Decode Search Mode, Preferred Symbology

Decode Search Mode

There are three selectable decode (scanning) modes:

Full Omnidirectional - Searches for barcode features beginning at the center of an image, and searches to the image’s limits. This mode reads all symbologies (including OCR), in any orientation. The Full Omnidirectional search is very thorough which may slow performance time.

Note: This search mode is the default setting.

Full Omnidirectional

Quick Omnidirectional - This is an abbreviated search for barcode features around the center region of an image. This mode quickly reads all symbologies in any orientation. The Quick Omnidirectional mode may miss some off-center symbols, as well as larger Data Matrix and QR Code symbols.

Quick Omnidirectional

Advanced Linear Decoding - Performs quick horizontal linear scans in a center band of the image. This mode is not omnidirectional, but does quickly read linear and stacked barcodes. Advanced Linear Decoding cannot read 2D, OCR, or Postal symbols.

Advanced Linear Decoding

Preferred Symbology

Note: This selection does not apply to OCR.

The document reader can be programmed to specify one symbology as a higher priority over other sym- bologies in situations where both barcode symbologies appear on the same label, but the lower priority symbology cannot be disabled.

For example, you may be using the document reader in a retail setting to read UPC symbols, but have occasional need to read a code on a drivers license. Since some licenses have a Code 39 symbol as well as the PDF417 symbol, you can use Preferred Symbology to specify that the PDF417 symbol be read instead of the Code 39.

Preferred Symbology classifies each symbology as high priority, low priority, or as an unspecified type. When a low priority symbology is presented, the document reader ignores it for a set period of time (see Preferred Symbology Time-outon page 3-11)while it searches for the high priority symbology. If a high priority symbology is located during this period, then that data is read immediately.

If the time-out period expires before a high priority symbology is read, the document reader will read any barcode in its view (low priority or unspecified). If there is no barcode in the document reader’s view after the time-out period expires, then no data is reported.

Note: A low priority symbol must be centered on the aiming pattern to be read.

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