Lexmark 5000 Protocol

Command types

There are two types of commands in the 5000's repertoire:

• Escape asterisk commands commencing with the two-byte sequence `0x1b 0x2a' (Escape Asterisk).  These sub-divide into four classes:
  • Escape m
    The third byte is `0x6d'; the ASCII 'm'.
  • Escape 7
    The third byte is `0x7'; the ASCII BEL.
  • Escape 3
    The third byte is '0x3'; the ASCII ETX or Ctrl-C.
    This is the vertical paper movement command, followed by a two-byte relative move.
  • Escape 4
    The third byte is '0x4'; the ASCII EOT or Ctrl-D.
    This is the swipe print command, followed by a four-byte total command length (including header), and the remainder of the swipe command.
• A5 commands commencing with the byte `0xa5'.
  The second & third bytes are the MSB and LSB of the length of the remainder of the command.

Detailed discussion

• Printheads & nozzle configuration

  A discussion of the configuration of the nozzles in the printheads of the cartridges.  Essential for an understanding of the swipe command.

• Initialisation, maintenance & paper movement commands

  Very little is known about the specific functions of individual initialisation commands.  In general, a collection of these appears at the beginning of each page.

  There are only two known paper movement commands, so this bit is easy.

• The swipe command

  The heart of the driver is the swipe command, which does almost all of the work.

Peter B. West
pbwest@netscape.net
"Lord, to whom shall we go?"

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Created with

Last modified: Mon Nov 8 00:19:25 EST 1999

Tue 19th Oct 1999.