User guide

SD/CD Series Card Printers OpenCard Data Format Guide 5
Chapter 2: Getting Started
The chapter provides an overview of using the SD/CD Series
printers with OpenCard Data Format, as well as an overview of the
Legacy Option for converting existing card layouts from SP/CP
Series printer card layouts. It also explains the requirements for
using OpenCard and initial start up procedures.
The SD/CD Series card printers with OpenCard Data Format provide you with the following
options:
• SD/CD Series Option — Provides enhanced text and graphics capabilities. Create a card
format file in Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) markup language, and import it for use with SD/
CD Series card printers.
• Legacy Option for Using SP/CP Series Card Layouts — Provides compatibility with card
layouts originally created for the Datacard SP55, SP60, CP60, or FP65 card printers with
OpenCard. Export existing card layouts originally created for a legacy SP/CP Series card
printer and import them to the SD/CD Series card printer for use with OpenCard.
• Printer Manager —Provides a browser-based set of menus for managing print operations for
either option listed above. This guide provides an introduction to Printer Manager features
relevant to OpenCard.
SD/CD Series Card Printers Option
For SD/CD Series card printers, you create card formats saved as Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG)
documents with any text editor or SVG-specific tool, such as SVG-edit. Using these card formats
plus the data stream, OpenCard extracts text and magnetic stripe data from the data stream and
places this data on cards in according to the appearance and location specifications you define in
the card format. Rotate text, graphics, and bar codes individually, or rotate the entire design.
The SD/CD Series card printers option includes:
• The use of card formats written in SVG markup language
• Support for Unicode and ASCII data streams. Any host computer that can generate a Unicode
or ASCII data stream and send it to a direct socket connection can send card data using
OpenCard. (The printer does not support the Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange
(EBCDIC) character set.)
Card formats designed with the SD/CD Series option are not supported on SP/CP
Series printers.