Tape printer for bar code printing

A printer for printing on a tape, said printer comprising:

• a controller having an associated storage device;
• an input device connected to said controller for entering characters comprising at least text data and bar code data, said text data and said bar code data being stored in a first area of said storage device;
• a display device connected to the controller, said display device arranged to display a cursor having a cursor position, and to simultaneously display both text data and bar code data, in a first display mode;
• a cursor moving device connected to said controller, said cursor moving device arranged to move the cursor on the display device, whereby the cursor is assignable to any of the displayed text data and bar code data;
• a converting device associated with the controller, said converting device arranged to convert the text and bar code data into printable data;
• a printing device connected to the converting device, said printing device arranged to print the printable data on the tape;
• and
• user input means arranged to switch the display device between the first display mode and a second display mode, only bar code data being displayed in the second display mode.

A tape printer comprising:

• a controller having an associated storage device;
• an input device connected to said controller for entering characters comprising at least text data and bar code data;
• a display device connected to said controller, said display device arranged to display a cursor having a cursor position, and further arranged to simultaneously display both text data and bar code data, in a first display mode;
• a cursor moving device connected to said controller, said cursor moving device arranged to move the cursor on the display device, whereby the cursor is assignable to any of the displayed text data and bar code data;
• a converting device associated with the controller, said converting device arranged to convert the text and bar code data into printable data;
• and
• a printing device connected to the converting device, said printing device arranged to print the printable data on the tape, wherein
• said controller is configured to sequentially store said text data and said bar code data in a first area of said storage device, and store bar code position data in a predetermined second area of said storage device, said bar code position data indicating where the bar code data is stored in the first area.

A method for inputting text and bar code data to a printing device for printing of both text and bar codes on a substrate, which method comprises:

• entering data through an input device;
• storing the entered data in a first area of a storage device;
• and
• displaying at least a portion of the entered data on a display device, both text and bar code data simultaneously being displayed when the display device is in a first display mode, and only bar code data being displayed when the display device is in a second display mode.

A method for inputting text and bar code data to a printing device for printing of both text and bar codes on a substrate, which method comprises:

• entering data through an input device;
• storing the entered data in a first area of a storage device;
• storing bar code position information in a predetermined second area in the storage device, said bar code position information indicating where bar code data is stored in the first area;
• converting the entered data into printable characters;
• and
• printing the printable characters on a substrate.