98 or Me Windows 2000, XP, or NT 4.0 4. To view a menu, click the corresponding tab at the top of the window. See "Changing the Printer Driver Settings" on page 38 for more information. Using the Printer Software 35 From the Start menu Follow these steps to access the printer driver from the Start menu: 1. For Windows 98, Me, 2000, or NT, click Start > Settings > Printers. For Windows XP Professional, click Start > Settings > Printers and Faxes. For Windows XP Home Edition, click Start > Printers and Faxes. 2. In Windows 98 or Me, right-click your printer icon and click Properties. The screen displays the Properties window: . 36 Using the Printer Software In Windows 2000 or XP, right-click your printer icon and click Printing Preferences. In Windows NT, right-click the icon and select Document Defaults. You see the Document Properties window: In Windows 2000, XP, or NT, you can also click Properties to display the Properties window: 3. To view a menu, click the corresponding tab at the top. See "Changing the Printer Driver Settings" on page 38 for more information. Using the Printer Software 37 Changing the Printer Driver Settings The following table shows the printer driver settings. Note that not every setting is available in all versions of Windows. Setting Paper Size Explanation Select the paper size you want to use. If you don't see your paper size, use the scroll bar to scroll through the list. If your paper size is not included in the list, see "Defining a custom paper size" on page 40. Select Portrait or Landscape. Select the paper source you want to use. Select the printing resolution you want. The higher the resolution you select, the more detailed your printout will be. However, increasing the resolution slows printing. You can leave this option set to Fine, which is the default setting, or select another dithering pattern for the kind of printout you want. Move the slider to make your printout lighter or darker. Select a print quality option from the Print quality list. Set Hi-speed to On to use bidirectional printing, which increases the print speed. Setting Hi-speed to Off selects unidirectional printing mode, which is slower but more precise. Printing with the default settings uses the settings stored in the printer. Click this button to set the brightness and contrast, input the RGB gamma, or make other settings. The Halftone Color Adjustment window appears. For details, click the Help button in this window. Select the type of halftoning to use when printing graphics. To let the printer determine the best halftone quality, use Auto Select. Orientation Paper Source Resolution/ Graphics Resolution Dithering Intensity Print Quality Halftone Setup.../ Halftone Color Adjustment... Halftoning 38 Using the Printer Software Setting Printer Font Setting Explanation Select a character table group to use: Standard, Expanded, and None (Bit Image printing). When Standard or Expanded is selected, the printer uses the device fonts. Expanded includes more fonts than Standard. When None is selected, the printer uses bit map images instead of the device fonts. For details on the fonts included in each table, see page 113. Print Text as Graphics* Metafile Spooling* Paper Order* Select Off when the printer uses the device fonts or On when it doesn't use the device fonts. Select whether to use EMF spooling. Select whether to print from front to back or back to front. Select the number of pages that you want to print on a single sheet of paper. When you select more than one in the Number of copies box, this check box appears and you can select whether to collate the pages of the copies. Select Enable or Disable for the metafile Spooling. Pages Per Sheet* Copy Count* Advanced Printing Features* Print Optimizations* Select Disable when the printer does not use the device fonts and select Enable when the printer uses the device fonts. * See Windows Help for more information. Using the Printer Software 39 Defining a custom paper size If your paper is not included in the Paper Size drop-down list, you can add the size to the list. For Windows 98 and Me: Click Custom or User Defined Size and enter the paper size in the window that appears. For Windows 2000, XP, and NT 4.0: 1. For Windows 2000 or NT, click Start > Settings > Printers. For Windows XP Professional, click Start > Settings > Printers and Faxes. For Windows XP Home Edition, click Start > Printers and Faxes. 2. Click the EPSON LX-300+II ESC/P icon. 3. Select Server Properties from the file menu. 4. Select Create a New Form. 5. Enter the paper size in the Measurement fields. 6. Click Save Form and then click OK. 40 Using the Printer Software Monitoring settings Setting EPSON Status Monitor 3 Explanation You can access EPSON Status Monitor 3 when you click this button. To monitor the printer, make sure the Monitor the printing status check box is selected. Click this button to open the Monitoring Preferences window, where you can make settings for EPSON Status Monitor 3. See "Setting up EPSON Status Monitor 3" on page 42 for more information. Monitoring Preferences Using EPSON Status Monitor 3 EPSON Status Monitor 3 allows you to monitor your printer's status, alerts you when printer errors occur, and provides troubleshooting instructions when needed. It is available when: The printer is connected directly to the host computer via the parallel port [LPT1] or the USB port, and Your system is configured to support bidirectional communication. Status Monitor 3 is installed when you install the printer driver (as described in the User's Guide). When sharing the printer, be sure to set Status Monitor 3 so that the shared printer can be monitored on the printer server. See "Setting up EPSON Status Monitor 3" on page 42 and "Setting up the printer server" on page 45. Using the Printer Software 41 Setting up EPSON Status Monitor 3 Follow these steps to set up Status Monitor 3: 1. Open the printer driver and select the Utility menu. 2. Click the Monitoring Preferences button. You see the Monitoring Preferences window: 42 Using the Printer Software 3. The following settings are available: Setting Select Notification Select Shortcut Icon Explanation Click on the Error and Communication Error check boxes to turn notification on or off. The selected icon is displayed on the taskbar (shown in the example box). Click the Shortcut Icon check box for easy access to the Monitoring Preferences window. When this box is checked, you'll receive notification of an error on a shared printer. When this box is checked, a shared printer can be monitored by other PCs. Receive error notification for shared printers Allows monitoring of shared printers Note: Click the Default button to restore all items to their default settings. Accessing EPSON Status Monitor 3 Do either of the following to access EPSON Status Monitor 3: Double-click the printer shortcut icon on the taskbar. (To add a shortcut icon, go to the Utility menu and follow the instructions.) Open the Utility menu and click the EPSON Status Monitor 3 icon. You see the following printer status window: Using the Printer Software 43 Installing EPSON Status Monitor 3 If you need to install Status Monitor 3, you can either download it from Epson's web site; or if you have the Printer Software CD-ROM, you can follow these steps: 1. Make sure the printer is off and Windows is running on your computer. 2. Insert the Printer Software CD-ROM in the CD-ROM or DVD drive. After a moment, you see the EPSON Installation Program screen. 3. Close the Installation Program window. 4. Open the CD-ROM folder and double-click the ENGLISH folder. 5. Double-click STM3 and then STMSETUP.EXE. 6. Make sure the EPSON LX-300+II icon is selected and click OK. The Status Monitor 3 files are installed. 44 Using the Printer Software Setting Up Your Printer on a Network If the printer will be shared over a standard Windows network, follow the instructions in this section to set up the printer server and client computers. The computer that is directly connected to the printer is the printer server, and the other computers are the clients which need permission to share the printer with the printer server. Note: When sharing the printer, be sure to set EPSON Status Monitor 3 so that the shared printer can be monitored on the printer server. See "Setting up EPSON Status Monitor 3" on page 42. When you are using a shared printer in Windows 98 or Me, on the server, double-click the Network icon in the Control panel and make sure that the "File and printer sharing for Microsoft Networks" component is installed. Then, on the server and clients, make sure that the "IPX/SPX-compatible Protocol" or the "TCP/ IP Protocol" is installed. The printer server and clients should be set on the same network system, and they should be under the same network management beforehand. Setting up the printer server To set up the printer server, follow the steps in the appropriate section below: For Windows 98 or Me, see the following section. For Windows 2000, XP, or NT, see page 47. Using the Printer Software 45 Windows 98 or Me Follow these steps to set up the printer server in Windows 98 or Me: 1. Click Start > Settings > Control Panel. 2. Double-click the Network icon. 3. Click the File and Print Sharing button on the Configuration menu. 4. Select the I want to be able to allow others to print to my printer(s) check box, then click OK. 5. Click OK to accept the settings. 6. When prompted, restart the computer and continue with the settings. 7. Select Printers from the Control Panel menu. 8. Right-click the LX-300+II icon, and select Sharing from the menu. 9. Select Shared As, type the name in the Share Name box, and click OK. Type a Comment and Password if needed. 46 Using the Printer Software Note: Do not use spaces or hyphens for the share name, or an error may occur. When sharing the printer, be sure to set EPSON Status Monitor 3 so that the shared printer can be monitored on the server. See "Setting up EPSON Status Monitor 3" on page 42. 10. Follow the instructions on page 49 to set up the client computers so they can use the printer on a network. Windows 2000, XP, or NT 4.0 Follow the steps below to set up the printer server in Windows 2000, XP, or NT. Note: You must access Windows 2000, XP, or NT as the Administrators of the local machine. 1. In Windows 2000 or NT, click Start > Settings > Printers. In Windows XP Professional, click Start > Settings > Printers and Faxes. In Windows XP Home Edition, click Start > Printers and Faxes. 2. Right-click your printer icon, and click Sharing from the menu. Using the Printer Software 47 If you see the following message in Windows XP, click either Network Setup Wizard or If you understand the security risks but want to share printers without running the wizard, click here. In either case, follow the on-screen instructions. 3. In Windows 2000, select Shared as. In Windows NT, select Shared. Then type the name in the Share name box and click OK. 48 Using the Printer Software In Windows XP, select Share this printer, then type the name in the Share name box and click OK. Note: Do not use spaces or hyphens for the share name. Follow the instructions on page 49 to set up the client computers so they can use the printer on a network. Setting up the clients This section describes how to install the printer driver on the client computers by accessing the shared printer on a network. Follow the instructions for your operating system: Windows 98 or Me: see page 50. Windows 2000 or XP: see page 52. Windows NT 4.0: see page 55. Using the Printer Software 49 Note: This section describes how to access the shared printer on a standard network system using the server (Microsoft workgroup). If you cannot access the shared printer due to the network system, ask your network administrator for assistance. This section describes how to install the printer driver by accessing the shared printer from the Printers folder. You can also access the shared printer from Network Neighborhood or My Network on the Windows desktop. If you want to be able to use Status Monitor 3 on the clients, you need to install both the printer driver and Status Monitor 3 on each client from the CD-ROM. Windows 98 or Me Follow these steps to set up Windows 98 or Me clients: 1. Click Start > Settings > Printers. 2. Double-click the Add Printer icon, then click Next. 3. Select Network printer, then click Next. 4. Click Browse. Note: You can also type "\\(the name of the computer that is locally connected to the shared printer)\(the shared printer's name)" in the Network path or queue name. 50 Using the Printer Software