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Citation Software Inc.
Specialists in variable-data publishing since 1986
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www.CitationSoftware.com info@CitationSoftware.com 508-436-2543
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QUESTION: What is a Datamatrix symbol?
ANSWER: A Datamatrix symbol is a two-dimensional
matrix that is a bar code consisting of black and white squares arranged in either a square or
rectangular pattern. The pattern of black and white squares represents text or other kinds
of data.
A Datamatrix symbol
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Datamatrix is sometimes spelled as two words: "Data Matrix."
Other terms for a Datamatrix symbol are
- Datamatrix bar code
- Datamatrix 2D bar code or Datamatrix 2-D bar code
- Datamatrix 2D symbol or Datamatrix 2-D symbol.
2D and 2-D stand for "two-dimensional." Datamatrix
symbols are, of course, two-dimensional; that is, the black
and white squares are arranged in both horizontal rows and vertical rows
(horizontal being one dimension and vertical being the second dimension).
Contrast this with other kinds of bar codes that we see in our daily lives —
most of them are "one-dimensional" bar codes. That is: the marks that
make up the bar code are arranged in one row (one dimension), usually the
horizontal dimension.
A UPC bar code
UPC bar codes are
one-dimensional bar codes.
They are found on
retail items.
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A POSTNET bar code.
POSTNET bar codes are
one-dimensional bar codes.
A POSTNET bar code represents the Zip
code on a postcard, letter, or package.
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What kind of information can be represented by a Datamatrix symbol?
A Datamatrix symbol can represent more than 2,000 bytes of data. This is much more information
than what can be represented by a one-dimensional bar code. For example, a POSTNET bar code
represents a maximum of 12 digits (9 digits for the Zip code, plus some extra information that's
used by the U.S. Postal Service).
You can use a Datamatrix symbol to represent pretty much anything you want — a name and address,
an account number, a product name, a Web-site address, whatever.
How do you get the information out of a Datamatrix symbol?
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To understand the information that a Datamatrix symbol represents, you need a scanning wand or
camera that is programmed to understand and interpret Datamatrix symbols.
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Error-correction codes
A Datamatrix symbol contains information called "error-correction codes."
The error-correction codes are not part of the data that is represented; rather,
the error-correction codes help scanning wands and cameras to
interpret the Datamatrix symbol accurately.
You can think of the error-correction codes as "checksums."
The error-correction codes are cleverly arranged within the Datamatrix pattern in a way that makes it
possible for a camera or scanning wand to interpret the data correctly (in most cases)
even if part of the Datamatrix symbol
is torn or smudged.
What are Datamatrix symbols used for?
Because you can store so much information in a Datamatrix symbol, Datamatrix symbols are
idea for situations where one-dimensional bar codes wouldn't do. Here are a couple of common applications
for Datamatrix symbols:
- Datamatrix symbols are used to put identifying information on very small items
(electronic components, for example). The Datamatrix symbols work well for this
because even a tiny Datamatrix symbol can represent a lot of information.
- Datamatrix symbols are often used on printed materials such as letters, labels, and envelopes.
This allows them to be tracked by cameras and electronic scanners. For example,
courier services use Datamatrix
symbols to capture information about delivery, and envelope-inserting equipment used by the printing industry
makes use of Datamatrix symbols to match printed envelopes with the documents to be inserted
into the envelopes (to make sure that the right documents get inserted into the right envelopes).
How can you put Datamatrix symbols on your documents?
The process of putting Datamatrix symbols on your documents isn't as straightforward
as putting one-dimensional bar codes on your documents.
Let's compare the two processes.
In most situations, to put a one-dimensional bar code on a document, you just need to
type the information to be represented (or somehow generate that information automatically),
and you need to format that information with the proper bar-code font. For example, the
general procedure for using a word-processing application or page-layout application
to put a POSTNET bar code on a letter or envelope is as follows:
- enter the characters to be represented — all on the same line
- format the characters with a POSTNET font.
/042746329120/
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The procedure for putting a Datamatrix symbol on a document is different and
more complicated that what we've just described, for two reasons:
- Since a Datamatrix symbol is two-dimensional, you can't
represent the information in it with just one line of
characters in your document.
- The relationship between the marks that make up the Datamatrix symbol
and the information that those marks represent is more complex
than the relationship between the marks that make up a one-dimensional
bar code and the information that the bar code represents.
You'll need special software to put Datamatrix symbols on your documents.
We offer a variable-data-printing product that can do this. It is called
"PrintShop Mail," and you can learn about it by clicking
here.
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Copyright © 2008 Citation Software Inc.
info@CitationSoftware.com
508-436-2543
www.CitationSoftware.com
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