FAQ Barcode Creation
How Can I Create a UPS MaxiCode™?
How Can I Create a UPS MaxiCode™?
What is a UPS MaxiCode
MaxiCode is a 2D barcode featuring a distinctive bullseye finder pattern at its center. UPS uses MaxiCode in Mode 2 (US addresses) and Mode 3 (international addresses) to encode structured shipment data — including ZIP codes, tracking numbers, service class, and delivery addresses — on every package label.
The data follows the AIM ITS/04-001 (ISS Format 01) standard, using ASCII control characters as field delimiters.
Which MaxiCode mode should I use?
Choose the mode based on the destination country and ZIP code format:
| Mode | Submode | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Mode 2 | SMC2 | US addresses with numeric ZIP codes (5 or 9 digits) |
| Mode 3 | SMC3 | International addresses with alphanumeric postal codes |
How do I format the data string?
The entire shipment record is passed as a single data string. Fields are separated by GS (\x1d) characters, with a message header and trailer wrapping the content.
Here is a complete example for a US domestic shipment:
[)>\x1e01\x1d96100277501\x1d840\x1d003\x1d1Z12345E0291980441\x1dUPSN\x1dR7X482\x1d045\x1d\x1d1/1\x1d5\x1dY\x1d742 EVERGREEN TERRACE\x1dSPRINGFIELD\x1dIL\x1e\x04
How do I configure TBarCode to parse the data automatically?
Set the Format property to S (Structured). This tells TBarCode to automatically extract the ZIP code, country, service class, and preamble directly from your data string — no manual field assignment required.
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Select MaxiCode as your symbology and choose SMC2 (US) or SMC3 (international).
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Set the Format property to S. In the TBarCode API this is a direct property; in Barcode Studio v17 it is found in the Extended tab.
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Ensure escape sequence interpretation is turned on so that \x1d, \x1e, and \x04 are processed as control characters.
- Paste or pass the complete data string into the data/barcode text field.