Abstract: A system and method for reading machine-readable information from a carrier and printing information onto said carrier or other means is presented. The system comprises a reader means, storage means, printer means, enable means, read repeat means and annunciator means. Circuitry is provided fordetermining when an unsuccessful scan has resulted and thereafter commanding a rescan of the code until a successful scan is obtained or a predetermined limited number of unsuccessful rescans have been completed. The system may include means for modifying the relative position of the scanning means with respect to the carrier during successive rescans. When successful read and print cycles are completed, the carrier means is positioned appropriately for human retrieval. An annuciator means is employed to signal the human controller when the allowable number of rescans has been exhausted without successfully reading the coded information.