or validate other than lost positions with reference to fig4 a handheld printer 10 is being maneuvered over a media 16 in the direction of the arrow a to print and image 18 representatively given as a synchronous dram specification sheet near the image as practicably as possible is a reference indicia 11 in the form of an icon 99 in a variety of way the reference indicia is provided on the media in the first it is provided by printing from the handheld printer 10 such as before printing the image 18 in the second it is provided as a pre printed media sheet in the third it is provided as a supply item for applying to the media in may even occur as the result of a combination of the foregoing as provided below with reference to other figures the details of the pre printed media and the supply item will be furnished regardless of how obtained the inset shows a magnified representative of the reference indicia including both a location pattern 40 and a guide pattern 41 as is seen the location pattern is generally central to the reference indicia periphery 43 while the guide pattern 41 surrounds the location pattern the guide pattern also includes indicators 45 such as arcs or chevrons which are used in combination with the optical sensor s 20 to direct the printer especially sensors over at least a portion of the location pattern in this manner once the sensor can observe the.