RE: Barcode Zip Codes

Neely Loring Wrote:

>We produce Declarations each night in our cycle that must be mailed to >our 
>customers.  We would like to consider adding the barcode zip code to >these 
>decs.  We have existing DDSs that produce the decs.  What is >involved to add 
>the barcode line below the zip code?

Dear Neely,

The IBM Publication S544-3766-01 Bar Code Object Content Architecture Reference 
describes the barcode support available when using IPDS (Intelligent Printer 
Data Stream) printers with an IBM Midrange. The following information comes 
from that book.

"The DDS keyword barcode will allow you to create Postnet barcodes on IPDS 
supporting printers as follows:

DDS Specification BARCODE - type POSTNET
DDS Specification BARCODE - BCD1 Modifier Value

X'00'   Present a POSTNET ZIP Code bar code symbol. The ZIP Code to be encoded 
is defined as a five-digit, numeric (0-9), data variable to the BSA data 
structure. The POSTNET ZIP Code bar code consists of a leading frame bar, the 
encoded ZIP Code data, a correction digit, and a trailing frame bar.

X'01'   Present a POSTNET ZIP+4 bar code symbol. The ZIP+4 code to be encoded 
is defined as a nine-digit, numeric (0-9), data variable to the BSA data 
structure. The POSTNET ZIP+4 bar code consists of a leading frame bar, the 
encoded ZIP+4 data, a correction digit, and a trailing frame bar.

X'02'   Present a POSTNET Advanced Bar Code (ABC) bar code symbol. The ABC code 
to be encoded is defined as an eleven-digit, numeric (0-9), data variable to 
the BSA data structure. The POSTNET ABC bar code consists of a leading frame 
bar, the encoded ABC data, a correction digit, and a trailing frame bar.

X'03'   Present a POSTNET variable-length bar code symbol. The data to be 
encoded is defined as an n-digit, numeric (0-9), data variable to the BSA data 
structure. The bar code symbol is generated without length checking; the symbol 
is not guaranteed to be scannable or interpretable. The POSTNET variable-length 
bar code consists of a leading frame bar, the encoded data, a correction digit, 
and a trailing frame bar."

There are also some software packages available for the AS/400 that allow you 
to create POSTNET barcodes without using IPDS. I believe the names of two of 
the companies that make this software are Group 1 and Works Right. There are 
other people who read this list that can probably give you first hand knowledge 
about how well certain non-IPDS solutions work.

/Paul
--
Paul Tykodi, Technical Director                 E-mail: pault@praim.com
Praim Inc.                                           Tel: 603-431-0606
140 Congress St., #2                                Fax: 603-436-6432
Portsmouth, NH  03801-4019




 

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