User guide

18 Creating Card Formats

• OpenCard uses the instructions in the card format to merge the data stream text, images,

and magnetic stripe data into a card to be printed, similar to a mail merge. As in the mail

merge process, the card format contains text and image named variables that OpenCard

uses to map to the corresponding items in the data stream.

The Card Format as an SVG Document

The basis of the SD/CD Series card format is an XML-based document format, Scalable Vector

Graphics, or SVG. The World Wide Web Consortium publishes the definition of the SVG format.

To create an OpenCard card format, the SVG standard defines 1) the basic structure of the card

format, and 2) the majority of the attributes that define image and text items.

The SVG card format also uses Datacard-specific conventions and extensions compatible with

the OpenCard data stream standard, affording access to the full range of capabilities available in

SD/CD series printers. For information about the OpenCard data stream standard, refer to the

Data Formatting Guide.

Card Format Structure and Conventions

The SVG markup you use to create an OpenCard card format describes the relationships

between the elements that make up the card format as layers. Each layer is demarcated with a

<g> at the beginning and a </g> at the end, as shown in the following example:

Card Side

Layer

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">

<g><text id="LINE1" fill="black" x="75" y="300" font-

size="12pt" font-weight="bold" font-family="DejaVu

Serif" datacard:staticElement="true">Name:</text></g>

</g>

</g>

</svg>

Personalization

Operation Layer

XML Header

The SVG document must begin

with <svg> and end with </svg>

Text and Image ID Layer

Card Side

Layer

Personalization

Operation Layer