4.10.2.2 Reviewing The Sample String; 4.10.2.3 Sending The Track Data - Fargo DTC4500e User Manual

4.10.2.2 Reviewing the Sample String

Track 1: ~1%JULIEANDERSON^1234567890?
Track 2: ~2;1234567890987654321?
Track 3: ~3;1234567890987654321?
Track
Track 1
Track 2
Track 3

4.10.2.3 Sending the Track Data

Magnetic track data is sent in the form of text strings from the application software to the printer
driver.
In order for the Printer Driver to differentiate between Magnetic Track data and the rest of the
printable objects, specific characters must be added to the magnetic data to be encoded.
These specify the data that is to be encoded, the tracks to encode and mark the start and stop of the
data string. In some cases, these specific characters are automatically added to the string of track
data by ID software applications.
In most cases, the user must carefully add these characters to the string of Magnetic Track data. If
these characters are not added to the track data, the text intended for the Magnetic Track will appear
as printed text on the card. To avoid this, track information must be entered as described below.
When entering track data, the ~ (tilde) character is entered first, followed by the track number (1, 2
or 3) on which the data should encode. The data to be encoded follows the track number.
The first character of this data string must be the track's specific Start Sentinel (SS) and the last
character must be the specific End Sentinel (ES).
The characters or data in between the SS and ES can include all of the valid characters specific to
each track.
The number of these characters, however, is limited by each track's maximum character capacity.
When segmenting track data, the appropriate Field Separator (FS) must be used. The table below
shows the SS, ES, FS and the valid characters defined for each track.
April 2014
DTC4500e_User Guide_EN, PLT-01669, Rev. 1.1
Start End
Sentinel Sentinel
% ?
; ?
; ?
Field Valid
Separator Characters
ASCII 32-95
^
(See Table 1)
ASCII 48-63
=
(See Table 1)
ASCII 48-63
=
(See Table 1)
Maximum
Number of
Characters
78
39
106
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