Printing Guide

Bar Code Usages and Formats
3-22
Bar Code Symbols and Formats
3
USPS Tray Bar Code (USA Only)
Since 1997, bar coded tray labels with a special 25 Interleaved bar code are required for
automatically sending rate mailings of first-class, regular periodicals, and regular and
enhanced carrier route standard mail letter size pieces, and for first-class flat size pieces.
USPS Zebra Bar Code (USA Only)
The United States Postal Service has defined the Zebra code. This is a series of diagonal
lines to the right of the bar code which serve solely as a visual indication that a tray contains
bar coded mail. The code must not appear on tray labels for non bar coded mail.
This standard began in July 1997. Due to its simplicity, the Zebra code is implemented in the
Bar Code Printing function as a font with only one diagonal thick bar code line with the slash
character "/" (ASCII value 47).
To create the USPS Zebra bar code, you have to call the font, and send three consecutive
slash characters without any space in between in the PCL escape code sequence.
Example: <Esc>(10U<Esc>(s0p2.50h29vsb23591T///
USPS Sack Bar Code (USA Only)
Effective since July 1, 1997, bar coded sack labels with a special 25 Interleaved bar code are
required for automatically sending rate mailings of regular periodicals and standard mail flat
size pieces prepared in sacks.