User guide

30 Magnetic Stripe
Magnetic Stripe Encoding
The printer can receive magnetic stripe data in one of the following ways:
• From a Windows application, such as ID software, that identifies and formats
the data using the driver programming interface.
• From a Windows or Linux application that uses magnetic stripe fonts to
identify and format the data.
• From a Windows application that uses escape codes to identify and format
the data.
Do the following to set up the printer and driver to encode magnetic stripes on
cards:
• Identify the encoding format and how it will be formatted (using magnetic
stripe fonts or using escape codes).
• Choose which tracks to encode. Use the Printer Manager to select tracks. The
track format determines the characters that can be encoded and the number of
characters allowed in the track.
Tips for Success
• If you plan to use a custom magnetic stripe format, use the Printer
Manager to change printer settings. You must be an Advanced user to set
up a custom magnetic stripe format.
• Proprietary formats, used for applications such as driver’s licenses or
hotels, can be used with the printer. You must have a business
relationship with the owner of the format to obtain specifications. Provide
guidelines to the customer for settings to use and actions to avoid.
Magnetic Stripe Defaults
The XPS Card Printer Driver detects the magnetic stripe hardware in the printer
and does the following by default:
• For printers with single-track modules, the driver formats the data for
encoding using the JIS Type II (NTT) format. The NTT choice is the default in
Printing Preferences.
• For printers with three-track modules, the driver formats the data for
encoding using the IAT format, which is also called ISO format. The IAT
choice is the default in Printing Preferences. If you choose a specific format or
coercivity in Printing Preferences, the driver attaches format and/or
coercivity data to each magnetic stripe job sent.