Printronix LQH-HWTM Incrementing Bar Code Data Incremental Bar Code Data, Stepmask Startdata

Incrementing Bar Code Data

Table 20. Incremental Bar Code Data

STEPMASK	STARTDATA	Character Type and Function
0-9	A-Z	Alpha characters are incremented by
		amount in STEPMASK field.
0-9	0-9	Numeric characters are incremented by
		amount in STEPMASK field.
0-9	Space	Same character type as character in the
		next right adjacent, linked increment
		position. Character type is numeric if in
		the least significant position.
0-9	Not A-Z or	Error
	0-9
Not 0-9 or L	Any	Non-incrementing alphanumeric
		character.
L	Any	Linked, non-incrementing alphanumeric
		character.

The increment amount is defined by the numeric value of the STEPMASK data. For example, a STEPMASK value of 1 increments the STARTDATA by 1; a STEPMASK value of 2 increments the STARTDATA by 2.

The maximum number of characters allowed in the STARTDATA is defined by the number of characters in the STEPMASK field and depends on the specific type of bar code; the STARTDATA field cannot contain more characters than used in the STEPMASK field and can only contain the number and type of characters allowed by the bar code.

Linked and unlinked masking of subfields within the STARTDATA is defined by using the L value in the STEPMASK field. L indicates linked but nonincrementing data in the corresponding position of the STARTDATA field. Any alphanumeric character other than L in the STEPMASK field indicates a nonincrementing, non-linked STARTDATA subfield.

The following examples illustrate incrementing of bar code data fields. All cases in the examples use a repeat count parameter value of 1 and a reset count parameter value of 0. Incremental bar code data is generated identically to incremental alphanumeric data except the IGP does not add leading spaces to bar code data.

Note In the following bar code examples, the value of the data is shown automatically incrementing. In practical applications, the bar code itself would print corresponding to the incremented data as shown in the Auto Increment Fields Example in the “Form Examples and Exercises” chapter.

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