What is the Codabar barcode type & what are its specifications
Codabar is a linear barcode symbology that was developed in 1972 by Pitney Bowes Corp. It is one of the earliest barcode symbologies and has been in use for over 50 years. Codabar is a symbology that is used to encode numerical data and has been widely used in various industries such as libraries, blood banks, and courier services.
Codabar barcode symbology is also known as Code 2 of 7, and NW-7.
Codabar is a self-checking barcode symbology that consists of bars and spaces that are used to encode data. Unlike other barcode symbologies, Codabar does not have a check digit. This means that the data encoded in a Codabar barcode is not validated for accuracy, which is why it is considered a low-density symbology.
Despite this limitation, Codabar has been widely adopted in various industries due to its ease of use and readability. The Codabar symbology uses 16 different barcode characters, including 10 numerical characters (0-9), four start/stop characters (A, B, C, and D), and two special characters (- and $).
The start and stop characters are used to define the beginning and end of the barcode, while the numerical characters and special characters are used to encode the data. The encoding process is straightforward, and the data is read from left to right in a continuous sequence of bars and spaces.
One of the benefits of Codabar is its high readability. The symbology was designed to be read by a simple scanning technology, and it can be read by a variety of barcode readers, including laser, CCD, and pen-type barcode readers. This makes it a popular choice for applications where barcode scanning is performed frequently, such as in libraries and blood banks. In addition to its high readability, Codabar is also easy to use. It can be easily generated using barcode software, and it can also be manually created using a variety of materials, including paper, plastic, and metal. The symbology is also flexible, and it can be encoded in a variety of sizes, making it suitable for applications where space is limited. Despite its popularity, Codabar has some limitations.
One of the biggest limitations is that it is a low-density symbology, which means that it can only encode a limited amount of data. This makes it unsuitable for applications where large amounts of data need to be encoded, such as in supply chain management and product tracking. Additionally, Codabar does not have a check digit, which means that the data encoded in the barcode is not validated for accuracy. This can result in incorrect data being recorded, and it can also lead to errors in the scanning process.
In conclusion, Codabar is a linear barcode symbology that was developed in 1972 by Pitney Bowes Corp. It is a self-checking symbology that is used to encode numerical data and has been widely used in various industries due to its high readability and ease of use. Despite its popularity, Codabar has some limitations, including its low-density encoding and the lack of a check digit. Despite these limitations, Codabar remains a popular choice for applications where barcode scanning is performed frequently, and it continues to be widely used today.
Codabar Barcode Type Features
- Oldest symbology, also known as USD-4, NW 7, and Code 2 of 7.
- A discrete, self-checking, numeric only code.
- Supported characters: the digits 0 up to 9; the characters - $: / . +; start/stop characters are A, B, C or D.
- Allows the encoding of strings of up to 16 digits, 10 numeric digits (0 through 9) and 6 special non alpha characters (-, $, :, /, ., +).
- One of A, B, C, or D are guard patterns, they must be included at the beginning or ending of a string.
- Using start/stop characters gives additional coding ability due to the variable character combinations possible.
- Commonly used by blood banks, libraries, photo labs, and the air parcel business.
How can the barKoder SDK help with your Codabar scanning requirements
The barKoder barcode scanner SDK can empower any enterprise or consumer mobile or desktop app with state-of-the-art barcode scanning functionality with very little integration efforts.
Download the free trial SDK, evaluate barKoder via its Barcode Scanner demo app, explore our documentation hub, blog posts and more.
