5 application identifiers (ai), 1 introduction, 2 examples – Konica Minolta Darwin VDP Software User Manual
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T EC - I T B a r c o d e So f t w a re R e f e re n c e
5 Application Identifiers (AI)
5.1 Introduction
Some barcode symbologies (e.g. EAN-128) use Application Identifiers (AIs) in order to provide
information about the structure of the encoded data. Application Identifiers are mostly used in
industry-specific barcode symbologies.
An Application Identifier (AI) is a prefix (built from 2 to 4 characters) used to identify the meaning
and the format of the data that follows. AIs have been defined by UCC/EAN for identification,
traceability data, dates, quantity, measurements, locations, and many other types of information.
The data presented can be alphanumeric or numeric and with fixed or variable data lengths. The
symbology character FNC1 is used as field separator in connection with variable length data fields.
►
Use FNC1 only with variable length data fields
►
Don‟t use FNC1 after the last data field.
►
D
on‟t use FNC1 if the maximal field length is used
Depending on the barcode symbology (e.g. with EAN-128) you are able to concatenate multiple AIs
and encode more data fields into one symbol. If an AI is of variable length type
and you don‟t use
the maximum number of characters for this AI, you have to separate the next data field with FNC1.
FNC1 is speci
fied in the barcode data with the escape sequence “\F” (see section 4.6).
►
For encoding the FNC1 you have to activate
Translate Escape Sequences
.
►
Do not encode the brackets which are usually used to denote an Application Identifier. TEC-
IT software generates the brackets automatically for the human readable text.
For more information (e.g. a list of all available AIs) please follow the links below:
5.2 Examples
5.2.1
Batch Number
A batch number is encoded with AI 10. The format of AI 10 is
“n2 + an..20”. This means the AI has
two digits (10) followed by variable length data with maximum 20 characters.
Description
Value
Data (Text property)
10 + Production Number = 1012345678
Human readable text
(10)12345678
Encoded data
1012345678
5.2.2
Multiple AIs within one Barcode
Two data fields should be encoded in one barcode. Following fields are used:
Description
Value
Batch number AI (10)
– format
n2 + an..20
Item number AI (01)
– format
n14
Data (Text property)
10+Batch Number+\F+01+Item Number = 1012345678\F0112345678901234