AMT Datasouth PAL - Manual (Page 39)

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_barcode
_barcode
Description
Draws a bar code in a specified format.
Usage
DataStr [CtrlDict] FormatName _barcode
DataStr String. This is the data to be encoded in the bar code. See bar code specific dis-
cussions below for data requirements for each bar code format. See appendix A.,
Bar Code Considerations for a description of the capabilities, limitations, and
special rules for PAL bar codes.
CtrlDict Optional dictionary. Contains entries which provide additional control over the
formatting of the bar code drawn. The usage of each entry varies with the bar
code format. See comments and format specific discussions for additional de-
tails.
Each dictionary entry has a full name and an abbreviation. Some also have ali-
ases and abbreviations for the aliases. These abbreviations and aliases are pro-
vided to simplify the programming task. All variations on an entry name may be
used interchangeably.
FormatName Literal name. Name of bar code format to draw. See discussions of each format
for specific names.
Comments
The DataStr operand provides the data from which the PAL interpreter will build the bar code
pattern. The contents of the string depends upon the bar code format specified by the Format-
Name parameter. Some formats may accept data objects of more than one type. The text below
discusses the individual bar code formats.
The FormatName parameter specifies the format of the bar code to draw. The _barcode operator
requires a literal name for the FormatName parameter. The text below gives a list of the bar code
formats supported by PAL. The number and combination of bar code formats on a given PAL
printer may vary. The reader should check the documentation for each printer model to determine
the bar code formats supported by the printer. See appendix A., Bar Code Considerations for a
discussion of the problems that may be encountered when moving a PAL program between
different PAL printer models.