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Re: Ap2000 signs of life
Golden Child #117970 10/10/20 01:59 AM
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More fiddling with Color Print Shop...using a rainbow background.

I was integerizing the coordinates, and that wasn't quite right.

It looks more like dot matrix output now:

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

but the file size is huge: 515MB

515665131 Oct 9 18:41 test94.pdf

No wonder it takes a minute to render it.
Re: Ap2000 signs of life
Golden Child #117971 10/10/20 11:34 PM
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[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

Reproducing this color print shop demo on youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3hMOxR0n5g

It's interesting how the bitmap colors differ from the output pdf where the pdf looks more authentic.

I also got the file size a bit smaller (like 10x smaller) by not setting the color for every output dot and by using strokes instead of fills to make the dots.
Re: Ap2000 signs of life
Golden Child #117972 10/12/20 04:57 PM
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Loading the png into gimp it's pretty easy to manually color correct by adjusting HSL:

(split view)

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
Re: Ap2000 signs of life
Golden Child #117973 10/12/20 08:36 PM
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I just figured out how to directly access members in luaengine, just specify them directly, what could be easier?

It's shocking how easy that is...

and if you want it read only just make it a property.

Code
device_luaprinter_interface_type.set("xposprop", sol::property(&device_luaprinter_interface::m_lp_xpos));
device_luaprinter_interface_type.set("name", &device_luaprinter_interface::m_lp_luaprintername);
device_luaprinter_interface_type.set("xpos", &device_luaprinter_interface::m_lp_xpos);


So then you can modify the variables directly, like manager:machine().lp[1].xpos = 200

Code
[MAME] function listlp()
[MAME]>>   print("listlp()  list of luaprinters:")
[MAME]>>   print("------------------------------")
[MAME]>>   for i,j in pairs(manager:machine().lp) do
[MAME]>>     print("lp["..i.."] = "..j:getprintername())
[MAME]>>   end
[MAME]>>   print("------------------------------")
[MAME]>> end
[MAME]> 
[MAME]> listlp()
listlp()  list of luaprinters:
------------------------------
lp[1] = 2020-10-12 10-36-18 apple2e-sl1-parallel-pic_ctx-luaprinter
lp[:sl1:parallel:pic_ctx:luaprinter] = 2020-10-12 10-36-18 apple2e-sl1-parallel-pic_ctx-luaprinter
------------------------------
[MAME]> print(manager:machine().lp[1].name)
2020-10-12 10-36-18 apple2e-sl1-parallel-pic_ctx-luaprinter
[MAME]> manager:machine().lp[1].name = "hi_there"
[MAME]> print(manager:machine().lp[1].name)
hi_there



And I was also experimenting with being able to execute lua code from inside the ap2000 driver, so I could call a lua function to say, generate dots for a pdf. So how to execute lua code? Just call load_string.


Code
device_luaprinter_interface_type.set("loadstring", [this](char const *astr)
     { printf("Trying %s\n",astr); return lua_engine::load_string(astr);  });


Code
[MAME]> manager:machine().lp[1].loadstring('print("IT WORKS")')
Trying print("IT WORKS")
IT WORKS
[MAME]> function dude(x) print ("This is a function that prints "..x) end
[MAME]> manager:machine().lp[1].loadstring('dude("IT WORKS")')
Trying dude("IT WORKS")
This is a function that prints IT WORKS


So now I need to figure out how to make it possible to call the luaengine from inside the driver.

It'd also be cool if you could load_string a string from the debugger, so you could do something complex in lua, so do something similar to a printf but make it lua code to execute.
Re: Ap2000 signs of life
Golden Child #117974 10/13/20 01:25 AM
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Ok, so I add this to my device_luaprinter_interface:

It's a pointer to lua_engine in m_luaengine,
and also a pointer to a member function of lua_engine.

So I can call the function by

((*m_luaengine).*lualoadstring)(astr);
where astr is the string to execute.

Code

static void (lua_engine::* lualoadstring)(const char * astr);
static lua_engine *m_luaengine;

void callloadstring(const char *astr) { 
     printf("Trying callloadstring %s\n",astr); 
     ((*m_luaengine).*lualoadstring)(astr); 
}


and then in luaengine initialize them:

Code
device_luaprinter_interface::lualoadstring = &lua_engine::load_string;
device_luaprinter_interface::m_luaengine = this;


so now I can do this:

Code
[MAME]> l = manager:machine().lp[1]
[MAME]> l:callloadstring(" l:callloadstring('print(\"whoa!\")') ")
Trying callloadstring  l:callloadstring('print("whoa!")') 
Trying callloadstring print("whoa!")
whoa!

Re: Ap2000 signs of life
Golden Child #117975 10/13/20 07:43 PM
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Modifying the dot printing routine to call lua seems to work:

Code
char buffer[128];
snprintf(buffer,128,"if drawdot then drawdot( %f, %f ) end",
           (double) m_real_cr_pos + CR_OFFSET, yd);
callloadstring( buffer );


I use the if to check if the drawdot routine has been defined.

Code
Trying callloadstring if drawdot then drawdot( 971.000000, 170.333333 ) end
Trying callloadstring if drawdot then drawdot( 971.000000, 171.333333 ) end
Trying callloadstring if drawdot then drawdot( 971.000000, 172.333333 ) end
Trying callloadstring if drawdot then drawdot( 971.000000, 173.333333 ) end
Trying callloadstring if drawdot then drawdot( 971.000000, 174.333333 ) end



and if I define the drawdot routine from the console:

Code
function drawdot(x,y) print("DRAWDOT !!! "..x.."  "..y) end

Trying callloadstring if drawdot then drawdot( 35.000000, 60.000000 ) end
DRAWDOT !!! 35.0  60.0
Trying callloadstring if drawdot then drawdot( 35.000000, 61.000000 ) end
DRAWDOT !!! 35.0  61.0

Now I need to figure out how the ap2000 does 240 dpi because the steppers seem to step at 120 dpi, perhaps you have to watch the timing of when the printhead is fired, firing it when it's moving in-between stepper positions.
Re: Ap2000 signs of life
Golden Child #117981 10/14/20 06:16 PM
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Ramiro Polla Offline
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Originally Posted by Golden Child

Now I need to figure out how the ap2000 does 240 dpi because the steppers seem to step at 120 dpi, perhaps you have to watch the timing of when the printhead is fired, firing it when it's moving in-between stepper positions.

The firmware was beautifully written and calculated down to the microseconds it takes for the printhead to hit the paper. Look for two comments which have "417 microseconds" in epson_lx810l.cpp.

In epson_lx810l_device::co0_w():
Quote
The firmware expects a 300 microseconds delay between the fire signal and the impact of the printhead on the paper. This can be verified by the timings of the steps and fire signals for the same positions with different directions (left to right or right to left). We don't simulate this delay since it is smaller than the time it takes the printhead to travel one pixel (which would be 417 microseconds), so it makes no difference to us. It is interesting to note that the vertical alignment between lines which are being printed in different directions is noticeably off in the 20+ years old printer used for testing =).


In epson_lx810l_device::device_timer()
Quote
The firmware issues two half-steps in sequence, one immediately after the other. At full speed, the motor does two half-steps at each 833 microseconds. A timer fires the printhead twice, with the same period as each half-step (417 microseconds), but with a 356 microseconds delay relative to the motor steps.
Re: Ap2000 signs of life
Ramiro Polla #117982 10/15/20 03:49 AM
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Hi Raimro,

Thanks for the pointers. I stuck some instrumenting in to see the delay between changes to the stepper and the timers.

yes the write to co0_w is 417 ms apart: (2525-2107 = 418)

Code
POS = 0   DATA=0
POS = 1   DATA=0
STEPPER:d
CR_STEPPER_MSECS: time = 835.9782 microsecs

CR_STEPPER current pos: -49
POS = 0   DATA=0
POS = 1   DATA=0
CR_TIMER_MSECS: time = 835.978

POS = 0   DATA=0
POS = 1   DATA=44
Fractional time co0_w: 152107.340486 
Trying callloadstring if drawdot then drawdot( 33.000000, 25.333333 ) end
Fractional time co0_w: 152107.340486 
Trying callloadstring if drawdot then drawdot( 33.000000, 29.333333 ) end
STEPPER:8
CR_STEPPER_MSECS: time = 830.0781 microsecs

CR_STEPPER current pos: -48
POS = 0   DATA=0
POS = 1   DATA=38
Fractional time co0_w: 152525.024406 
Trying callloadstring if drawdot then drawdot( 33.000000, 26.333333 ) end
Fractional time co0_w: 152525.024406 
Trying callloadstring if drawdot then drawdot( 33.000000, 27.333333 ) end
Fractional time co0_w: 152525.024406 
Trying callloadstring if drawdot then drawdot( 33.000000, 28.333333 ) end
CR_TIMER_MSECS: time = 830.078


Gonna have to study this some more 8-)
Re: Ap2000 signs of life
Golden Child #117983 10/15/20 01:36 PM
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and checking the time since the last stepper change, it says 337 usec and 755 usec (755-337 usec = 418 usec) so yes very close to expected

Code
POS = 0   DATA=0
POS = 1   DATA=20
Fractional time co0_w: 110442.708325 
Time since last step: 757.446289 
Trying callloadstring if drawdot then drawdot( 83.000000, 26.333333 ) end
STEPPER:5
CR_STEPPER_MSECS: time = 833.9437 microsecs

CR_STEPPER current pos: -98
POS = 0   DATA=0
POS = 1   DATA=8
Fractional time co0_w: 110857.137036 
Time since last step: 337.931315 
Trying callloadstring if drawdot then drawdot( 83.000000, 28.333333 ) end
CR_TIMER_MSECS: time = 833.944

POS = 0   DATA=0
POS = 1   DATA=20
Fractional time co0_w: 111274.210604 
Time since last step: 755.004883 
Trying callloadstring if drawdot then drawdot( 82.000000, 26.333333 ) end
STEPPER:d
CR_STEPPER_MSECS: time = 831.5023 microsecs

CR_STEPPER current pos: -97
POS = 0   DATA=0
POS = 1   DATA=8
Fractional time co0_w: 111690.470369 
Time since last step: 339.762370 
Trying callloadstring if drawdot then drawdot( 82.000000, 28.333333 ) end
CR_TIMER_MSECS: time = 831.502

POS = 0   DATA=0
POS = 1   DATA=2
Fractional time co0_w: 112107.543937 
Time since last step: 756.835937 
Trying callloadstring if drawdot then drawdot( 81.000000, 30.333333 ) end
STEPPER:8
CR_STEPPER_MSECS: time = 833.3333 microsecs

Re: Ap2000 signs of life
Golden Child #117984 10/15/20 02:15 PM
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Reading this makes me realize how much a dot-matrix printer is like a write-only floppy drive, except it controls the exact media position instead of waiting for it to come around to the right spot.
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