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SecurityTop 9 Best Smart Card Writer Software of 2026
Top 10 ranking of Smart Card Writer Software with technical comparisons for smart card managers and issuers, covering IDTech, HID, and ACS.
How we ranked these tools
Core product claims cross-referenced against official documentation, changelogs, and independent technical reviews.
Analyzed video reviews and hundreds of written evaluations to capture real-world user experiences with each tool.
AI persona simulations modeled how different user types would experience each tool across common use cases and workflows.
Final rankings reviewed and approved by our editorial team with authority to override AI-generated scores based on domain expertise.
Score: Features 40% · Ease 30% · Value 30%
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Editor’s top 3 picks
Three quick recommendations before you dive into the full comparison below — each one leads on a different dimension.
IDTech Smart Card Manager
Schema to field mapping for card profiles controls encoding logic per reader and card type, with audit logging on run outcomes.
Built for fits when security teams need governed smart card provisioning and encoding automation without operator variability..
HID ActKey
Editor pickProvisioning job orchestration for smart card writers with structured payload-to-encoding mapping and job audit data.
Built for fits when enterprises need controlled, automated smart card encoding with governance and job auditability..
ACS Smart Card Manager
Editor pickIssuance workflow governance with template-driven provisioning and post-write verification in the same administrative surface.
Built for fits when organizations need controlled, auditable card provisioning with automation and a structured data model..
Related reading
Comparison Table
This comparison table evaluates smart card writer software by integration depth, including connector coverage, data model schema, and provisioning workflow fit. It also compares automation and the API surface for batch personalization, plus admin and governance controls such as RBAC and audit log support to support repeatable throughput and change control.
IDTech Smart Card Manager
writer utilitiesSmart card writer software utilities for configuring reader and writer devices, running personalization scripts, and exporting job outputs for verification and traceability.
Schema to field mapping for card profiles controls encoding logic per reader and card type, with audit logging on run outcomes.
IDTech Smart Card Manager centers on smart card writer workflows, where schema definitions drive what fields get encoded and how they map to specific card types and readers. Integration depth shows up in device-focused configuration that ties smart card interfaces to encoding logic, plus extensibility points for additional card profiles and operational steps. Automation and API surface are designed around repeatable provisioning runs, which reduces operator variance during throughput-heavy encoding sessions.
A tradeoff is that the data model and schema setup demand upfront configuration before cards can be provisioned at scale. IDTech Smart Card Manager fits best when card data structures are stable enough to codify into schemas and governance rules, such as enterprise onboarding, credential reissuance, or access badge lifecycle automation.
Operational governance benefits from auditability and role separation, since controlled permissions limit which operators can modify card schemas or run privileged encoding actions. Audit log trails also help root-cause mismatches between expected card contents and actual provisioning outcomes during incident response.
- +Schema-driven provisioning keeps card encoding consistent across readers
- +Automation supports repeatable batches for higher provisioning throughput
- +Admin controls enable RBAC-style separation for schema and run permissions
- +Audit logging improves traceability for card content and operator actions
- –Initial schema setup takes time before encoding can scale
- –Tight coupling between card profiles and workflows can slow rapid iteration
Identity and access teams
Provision employee credential cards
Fewer encoding errors
IT operations and helpdesk
Run controlled badge re-prints
Faster incident resolution
Show 2 more scenarios
Credential administrators
Manage multiple card product lines
Standardized multi-card handling
Switch card profiles using configuration and workflow steps tied to specific readers.
Compliance and security governance
Enforce RBAC over encoding changes
Stronger change control
Restrict schema edits and privileged runs while preserving audit trails for investigations.
Best for: Fits when security teams need governed smart card provisioning and encoding automation without operator variability.
More related reading
HID ActKey
credential issuanceCredential personalization and card-issuance tooling for smart card writer integrations, including template-driven data mapping and controlled issuance operations.
Provisioning job orchestration for smart card writers with structured payload-to-encoding mapping and job audit data.
HID ActKey is aimed at organizations that need repeatable encoding runs across one or more smart card writers. The data model centers on a provisioning payload that maps to card personalization fields and writer-ready formats, which helps reduce manual intervention. Automation and API surface are oriented toward triggering encoding jobs, feeding them with structured card data, and tracking job status.
A tradeoff appears when environments need fully custom card layouts beyond supported personalization schema patterns. ActKey fits when operational teams want consistent throughput from the writer queue and a clear audit trail of which data was encoded and when.
- +Writer-ready provisioning flow reduces manual encoding steps
- +Job status tracking supports operational monitoring and troubleshooting
- +Automation hooks support repeatable provisioning sequences
- –Custom personalization schemas may require supported mappings
- –Integrations depend on the available API and supported payload formats
Security operations teams
Encoding access credentials at scale
Fewer encoding errors during rollout
Identity provisioning engineers
Automated personalization from upstream data
Higher throughput without rework
Show 2 more scenarios
IT administrators
Governed writer access and logging
Clear accountability for card issuance
Uses RBAC-style controls and keeps an audit log of encoding activity for governance.
Systems integration teams
API-triggered card encoding workflows
Faster integration with upstream systems
Integrates provisioning triggers with structured card data and monitors encoding results.
Best for: Fits when enterprises need controlled, automated smart card encoding with governance and job auditability.
ACS Smart Card Manager
card lifecycleSmart card management software for issuance and lifecycle operations that supports personalization settings, device workflow configuration, and administrative governance controls.
Issuance workflow governance with template-driven provisioning and post-write verification in the same administrative surface.
ACS Smart Card Manager centralizes smart card writer configuration, card data preparation, and issuance run tracking in an admin console. The data model supports templates and structured fields so the same schema can be applied across batches. Operational control covers run execution, selection of card population targets, and verification steps after write operations.
A tradeoff is that tighter governance and workflow controls can increase setup effort for teams needing ad hoc, one-off card writes. ACS Smart Card Manager fits when throughput matters and writes must follow consistent schemas with operator roles and audit visibility.
- +Template-based write data model reduces schema drift across batches
- +Workflow controls support repeatable provisioning runs
- +Admin governance supports role separation for operators and supervisors
- +Automation hooks support orchestration of writer throughput
- –Schema and workflow setup adds overhead for one-off personalization jobs
- –Integration mapping requires careful alignment to card data templates
Identity and access operations teams
Controlled badge card issuance at scale
Fewer issuance errors
Security operations teams
RBAC-driven smart card writer approvals
Stronger issuance accountability
Show 2 more scenarios
Integrations and automation teams
API-driven provisioning orchestration
Automated issuance workflows
Uses integration points to trigger provisioning workflows and coordinate writer throughput across systems.
Data management teams
Schema consistency for personalization data
Stable card data schema
Maintains structured card data templates to keep personalization fields consistent across batches.
Best for: Fits when organizations need controlled, auditable card provisioning with automation and a structured data model.
Smart Card Tooling Suite by Thales
personalization toolingThales tooling for managing smart card personalization operations, including workflow configuration and controlled writer job execution in issuance environments.
Automation job orchestration with schema-backed provisioning steps and audit logging for each writer run.
Smart Card Tooling Suite by Thales focuses on smart card writer workflows with integration points for issuing, provisioning, and operational control. The suite emphasizes a configurable data model for card personalization artifacts and schema-driven writing steps.
Automation and API surface support scripted provisioning runs, job parameterization, and repeatable throughput for production operations. Admin and governance controls center on role separation, operational logging, and audit-friendly execution of provisioning tasks.
- +Schema-driven personalization artifacts map cleanly into writer workflows
- +Automation and API support repeatable provisioning runs at scale
- +Operational audit logs support traceability across personalization jobs
- +RBAC-style governance limits writer actions to authorized roles
- –Data model design requires upfront alignment with card personalization schema
- –Integration setup can add friction compared with simpler writer tools
- –Extensibility depends on supported integration hooks and adapters
Best for: Fits when enterprises need controlled smart card writer automation with schema alignment, audit trails, and RBAC governance.
Sagemcom Smart Card Personalization
issuance toolingSmart card issuance and personalization software components for configuring writer workflows and credential data mapping used in secure provisioning operations.
Template-driven personalization profiles that map structured fields to card objects during write sequencing.
Sagemcom Smart Card Personalization performs smart card writer and personalization workflows that format card memory and write structured data to cards. Integration depth centers on hardware attachment and personalization control over card data formats, with configuration tied to provisioning artifacts.
The data model is schema-driven around personalization parameters, file objects, and security-relevant settings used during issuance. Automation and API surface depend on how deployments expose job orchestration and status callbacks around personalization runs.
- +Tight coupling between personalization parameters and write operations for controlled issuance
- +Hardware-oriented workflow fits card production lines with predictable throughput targets
- +Schema-based personalization inputs reduce ad hoc encoding errors during provisioning
- –API automation surface is not clearly positioned for self-serve job orchestration
- –Extensibility depends on supported card schemes and personalization templates
- –Governance controls like RBAC granularity and audit log export are not clearly documented
Best for: Fits when card issuance requires repeatable personalization profiles and controlled write sequencing on production hardware.
Kemps Smart Card Writer Suite
writer suiteSmart card writing suite that supports issuance configuration, writer workflow execution, and operational monitoring for card personalization jobs.
Writer-side rule and schema mapping that turns external provisioning data into deterministic card programming steps with run logs.
Kemps Smart Card Writer Suite fits teams that need repeatable card provisioning with an auditable workflow. It supports writer-side configuration, batch programming, and rule-driven data mapping from a defined schema to card application files.
Integration depth centers on automation that can be driven from external systems through documented interfaces and operational logs. Governance controls focus on traceability of provisioning runs and controlled execution for operators and administrators.
- +Schema-driven mapping from source fields to card data structures
- +Batch programming supports high-throughput provisioning runs
- +Automation and integration surfaces reduce manual writer操作
- +Operational logs support audit trails for provisioning outcomes
- +Operator workflow controls reduce configuration drift
- –Data model complexity increases setup time for custom applications
- –Extensibility depends on schema and configuration alignment
- –Fine-grained RBAC coverage may lag bespoke security policies
- –API automation often requires internal middleware for orchestration
- –Debugging failed card writes can require correlated run logs
Best for: Fits when mid-size teams need schema-based smart card provisioning with controlled operations and automation-driven integration.
Entrust Sigma-Creator
credential issuanceCredential personalization software that drives issuance workflows, batch provisioning steps, and operator controls around card and token issuance data.
Sigma-Creator template and job execution tied to the Sigma data model for deterministic personalization runs.
Entrust Sigma-Creator is distinct for its certificate and smart card personalization workflow centered on the Entrust Sigma data model. It supports card personalization tasks like writing application data, keys, and credentials through configurable templates and job-based execution.
Integration depth comes from documented interfaces that connect issuance processes to external systems, including APIs for provisioning orchestration. Admin and governance controls focus on role-based access, audit visibility, and controlled issuance runs that reduce operator variance.
- +Template-driven personalization keeps card data mapping consistent across issuers
- +API surface supports provisioning orchestration from external issuance systems
- +Schema-based configuration reduces manual entry variance during personalization
- +Job-based execution supports repeatable runs for controlled card issuance
- +RBAC and audit logs support governance for operator access and changes
- –Card personalization automation relies on Sigma schema conventions and template setup
- –Automation paths may require deeper systems integration knowledge
- –High-throughput issuance can increase operational complexity for job monitoring
- –Extensibility hinges on the capabilities exposed by Sigma configuration and APIs
Best for: Fits when enterprises need governed, repeatable smart card personalization with API-driven provisioning integration.
Zetes Smart Card Personalization
issuance automationSmart card personalization software that supports issuance data models, job automation, and governed configuration for card programming operations.
Governed personalization job execution with audit logs that bind personalization inputs to provisioning outcomes.
Zetes Smart Card Personalization is a smart card writer software stack built around card provisioning and issuance workflows. Its distinct value comes from tight integration with Zetes personalization processes, including rule-driven data handling and issuance control across card and platform layers.
The software focuses on a defined data model for personalization content and supports automation and API-driven interactions for configuration, job submission, and operational monitoring. Admin governance is handled through role separation and auditable operations that trace personalization runs, inputs, and outcomes.
- +Integration depth across personalization workflow, card issuance, and operational controls
- +Data model supports structured personalization records and schema-driven mapping
- +API surface supports automation for job submission, configuration, and status checks
- +Audit trail coverage ties provisioning inputs to personalization execution results
- –Extensibility depends on vendor-aligned schemas rather than free-form templates
- –Automation breadth may require matching Zetes components to avoid workflow gaps
- –High-governance setups can increase admin configuration overhead
Best for: Fits when enterprises need controlled card personalization with auditable workflows and API-driven provisioning at scale.
CardPresso
data-to-card toolSmart card personalization application that generates card data and manages provisioning configurations for smart card writers and readers.
Profile and template mapping for schema-like card data fields during block-level write operations.
CardPresso provisions smart cards by importing profiles, mapping card data to templates, and writing blocks to targets. It emphasizes a reusable data model for card types, keys, and schema-like mappings that reduce per-card configuration drift.
Automation is driven through operator workflows and repeatable write templates rather than a documented external API surface. Admin control centers on access to tools and credential handling inside the writer workflow, with limited governance hooks for enterprise audit trails.
- +Template-based writing reduces manual per-card configuration errors
- +Profile-driven data mapping supports repeatable provisioning workflows
- +Supports multiple card types via a consistent card data model
- +Clear operator workflow supports high-throughput batch writing
- –Limited evidence of external API and webhook automation surface
- –Governance controls like RBAC and audit logs are not prominent
- –Extensibility for custom schema transforms is constrained
- –Integration depth depends on local workflow setup more than integrations
Best for: Fits when teams need repeatable batch card provisioning with template mapping and minimal external automation requirements.
How to Choose the Right Smart Card Writer Software
This buyer's guide covers Smart Card Writer Software used for provisioning and personalization across tools like IDTech Smart Card Manager, HID ActKey, ACS Smart Card Manager, Smart Card Tooling Suite by Thales, Sagemcom Smart Card Personalization, Kemps Smart Card Writer Suite, Entrust Sigma-Creator, Zetes Smart Card Personalization, and CardPresso.
The guide focuses on integration depth, the data model used for card schemas and templates, automation and API surface for job orchestration, and admin and governance controls like RBAC-style separation and audit logs.
Smart card writer software that provisions card data through schemas, templates, and governed write jobs
Smart Card Writer Software coordinates how credential data and personalization artifacts get mapped into card memory or card applications during encoding. It solves provisioning problems like schema drift across batches, operator variability during personalization, and weak traceability when card writes fail.
Tools like IDTech Smart Card Manager use schema to field mapping per reader and card type plus audit logging on run outcomes. HID ActKey centers on provisioning job orchestration with structured payload to encoding mapping and job audit data, which supports controlled smart card encoding workflows.
Integration depth, schema control, and automation surfaces that govern encoding outcomes
Evaluation should start with how the tool models card data and personalization inputs. IDTech Smart Card Manager and ACS Smart Card Manager both use structured templates or card schemas to reduce drift across batches and to keep encoding deterministic.
The next check is the automation and API surface for provisioning orchestration. HID ActKey and Entrust Sigma-Creator add job-based execution paths tied to structured data models, while Thales and Zetes emphasize audit-friendly automation with operational logging for each writer run.
Schema to field mapping that controls encoding logic per reader and card type
IDTech Smart Card Manager provides schema to field mapping for card profiles that controls encoding logic per reader and card type. Kemps Smart Card Writer Suite uses writer-side rule and schema mapping to turn external provisioning data into deterministic card programming steps with run logs.
Template-driven personalization data model tied to repeatable write operations
ACS Smart Card Manager uses template-based write data models to reduce schema drift across batches. Sagemcom Smart Card Personalization relies on template-driven personalization profiles that map structured fields to card objects during write sequencing.
Provisioning job orchestration with structured payload mapping and job audit data
HID ActKey includes provisioning job orchestration with structured payload to encoding mapping and job audit data. Smart Card Tooling Suite by Thales adds automation job orchestration with schema-backed provisioning steps and audit logging for each writer run.
Admin governance controls with RBAC-style separation and audit log visibility
IDTech Smart Card Manager supports role-based access and controlled changes across environments with audit logging on run outcomes. Thales highlights RBAC-style governance that limits writer actions to authorized roles, and Zetes Smart Card Personalization binds personalization inputs to provisioning outcomes via auditable operations.
Automation hooks and integration points for external orchestration
Entrust Sigma-Creator provides an API surface for provisioning orchestration from external issuance systems tied to Sigma-Creator schema conventions and templates. Zetes Smart Card Personalization supports API-driven interactions for configuration, job submission, and status checks, and Zetes binds audit trails to run inputs and outcomes.
Post-write verification and operational monitoring inside the administrative surface
ACS Smart Card Manager combines workflow governance with template-driven provisioning and post-write verification in the same administrative surface. HID ActKey adds job status tracking for operational monitoring and troubleshooting during encoding jobs.
A decision framework for matching schema control and automation depth to provisioning governance
Tool selection should start by defining the source of truth for card data. IDTech Smart Card Manager fits when governance requires schema-driven provisioning that minimizes operator variability, while CardPresso fits when repeatable batch provisioning relies more on operator workflows and template mapping than on an external API surface.
The framework then narrows by checking what the automation needs to do. HID ActKey and Entrust Sigma-Creator target job-based execution with payload mapping and an API surface, while Thales and Zetes focus on audit-friendly orchestration with operational logs and controlled writer actions.
Map the card data model requirement to schema or template behavior
Choose IDTech Smart Card Manager when card encoding must follow schema to field mapping per reader and card type, because it controls encoding logic through card profile mappings and keeps run outcomes logged. Choose ACS Smart Card Manager when template-based write data models must reduce schema drift across batches and include governance plus post-write verification in one surface.
Validate the automation and API surface for external provisioning orchestration
If provisioning orchestration must come from external systems, prioritize HID ActKey with provisioning job orchestration and structured payload to encoding mapping plus job audit data. If the orchestration is expected to align with a known schema model, Entrust Sigma-Creator provides API surface for provisioning orchestration tied to Sigma data model conventions.
Confirm auditability and governance controls match security and operations roles
Select tools with explicit RBAC-style separation and audit logging for run outcomes, like IDTech Smart Card Manager and Smart Card Tooling Suite by Thales. If audit trails must bind personalization inputs to provisioning outcomes, Zetes Smart Card Personalization provides governed personalization job execution with audit logs that connect inputs to results.
Check operational workflow fit for production hardware versus admin-led flows
If issuance runs depend on predictable production lines and personalization parameters mapped to write sequencing, Sagemcom Smart Card Personalization aligns with template-driven personalization profiles tied to card objects. If configuration must be deterministic through writer-side rule mapping and batch programming, Kemps Smart Card Writer Suite turns external provisioning data into card programming steps and includes operational run logs.
Plan for setup overhead and integration alignment before scaling throughput
If scaling requires upfront schema design time, IDTech Smart Card Manager and Thales both trade initial schema and alignment effort for consistent encoding and audit-friendly execution. If integration breadth is less critical and automation can stay inside operator workflows, CardPresso emphasizes profile and template mapping for block-level write operations and does not foreground external API automation.
Which organizations get the clearest value from governed smart card writer automation
Smart Card Writer Software fits teams that need repeatable encoding with traceability, not ad hoc personalization. The best match depends on whether the organization runs provisioning orchestration externally and whether it needs RBAC-style governance across environments.
IDTech Smart Card Manager, HID ActKey, and Smart Card Tooling Suite by Thales target governance and auditability needs that reduce operator variability. CardPresso fits organizations that prioritize template-driven provisioning with minimal reliance on a documented external API surface.
Security teams that require governed provisioning with minimal operator variability
IDTech Smart Card Manager fits when schema-driven provisioning and audit logging on run outcomes must keep encoding consistent across readers and card types. Smart Card Tooling Suite by Thales also fits when RBAC-style governance limits writer actions to authorized roles and operational logs support audit-friendly execution.
Enterprises that need external provisioning orchestration with job auditability
HID ActKey fits when provisioning job orchestration must connect structured payload mapping to job status tracking and job audit data. Entrust Sigma-Creator fits when API-driven provisioning integration must align with Sigma-Creator templates and job-based execution.
Issuance administrators who want one surface for governance and post-write verification
ACS Smart Card Manager fits when template-driven provisioning and post-write verification must live inside the same administrative surface with role separation for operators and supervisors. Zetes Smart Card Personalization fits when governed personalization job execution must produce auditable operations that trace personalization inputs to provisioning outcomes.
Production-focused teams that run controlled personalization profiles on card hardware
Sagemcom Smart Card Personalization fits when personalization parameters must map to structured fields and card objects during write sequencing for production throughput. Kemps Smart Card Writer Suite fits when batch programming and schema-driven mapping are needed to produce deterministic card programming steps with run logs.
Teams prioritizing repeatable batch provisioning via templates and operator workflows
CardPresso fits when repeatable batch card provisioning depends on importing profiles, mapping card data to templates, and writing blocks to targets. CardPresso also fits when external API automation and RBAC granularity are less prominent requirements.
Common selection pitfalls in smart card writer software projects
Many failed deployments start with a mismatch between how card data must be modeled and how the organization intends to automate provisioning jobs. Schema setup overhead is a real constraint in tools like IDTech Smart Card Manager and Smart Card Tooling Suite by Thales because consistent encoding depends on upfront data model alignment.
Another recurring failure mode is expecting a wide external automation surface when the tool relies more on operator workflow execution. CardPresso, for example, emphasizes repeatable write templates and operator workflows and does not foreground a documented external API surface for orchestration.
Underestimating upfront schema and workflow alignment time
IDTech Smart Card Manager and Smart Card Tooling Suite by Thales require initial schema setup and data model design before encoding can scale with consistent results. Plan those setup phases early when throughput scaling is tied to schema to field mapping or schema-backed provisioning steps.
Assuming fine-grained RBAC and audit logs exist without confirming governance behavior
IDTech Smart Card Manager includes role-based access and audit logging on run outcomes, while Thales emphasizes RBAC-style governance that limits writer actions to authorized roles. CardPresso does not prominently document enterprise-grade RBAC and audit log export, so governance-heavy projects need tools with explicit governance controls like ACS Smart Card Manager or Zetes Smart Card Personalization.
Choosing a tool without matching the automation model to external orchestration needs
HID ActKey and Entrust Sigma-Creator provide structured job orchestration and API-driven provisioning integration paths for external systems. CardPresso and Sagemcom Smart Card Personalization may still support controlled provisioning, but they are less clearly positioned around an external API and job orchestration surface.
Treating template alignment issues as minor configuration chores
ACS Smart Card Manager and Zetes Smart Card Personalization depend on careful alignment between schemas and templates because the write data model reduces drift only when mappings are consistent. Kemps Smart Card Writer Suite also increases setup time for custom applications when schema and configuration alignment are required for deterministic programming steps.
How We Selected and Ranked These Tools
We evaluated IDTech Smart Card Manager, HID ActKey, ACS Smart Card Manager, Smart Card Tooling Suite by Thales, Sagemcom Smart Card Personalization, Kemps Smart Card Writer Suite, Entrust Sigma-Creator, Zetes Smart Card Personalization, and CardPresso using criteria tied to features, ease of use, and value. Features carried the most weight at 40%, while ease of use and value each accounted for 30% in the overall score.
The ranking is based on editorial research using the provided capability descriptions, standout features, and recorded feature, ease of use, and value ratings for each tool. IDTech Smart Card Manager set itself apart by combining schema to field mapping that controls encoding logic per reader and card type with audit logging on run outcomes, which directly lifted features and supported high ease of use and value scores.
Frequently Asked Questions About Smart Card Writer Software
Which smart card writer tools expose API or automation hooks for provisioning orchestration?
How do these tools handle SSO and enterprise security for admin access and execution visibility?
What is the typical data model workflow from card schema to reader or writer targets?
Which tools are best suited for template-driven personalization with repeatable write sequencing?
How do tools support job-level audit trails when multiple operators run provisioning batches?
Which products are strongest when governance must prevent operator variability during encoding?
What are the main differences between IDTech Smart Card Manager and CardPresso for schema-like mapping and drift control?
Which tools support extensibility for integrating issuance flows with external orchestration systems?
How do these systems handle common provisioning failures like wrong payload mapping or inconsistent card state?
What is a practical data migration approach when moving existing personalization profiles into a new writer stack?
Conclusion
After evaluating 9 security, IDTech Smart Card Manager stands out as our overall top pick — it scored highest across our combined criteria of features, ease of use, and value, which is why it sits at #1 in the rankings above.
Use the comparison table and detailed reviews above to validate the fit against your own requirements before committing to a tool.
Tools reviewed
Primary sources checked during evaluation.
Referenced in the comparison table and product reviews above.
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