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Encoding Mag Stripe

10 years 11 months ago

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mortrude

Fresh Boarder

Posts: 4

Topic Author

Encoding Mag Stripe #795

I want to encode several items per track. I thought I'd use concat but I can only encode 3 vars. How can I encode more than 3?

10 years 11 months ago

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Craig Bechelli

Administrator

Posts: 624

Encoding Mag Stripe #796

Hi Mortrude,

When setting the mappings for the magnetic encoding to a concatenation source, you can then set each field to also be a concatenation source.
Are you planning on encoding to the ISO specification ?
If so just be careful that the magnetic encoding string is a valid one.

Craig Bechelli
CardExchange Solutions Support Team

"If you define the problem correctly, you almost have the solution." (Steve Jobs)

8 years 10 months ago

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Kevin Eghtesadi

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Posts: 5

Encoding Mag Stripe #2085

Hi,

I have a magicard pronto and i'm new to all of this. we have everything done for the card, but now we are trying to encode the magnetic stripe and I have no idea where to even begin with this. I just need to know what codes to put in for the "Start data" and "End Data" section. We are running a business, where when the patients come in, we want to swipe their card and have the system log in their Member number, their Name and a Date possibly with the time too. I know their are three tracks to record on. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Kevin

8 years 10 months ago 8 years 10 months ago by Sergio Agostinho.

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Sergio Agostinho

Administrator

Posts: 508

Encoding Mag Stripe #2086

Hi Kevin,

you can find the macro characters at this topic , those characters can be changed in the Printer options dialog/magnetic tab.

In the card definition wizard you need to activate enable magnetic encoding option, and in the mappings tab you need to map the magnetic items to each database field where you want to read the info, respecting the magnetic stripe standards.

After follow all these steps you're ready to do magnetic encoding.

With best regards
Sergio Agostinho

With best regards
Sergio Agostinho

8 years 10 months ago

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Kevin Eghtesadi

Fresh Boarder

Posts: 5

Encoding Mag Stripe #2088

Hi Sergio,

Just to make sure that i am doing this correct, i set my track one and three to "Enter Manually" and track two is set to "Print Date", according to the system date. I am not connected to any databases, can i still map my card or do i need to be connected to a database? also i went to the page you suggested i look at and saw the codes for the magicard, but how do i use those codes in reference to what i'm doing for our business? also how would i record and read the information that i get from the card?

Thanks,
Kevin

8 years 10 months ago

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Rutger Koperdraad

Platinum Boarder

Posts: 1566

Encoding Mag Stripe #2089

Hi Kevin,

It is not compulsory to connect to a database. it is perfectly fine to map your tracks as Enter manually. For track 2, which you mapped as Print date, you have to make sure that you choose a date format that has numbers only, as track 2 does normally not support letters or special characters.

The start and end of data strings from the web site should be entered in the dialog Print - Printer options, Magnetic tab.

With CardExchange you cannot read magnetic data. You will meed a magnetic-stripe reader for that.

regards,
Rutger.

Rutger Koperdraad
Senior Software Engineer

"A reasonable man adapts himself to the world. The unreasonable man persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. All progress, therefore, depends on the unreasonable man." (Bernard Shaw)

8 years 10 months ago 8 years 10 months ago by Sergio Agostinho.

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Sergio Agostinho

Administrator

Posts: 508

Encoding Mag Stripe #2090

Hi Kevin,

Yes you can use manual input fields instead of a connected database fields.
Be careful with the print date on track two since it's a numeric track, you can find below the standards:
Track 1 - 79 alphanumeric characters;
Track 2 - 40 numeric characters;
Track 3 - 107 numeric characters.
The magnetic encoding sentinel codes can be changed if needed in the magnetic tab of the printer options dialog.

You can find some more info about magnetic encoding in the help file at our website, please go to this link and check for Printing cards/Using magnetic encoding section of it

Regards
Sergio

With best regards
Sergio Agostinho

8 years 10 months ago

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Kevin Eghtesadi

Fresh Boarder

Posts: 5

Encoding Mag Stripe #2091

I have a magnetic-stripe reader, but when i run the card in it, i don't have a program that can record the information, so i need that. my other question is when i swipe my card it brings up a bunch of letters and symbols and i have no idea how to read that or i guess decode it. any suggestions?

Thanks,
Kevin

8 years 10 months ago

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Rutger Koperdraad

Platinum Boarder

Posts: 1566

Encoding Mag Stripe #2092

Hi Kevin,

Magnetic stripe readers are normally keyboard wedge, that is, you have to put your cursor in some text editor before you swipe tha card and it will print what it reads in the text editor. Please, consult the magnetic reader manual for more details about the reader.

regards,
Rutger.

8 years 10 months ago

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Kevin Eghtesadi

Fresh Boarder

Posts: 5

Encoding Mag Stripe #2093

HI RUTGER,

i bought a magnetic card swiper from amazon, but it never came with a driver disk or manual, just the reader. should i inquire about getting a keyboard wedge type or can i find a text editor program to work with what i have? cuz when i swipe the card on the one i have it just comes up with a bunch of letters, i know it reads cuz i open windows word and it'll bring up letters/symbols on there.

thanks
Kevin

Producer and TrustID

Producer and TrustID General

Mappings

Encoding Mag Stripe