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: |

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| 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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