New User? Sign Up  |  Sign In  |  Help
Barcode support and
tutorials from IDAutomation
and the community.
Click for the BBB Business Review of this Computers Hardware, Software & Services in Tampa FL
Resolved Questions

FNC1 and Application Identifiers (AIs) Explained


The Forum Post explains the GS1 Application Identifier Specifications


05-30-13     10.7 year(s) ago    

  Report Abuse

 

Ben

Best Answer

The post explains the bullet points in the GS1 Application Identifier Specifications for GS1 barcode users.
____________________________________________________________________________________
The Application Identifier (AI) is defined by the digits after the FNC1 character; it must be the first character in a GS1 barcode.

The FNC1 is a single-character Function Code 1 that identifies the barcode as a GS1 structured barcode. Each GS1 barcode requires an FNC1 character encoded before the first Application Identifier. There are three ways to encode an FNC1 in IDAutomation products:


The Parentheses Method
Surround the AI with parentheses.
(01)10614141543219

The Tilde Method
Place ~212 before two-digit AI, ~213 for three-digit AI... ~217 for seven-digit AI.
~2120110614141543219

GS1-DataMatrix uses ~1 to encode FNC1.
~101345678901234515171231 before the Application Identifier.


The ASCII 202 Method
Place Ê character before the AI. To generate Ê, press and hold down Alt and key 0202.
Ê0110614141543219


image
____________________________________________________________________________________

The element string combines the Application Identifier (AI) and its data field.

The value 15 is the Sell By Date AI. The Sell By Date (element field) includes the Year, Month, and Day in YYMMDD format.

15130530 is an example of an element string.

Think of the element string as an AI (the leader that identifies its group) and the element field (its group members).

image
____________________________________________________________________________________

Multiple fixed length element strings may be included in a single barcode symbol without additional FNC1 characters if variable length element strings (such as those with AIs 10, 21, or 92 as defined below) are included last. This is because the reading device understands the length of each fixed-length element string.

This means that if the field has a fixed length, no FNC1 is required for the AI. For example, if the Sell By Date (fixed-length field) is the second element string in the data, it does not require an FNC1 before its AI.

* Sell By Date is an example of a fixed-length field because its data amount does not vary, it will always include six numbers (YYMMDD).

___________________________________________________________

If additional element strings are encoded after a variable-length element string, an additional FNC1 is required between them to define the end of the previous variable-length element string.


Encode the FNC1 for fixed-length fields. Consider the example:

Element String 1 is (01)10614141543219 (fixed length)
Element String 2 is (3922)123456 (variable length)
Element String 3 is (15)130530 (fixed length)

Using the parentheses method to encode the FNC, the fixed-length element strings require the FNC1 and the variable-length element string does not.

(01)106141415432193922123456(15)130530
__________________________________________________________

#1 Question about encoding FNC: When I encode the FNC1, how come I do not see it in the scanned result?

Answer: The FNC1 is an invisible character, I like to call it a ghost. Though the character is encoded, it requires a special scanner to decode it (display it in a scan).

image

GS1-128 FNC1 decodes as ]C1

GS1-Data Matrix FNC1 decodes as ]d2

The IDAutomation SC7USB2D scanner can decode the FNC1 for Code 128, Data Matrix, and Databar.

How to set the SC7USB2D scanner to decode FNC1?

Posted 10.7 year(s) ago

(0)
(0)
  Report Abuse
 
Find Interesting
 
Email to Others
 
Bookmark
 
Subscribe to Answer Alert
No comments yet.     Be the first to comment.

Email this question link to friends
You must enter an email address, if name is entered or vice-versa for each friend.
Friend #1 -
Friend #2 -
Friend #3 -
Friend #4 -
Friend #5 -
  Your comment on this question
  |         |  
bold  italic  underline  strike       big  small       superscript  subscript 
  Allows to add a link. Added links would only be converted to actual clickable link, when the domain of the link is white-listed by administrator.
Caption :
Link URL :
(Must starts with "http://")
Add  |   Cancel
  Allow to insert an image. Must be among the following file types - *.jpg, *.gif, *.png & *.bmp.
Image Url :   Upload New
(Image url must always starts with " http:// ")
Width : pixels
(Must not be greater than 450px. Enter 0px for no resize)
Add  |   Cancel
  Allow to insert YouTube video. Insert the video embed code.
Embed Code :
Add  |   Cancel
Up to 5000 Characters are allowed. Current Count: 0
  Your comment on this answer
  |         |  
bold  italic  underline  strike       big  small       superscript  subscript 
  Allow you to add a link. Added links would only be converted to actual clickable link, when the domain of the link is white-listed by administrator.
Caption :
Link URL :
(Must start with "http://" or "https://")
Add  |   Cancel
  Allow to insert an image. Must be among the following file types - *.jpg, *.gif, *.png & *.bmp.
Image Url :   Upload New
(Image url must always start with "http://" or "https://")
Width : pixels
(Must not be greater than 450px. Enter 0px for no resize)
Add  |   Cancel
  Allow to insert YouTube video. Insert the video embed code.
Embed Code :
Add  |   Cancel
Up to 5000 characters are allowed. Current Count: 0

You may answer and comment on any thread according to the Terms and Conditions.

 © Copyright 2021 IDAutomation.com, Inc., All Rights Reserved. Legal Notices.

 Barcode Fonts | Components | Scanners | Support | Contact Us
Training Videos on YouTube Join us on Google Plus Join us on LinkedIn Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook