Code 39
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Code 39 is a barcode symbology developed by Intermec in 1969. It is widely used in numerous industries, including libraries and pharmaceuticals. Code 39 is a discrete symbology (meaning the bar or bars encoding one character are contained in a space of specified width) with two different bar widths, a start sequence on its left end and an identical stop sequence on its right end, often represented in fonts as an asterisk (*). Each character is separate from the next by a thin light bar.
Code 39 can encode uppercase letters (A through Z), digits (0 through 9) and a handful of special characters like the $ sign. The barcode itself does not contain a check digit (in contrast to—for instance—Code 128). Possibly the most serious drawback of Code 39 is its low data density: It requires more space to encode data in Code 39 than, for example, in Code 128. This means that very small goods cannot be labeled with a Code 39 based barcode. However, Code 39 is still widely used and can be decoded with virtually any barcode reader.
Code 39 gets its name because there are 9 light and dark bars in each code, and 3 of these bars are wide. 3 "wide" of 9 "bars".
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Barcode-Code39-WIKIPEDIA-39.png
WIKIPEDIA 39
These tables outline the 3 of 9 specification:
Legend | ||
Format1 | Format2 | Desc |
W | B | Wide - Black |
N | b | Narrow - Black |
w | W | Wide - White |
n | w | Narrow - White |
Code Details | ||
Char | Format1 | Format2 |
- | NwNnNnWnW | bWbwbwBwB |
$ | NwNwNwNnN | bWbWbWbwb |
% | NnNwNwNwN | bwbWbWbWb |
(space) | NwWnNnWnN | bWBwbwBwb |
. | WwNnNnWnN | BWbwbwBwb |
/ | NwNwNnNwN | bWbWbwbWb |
+ | NwNnNwNwN | bWbwbWbWb |
0 | NnNwWnWnN | bwbWBwBwb |
1 | WnNwNnNnW | BwbWbwbwB |
2 | NnWwNnNnW | bwBWbwbwB |
3 | WnWwNnNnN | BwBWbwbwb |
4 | NnNwWnNnW | bwbWBwbwB |
5 | WnNwWnNnN | BwbWBwbwb |
6 | NnWwWnNnN | bwBWBwbwb |
7 | NnNwNnWnW | bwbWbwBwB |
8 | WnNwNnWnN | BwbWbwBwb |
9 | NnWwNnWnN | bwBWbwBwb |
A | WnNnNwNnW | BwbwbWbwB |
B | NnWnNwNnW | bwBwbWbwB |
C | WnWnNwNnN | BwBwbWbwb |
D | NnNnWwNnW | bwbwBWbwB |
E | WnNnWwNnN | BwbwBWbwb |
F | NnWnWwNnN | bwBwBWbwb |
G | NnNnNwWnW | bwbwbWBwB |
H | WnNnNwWnN | BwbwbWBwb |
I | NnWnNwWnN | bwBwbWBwb |
J | NnNnWwWnN | bwbwBWBwb |
K | WnNnNnNwW | BwbwbwbWB |
L | NnWnNnNwW | bwBwbwbWB |
M | WnWnNnNwN | BwBwbwbWb |
N | NnNnWnNwW | bwbwBwbWB |
O | WnNnWnNwN | BwbwBwbWb |
P | NnWnWnNwN | bwBwBwbWb |
Q | NnNnNnWwW | bwbwbwBWB |
R | WnNnNnWwN | BwbwbwBWb |
S | NnWnNnWwN | bwBwbwBWb |
T | NnNnWnWwN | bwbwBwBWb |
U | WwNnNnNnW | BWbwbwbwB |
V | NwWnNnNnW | bWBwbwbwB |
W | WwWnNnNnN | BWBwbwbwb |
X | NwNnWnNnW | bWbwBwbwB |
Y | WwNnWnNnN | BWbwBwbwb |
Z | NwWnWnNnN | bWBwBwbwb |
External links
- http://www.barcodesinc.com/generator/
- Free font and encoder (http://grandzebu.net/informatique/codbar-en/code39.htm).
- http://www.barcodeisland.com/code39.phtml