Defining mask segments

A mask consists of mask segments, defined in the Mask Segments (tcibd4503m000) session. The mask segments determine how a identification code looks like.

Segment type

Each segment can add a specific type of information to the identification code that is generated by the mask. The following mask-segment types are available:

• Option

  Adds a product feature. Product features are only used in an assembly-controlled environment.

• Infor LN Field

  Adds the contents of a specific LN field. Note that this segment is only generated correctly if the field has a value and belongs to the package in which the identification code is generated. See Defining segment type Infor LN Field for further information about selecting a field whose contents are to be used as a mask segment.

• Sequence

  Adds a sequence number.

• Translation Table

  Adds converted information to the identification code. For example, instead of the year 2006, the letter D is added; instead of 2005, the identification code contains C. Translation tables can convert the information types Option, Infor LN Field, and Date. Define a translation table in the Translation Tables (tcibd4504m000) session; define the translations table's values in the Values by Translation Table (tcibd4106m000) session.

• Date

  Adds a month number, year, date, weekday, or time.

• Alphanumeric

  Adds a fixed string of numbers or characters.

Segment order

The segments appear in the mask in the order of their segment number. LN generates the segment numbers 10, 20, 30, and so on. If you wish, you can change the default number. For example, you can enter the segment number 25 to define a new segment that must appear between the existing segments 20 and 30.

Mask length

If you define mask segments, LN displays a default segment length in the Mask Segment (tcibd4103s000) session. For some segment types you can change the default length.

LN calculates the total mask length, which is displayed in the Masks (tcibd4102m000) session in the Length field.

The maximum length depends on the mask's usage:

Usage	Maximum mask length
Serial numbers	30
Lot numbers	20
Warehousing labels	18

Reset frequency

If the mask contains a Sequence segment, you can specify the Reset Frequency. If the reset period expires, LN resets the sequence number to 1.

The reset period must be the same as the period that you selected for the date segment. For example, if the date type is Month, you can select a reset frequency of one month. If the mask contains more than one date segment, you can select any of the used date-segment periods as the reset frequency.