17. A method of error correction enhancement in a decoding routine, the decoding routine for decoding data collection symbols having symbol characters, a series of repeating characters, and error correction characters derived from the symbol and repeating characters, the method comprising the steps of: locating at least one repeating character in a selected symbol having at least one damaged repeating character and at least one damaged symbol character; replacing the damaged repeating character with an undamaged repeating character; and decoding the selected symbol after replacing the at least one damaged repeating character with the undamaged repeating character.
19. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of locating locates two consecutive repeating characters in a Code One symbol.