Product Info

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SP Series Info Central: Setup Guide
Enabling magnetic stripe escapes
The SmartDriver includes a setting to enable magnetic stripe escapes. Enable magnetic stripe escapes on
each PC that will use magnetic stripe escapes to send data to a printer. Also, enable magnetic stripe
escapes for each printer attached to a PC if you will send magnetic stripe data to the printer.
To enable magnetic stripe escapes, do the following:
1 Make sure the printer power is on and the printer is connected to the PC. Also make sure the driver is
installed on the PC and communicates with the printer.
2 Select Start from the Windows task bar.
3 From the Windows Start menu, select Settings and then Printers. The Printers window appears.
4 Click once on the SmartDriver icon.
5 Select File from the Printers menu bar, and then:
– For Windows 9x, select Properties. The SmartDriver Properties dialog box appears.
– For Windows 2000 and XP, select Printing Preferences. On the Printing Preferences dialog box,
click Advanced to display Advanced settings.
– If you have the Printer Toolbox open, you can click the Properties (9x), Printing Preferences (2000
and XP) button on the Status page to open the Properties or Advanced dialog box.
6 Locate the Mag Stripe Escape Compatibility setting.
– On Windows 9x, choose the Mag Stripe tab.
– On Windows 2000 and XP, scroll through the settings list to locate the Mag Stripe Escape
Compatibility setting.
7 Choose Enabled for the setting.
8 Locate the Mag Stripe Encoding Format setting.
– If you will encode IAT (ISO) format, choose IAT for the format.
– If you will encode a variation to IAT (ISO) format, choose "Use printer settings" for the format.
9 Click Apply or OK to save the settings and close the dialog box.
You do not need to specify which syntax or manufacturer’s escape sequence you will use. When you
enable Mag Stripe Escape Compatibility, the SmartDriver will recognize any of the escape character
sequences listed in this section.
Using magnetic stripe escapes
To use magnetic stripe escapes, do the following:
• Use an application in which you can enter and save text, and then edit it after saving.
• Before the magnetic stripe data, provide the escape sequence, such as ~1 or ~1% . The rest of the line
of text will be encoded, up to an End Sentinel (if the syntax uses one).
• Use a Return or Enter keystroke to end a line.
• Do not allow text to wrap to two lines. The text on the following line will print on the card.
• You might be able to send two lines of text to one track. Each line of text must begin with the escape
sequence. Test cards made with this method to see whether the lines are encoded in the order in