Method and Apparatus for Programming a Decoder-based Irrigation Controller

A method for use with a decoder-based irrigation controller, the method comprising:

• reading, by a handheld barcode reader, an optically readable pattern from each of a plurality of decoder units to be associated with the decoder-based irrigation controller, wherein the decoder-based irrigation controller comprises a housing and a first microcontroller configured to control operation of the decoder-based irrigation controller, wherein the decoder-based irrigation controller further comprises a decoder interface configured to encode control data onto a power signal to be applied to a multi-wire control path to which each of the plurality of decoder units will be coupled;
• transferring, by the handheld barcode reader, data read from the optically readable pattern of the plurality of decoder units to a second microcontroller of a removable cartridge of the decoder-based irrigation controller, wherein the data comprises an address of each of the plurality of decoder units, wherein the removable cartridge is configured to removably and detachably couple to a first connector of the decoder-based irrigation controller to fit into a controller housing of the decoder-based irrigation controller;
• and
• receiving the data at the second microcontroller of the removable cartridge.