Lining Up Paper On A Dot Matrix Or Line Printer
| Field | Business Computing |
| Went Obsolete | Mid 1990s |
| Made Obsolete By | Low cost laser and ink jet printing |
| Knowledge Assumed | Counting, basic mechanical knowledge |
| When useful | When preparing to feed any new paper into a printer |
Dot-matrix printers are still used to print carbon-copy documents, which are still used frequently. This is not yet obsolete.
A lot of dot matrix printers will have a mark beside the print head as to where the page break should be. (This is a perforated line on continuous feed paper, or what some people call “Fanfold” paper.) Some cheaper dot-matrix printers don't have this, so this has to be done by trial and error.
It's always advisable to adjust the platen when the printer is off. Not only does it make it easier to move the platen, but it's also easier on the stepper motor driving the paper.
Adjust the platen so that the head aligns up nicely with that perforated line and turn on the printer. Some printers have a special “TOF” or “Top of Form” function that when activated, will tell the printer where the top of the page is. On my Star NX-1001, it's done by holding down the font and pitch buttons together until you hear a “beep”.
