Barcode Types

ABBYY FlexiCapture 12 SDK recognizes the following types of barcode:

Barcode Type Description
AustraliaPost AustraliaPost is a "four-state" system encoding four types of bars: Full-Height, Ascender, Descender and Tracker (DAFT notation). This encoding system is used in mail sorting for Australia. AustraliaPost barcodes can be created and printed using standard barcode generation software.
Aztec Aztec is a high density two-dimensional matrix style bar code symbology that can encode up to 3750 characters from the entire 256 byte ASCII character set. The symbol is built on a square grid with a bulls-eye pattern at its center.
Codabar

Codabar is a self-checking, variable length barcode that can encode 16 data characters. It is used primarily for numeric data, but also encodes six special characters. Codabar is useful for encoding dollar and mathematical figures because a decimal point, plus sign, and minus sign can be encoded.

Note: While Codabar originally has no check digit, it can be interpreted as the barcode with a check sum. ABBYY FlexiCapture 12 SDK uses an algorithm for computing check digits according to Modulo 16. The check digit is computed as follows. Each Codabar character has a value assigned to it. The sum of all character values is taken, including the Start and the Stop characters. The data character whose value, when added to this sum, equals a multiple of 16 is the check digit.
Code 128 Code 128 is an alphanumeric, very high-density, compact, variable length barcode scheme that can encode the full 128 ASCII character set. Each character is represented by three bars and three spaces totaling 11 modules. Each bar or space is one, two, three, or four modules wide with the total number of modules representing bars an even number and the total number of modules representing a space an odd number. Three different start characters are used to select one of three character sets.
Code 32 Code 32 (Pharmacode) is a variation of the Code 39, representing an integer value from 3 to 131070. The number is encoded in binary using black bars and spaces between them. The minimum number of bars is 2, the maximum is 16. Pharmacode is used in the pharmaceutical industry as a packing control system.
Code 39

Code 39, also referred to as Code 3 of 9, is an alphanumeric, self-checking, variable length barcode that uses five black bars and four spaces to define a character. Three of the elements are wide and six are narrow.

Note: Barcode in Code 39 standard without asterisk has no start and stop symbol, the asterisk "*".
Code 93 Code 93 is a variable length bar code that encodes 47 characters. It is named Code 93 because every character is constructed from nine elements arranged into three bars with their adjacent spaces. Code 93 is a compressed version of Code 39 and was designed to complement Code 39.
Data Matrix Data Matrix is a two-dimensional matrix barcode consisting of black and white modules arranged in either a square or rectangular pattern. Every Data Matrix is composed of two solid adjacent borders in an "L" shape and two other borders consisting of alternating dark and light modules. Within these borders are rows and columns of cells encoding information. A Data Matrix barcode can store up to 2335 alphanumeric characters.
EAN 8 and 13 The European Article Numbering (EAN) system is used for products that require a country origin. This is a fixed-length barcode used to encode either eight or thirteen characters. The first two characters identify the country of origin, the next characters are data characters, and the last character is the checksum. These barcodes may include an additional barcode to the right of the main barcode. This second barcode, which is usually not as tall as the primary barcode, is used to encode additional information for newspapers, books, and other periodicals. The supplemental barcode may either encoded 2 or 5 digits of information.
GS1-128 This type of barcode is a 19 digit barcode with a 20th check digit. For a total of 20 digits. It typically is used for carton identification. Both for internal carton numbering and also for using the UCC-128 barcode on your cartons being shipped out to your customers. Former coorect name UCC-128.
IATA 2 of 5 IATA 2 of 5 is a barcode standard designed by the IATA (International Air Transport Association). This standard is used for all boarding passes.
Industrial 2 of 5 Industrial 2 of 5 is numeric-only barcode that has been in use a long time. Unlike Interleaved 2 of 5, all of the information is encoded in the bars; the spaces are fixed width and are used only to separate the bars. The code is self-checking and does not include a checksum.
IntelligentMail IntelligentMail is a 65-bar height-modulated self-checking barcode used on mail in USA. Four types of bars are used for encoding: Full-Height, Ascender, Descender and Tracker (DAFT notation). The 65 bars encode 114-bit message. This message is represented by 130 bits, grouped as ten 13-bit characters. 2, 5, 8 or 11 of the 13 bits of each character are set to one. The Hammind distance between bars is at least 2.
Interleaved 2 of 5 Interleaved 2 of 5 is a variable length (must be a multiple of two), high-density, self-checking, numeric barcode that uses five black bars and five white bars to define a character. Two digits are encoded in every character; one in the black bars and one in the white bars. Two of the black bars and two of the white bars are wide. The other bars are narrow.
JapanPost JapanPost is a "four-state" system encoding four types of bars: Full-Height, Ascender, Descender and Tracker (DAFT notation). This encoding system is used in mail sorting for Japan. JapanPost barcodes can be created and printed using standard barcode generation software.
Matrix 2 of 5 Standard 2 of 5 is self-checking numeric-only barcode. Unlike Interleaved 2 of 5, all of the information is encoded in the bars; the spaces are fixed width and are used only to separate the bars. Matrix 2 of 5 is used primarily for warehouse sorting, photo finishing, and airline ticket marking.
MaxiCode

MaxiCode is a specific type of barcode, that uses dots arranged in a hexagonal grid instead of bars. In the center of 1-inch square containing the MaxiCode symbol is a bullseye which is surrounded by the grouped dots. The information encoded with the MaxiCode symbol is protected with a Reed-Solomon error correction which allows to read the message even if a part of the symbol is damaged.

The MaxiCode encoding is used by the United Parcel Service.
Patch A pattern of horizontal black bars separated by spaces. Typically, a patch code is placed near the top center of a paper document to be scanned and used as a document separator.
PDF417

PDF417 is a variable length, two-dimensional (2D), stacked symbology that can store up to 1850 printable ASCII characters in text compaction mode or 1100 binary characters per symbol in byte compaction mode. PDF417 is designed with selectable levels of error correction. Its high data capacity can be helpful in applications where a large amount of data must travel with a labeled document or item.

Note: Some barcode printers use code pages other than US-MSDOS required by the Specifications_ In most cases this will be the code page of the operating system under which the barcode printer was running.
PostNet The Postnet (Postal Numeric Encoding Technique) is a fixed length symbology (5, 6, 9, or 11 characters) which uses constant bar and space width. Information is encoded by varying the bar height between the two values. Postnet barcodes are placed on the lower right of envelopes or postcards, and are used to expedite the processing of mail with automatic equipment and provide reduced postage rates.
QR Code QR Code is a two-dimensional matrix barcode. The barcode has 3 large squares (registration marks) in the corners which define the top of the barcode. The black and white squares in the area between the registration marks are the encoded data and error correction keys. QR Codes can encode over 4000 ASCII characters.
UPC-A The UPC-A barcode is EAN 13 barcode with the '0' first character.
UPC-E The UPC-E barcode is a shortened version of UPC-A barcode. It compresses the data characters and the checksum into six characters. This bar code is ideal for small packages because it is the smallest bar code.

See also

BarcodeTypeEnum

8/15/2023 1:19:30 PM

Usage of Cookies. In order to optimize the website functionality and improve your online experience ABBYY uses cookies. You agree to the usage of cookies when you continue using this site. Further details can be found in our Privacy Notice.