Query Printer Model and Hardware Revision Level

ESC P )

This command will cause the printer to send the hardware model to the host.

Escape Sequence:

ESC

P

)

Hexadecimal:

1B

50

29

Decimal:

27

80

41

After sending the previous command, the printer will respond with the ASCII sequence:

ASCII Sequence:<string> CR LF

The <string> field represents the hardware model.

Magnetic Card Reader

A three track Magnetic Card Reader is an option available on the Datamax-O’Neil printers. The MCR reader is designed to read magnetically encoded data from cards conforming to ANSI/ISO 7810, 7811 standards.

The MC reader converts the F2F encoded signals on the magnetic card, to ISO7811 compatible ASCII format and transmits the information to the host computer or terminal. Also, the MCR can read one, two or three tracks simultaneously and bi-directionally.

The table below summarizes the format of the data stored on each magnetic track.

Track Position

Track 1

 

Track2

Track3

ISO1 (IATA)

 

ISO2 (ABA)

ISO3(MINTS)

 

 

Recording Density

210 BPI

 

75 BPI

210 BPI

 

 

 

 

 

Recording Capacity

79 characters

 

40 characters

107 characters

Number of data bits

7

 

5

7

 

 

 

 

 

Card Thickness

 

.76 mm +/- 0.08 mm

 

Read Magnetic Card Data

ESC M n1 n2 t (CR) or ESC m n1 n2 t (CR)

This command activates the MRC reader and waits until the user swipes a card (or until the timer times out). The

<n1><n2> parameters are used to set the MC reader’s timer. "01" through "99" are valid timer settings. “00” disables the timer. The ‘t’ value indicates which MCR track number to read.

The printer aborts and transmits the time-out error message if the operator fails to swipe a card within the time period set by the host application.

If the timer times out, the printer aborts the swipe process, transmits the timeout error message and switches off the <READING> LED. A good magnetic card swipe automatically terminates the read process. The following table details the possible combinations for this command:

 

Magnetic Card Command String

 

 

Description

 

 

ESC M n1n2

1

CR (CR = Carriage Return) or

Read Track1 only

 

 

ESC m n1n2

1

CR (CR = Carriage Return)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ESC M n1n2

2

CR or ESC m n1n2

2

CR

Read Track2 only

 

 

ESC M n1n2

3

CR or ESC m n1n2

3

CR

Read Track3 only

 

 

ESC M n1n2

4

CR or ESC m n1n2

4

CR

Read Track1 and Track2 simultaneously

 

 

ESC M n1n2

5

CR or ESC m n1n2

5

CR

Read Track2 and Track3 simultaneously

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ESC M n1n2

6

CR or ESC m n1n2

6

CR

Read Tracks 1,2 and 3 simultaneously

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

31

 

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Datamax 7A300007 Rev. 2 manual Magnetic Card Reader, Query Printer Model and Hardware Revision Level