Re: TESTP returns BAD with 82242A IR Printer Module Message #30 Posted by Les Wright on 20 Jan 2007, 5:19 p.m., in response to message #1 by Les Wright
Thank you, everyone, for walking me through a diagnosis of this issue. It seems that the module has a very specific flaw that affects several routines that do basically the same thing, i.e., print multiline listings of something, and that the admittedly inconvenient workaround is to activate the keyboard between printed lines until the list is done. This affects PRSTK, PRREG, PRREGX, PRSigma, PRP, LIST, CAT n (TRACE mode), and PRFLAGS (did I miss any?). It does not seem to affect single line printing (PRA, PRX, AVIEW, VIEW), and the printer does the proper thing with interim results in NORM and TRACE modes. I don't yet entirely understand the various buffer accumulation routines, but I am able to print a single line alpha buffer without problems. I should spend some time trying to accumulate a buffer of more than one line and the PRBUF it and see if the "sticking" after each line occurs there too. I am guessing it will.
The interesting thing is that PRPLOT works flawlessly, but when I look at the program code the reason is obvious--all of the printing done involves single-line instructions (like PRA) that don't inspire the "list-freeze" problem.
As for the future of this item, I have already mentioned that the seller has given me a full refund and doesn't want the item back. I am getting another module (hopefully fully functional) and it was suggested to me by the original seller that whatever net proceeds I get from disposing of the buggy article I pass on to a charity. As a variant on this, if anyone one wants to take this off my hands I ask simple that you cover the cost of mailing plus about $7US (about what I paid Canada Customs to import the thing in the first place) and to pledge a reasonable amount to the charity of your choice. As for latter idea, I am not going to demean anyone to ask for documentary proof, so please don't tell me your are going to give a hundred bucks to the Red Cross or SPCA or your college alumni association unless you plan to follow through. My experience is that most regular members of this Forum are actually pretty darn honourable, so that shouldn't be an issue.
I am going to hang onto this a few more days and try to further delineate the limitations of the module, but when I decide to move it along I will post a Classified with a more specific articulation of this idea. Keep in mind that the shrink-wrapped manual is nearly mint (alas, some slight splitting of the cellophane), and that may be of some interest as a collectible.
Les
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