Datacard Group SP Series manual Open Card data format

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Open Card data format

The Open Card data format uses ASCII data. Any host computer that can generate an ASCII (text) data stream and send it to the printer using TCP/IP (or TCP/IP with LPD/LPR) can send card data using the Open Card data format. Organizations that use operating systems other than Windows can print cards without inserting a PC between the host computer and the printer (provided that the systems can generate an ASCII data stream).

The SP Series Card Printers with Built-in Ethernet and the Open Card Option provides two methods for specifying the format of the data; supported Open Card commands and Card Layout menus in the printer. For organizations that currently send data tagged with Open Card commands to a printer or embosser, the printer can produce printed cards from the same data stream. Or, you can use the Card Layout menus to define card designs that reside in the printer and format the data.

The Open Card option supports printing text, printing bar codes, printing logos, and encoding magnetic stripe data on a card. For text, you can choose from several fonts and sizes that are printer-resident. For bar codes, you can also choose from several bar code fonts (for different types of bar codes) and sizes. For graphics, you can download up to four black-and-white logo files to the printer and choose where to place the files on the card. The printer does not provide the ability to download a different graphic for each card. Each text or graphic field can be rotated independently. In addition, the entire card design can be rotated to change the relationship of printing to the magnetic stripe.

For magnetic stripe data, you can define encoding formats in the printer (using SmartDriver Diagnostics) and then send up to three tracks of data (with a magnetic stripe option). For some features, you must use a PC running the SmartDriver and SmartDriver Diagnostics to configure the printer. After configuring, you can use the host computer to send data and print cards.