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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. In an automatic writing system including a keyboard and a printer, each
of which is connected to at least a common data bus and a common
instruction word bus, the improvement comprising:
selection means at said keyboard for defining designated pitch and
proportionally spaced printing modes;
a microprocessor having a plurality of specific print control instructions
stored therein at addressable locations, said microprocessor connected to
said common instruction word bus and said common data bus; and
a printer data store containing print information corresponding to
alphameric information which may be entered at said keyboard, said printer
data store being connected to said common data bus and said common
instruction word bus and addressable by character information
corresponding to alphameric information which may be inserted at said
keyboard;
said microprocessor acting in response to the selection of a printing mode
of operation and the entry of alphameric information to cause print
information corresponding to entered alphameric information to be read
from said printer data store and forwarded to said printer.
2. The automatic writing system according to claim 1 wherein said printer
data store includes a printer data ROM and means for addressing said
printer data ROM in response to alphameric information.
3. The automatic writing system according to claim 2 wherein said printer
data ROM contains print information corresponding to alphameric
information which may be inserted at said keyboard and said print
information includes information defining the alphameric character to be
printed and the width of said alphameric character to be printed in a
proportionally spaced printing mode.
4. The automatic writing system according to claim 3 wherein said print
information additionally includes the force with which the alphameric
character defined is to be printed.
5. The automatic writing system according to claim 3 wherein said print
information from said printer data ROM is forwarded through said common
data bus to said microprocessor and subsequently from said microprocessor
to said printer through said common data bus.
6. The automatic writing system according to claim 6 wherein said
microprocessor is responsive to said width information contained in said
print information and the mode of printing selected to forward appropriate
escapement information to said printer.
7. The automatic writing system according to claim 6 wherein said
microprocessor is responsive to the selection of a designated pitch mode
of printing to substitute a constant width related to the pitch selected
for width information present in said print information and forward
escapement information to said printer which is related thereto.
8. The automatic writing system according to claim 7 wherein said
microprocessor is responsive to the selection of a proportionally spaced
mode of printing to forward escapement information to said printer which
is related to said width information contained in said print information.
9. The automatic writing system according to claim 8 wherein said
microprocessor stores width information associated with the last character
printed at said printer and if an alphameric character entry occurs within
a predetermined interval, forwards escapement information to said printer,
prior to print information, which is a function related to one-half the
width of the previously printed character and one-half the width of the
alphameric character to be printed in the mode of printing selected.
10. The automatic writing system according to claim 9 wherein said
microprocessor forwards escapament information to the printer which is a
function related to one-half the width of the previously printed character
plus a constant if an alphameric character entry does not occur within a
predetermined interval.
11. The automatic writing system according to claim 9 wherein said
microprocessor forwards additional escapement information to said printer
upon an entry of alphameric characters when said entry did not occur
within said predetermined interval, said additional escapement information
comprising the difference between one-half the width of the alphameric
character to be printed in the mode of printing selected and said
constant.
12. The automatic writing system according to claim 5 wherein said printer
is responsive to said information defining the alphameric character to be
printed contained in said print information to print said alphameric
character and is responsive to said width information to displace a ribbon
through which impact printing is achieved.
13. The automatic writing system according to claim 12 wherein said print
information additionally includes the force with which the alphameric
character defined is to be printed.
14. The automatic writing system according to claim 13 wherein said printer
is responsive to said information defining the force with which the
alphameric character defined is to be printed to cause printing of that
character to occur in relation to the force defined.
15. The automatic writing system according to claim 14 wherein said printer
is a daisy wheel printer.
16. The automatic writing system according to claim 5, wherein said printer
includes a printer interface having a latch means and said print
information from said printer data ROM is read in two passes and supplied
in two passes to said microprocessor through said common data bus, said
microprocessor being responsive to print information thus received to
forward print information to said printer in two passes, said latch means
storing print information received through said common data bus in a first
pass until print information in a second pass is received whereupon all of
said printer data may be supplied to said printer in a single pass.
17. The automatic writing system according to claim 16 wherein said
microprocessor acts to reorder printer information supplied thereto in two
passes from the printer data ROM into an order suited to said printer
prior to forwarding printer information to said printer.
18. The automatic writing system according to claim 2 additionally
comprising means for selectively playing back recorded information
originally entered at said keyboard, said means for playing back being
connected to said common data bus and said common instruction word bus,
said microprocessor acting in response to the selection of a playback and
printing mode of operation, the playback of alphameric information and
said means responsive to cause print information corresponding to entered
alphameric information to be read from said printer data ROM.
19. A method of printing in a word processing system which includes a
microprocessor, a keyboard, a printer and a printer data ROM, each of
which is connected to a common data bus and a common instruction word bus,
comprising the steps of:
inspecting each alphameric character entry within said microprocessor to
ascertain if a printable character entry is present:
addressing said printer data ROM with said alphameric character entry if
said word processing system is in a printing mode;
reading print information defining the alphameric character to be printed
and a width therefor from said printer data ROM and supplying the print
information read to said microprocessor;
forwarding escapement information from said microprocessor to said printer
as a function of width information present in said printer information;
and
forwarding print information from said microprocessor to said printer to
cause printing to occur.
20. The method of printing in a word processing system according to claim
19 wherein designated pitch and proportionally spaced printing modes may
be selected, additionally comprising the steps of:
ascertaining if a designated pitch printing mode has been selected;
substituting constant width information for the width information in print
information obtained from the printer data ROM if a designated pitch
printing mode has been selected; and
forwarding escapement information from said microprocessor to said printer
as a function of said constant width information substituted.
21. In an automatic writing system including a keyboard, a printer and
means for recording information entered at said keyboard and selectively
playing back recorded information, each of which is connected to at least
a common data bus and a common instruction word bus, the improvement
comprising:
means at said keyboard for defining a mode of operation wherein recorded
information is selectively played back and printed by said printer at high
speeds;
a microprocessor having a plurality of specific print direction and
escapement control instructions stored therein at addressable locations,
said microprocessor connected to said common instruction word bus and said
common data bus; and
first and second buffers and a printer stack connected to said common data
bus and said common instruction word bus, each of said first and second
buffers capable of receiving a full line of alphameric information to be
printed upon a playback of recorded information, said microprocessor
acting in response to a definition of said playback and high speed print
operation for causing a line of information to be printed in a first
direction to be played back and loaded into said first buffer, said
microprocessor acting thereafter to cause print information and escapement
information associated with each character in the line of information
loaded into said first buffer to be loaded into said printer stack and
forwarded from said printer stack to said printer at a rate at which said
printer can process said information, said microprocessor further acting
at a time after print information and escapement information associated
with the last character of the line loaded in said first buffer has been
loaded into said printer stack to cause a line of information to be
printed in a second direction to be played back and loaded into said
second buffer while said printer is still processing information loaded
into said printer stack from said first buffer.
22. The automatic writing system according to claim 21 wherein said
microprocessor acts to test information loaded into said second buffer to
ascertain whether the line information associated therewith can be
logically printed in a second direction opposite to said first.
23. The automatic writing system according to claim 21 wherein said first
and second buffers and said printer stack are formed within a RAM storage
device.
24. The automatic writing system according to claim 32 wherein a line of
information to be printed in a second direction is loaded into said second
buffer by causing said line of information to be played back, loaded into
said first buffer and thereafter transferred a character at a time to said
second buffer.
25. The automatic writing system according to claim 24 wherein said
microprocessor acts to test information loaded into said second buffer to
ascertain whether the line information associated therewith may be printed
in a second direction on a per character basis as each character is
transferred from said first buffer to said second buffer.
26. The automatic writing system according to claim 24 wherein said
microprocessor further acts upon an emptying of said printer stack, to
read character information from said second buffer in a reverse direction,
to load print information and escapement information associated with each
character in the line of information read from said second buffer into
said printer stack in the order read, and to forward print information and
escapement information to said printer from said printer stack at a rate
at which said printer can process said information.
27. The automatic writing system according to claim 22 wherein said
microprocessor acts to calculate the start of printing point for
information loaded into said second buffer, so that the line of
information associated therewith may be printed in a second direction
opposite to said first.
28. The automatic writing system according to claim 27 wherein said
microprocessor acts to compare required printer displacement from the last
print position in printing a previous line of information in a first
direction to said start of printing point for said second buffer with
required printer displacement from said last print position to a print
position for printing line information in said second buffer in a first
direction and if the last mentioned displacement is smaller causes
printing to occur in a first direction.
29. The automatic writing system according to claim 28 wherein said
microprocessor causes printing to occur in a first direction whenever the
line information in said second buffer may not be logically printed in
said second direction.
30. The automatic writing system according to claim 29 wherein a line of
information to be printed in a second direction is loaded into said second
buffer by causing said line of information to be played back, loaded into
said first buffer and thereafter transferred a character at a time to said
second buffer.
31. The automatic writing system according to claim 30 wherein said
microprocessor acts to clear said second buffer when line information
therein is not to be printed in said second direction and to cause said
printer stack to be loaded with that line information from said first
buffer in the same manner as if printing was to occur initially in said
first direction.
32. The automatic writing system according to claim 27 wherein said
microprocessor acts to displace the printer carriage to said start of
printing point.
33. In an automatic writing system including a microprocessor, a keyboard,
a printer, first and second buffers, a printer stack and means for
recording information entered at said keyboard and selectively playing
back recorded information; a method of high speed printing on playback
comprising the steps of:
playing back a line of alphameric character information and loading each
character thereof into said first buffer;
reading each character in said first buffer and loading print information
and escapement information related thereto into said printer stack while
escapement and print information already loaded into said printer stack is
forwarded to said printer at a rate at which said printer can process such
information to cause printing to occur in a first direction;
playing back a next line of alphameric character information and loading
each character into said second buffer at a time after the complete
contents of said first buffer have been read but while escapement and
print information is still being forwarded from said printer stack to said
printer to cause printing to occur in a first direction;
reading each character in said second buffer in a reverse direction and
loading print information and escapement information related thereto into
said printer stack after all previously loaded information therein has
been forwarded to said printer and forwarding escapement and print
information from said printer stack to said printer to cause printing to
occur in a second direction opposite to said first direction.
34. The method of high speed printing according to claim 33 additionally
comprising the steps of:
testing each character loaded into said second buffer to ascertain whether
the line read can be printed in a second direction; and
upon detecting a character which logically precludes printing in a second
direction, loading said printer stack to cause printing to occur in a
first direction.
35. In an automatic writing system including a keyboard, a printer and a
buffer for storing character information entered from said keyboard, each
of which is connected to at least a common data bus and a common
instruction word bus, the improvement comprising:
means at said keyboard for defining a mode of margin control operable in
response to information entered from said keyboard;
a microprocessor having a plurality of specific margin control instructions
stored therein at addressable locations, said microprocessor connected to
said common instruction word bus and said common data bus;
means at said keyboard for defining left and right margin locations as well
as a margin zone width in which automatic carriage return operations may
be initiated, said margin zone width being adjacent to and to the left of
the right margin defined; and
first storage means addressable by said microprocessor for storing said
left and right margin locations defined as well as the width of said
margin zone, said means for storing being connected to said common data
bus and said common instruction word bus; and
second storage means responsive to a definition of said mode of margin
control operable in response to information entered from said keyboard,
alphameric character information entered from said keyboard and a
designated proximity to a defined right-hand margin for substituting
carriage return information for space code information and thereby causing
said defined right-hand margin to be honored, said means for storing being
connected to at least said common data bus and said common instruction
word bus.
36. The automatic writing system according to claim 35 wherein said
microprocessor is responsive to a definition of said mode of margin
control operable in response to information entered from said keyboard to
test the printer location each time alphameric character information is
entered from the keyboard to ascertain if printing is to occur within said
margin zone width or to the left of the margin zone defined.
37. The automatic writing system according to claim 36 wherein said
microprocessor acts, upon a determination of a printer location within
said margin zone width, to test each character entered from the keyboard
to ascertain if a hyphen code is present in any form and upon a detection
of a hyphen code causes a hyphen code to be printed followed by a carriage
return character.
38. The automatic writing system according to claim 36 wherein said
microprocessor acts, upon a determination of a printer location within
said margin zone width to test each character entered from the keyboard to
ascertain if a space code is present and upon a detection of a space code
substitutes a carriage return character therefor and causes the same to be
processed.
39. The automatic writing system according to claim 38 wherein said
microprocessor further acts upon a detection of a space code within said
margin zone width to test whether a space expand mode has been established
and if said space expand mode has been established to honor said space
code detected within said margin zone.
40. The automatic writing system according to claim 36 wherein said
microprocessor acts, upon a determination of a printer location to the
left of said margin zone width, to test each character entered from the
keyboard to ascertain if a hyphen code is present and upon a detection of
a hyphen code substitutes a mandatory hyphen code, which is always honored
therefor and causes the same to be processed.
41. The automatic writing system according to claim 35 wherein said
microprocessor is responsive to a definition of said mode of margin
control operable in response to information entered from said keyboard to
test the printer location each time alphameric character information is
entered from the keyboard to ascertain if printing is to occur at the left
hand margin defined, within said margin zone width or within the remaining
text zone.
42. The automatic writing system according to claim 35 wherein said
microprocessor is responsive to a definition of said mode of margin
control operable in response to information entered from said keyboard to
test the printer location each time alphameric character information is
entered from the keyboard to ascertain if printing is to occur at the left
hand margin defined.
43. The automatic writing system according to claim 42 wherein said
microprocessor acts, upon a determination of a printer location at said
left hand margin, to test each character entered from the keyboard to
ascertain if a space code is present and upon a detection of a space code
causes sid space code to be skipped unless printing is occurring at the
first line of a paragraph or a space expand mode has been established.
44. The automatic writing system according to claim 43 wherein said
microprocessor acts, upon a determination of a printer location at said
left hand margin and the detection of a non space code entry from the
keyboard to process said non space code entry as a normal entry without
said margin zone width.
45. The automatic writing system according to claim 44 wherein said
microprocessor is responsive to a definition of said mode of margin
control operable in response to information entered from said keyboard to
test each character entered from the keyboard to ascertain if a carriage
return code is present and upon detection of a carriage return code to
transform that carriage return code into a mandatory form of that carriage
return code and cause the normal processing of said transformed code
regardless of designated proximity to a defined right hand margin
whereupon the entry of a carriage return code during a defined mode of
margin control operable in response to information entered from said
keyboard acts to define an end to a paragraph.
46. A method of performing a manual mode of margin control in a word
processing system which is responsive to alphameric character information
entered at said keyboard, comprising the steps of:
reviewing the current print position of a printer each time an alphameric
character is entered at said keyboard to ascertain if said print position
is within a margin control zone in which carriage return operations may be
conducted or within a text zone;
testing each alphameric character entered from the keyboard within said
margin control zone to ascertain if a hyphen code is present and
processing a hyphen followed by a carriage return code each time a hyphen
code is ascertained; and
testing each alphameric character entered from the keyboard within said
margin control zone to ascertain if a space code is present and
substituting and processing a carriage return character therefor except
under conditions when a detected space code must be honored.
47. The method according to claim 46 additionally comprising the step of
testing each alphameric character entered from the keyboard within said
text zone to ascertain if a hyphen code is present and substituting and
processing a mandatory hyphen code therefor when the same is ascertained.
48. In an automatic writing system including a microprocessor, a keyboard,
a printer and a buffer for storing character information entered from said
keyboard, each of which is connected to at least a common data bus and a
common instruction word bus, the improvement comprising:
addressable storage means for defining a proportionally spaced printing
mode and for causing said printer to operate during printing modes of
operation in accordance therewith, said addressable storage means being
connected to at least said common data bus and said common instruction
word bus;
means at said keyboard for defining a memory backspace function wherein an
alphameric character previously entered from the keyboard, printed and
stored in said buffer is to be deleted; and
comparison means responsive to a definition of said memory backspace
function for deleting said previously entered alphameric character from
said buffer and returning the print position of said printer to that which
obtained prior to the printing of said previously entered alphameric
character, said comparison means being connected to at least said common
data bus and said common instruction word bus.
49. The automatic writing system according to claim 48 additionally
comprising means for storing the width of each character printed in a
proportionally spaced printing mode, said means for storing being
connected to at least said common data bus and said common instruction
word bus, said microprocessor acting upon an entry of a memory backspace
function to read the last alphameric character code entered in said buffer
and to obtain the width thereof from said means for storing, said
microprocessor further acting to cause said printer to escape in a reverse
direction as a function of the character width obtained in a
proportionally spaced printing mode so as to position the printer carriage
to a location corresponding to that which obtained prior to the entry of
the alphameric character detected.
50. The automatic wiring system according to claim 49 wherein said means
for storing comprises a printer data ROM connected to said common data bus
and said common instruction word bus, said printer data ROM storing
character information defining each alphameric character to the printer,
the width thereof and the hammer force with which printing is to occur.
51. In an automatic writing system including a microprocessor, a keyboard,
a printer, a buffer for accumulating and selectively reading character
information and means for recording and selectively playing back
information entered at said keyboard, each of which is connected to at
least a common data bus and a common instruction word bus, the improvement
comprising:
means at said keyboard for defining columns in which character information
is to be printed and designator codes for specifying character information
to be centered within said defined columns upon playback; and
storage and register means responsive to defined columns and designator
codes upon a playback of recorded information for centering specified
character information within the columns defined, said storage and
register means being connected to at least said common data bus and said
common instruction word bus.
52. The automatic writing system according to claim 51 additionally
comprising means for defining a proportionally spaced printing mode and
for causing said printer to operate during printing modes of operation,
including modes wherein specified character information is centered within
the columns defined, in accordance therewith, said means for defining
being connected to at least said common data bus and said common
instruction word bus.
53. The automatic writing system according to claim 51 additionally
comprising tab register means, addressable by said microprocessor, for
storing tab locations defined at said keyboard, said tab register means
including storage locations therein corresponding to each defined print
position of said printer in a line of information and each storage
location within said tab register capable of defining the nature of the
tab entered, said tab register means being connected to at least said
common data bus and said common instruction word bus.
54. The automatic writing system according to claim 53 wherein columns are
defined at said keyboard by an insertion of a tab at a print position
corresponding to the left hand limit of each column to be defined and a
special tab having a differing code designation is inserted at a print
position corresponding to the right hand limit of each column to be
defined.
55. The automatic writing system according to claim 54 wherein tab and
special tab codes are stored in said tab register means and may be
recorded in special blocks on a record media by said means for recording
and selectively playing back information entered at said keyboard.
56. The automatic writing system according to claim 55 wherein information
to be centered within columns upon playback of a record media is recorded
by defining columns, inserting a designator code at the beginning of each
line to contain column centered information, tabbing to the beginning of a
desired column and inserting alphanumeric character information to be
centered upon playback at said tab location defined.
57. The automatic writing system according to claim 56 wherein, upon the
playback of a recorded information containing alphameric character
information to be centered within specified columns, said microprocessor
acts to ascertain whether a designator code initiates a line being
processed, said microprocessor further acting upon the detection of a
designator code to test each code being processed for that line to
ascertain whether a tab code is present and if no tab is present to
process that character code in a normal manner.
58. The automatic writing system according to claim 57 wherein said
microprocessor acts in a playback mode subsequent to a detection of a
designator code and a tab code to determine presence within a column by
testing the contents of said tab register means to ascertain if the next
tab set to the right of the tab detected is a special tab code and if a
special tab code is present to ascertain the width of the column defined,
the width of the alphameric character information to be centered therein
and thereafter to displace the printer to a position wherein the
alphameric character information to be centered will be printed through
normal processing in a manner to cause the same to be centered within the
column defined.
59. The automatic writing system according to claim 58 wherein said
microprocessor acts to determine the width of the alphameric character
information to be centered by fetching the first character from the buffer
following the tab code identifying the column entry, accumulating the
width of that alphameric character and each alphameric character
thereafter until a column centering breakpoint is ascertained.
60. The automatic writing system according to claim 59 wherein said
microprocessor acts to ascertain the presence of a column centering
breakpoint by testing each character fetched to determine if a carriage
return or tab character is present.
61. A method of automatically centering alphameric character information
within defined columns comprising the steps of:
recording alphameric character information to be centered upon playback by:
defining columns at a keyboard by entering a tab at the left hand limit of
each column to be defined and a special tab at the right hand limit of
each column to be defined;
storing each tab and special tab inserted in a register,
initiating each line which is to contain alphameric character information
to be centered within a column with a column centering designating code,
and
entering alphameric character information to be centered by tabbing to the
beginning of the column defined and entering the alphameric character
information to be centered; and
playing back recorded information containing alphameric character
information to be centered within defined columns and responding to column
centering designating codes, defined columns and alphameric character
information to be centered within a defined column to cause printing of
said alphameric character information to be centered to occur in a
centered manner within the column defined.
62. The method of automatically centering according to claim 61 wherein the
step of playing back recorded information and responding thereto comprises
the steps of:
playing back a line of recorded information and ascertaining whether that
line is initited by a column centering designating code;
if a column centering designating code is ascertained, testing each
character thereafter to determine if a tab code is present;
if no tab code is present processing that character in a normal manner,
however, if a tab code is ascertained testing the contents of said tab
register to determine if the next tab set to the right of the tab detected
is a special tab code;
if a special tab is present ascertaining the width of the column defined
and the width of the alphameric character information to be centered
therein; and
displacing the printer to a position wherein the alphanumeric character
information to be entered will be printed through normal processing in a
manner to cause the same to be centered within the column defined.
63. In an automatic writing system including a microprocessor, a keyboard,
a printer, a buffer for accumulating and selectively reading character
information and means for recording and selectively playing back
information entered at said keyboard, each of which is connected to at
least a common data bus and a common instruction word bus, the improvement
comprising:
means at said keyboard for defining columns in which columnar data is to be
printed and for specifying columnar data to be processed within said
columns defined, said columnar data including a plurality of alphameric
characters frequently employed in statistical displays; and
means responsive upon playback to defined columns and columnar data for
causing recorded columnar data to be printed flush to the right hand
portion of an associated column defined in such manner that the last
character of columnar data inserted for a column is printed flush to the
right hand portion of the column defined therefor without regard to any
decimal significance associated with said columnar data, said responsive
means being connected to at least said common data bus and said common
instruction word bus.
64. The automatic writing system according to claim 63 additionally
comprising means for defining a proportionally spaced printing mode and
for causing said printer to operate during printing modes of operation,
including modes wherein specified columnar information is right flushed
within the columns defined, in accordance therewith, said means for
defining being connected to at least said common data bus and said common
instruction word bus.
65. The automatic writing system according to claim 63 additionally
comprising tab register means, addressable by said microprocessor, for
storing tab locations defined at said keyboard, said tab register means
including storage locations therein corresponding to each defined print
position of said printer in a line of information and each storage
location within said tab register capable of defining the nature of the
tab entered, said tab register means being connected to at least said
common data bus and said common instruction word bus.
66. The automatic writing system according to claim 65 wherein columns are
defined at said keyboard by an insertion of a tab at a print position
corresponding to the left hand limit of each column to be defined and a
special tab having a differing code designation is inserted at a print
position corresponding to the right hand limit of each column to be
defined.
67. The automatic writing system according to claim 66 wherein tab and
special tab codes are stored in said tab register means and may be
recorded in special blocks on a record media by said means for recording
and selectively playing back information entered at said keyboard.
68. The automatic writing system according to claim 67 wherein columnar
data to be printed flush to the right hand portion of a defined column
upon playback of a record media is recorded by defining columns, tabbing
to the beginning of a desired column and inserting alphameric character
information, including columnar data in sequence to be right flushed upon
playback, at said tab location defined.
69. The automatic writing system according to claim 68 wherein, upon
playback of recorded information containing columnar data to be right
flushed in defined columns, said microprocessor acts to test for each
character in line information being processed whether a right flush flag
is set, said printer is at the left hand margin or said character is a tab
code and if none of these start of column conditions are present to
process that character code in a normal manner.
70. The automatic writing system according to claim 69 wherein said
microprocessor acts in a playback mode subsequent to a detection of a
start of column condition to determine presence within a column by testing
the contents of said tab register means to ascertain if the next tab set
to the right of the start column condition detected is a special tab code
and if a special tab code is present to set said right flush flag.
71. The automatic writing system according to claim 70 wherein said
microprocessor acts in a playback mode subsequent to a setting of right
flush flat to process data in a defined column normally until columnar
data is detected, to accumulate the width of columnar data once the same
is detected, and upon a detection of an end of columnar data displacing
the printer to a location to the left of the right limit of the column
defined so that printing of the columnar data whose width has been
accumulated will cause the same to be printed flush to the right limit of
the column defined.
72. In an automatic writing system including a microprocessor, a keyboard,
a printer and means for recording and selectively playing back information
entered at said keyboard, each of which is connected to at least a common
data bus and a common instruction word bus, the improvements comprising:
means at said keyboard for defining blocks of format information including
descriptive alphameric character information;
means for recording blocks of format information independently of other
alphameric character information, said recording means being connected to
at least said common data bus and said common instruction word bus;
means at said keyboard for defining a special playback mode for reading
blocks of format information; and
comparison means responsive to a definition of said special playback mode
for causing playing back and printing information contained in said blocks
of format information to be printed by said printer and thereby provide a
printed log in the form of the descriptive information contained in said
blocks of format information, said comparison means being connected to at
least said common data bus and said common instruction word bus.
73. The automatic wiring system according to claim 72 wherein said means at
said keyboard for defining blocks of format information includes means for
entering a format function defining the beginning of a line of format
information, said microprocessor being responsive to a detection of a
format function to record all information inserted subsequent thereto and
prior to a termination code as a specialized line of information.
74. The automatic writing system according to claim 73 wherein a line of
format information is initiated by said format function and may include
Margin and Tab information to be employed in printing subsequently entered
data, alphameric information which may be descriptive of said subsequently
entered data and a termination code in the form of a carriage return
character.
75. The automatic writing system according to claim 74 wherein said
microprocessor does not cause printing of said line of format information
unless a code print function is enabled, however, any margin and tab
information which may be inserted in said line of format information is
set into the system as well as being recorded.
76. The automatic writing system according to claim 75 wherein said
keyboard includes means for defining block reference codes to identify
blocks of recorded information wherein each block of recorded information
includes a plurality of lines of information.
77. The automatic writing system according to claim 76 wherein said
microprocessor is responsive to a detection of a block reference code to
record said block reference code followed by a sequential reference number
as a specialized block number line of information.
78. The automatic writing system according to claim 77 wherein a line of
format information to be played back and printed during said special
playback mode is recorded immediately after a specialized block number
line of information.
79. The automatic writing system according to claim 78 wherein each
specialized block number line of information may be located through high
speed search techniques.
80. The automatic writing system according to claim 79 wherein said
microprocessor is responsive to a definition of said special playback mode
to search recorded information until a specialized block number line is
located and once located to print the contents of said block number line
format and header information contained in any immediately following line
of format information and thereafter repeat this operation until an end of
recorded information is ascertained.
81. The automatic writing system according to claim 80 wherein said search
is conducted at high speed.
82. The automatic writing system according to claim 80 wherein the contents
of said block number line and the margin and tab information contained in
an immediate | | |
