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FNC1 and Application Identifiers (AIs) Explained


The Forum Post explains the GS1 Application Identifier Specifications


05-30-13     11.4 year(s) ago    

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Ben

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The post explains the bullet points in the GS1 Application Identifier Specifications for GS1 barcode users.
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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
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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
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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).

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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
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#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 11.4 year(s) ago

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