METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PARCEL LABEL GENERATION

A system for creating a label design for a parcel shipping or conformance label, according to a specification of the label design and a specification of a target printer type. The system includes a label specification encoder into which a user provides inputs corresponding to a label design specification. The label specification encoder provides a so-called neutral language specification of the label, i.e. a specification suitable for automatic translation into control codes and printer commands for various types of label printer. The system also includes a label design generator, responsive to the neutral language specification, and further responsive to a target printer type provided as an input by a user. The label design generator provides a printer-specific label design. Capability for printing a two-dimensional bar code is provided, along with a capability for generating a check digit for a bar code. In addition, in some applications, the label specification encoder includes a copy field capability, for generating a parcel identifier from a package type indicator, a manufacturer identifier, and a package serial number. Finally, the label specification encoder enables field masking so as to create from a single stored field a plurality of printed fields separated by one or another delimiter. In some applications, there is also provided a printer application program interface (API), for printing a label with parcel-specific data, the printer API responsive to the printer-specific label design, and further responsive to the parcel-specific data.