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Data Matrix

Valid characters:

full ASCII

Length:

variable (no fixed length)

Check digit:

Calculated according to Reed-Solomon-Error correction
ActiveBarcode calculates the check digit for you automatically

ActiveBarcode Type#:

DataMatrix - #37 - CODEDATAMATRIX

Example:

Data Matrix

Description:

One of the best known 2D codes is the Data Matrix code and it consists of 4 main components:

Data area: This area contains the data in codified form.
Closed limitation line: This is the corner that is represented in normal alignment to the left and below the data area with an uninterrupted line. Based on this, the code and its alignment is recognized while scanning.
Open borderline: This is the opposite corner of the "closed limitation line". These lines (above and to the right) consist of alternating black and white dots. These are used to the determination of lines and columns while scanning.
Quiet zone: This area surrounds the code. This area must be at least so wide as one dot of the code.

The development of the Data Matrix code started in the 80ies. Today there are different development steps, which differ in the error correction. These are name as ECC n. ECC is "Error Checking and Correction Algorithm" and that 'n' stands for a number. Basically there are two versions: ECC 000-140 and ECC 200. The current, most certain and recommended variant is ECC 200 (Reed-Solomon-Error correction). ActiveBarcode uses ECC 200 for the creation of the Data Matrix code. A Data Matrix code will be still readable when up to 25% of itself is covered or damaged.

A Data Matrix Code can encode up to 3116 numbers or up to 2335 characters. Different symbol sizes are used depending on the amount of data to be encoded. Data Matrix has the following possible symbol sizes:

Symbol size	Capacity Numbers	Capacity Characters	Capacity Bytes	Max. correctable Errors
10x10	6	3	1	2
12x12	10	6	3	3
8x18	10	6	3	7
14x14	16	10	6	5
8x32	20	13	8	11
16x16	24	16	10	6
12x24	32	22	14	32
18x18	36	25	16	7
20x20	44	31	20	9
12x36	44	31	20	44
22x22	60	43	28	10
16x36	64	46	30	64
24x24	72	52	34	12
26x26	88	64	42	14
16x48	98	72	47	98
32x32	124	91	60	18
36x36	172	127	84	21
40x40	228	169	112	24
44x44	288	214	142	28
48x48	348	259	172	34
52x52	408	304	202	42
64x64	560	418	278	56
72x72	736	550	366	72
80x80	912	682	454	96
88x88	1152	862	574	112
96x96	1392	1042	694	136
104x104	1632	1222	814	168
120x120	2100	1573	1048	204
132x132	2608	1954	1302	248
144x144	3116	2335	1556	310

- Examples -

ActiveBarcode always selects the best symbol size that fits for the data to encode. The symbol sizes 12x12 and 8x18 and the symbol size 20x20 and 12x36 have the same number of data they can encode. ActiveBarcode always uses the square versions of the Data Matrix Symbol in this case.

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