The Bar Code command set contains the Bar Code Object Content Architecture (BCOCA) data controls used to present bar-coded information. The bar-coded information can be used in a page, a page segment or an overlay.
The Océ VarioPrint 6000 Series support the X’4E’ – Colour Specification triplet, attached to the Bar Code Data Descriptor SDF. With this triplet any of the five AFP colour spaces, RGB, CMYK, LAB, OCA or HLC can be used to specify the colour of a bar code. If a Colour Specification triplet is present, it will override any OCA colour definition in the BSD field. The user must make sure that the colour of the bar code is suitable for the bar code readers. The printer will not block any unsuitable colours.
The printer resident default font for the bar code Human Readable Interpretation (HRI) is an OCR-A or OCR-B font. The following bar codes use the printer resident OCR-A default font:
3-of-9 Code
Code 128 / EAN 128
MSI, Industrial 2-of-5
Matrix 2-of-5
Interleaved 2-of-5
Codabar
Australian Postal Bar Code
USPS Intelligent Mail
The OCR-A font may be replaced by another suitable font. Make sure that the character size, the code page and the characters in the new font fit the bar code.
The following bar codes can only use the printer resident OCR-B default font:
UPC-A
UPC-E
UPC-2 supplemental
UPC-5 supplemental
EAN-8
EAN-13
EAN-2 supplemental
EAN-5 supplemental
The following bar codes do not have an HRI:
Postnet
Planet
RM4SCC
Dutch KIX
Japan Postal Code
Data Matrix
PDF 417
Maxicode
QR Code
PPFA: Another font than the default OCR-A can be defined through the HRIFONT sub command in the FIELD command, see the IBM PPFA User’s Guide.
HRI font size: FC versions < B11 have default OCR A and B fonts with a fixed size, 12 pitch – 10 points. The HRI characters may therefore be too large for a very small bar code, or too small for a very large bar code symbol. Versions ≥ B11 use variable size outline fonts, where the size of the HRI line is adapted to fit the size of the bar code symbol.
IPDS uses variable size outline fonts, where the size of the HRI line is adapted to fit the size of the bar code symbol.
In the BCOCA architecture, the module width, i.e. the width of a narrow bar, is specified in mils (1/1000”). In order to print all bar codes at their correct widths, you would need a printer with a resolution of 1000 dpi. A 240, 300, or 600 dpi printer must always use approximate module widths instead of the ideal, theoretical, values. Because of its low resolution, a 240 dpi printer must represent four to six of the module widths in the application data, given in Mils, through a single printed width. The module widths 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 Mils will all be printed 12 Mils wide. A 600 dpi printer can use smaller steps; the 13 and 14 Mil symbols have the same size, the 15 and 16 Mil symbols are larger. A 15 Mil DataMatrix symbol will therefore be 20% larger on a 600 dpi printer than on an 240 dpi printer.
The general rule for the printer is to use the largest number of dots which fits into the ideal width specified in the application. Printers may also choose to ignore very small Module Width values and print a larger bar code symbol if the readability of the smaller symbol would be too poor. Since bar codes are highly dependent of resolution and technology, you should always test the BCOCA application on the target printer. In many cases, you must adapt the application when you move it to another printer.