Patent Document ID: 5533176
Application ID: 08061910

Base Claim:
1. A method of generating multi-printer formats on a bar code identification system having a plurality of bar code printers of various types that print on a web of record members, each type of bar code printer having an associated set of printer function options selectable by a user to define a layout of fields for a record member representing a format and said system including an input device actuable by a user and a display, said method comprising: prompting a user via said display to identify one or more printer types for which a format is to be generated; determining, in response to the identity of a plurality of printer types by a user, the intersection of said sets of printer function options for said selected printer types to create a set of printer function options common to each of said identified printer types; displaying information depicting options from said set of common printer function options to prompt a user to select from said displayed options to define a single format for said selected plurality of printers.

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Claim 4:
4. A method of generating multi-printer formats as recited in claim 1 wherein said input means is actuable by a user to change the selected printer types for a previously generated format and including the steps of storing, in response to a users selection of printer function options from said common set, information representing said selected options to define said format, creating a new set of common printer function options in response to a change in user identified printer types; and determining whether said stored information representing user selected options defining a format is valid for said new set of common printer function options.