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TransBar 5 Codes 128

Code-barres Code 128
Code-barres GS1 128 / Ean 128

Fields of application

TransBar 5 Ean 13 & 8 allow to create barcodes for the following fields of application :

Storable characters

The Code 128 barcodes can store informations with any length, composed by :

In the particular case of the GS1 128 / Ean 128 standard, the barcodes store the overpacking’s reference or the overpacking’s products, otherwise called GTIN number or Ean 14. This number can be completed with other informations like the fabrication date, the sale deadline date, batch number, etc, all according to a specific syntax that will be verified by the transcription : the message to code have to be composed by a data ID with two characters, often represented between parentheses, followed by a data that, depending of the ID, may be composed of defined or indefinite number of digits or ASCII characters. The ID is significative of the content and the format of the message that follows. For example :

Several messages can be regrouped in a same GS1 128 / EAN 128 barcode, one after the other or divided on several barcodes assigned to the same overpack.

Consult the technical documentation TransBar GS1 128 / EAN 128 !

Consult the ID list of GS1 128 / EAN 128 !

Supported standards

The barcodes generated by TransBar 5 Codes 128 respond to the common standards and appellations :

as well as :

Supported sets :

In Code128, each subset of 3 bars present 3 differents significations depending of the current sete which can be variable in the barcode. Thereby, a same information can be represented by many barcodes with different graphics ; among them, the most interesting are those with the smallest number of bars and therefore the smallest width, but for this, they use several sets in a single barcode, which implies a complex transcription using to an optimization calculation. For simplicity, some specifications recommend the use of a single set, which TransBar 5 allows by the following choices :

in addition to : as well as :

Content validity verification, GS1 128 / Ean 128 standard

The information to be encoded can be entered in TransBar according to various syntaxes, for example the entries :

will all be accepted and will give the same result, while : will displayed an error because, (11) have to be followed by a date with the YYMMDD format, the 31st of February 2013 is not acceptable.

Graphic possibilities, Classic Code128

Except in the special case of the GS1 128 / Ean 128 standard, TransBar 5 Codes 128 generates barcodes with seven common heights :

Hauteurs Code 128
and in all sizes, within the limits of the standard, or even after a warning, beyond the limits of the standard :
Grandeurs Code 128

The barcodes are obtained without legend or are automatically provided with a legend (single-set transcription only) :

Légendes Code 128

In the "Set C only" or "optimized set" transcriptions, the barcode width can not be deduced from the number of characters alone, it also depends on their type and distribution. For example, 13 or 16 digits lead to identical widths, and 15 digits brings more width than 16...

Largeurs Code 128
Moreover, the coding in "set C only" of an odd number of digits causes a shift of the legend on the left; if this graphic feature is not accepted, we have to use a non-legendary barcode and associate a legend obtained by a second inscription in a traditional font, below examples :

Graphic possibilities, GS1 128 / EAN 128 standard

The GS1 128 / Ean 128 standard specifies a nominal barcode size and describes some common modification factors, both in height and width of the bars. The reference TransBar 5 Codes 128 proposes a barcode font prescribing a symbol of nominal size and allowing, by simple adjustment of the body, obtaining all factors of size between 65 and 120% :

GS1/Ean 128 taille 0,65
GS1/Ean 128 taille 1

It also offers five other non-resizable barcode fonts predefining the other common size factors: 25, 30, 40, 50 and 60% :

GS1/Ean 128 taille 0,25
GS1/Ean 128 taille 0,3
GS1/Ean 128 taille 0,4
GS1/Ean 128 taille 0,5
GS1/Ean 128 taille 0,6

In each of these sizes, according to the requirements of the standard, the height of the bars must be at least 20 mm, because these barcodes can be read from afar under the wrong conditions of a warehouse. However, for special applications, the GS1 128 / Ean 128 transcript can be used with traditional TransBar Code 128 non-legendary fonts, making it possible to obtain barcodes as small as necessary.

The Ean 128 barcode standard provides for each bar code to include a caption including parentheses and spaces; but these parentheses and spaces are not encoded in the bars and a font with automatic legend is therefore not conceivable. The legend must therefore be obtained by a second line under the bars of the bar code, for example in Helvetica or Arial :

GS1/Ean 128 taille 0,6

Transcription

Whatever the sets used, the transcriptions (expressions of information to be coded as text to be printed by a barcode font) are complex and no standard defines them. Those who doubt it will usefully ask the question: how to print a control character whose value is that of the character 'tabulation' or any other non-displayable character? Also, TransBar software should be used systematically. Example of transcription in "set C only" :

Transcription Code 128

Minimum system requirements for TransBar 5

The most recent version of TransBar 5 and its fonts have been tested with success on the following configurations :

with any software that supports text writing, copy and paste, text importation or CSV files, and offering the choice of the font and the font size for non-scalable printing ; a print where 72 DTP points (pica) are 25.4 mm in accordance with the current standard of DTP and professional printers.

The use of the "server" function is limited to software that can be programmed to implement it.

Any printers with a resolution of 300, 600, 900, 1200, 1800, 2400 dots per inch.

All printers of another resolution, as long as this resolution is known and in the layout software, the font size can be expressed as a fractional value (for example 42.37 points, without this input turning into 42 points), under penalty of:

Evaluation

Consult the evaluation manual step by step

Technical documentation

Consult :