Data Matrix

Data Matrix supports all 256 ASCII characters, all ISO characters, and all EBCDIC characters.

If the symbol type is set to anything other than ECC 200, the Character Set option will be available. Be sure to choose the set that closely matches the information you plan to use, as this will provide the smallest possible barcode. The different sets available are:

• Auto: When selected, the application will automatically determine which character set to use based on the information entered.

• Numeric (0-9) with Spaces

• Uppercase Alphabetic with Spaces

• Uppercase Alphanumeric with Punctuation

• Uppercase Alphanumeric with Spaces

• Full 128 ASCII

• All 256 ASCII

If you select a character set other than Auto and enter characters outside of the selected set, your barcodes will have an "X" covering it as in the example below. This means that the barcode is invalid. Should you receive a barcodes like this, simply move your mouse pointer over the top to show a ToolTip that explains the error.

Escape Sequences in the Data

Data Matrix also supports a variety of escape sequences in the data stream. The escape sequences begin with the caret "^". (Use two consecutive carets "^^" to include an actual caret in the data stream.)

• ^X: This represents an ASCII control character, where X is the character. For example, ^G represents BEL.

• ^7nnnnnn: This represents an ECI (Extended Channel Interpretation Protocol) value, where nnnnnn is the 6-digit ECI number. For example, ^7000009 represents ECI value 9. ECI protocol values have four types of interpretations:

  • As identifiers of international character sets (encoding)

  • As control information for structured append in unbuffered mode

  • As information for encryption or compaction or other general purposes

  • As user defined information

  If the data stream is Unicode and the ECI number identifies an encoding, the application will convert the data to the specified encoding. If the ECI number does not identify an encoding, the application will convert Unicode data to the ANSI 1252 (Western languages) encoding.

• Miscellaneous

  • ^1: This represents FNC1. In the second codeword position, the ^1 must be preceded by an upper or lower case letter or by some pair of numerals from 01 to 99.

  • ^3: This indicates reader programming.

  • ^5: This is used as an abbreviated 05 header for the application identifier. It will be decoded as the 05 macro header and trailer.

  • ^6: This is used as an abbreviated 06 header for the application identifier. It will be decoded as the 06 macro header and trailer.

Data Matrix is capable of containing anywhere from 1 to 2000 characters of data per barcode. The perimeter of each barcode consists of a solid line on the left and bottom edges and a dotted line on the right and top edges. Data Matrix uses a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) for error correction. Various error correction levels can be set via the barcode's Symbol Type setting although the default setting of ECC 200 is recommended for most applications.

The size of a Data Matrix symbol is directly dependent on the amount of data entered. If using any error correction types from ECC 000 to ECC 140, the symbol size in modules can be from 9 x 9 to 49 x 49 in odd increments only. If using ECC 200 error correction, the symbol size in modules can be anywhere from 10 x 10 to 144 x 144 in even increments only. Each Data Matrix barcode requires a quiet space of at least 10 percent on all sides. It is possible for a symbol to be either a square or rectangle based on the barcode's Shape setting.