1. ZPL II, ZBI 2, Set-Get-Do, Mirror, WML Programming Guide
  2. ZPL Commands
  3. ^BY
  • ZPL II, ZBI 2, Set-Get-Do, Mirror, WML Programming Guide
^BY

^BY

The
^BY
 command is used to change the default values for the module width (in dots), the wide bar to narrow bar width ratio and the bar code height (in dots). It can be used as often as necessary within a label format.

Bar Code Field Default

Format:
^BYw,r,h
Parameters
Details
w =
 module width (in dots)
Values:
1
 to
10
Initial Value at Power Up:
2
r =
 wide bar to narrow bar width ratio
Values:
2.0
 to
3.0
, in 0.1 increments
This parameter has no effect on fixed-ratio bar codes.
Default:
3.0
h =
 bar code height (in dots)
Initial Value at Power Up:
 10
For parameter
r
, the actual ratio generated is a function of the number of dots in parameter
w
, module width. See the table below. Module width and height (
w
 and
h
) can be changed at anytime with the
^BY
 command, regardless of the symbology selected.
Module Width Ratios in Dots
Ratio Selected (r)
Module Width in Dots (w)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
2.0
2:1
2:1
2:1
2:1
2:1
2:1
2:1
2:1
2:1
2:1
2.1
2:1
2:1
2:1
2:1
2:1
2:1
2:1
2:1
2:1
2.1:1
2.2
2:1
2:1
2:1
2:1
2.2:1
2.16:1
2.1:1
2.12:1
2.11:1
2.2:1
2.3
2:1
2:1
2.3:1
2.25:1
2.2:1
2.16:1
2.28:1
2.25:1
2.2:1
2.3:1
2.4
2:1
2:1
2.3:1
2.25:1
2.4:1
2.3:1
2.28:1
2.37:1
2.3:1
2.41:1
2.5
2:1
2.5:1
2.3:1
2.5:1
2.4:1
2.5:1
2.4:1
2.5:1
2.4:1
2.5:1
2.6
2:1
2.5:1
2.3:1
2.5:1
2.6:1
2.5:1
2.57:1
2.5:1
2.5:1
2.6:1
2.7
2:1
2.5:1
2.6:1
2.5:1
2.6:1
2.6:1
2.57:1
2.65:1
2.6:1
2.7:1
2.8
2:1
2.5:1
2.6:1
2.75:1
2.8:1
2.6:1
2.7:1
2.75:1
2.7:1
2.8:1
2.9
2:1
2.5:1
2.6:1
2.75:1
2.8:1
2.8:1
2.85:1
2.87:1
2.8:1
2.9:1
3.0
3:1
3:1
3:1
3:1
3:1
3:1
3:1
3:1
3:1
3:1
Example:
 Set module width (
w
) to 9 and the ratio (
r
) to 2.4. The width of the narrow bar is 9 dots wide and the wide bar is 9 by 2.4, or 21.6 dots. However, since the printer rounds out to the nearest dot, the wide bar is actually printed at 22 dots. This produces a bar code with a ratio of 2.44 (22 divided by 9). This ratio is as close to 2.4 as possible, since only full dots are printed.
Comments:
 Once a
^BY
 command is entered into a label format, it stays in effect until another
^BY
 command is encountered.