Data Matrix Reader2

This function block decodes Data Matrix codes from an image and returns the decoded text values. It is suitable for reading one or multiple Data Matrix symbols present in a frame.

📥 Inputs

Data Matrix Image Provide an image (grayscale or color) that contains Data Matrix symbols to be decoded.

📤 Outputs

Data This output returns a list of decoded text strings found in the input image.

🕹️ Controls

Timeout Time limit in milliseconds to wait for decoding. Increasing this gives the block more time to detect faint or difficult symbols.

⚙️ Running mechanism

When the block is evaluated it examines the provided image for Data Matrix symbols and attempts to decode each one within the configured Timeout. If symbols are found, their decoded text values are returned as a list via the Data output. If none are found, an empty list is returned.

🎯 Features

• Detects and decodes multiple Data Matrix symbols from a single image.

• Returns decoded values as plain text strings for easy downstream use.

• Simple timeout control to balance speed and detection robustness.

📝 Usage instructions

1. Provide an image source to Data Matrix Image — for example from a camera block or a loaded image.

2. Optionally adjust Timeout to allow more time for difficult reads.

3. Use the Data output to access decoded values for logging, display, or further processing.

💡 Tips and Tricks

• If the target symbol is in a small area, crop first using Image ROI Select so the block only processes the relevant region.

• Improve read reliability by resizing the input with Image Resize to increase symbol pixels.

• Clean up noisy images with Blur, Denoising or Image Adaptive Threshold before feeding into this block.

• Use Show Image to preview the exact frame being analyzed while you tune preprocessing.

• Save example frames with Image Logger or Image Write for offline analysis and tuning.

• If you expect other code types (QR, linear barcodes) try Barcode Reader as an alternative for those formats.

• If symbols may be rotated, try Image AutoRotator or crop different orientations via ROI tools.

🛠️ Troubleshooting

• No decoded values: check lighting and contrast, crop to the symbol with Image ROI Select, increase Timeout, or enlarge the image with Image Resize.

• Partial or garbled text: ensure the symbol is not blurred — try Blur removal or a higher-resolution input.

• False negatives on noisy backgrounds: apply Image Adaptive Threshold or other filters to improve foreground/background separation.

• Many symbols but only some decoded: process each ROI separately or increase the Timeout and improve image quality for the missing symbols.