Hi We have a customer who use both Epson FX-880 and FX-890 printers for producing carbon copy delivery notes and dispatch notes. Recently we have upgraded the systems from Windows98 to Windows 7 and after this we cannot get the Dot Matrix printers to correctly print from thier acocunts system. The system they use is Windows / Foxpro based and as such wants to print raster fonts. We dont want this, we want to print using native printer fonts - namely Draft 10cpi but this is not available - only similar true type fonts. Where can we download the Epson printer fonts - Epson does not seem to supply them and we have also tried using a 'Text Only / Generic' driver in Windows - this works but the CPI is wrong. I understand that you wanted to use Dot Matrix printers so that you could get be ' producing carbon copy' reports, but Pavel is correct. Remember that Carbon copies (or carbon-less paper copies) were created before there were reasonably priced laser printers which can make quick and not-too-expensive multiple copies of things.

Browse the commercial free fonts classified as sans serif. Download TTF. Z Y M m Aaargh Tup. Acherus Grotesque font family by Horizon Type. Download TrueType Fonts. In your application, click Print, then click Properties. Select the Advanced tab. Select a setting for the TrueType Font Download Option.

Upgrading to a new laser printer at this time would seem like a good idea. If you did that, you need only have your reports printed multiple times to achieve the same result (i.e. Multiple 'Carbon' copies).

However you can do a web search to find the Printer Command Language set for your Epson Dot Matrix printers or you can call Epson and ask them. With the PCL commands you can determine if you need to change and/or add some commands being sent from your application to the printer to achieve your desired results.

Using a laser printer was considered some time ago as an option however this company has many thousand preprinted forms, which would be unsuitable for laser printing. They need the carbon copy paper as when they deliver goods to a customer, they sign the paperwork and then keep a copy - this is the companies proof of delivery. They also use one of the DM printers for printing dispatch labels - again, they have boxes of these and would not be too keen on throwing them away. The best solution would be to get them printing again using 'Text Only' - though I'm not sure how I would include the control codes in the report software to generate the desired results.

Really all that needs happen is the printer be set to the correct CPI and pitch when the job starts. How can I do this using the Windows driver? The question is if the??? Command can still bypass the Windows driver which maight filter some characters. Then the ASCII printout should work.

Based on my previous link the printer must allow to select 10 CPI and lock it. If the driver is bypassed or not is easily recognizable when you issue???

CHR(12) or even??? CHR(13) should be visible. And tons of preprinted papers should not block new technologies.

You could even try printerless solution - instead of carbon copies send the delivery note to the customer via e-mail. Signature made on HHC touch screen is sufficient proof of delivery. If you need signed paper then one copy is enough. If customer needs the paper then he can print a copy on his own printer. Jock, I'm with you. The business world, in spite of it's many advances, still depends on dot matrix printers and carbon copy forms.

Unless your client can afford a totally new software tracking system along with the electronic signature pads like Fedex and USP use, it going to be carbon forms for at least another decade. Just a suggestion, but have you approached the software vendor for a possible solution? Unless this is custom software, it's possible that they have had a client who has already dealt with this. BTW, I notice that Epson has a Windows 7 driver for the FX 890 but apparently not for the 880. Did you upgrade printer drivers?