Bar code types

When configuring a Bar Code Locator, selecting the correct bar code type improves extraction results. If you do not know the bar code type, use either the Auto detect setting or contact the document issuer to find out the bar code type.

There are two general types of bar codes. Linear bar codes (1D) and Matrix bar codes (2D).

Linear bar codes (1D)

One-dimensional bar codes contain encoded information, in the form of digits and characters, of a message as bars and spaces. The start and stop markers, the size of the quiet zone required before and after the bar code, and the computation of a checksum can also be part of the code. The following 1D bar code varieties are available for selection:

  • Australia Post 4-state Bar code

  • Codabar *

  • Code 11

  • Code 128 *

  • Code 32 *

  • Code 39 *

  • Code 39 without start/stop character

  • Code 93 *

  • EAN-13 *

  • EAN-8 *

  • Extended Code 39 *

  • GS1 DataBar Expanded

  • GS1 DataBar Limited

  • GS1-128 * (aka EAN-128 or UCC 128)

  • IATA 2 of 5

  • Industrial 2 of 5

  • Interleaved 2 of 5 *

  • International Standard Book Number (Bookland) *

  • Italian Post 25

  • ITF-14

  • Matrix 2 of 5

  • MSI (Modified Plessey)

  • Patch Code

  • PLANET

  • POSTNET

  • SCC-14 *

  • SSCC-18 *

  • UPC-A *

  • UPC-E *

  • USPS OneCode 4-State Customer Bar code

* These are the most common bar code types and are automatically included when Auto detect is selected. If you want to use a different bar code than those selected, clear the Auto detect value and manually select the bar code types that you need.

When Auto detect is cleared you can select either Code 39 or Code 39 without start/stop character. You cannot select both.

Matrix bar codes (2D)

Two-dimensional bar codes are similar to linear one-dimensional bar codes but have more data representation capability due to the representation of information arranged in a grid pattern. The following 2D bar code varieties are available for selection:

  • Data Matrix *

  • Data Matrix High Accuracy ++

  • QR Code *

  • QR Code High Accuracy ++

  • PDF417 *

  • PDF417 High Accuracy ++

* These are selected automatically when Auto detect is selected.

++ These bar codes use a separate bar code recognition engine to extract the bar codes. Performance is decreased but the improvements in accuracy are worth the extra time.

When Auto detect is cleared you can select either PDF417 or PDF417 High Accuracy. You cannot select both. The same goes for Data Matrix or Data Matrix High Accuracy, and QR Code or QR Code High Accuracy.

Binary bar codes are not supported.

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