diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4f8321d..436977b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ Create a composer.json in your projects root-directory:
 ```json
 {
     "require": {
-        "tecnickcom/tc-lib-barcode": "^2.0"
+        "tecnickcom/tc-lib-barcode": "^2.3"
     }
 }
 ```
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ Create a composer.json in your projects root-directory:
 Or add to an existing project with: 
 
 ```bash
-composer require tecnickcom/tc-lib-barcode ^2.0
+composer require tecnickcom/tc-lib-barcode ^2.3
 ```
 
 ## Packaging
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ this library includes make targets for building these packages (`make rpm` and `
 The packages are generated under the `target` directory.
 
 When this library is installed using an RPM or DEB package, you can use it your code by including the autoloader:
-```
+```php
 require_once ('/usr/share/php/Com/Tecnick/Barcode/autoload.php');
 ```
 
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 5859406..276cbf9 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-2.2.3
+2.3.0
diff --git a/src/Type/Square/Datamatrix.php b/src/Type/Square/Datamatrix.php
index 238af17..ef7bba8 100644
--- a/src/Type/Square/Datamatrix.php
+++ b/src/Type/Square/Datamatrix.php
@@ -72,30 +72,34 @@ class Datamatrix extends \Com\Tecnick\Barcode\Type\Square
      */
     protected bool $gsonemode = false;
 
+    /**
+     * Datamatrix default encoding.
+     * See Data::SWITCHCDW for valid values.
+     */
+    protected int $defenc = Data::ENC_ASCII;
+
     /**
      * Set extra (optional) parameters:
-     *     1: SHAPE - S=square (default), R=rectangular
-     *     2: MODE - N=default, GS1 = the FNC1 codeword is added in the first position of Data Matrix ECC 200 version
+     *     1: SHAPE: S=square (default), R=rectangular.
+     *     2: MODE: N=default, GS1 = the FNC1 codeword is added in the first position of Data Matrix ECC 200 version.
+     *     3: ENCODING: ASCII (default), C40, TXT, X12, EDIFACT, BASE256.
      */
     protected function setParameters(): void
     {
         parent::setParameters();
 
         // shape
-        if (isset($this->params[0]) && ($this->params[0] == 'R')) {
+        if (isset($this->params[0]) && ($this->params[0] === 'R')) {
             $this->shape = 'R';
         }
 
         // mode
-        if (! isset($this->params[1])) {
-            return;
-        }
+        $this->gsonemode = (isset($this->params[1]) && ($this->params[1] === 'GS1'));
 
-        if ($this->params[1] != 'GS1') {
-            return;
+        // encoding
+        if (isset($this->params[2])) {
+            $this->defenc = Data::ENCOPTS[$this->params[2]] ?? Data::ENC_ASCII;
         }
-
-        $this->gsonemode = true;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -226,14 +230,21 @@ protected function setGrid(
      */
     protected function getHighLevelEncoding(string $data): array
     {
-        // STEP A. Start in ASCII encodation.
-        $enc = Data::ENC_ASCII; // current encoding mode
+        // STEP A. Start in predefined encodation.
+        $enc = $this->defenc; // current encoding mode
         $this->dmx->last_enc = $enc; // last used encoding
         $pos = 0; // current position
         $cdw = []; // array of codewords to be returned
         $cdw_num = 0; // number of data codewords
         $data_length = strlen($data); // number of chars
         $field_length = 0; // number of chars in current field
+
+        // Switch to predefined encoding (no action needed if ASCII because it's the default encoding)
+        if ($this->defenc !== Data::ENC_ASCII) {
+            $cdw[] = $this->dmx->getSwitchEncodingCodeword($this->defenc);
+            ++$cdw_num;
+        }
+
         while ($pos < $data_length) {
             // Determine if current char is FNC1 (don't encode it, just pass it through)
             if ($this->gsonemode && ($data[$pos] == chr(232))) {
diff --git a/src/Type/Square/Datamatrix/Data.php b/src/Type/Square/Datamatrix/Data.php
index f1b5004..372d3a6 100644
--- a/src/Type/Square/Datamatrix/Data.php
+++ b/src/Type/Square/Datamatrix/Data.php
@@ -89,6 +89,20 @@ class Data
      */
     public const ENC_ASCII_NUM = 7;
 
+    /**
+     * Encoding options that can be specified as input parameter.
+     *
+     * @var array<string, int>
+     */
+    public const ENCOPTS = [
+        'ASCII' => Data::ENC_ASCII,
+        'C40' => Data::ENC_C40,
+        'TXT' => Data::ENC_TXT,
+        'X12' => Data::ENC_X12,
+        'EDF' => Data::ENC_EDF,
+        'BASE256' => Data::ENC_BASE256,
+    ];
+
     /**
      * Switch codewords.
      *
diff --git a/src/Type/Square/Datamatrix/Modes.php b/src/Type/Square/Datamatrix/Modes.php
index 5f621e5..a659089 100644
--- a/src/Type/Square/Datamatrix/Modes.php
+++ b/src/Type/Square/Datamatrix/Modes.php
@@ -203,11 +203,12 @@ protected function getMaxDataCodewords(int $numcw): int
 
     /**
      * Get the switching codeword to a new encoding mode (latch codeword)
+     *
      * @param int $mode New encoding mode.
+     *
      * @return int Switch codeword.
-     * @protected
      */
-    protected function getSwitchEncodingCodeword(int $mode): int
+    public function getSwitchEncodingCodeword(int $mode): int
     {
         $cdw = Data::SWITCHCDW[$mode];
         if ($cdw != 254) {
diff --git a/test/Square/DatamatrixTest.php b/test/Square/DatamatrixTest.php
index 04d299f..34777a5 100644
--- a/test/Square/DatamatrixTest.php
+++ b/test/Square/DatamatrixTest.php
@@ -391,7 +391,42 @@ public static function getGridDataProvider(): array
                 "\xE8" . '01034531200000111712050810ABCD1234' . "\xE8" . '4109501101020917',
                 'a29a330a01cce34a346cf7049e2259ee',
             ],
-
+            // Different encoding datamatrix
+            [
+                'DATAMATRIX,S,N,ASCII',
+                '01234567890',
+                'ac7dd9e1ebdb42d07fe928fb33cd307b'
+            ],
+            [
+                'DATAMATRIX,S,N,C40',
+                '01234567890',
+                '958a7a3bcd036d7135489eb703a25633'
+            ],
+            [
+                'DATAMATRIX,S,N,TXT',
+                '01234567890',
+                '057981dfbf527b029ae59d65fb55f61d'
+            ],
+            [
+                'DATAMATRIX,S,N,X12',
+                '01234567890',
+                '8d75b0fcfb2d0977abd95004a6ba98dd'
+            ],
+            [
+                'DATAMATRIX,S,N,EDF',
+                '01234567890',
+                '989eab3ca16c97e05dd2307bef32f64b'
+            ],
+            [
+                'DATAMATRIX,S,N,BASE256',
+                '01234567890',
+                '8b4f688a774130bc654e39dfcfadb482'
+            ],
+            [
+                'DATAMATRIX,S,GS1,C40',
+                "\xE8" . '01095011010209171719050810ABCD1234' . "\xE8" . '2110',
+                'ba117111dfa40a40e1bb968c719d2eef'
+            ]
         ];
     }