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Data Matrix was developed by International Data Matrix, Inc. The original type (ECC000 – ECC140) is only available for closed system applications where a single party controls symbol production and reading. For new applications ECC200 is recommended, which employs Reed-Solomon error correction. Typical applications include small component and silicon wafer marking in the electronic industry, pharmaceutical unit dose and product marking.

Valid ECC Types other than ECC200: ECC000, ECC050, ECC080, ECC100 and ECC140.

Encodable character set: ASCII (ISO 646 IRV) (0 – 127) and ISO 8859-1 (128 – 256). Alternative character sets encodable using ECI protocol.

 

Data Matrix escape sequences using ~ (ASCII 126, tilde)

~X is shift character for control characters,

  e.g. ~@ = NUL, ~G = BEL

~1 through ~6 for Function Characters

 ~1 : FNC1 is followed by normal data

      FNC1 at second codeword position, the input data before '~1'

      shall be, between 'A' and 'Z', or between 'a' and 'z'

      or 2-digit between '01' and '99'

      Notes: To encode data to conform to specific industry standard,

             it needs to be authorized by AIM International.

 ~2 : Structured Append must be followed by three 3-digit,

      numbers between 1 and 254, representing the symbol sequence and

      file identifier.  For example, symbol 3 of 7 with file ID 001015 is

      represented by ~2042001015

 ~3 : Reader Programming is followed by normal data

 ~4 : Upper Shift is not alowed in the input data

 ~5 : MH10.8.3 Abbreviated format 05 header

      for Application Identifier is followed by normal data

 ~6 : MH10.8.3 Abbreviated format 06 header

      for Data Identifier is followed by normal data

~7NNNNNN is Extended Channel NNNNNN where NNNNNN is 6-digit EC

 value (000000 - 999999).

 e.g. Extended Channel 9 is represented by ~7000009

~dNNN creates ASCII decimal value NNN for a codeword (must be 3 digits)

~ in data is encoded by ~~