SAP ABAP IMG Activity /AIN/VC_BARCODE (Define Bar Code Types and Element Identifiers)
Hierarchy
☛ AIN (Software Component) AIN 710: Add-On Installation
   ⤷ AIE-AII (Application Component) Infrastructure
     ⤷ /AIN/DM (Package) Auto-ID Data Management
IMG Activity
ID /AIN/VC_BARCODE Define Bar Code Types and Element Identifiers  
Transaction Code /AIN/38000023   (empty) 
Created on 20050126    
Customizing Attributes /AIN/VC_BARCODE   Bar Code Type Assignment 
Customizing Activity /AIN/VC_BARCODE   Bar Code Settings 
Document
Document Class SIMG   Hypertext: Object Class - Class to which a document belongs.
Document Name /AIN/VC_BARCODE2    

Use

In this IMG activity you define the structure of barcode types. Barcodes may consist of several values, each of which is prefixed by an element identifier. The element identifier defines a unique set of characteristics for each barcode value such as its length and description.

This IMG activity consists of 3 views:

  • Barcode Type Definition
  • Element Identifier Definition

Activities

Follow the steps below to define bar code types and element identifiers:

  1. Define the AI type: This field allows you to specify variations of the UCC/EAN128 format by creating new AI (barcode) types. When you scan bar codes that were not generated by SAP Auto-ID Infrastructure (SAP AII), the system needs to know according to which standard the bar code was created so that it can be read accurately by the scanning device. The AI type allows the system to "decode" this information.
    2. Define the name and the following general parameters for each AI type:

  • Minimum and maximum length
  • AI Type Prefix: an introductory character string that defines the first part of the bar code
  • Application Identifier Delimiter: If the AI uses a variable length data field, it must be closed by a delimiter.
  • Save the entry.

  1. Define the individual AIs for each AI type. You select the appropriate row, and choose Application Identifier in the dialog structure.
    2. You determine the format of the AI using these attributes:

  • Application Identifier (AI): part of the barcode whose function is to precede and identify the fieldname that follows it. The AI is user defined and can contain up to 4 characters.
  • AI Part (Partial Field / Subdivision of an Application Identifier): Leave this field blank; it is not currently used.
  • Application: describes how the AI is used, for example, for a delivery number or GTIN. The possible values for application are delivered; you cannot change them.
  • Fieldname corresponds to the name of the field on the mobile user interface where you want SAP AII to put the value of this field. You can find the fieldnames defined in the element sets. For example, the fieldname for filter value is FILTER_VALUE.
  • Description: describes the AI .
  • AI Defined.: Used by warehouse management . Always check this box.
  • AI length: defines the fixed or maximum length of the AI
  • AI Delimiter: determines the end of a variable length AI
  • Decimal places: defines the number of decimal places to be applied to the AI
  • Variable length: If you want to shorten the length of a fieldname value, for example to drop trailing zeros, you can define a variable length. If you define a variable length, it overrides the AI length. The system then determines the AI length using this formula: AI length = variable length * multiplier: + addition factor.
  • Multiplier: value that is multiplied by the variable length to arrive at the AI length. AI length = variable length * multiplier: + addition factor.
  • Addition factor: value that is used to determine the AI length. AI length = variable length * multiplier: + addition factor.
  • Dual input indicator: if checked, the AI value can be manually input or read from a barcode

Example

Example 1

Below is an example of a barcode string:

]C1090003700012345300000370000000000310

It consists of:

  • ]C1 - Prefix defined at AI Type level (for example, EAN128)
  • 09 - AI of GTIN (that is, the value after it is GTIN)
  • 00037000123453 -     GTIN
  • 00 - AI for SSCC (serial shipping container code)
  • 000370000000000310 - SSCC

Example 2

In this example we create an AI type (barcode type) that includes a single AI for the Electronic Product Code (EPC ).

1. To create a new AI type, open AI Type Definition, and add an entry for the fields in the table below:

Field    Value    Comment

AI Type    MY_TYPE    AI Type identifier

Min    2    Minimal length (in characters) of the AI names in our AI type

Max    4    Maximal length (in characters) of the AI names in our AI type

AI Type Prefix    ]C1    String value indicating that the following string is barcode

AI Delimiter    ]C2    String value indicating end of AI (used for AI's of variable length)

Dual    Checked    If checked, enables barcode input in both ways: by barcode reading and manually

2. To create Application Identifiers (barcode fields), select the AI Type entry and double-click node Application Identifier. Create new entry and fill the fields:

Field    Value    Comment

AI Type    MY_TYPE    AI Type identifier

AI    10    AI identifier: part of barcode string used as prefix for the following AI value

AI Part    blank    Always leave blank

Application    EPC    Indicates that value of this AI ('10') contains EPC

Description    EPC    AI description

Defined    Checked    Should be checked for all AI's

AI Length    64    Length (in characters) of the AI value. In our case, EPC takes 64 positions in the barcode

AI Delimiter    blank    Used for AI of variable length to indicate end of AI value in barcode. Not used for this AI since it has fixed length of 64.

Decimal places    blank    Not used for this AI since EPC has no decimal point

Variable length    blank    Not used for this AI.

Multiplier    blank    Only used with variable length AIs.

Addition factor    blank    Only used with variable length AIs.

Dual        Since Dual indicator was checked at the AI Type level (i.e., for all AI's of this type), the field input is disabled

Business Attributes
ASAP Roadmap ID 105   Define functions and processes 
Mandatory / Optional 2   Optional activity 
Critical / Non-Critical 1   Critical 
Country-Dependency A   Valid for all countries 
Maintenance Objects
Maintenance object type C   Customizing Object 
Assigned objects
Customizing Object Object Type Transaction Code Sub-object Do not Summarize Skip Subset Dialog Box Description for multiple selections
/AIN/VC_BARCODE C - View cluster SM34  
History
Last changed by/on SAP  20061221 
SAP Release Created in 300