DIN 16598:2022 Edition
$19.50
Syntax keyboard and Web compatible encoding of data elements in machine readable symbols applied with ASC Data Identifiers
Published By | Publication Date | Number of Pages |
DIN | 2022-04 | 13 |
The need to encode an increasing number of data elements in a single machine-readable barcode / 2D symbol has grown significantly in recent years. Likewise, the requirements of the users go for a 'plug-and-play' compatibility of the peripheral devices using standard interfaces such as USB, which allow the equipment to be used flexibly and replaced and supplemented easily and quickly. In addition, the number of applications designed as web applications is constantly increasing. Existing standards for encoding data sometimes pose major problems here if their syntax rules use characters whose transmission via keyboard interfaces or URLs is problematic and lead to errors in implementation. This problem was taken up by the committee members of DIN NA 043-04-31 AA and simple syntax rules were defined for the unique coding of data elements, which can be used for one-dimensional barcodes as well as for encoding in 2D symbols. The basis was a French standard that had existed for many years and which defines the "." (Point) as a so-called 'flag character', which indicates coding of the data using data identifiers in accordance with ANS MH10.8.2. To enable the stringing together of several data elements in the machine-readable symbol, a separator character was defined that is usually not used as a character in data elements, but that can be generated via the keyboard and can be easily transferred via standard interfaces and URLs: the character "^" (circumflex). This draft standard defines the two above mentioned characters in their use as 'flag character' and 'separator' and shows examples of their application.