Ask a Question

Post a question, I’ll find the answer. Make comments, or even feel free to answer someone elses question. Let’s start a discussion! If you don’t want to share your question, feel free to contact me at melina.mclean@barcode.com

179 Responses to “Ask a Question”

Barbara Lopez says:

June 5, 2008 at 9:57 am

We are looking for a new barcode program that will keep a history of the data that we type in.We are a small company and get shipments of the same merchandise. also we purchased some dragon software thyat is a voice activated software since we are slow typists.What can you recommend?

ANSWER:
I’m not sure what kind of software program you’re currently using, but a keyboard wedge might be all you need to update your system. A keyboard wedge allows a non-keyboard device, such as a barcode scanner, to plug into your computer and send data as though it were typed in on the keyboard. This means you could simply use a barcode scanner to send your data quickly to a program such as Excel, or any other data-entry software. As far as the Dragon software, doesn’t it support Microsoft Windows applications? That means a keyboard wedge could be used with any software that is compatible with your Dragon software. I hope this answers your question, if you need anymore assistance, you can contact a systems integrator such as Barcoding Inc.
Kendra Empey says:

June 5, 2008 at 3:16 pm

I’m wondering how far you can reduce an ITF-SCC barcode and still have it read well.

1″ wide? 2″ wide?

ANSWER:
The print size actually depends on several factors and there isn’t really a universal answer. The biggest factors are the type of barcode printer you’re using and the type of scanner. If you use a printer with a high DPI (dots per inch) you can make the barcode smaller. Most barcode printers print at 203 DPI, but some printers are capable of 300 or 600 DPI, which allows you to print a smaller barcode with the same high quality. The same is true with the barcode scanner, the higher the quality, the smaller the barcode can be. You also need to take into consideration the environment the barcode will be scanned in as well as the material it is printed on. Your best bet is to use a high quality barcode printer(Intermec has several) and use a high quality barcode scanner(again, Intermec has several) as well, this should allow you to create a smaller barcode with good scanning quality. If you need help finding the right printer or scanner, let me know and I would be glad to get you some help.
Omar says:

June 8, 2008 at 6:18 pm

how do i obtain a barcode for music

ANSWER:
You can find more information about obtaining a barcode for your music on the tab “Acquire a UPC” on the homepage of barcode.com. If you need a barcode for an independent CD you’ll need to obtain a unique prefix from the Uniform Code Council (the link is provided in the Acquire a UPC tab). If you’re not going to be making tons of different CDs than you might not need your own unique prefix, so places like CD Baby can provide cheap barcodes (about $20). If you need more information about the hardware and software to print your barcodes check out some of my posts, or contact me at ehodges@barcode.com.
Muhammad Rafi Qureshi says:

June 9, 2008 at 2:52 am

Sir, we are small firm and looking to generate PDF417 barcode on our employees id card. Please advise us what we do.

ANSWER:
The software I featured in my Printing Barcodes post, BarTender, supports PDF417 barcodes. I provided a link for a free download, so you should check out the software and see if it’s what you need for your business. BarTender supports any printer with a Windows driver, so you’d have a variety of printing method choices.
Muhammad Rafi Qureshi says:

June 12, 2008 at 1:19 am

As per your advise i checked BarTender but i face some problem as per my requirement. Can i download PDF417 barcodes fonts from some where? can this PDF417 font support VFP 6.0? Sir, i am a student of Visual Foxpro 6.0 programming and want to use PDF417 barcode font in my own software? is it possible? if so, please advise me?

ANSWER:
I would check out http://www.bizfonts.com/pdf417/ or http://www.bizfonts.com/. They may have what you’re looking for and they even offer a free demo as well.
MAX CALVO says:

June 13, 2008 at 11:58 am

we are small co. and we looking to generate our own barcode sticker what do you recomende weare paw shop only gold
we use small plastic bags
thank you

ANSWER:
I’m not sure how small your plastic bags are, but you should be able to print a standard UPC-A barcode on stickers that you can then place on the bags. Companies such as Buy a Barcode, http://www.buyabarcode.com can sell you a unique UPC number and then you can print your own. My post Printing Barcodes has a free download of BarTender label software, that should help you out as well.
George says:

June 20, 2008 at 12:24 pm

How do I identify the format of a barcode? I’m trying to program a scanner to read a DHL tracking number barcode and send it to my application correctly.

ANSWER:
In order to identify the format of a barcode, you’ll need a barcode verifier. Much like a barcode scanner, a barcode verifier scans a barcode, decodes the data and reports the encoded data, but a verifier is also capable of analyzing print quality and data formats for published industry specifications. Honeywell Hand Held Products has several available that are part of their Quick Check line and I know that Printronix has at least one. If you need any additional information you can contact Barcoding Inc. and they can provide you with more details on either Honeywell Hand Held or Printronix at http://www.barcoding.com.
Patrick says:

June 23, 2008 at 6:47 am

Can barcodes be printed in anything other than black? Say dark blue on white?

ANSWER:
While it is recommended that barcodes be printed black on white, at times other colors may be used. Black and white barcodes have the greatest contrast, therefore they let you obtain the highest quality read rates. Dark blue would most likely be ok, however printing red, pink, or other colors may interfere with the scanners ability to read the barcode. My suggestion would be to test out the blue and white barcode with the scanner that you plan to use, if the scan rates that you receive from these barcodes are acceptable for you, than feel free to use the blue and white barcode. However, if you plan on having others outside of your organization read your barcodes I would suggest sticking to the black and white standard as they may use different scanning devices that will be affected by different colored barcodes.
antonella grimaldi says:

June 23, 2008 at 1:15 pm

our law firm is experiencing a lot of delay on setting hearings due to missing files. we have about 5k file folders and over 40 employees who touches all the files during a certain period of time. We need to barcode those files together with each office to enable to locate those files.

ANSWER:
I know of several different options to help solve your problem of locating files. One is a Check In/Check Out system (which I’ll be writing a post about in the next few days) where users will log-in and then scan out any files they are taking. This will let you know what files are with what lawyer. Another, more comprehensive system would involve RFID Technology that would allow you to see the location of files throughout your office that are in the filing system, this would help to find misplaced files as long as they are in the filing cabinet/shelf.

If you would like me to have someone get in touch with you that can provide you with more information on each system, as well as pricing information please let me know, you can email me at ehodges@barcode.com. I’ll just need a little bit of information from you including your:

Name:

Company:

Phone Number:

Address:

Thanks!
Emily Anne Owens says:

June 23, 2008 at 10:19 pm

Why is it that in Microsoft Word, when you print a barcode for an envelope, it prints on the top of a delivery address, not the bottom like on standard mail?

ANSWER:
I’m not exactly sure why Word is set up this way, but it is the only placement area that they offer, and there are no options to change this. You may want to contact Microsoft for further information on this.
david howard says:

June 30, 2008 at 11:58 am

We have a barcode on the last CD that we produced from London UK. How can check so we can use the same barcode here in the USA as well?

ANSWER:
Since your album was made in the UK, it probably has a 13-digit EAN barcode. This type of barcode can be used worldwide, so if that is the type of barcode you have on your CD you don’t have to change anything.
Mike says:

June 30, 2008 at 2:01 pm

What is EPSMA Bar Code? What’s required in creating EPSMA Bar Code?

Thanking you in advance.

Mike

ANSWER:
Sorry, I’m not familiar with EPSMA, all I could find was this description, which is a translation. “The EPSMA, the European industry association of manufacturers of adhesive products, in cooperation with the German Roller printer Association and the European EUGRA including guidelines for the single award from Schmalrollen prepared, both for the uniform labelling of roles, as well as for marking the pallets.” If you’d like me to send your question along to someone that might be able to help you more than I did, please email me at ehodges@barcode.com with your contact information. Thanks.
Aamir Kabir says:

July 1, 2008 at 6:57 am

We, being a stationery item manufacturer print barcode on our product(s) made of Polypropylene through screen printing and hot foil printing. For one of our black colour fine liner pen we intend to print (product name and barcode) with silver or golden colour. The problem is that our scanner is not reading barcode in silver and golden colour printed through screen printing or hot stamping foil. Do you think that silver or golden colour barcode on black background should be problematic? Further do you know any web site link from where we can know maximum knowledge about barcode readability, printing (screen and hot stamp), back ground colours etc

ANSWER:
Thanks for your question, it sounds like your choice of silver and gold on a black background is going to be problematic for you. If you’re having problems when you test this combination, then it probably wouldn’t be advisable to continue with these colors, you don’t want to send product outside of your organization that won’t scan. If you’re going to be using different color combinations other than black on white, the best rule of thumb is to stick to warm colors of the spectrum for the background (red, orange, yellow) and cool colors of the spectrum (blue, green, violet) for the bars of the symbol. But if a color combination isn’t working when you test it with your own barcode scanners, it’s always safer to stick to the tried and true.
Sharyn Wagner says:

July 1, 2008 at 2:59 pm

We need a barcode label for inventory of desks, computers, etc that will stick to the back or side of them I have been advised to get BC-30 01262655. Is there any way I can get a picture of this through email so I can show it to the person who is ordering the labels?

Thank you

ANSWER:
Thanks for the question. There are thousands, if not more, part numbers for barcode labels out there. I’ve tried to do a little research and wasn’t able to find BC-30 01262655 out there, it’s possible that this is a proprietary part number. Try looking for “Fixed Assets Label.” When you go to order these labels you’ll want to make sure that they are either tamper proof, or tamper evident so that you clearly see if someone has tried to remove them.

As far as getting a picture, your best bet would be to ask the person that advised you of that label for a picture of it. If you need further help in picking out the right labels let me know and I’ll be glad to have a reputable company give you a call.
Ann says:

July 2, 2008 at 1:36 am

Can a specific/fix barcode be used multiple times in order to help track the movement of one particular product?
Thanks

ANSWER:
Yes, barcodes are used multiple times on the same product to track movement. One example of this, is Work in Process (WIP). Using barcodes allows you to track and trace different parts and ensures you’ve got inventory on hand for order fulfillment. By tracking particular products you’re able to know if you have the right parts on-hand and where they’re located. Just like a UPC on a 2 liter of Pepsi will always have the exact same UPC, one that corresponds with the data in your system, you can track your WIP with the same barcode multiple times.
Ryan S. says:

July 3, 2008 at 5:37 pm

I am looking for a some software that can generate multiple EAN-8 barcodes at once given a text file of numbers. Instead of one-by-one like most barcode software.
Optimally we need something to generate something like 200 unique barcodes spaced less then 1/4 of an inch apart vertically on a sheet of paper.
Does such a thing exist? Where would I look?
Setting each one by hand takes forever!

ANSWER:
Thanks for the question, I’m not exactly sure how to go about doing this, but I’m going to refer you to someone who can help you out. I’ll be sending you an email shortly.
Roger M says:

July 9, 2008 at 10:18 pm

I am involved in a small start-up company who intends to sell product through the specialty retail channel. We need to barcode our products (which number 12 at present but will grow in the future). Spending $750 for a unique ID through GS1 seems a bit excessive. So my question is: is there any reason NOT to purchase a barcodes from a “barcode reseller”…ie using their prefix for our products??

Sorry if this question has been asked in the past!

ANSWER:
While I’m not going to recommend going with a barcode reseller or purchasing your own unique ID with GS1, I want to give you some things to think about and understand before making your final decision.

When you purchase your barcode through a reseller, you will not “own” your own unique ID number, so there is no way to ensure that the pre-fix will not be resold again to another company. This could potentially create havoc with the same number identifying different products or different companies. The retail industry has taken a greater interest in this issue and many retail outlets now want to know that the unique ID prefix is “Owned” by a particular supplier. This continues to be a gray area and will often vary from retailer to retailer, some will have very strict policies on this, while others many not have any.

Many retails are asking their suppliers to provide a copy of the GS1-US certificate, as well as asking their small and medium size vendors to support Data Synchronization in an effort to register all of their products’ barcodes to ensure they stay up to date. In order to do this, you need to have a global location number, which is part of the benefits you receive when you become part of the GS1-US.

The fact that you have 12 products, with plans to grow, will require that you purchase at least 12 numbers (a re-seller will not just give you the prefix, you will need 12 separate numbers), and if you need more in the future, you may not be able to obtain the same prefix.

One last thing you’ll want to consider is that if your reseller goes out of business, you have no real way of proving ownership of your “unique” barcode ID.

These are some of the main factors you really need to consider when contemplating going with a barcode reseller versus registering yourself.

Hope this information helps!
Tim says:

July 10, 2008 at 2:47 pm

Nikon steppers for photolithography can print 2D barcodes on LCD panels. How can these 2D codes be read?

ANSWER:
That’s a good question. Obviously you will need to use a 2D reader, but as for the exact one you might have to do a bit more research. You’ll need to go with an imager as using a laser scanner would mostly not work as the laser would reflect off of the LCD panel. You can check out the Intermec SR61 or SR61ex for a handheld imager, that might work for what you need. Your best bet would be to test out a few different imagers to make sure that it works with your application. An Integrator would be able to help secure a demo for you of this product or others that might work for you, you can try giving Barcoding Inc. a call and they can help, just let them know I sent you there – 888.860.7226. I hope this helps, thanks again.
Jason A. Corder says:

July 10, 2008 at 3:54 pm

Ever worked with reading barcodes that are laser marked on metal tags? Trying to do this but having difficulties, might be to reflective or not enough contrast, not really sure.

ANSWER:
Thanks for your question. I myself have never worked with reading barcodes that are laser marked, but I know that sometimes getting good reads can be difficult. Lighting, contrast, positioning of the scanner and the scanner you’re using all make a big difference. If you’re having trouble with your existing barcode scanner you may want to look into purchasing a DPM-enabled scanner. These scanners are capable of reading traditional barcodes as well as chemical etching, dot peening, laser etching, molding and casting methods. I know that Motorola has an extensive line of Direct Part Mark (DPM) scanners that are built to work for these types of scans. Hope this helps!
Roger M says:

July 10, 2008 at 4:23 pm

Great information…exactly the type of issues I was worried about. Thanks for helping clarify!

…Roger
Jeanne says:

July 11, 2008 at 3:10 pm

I have a customer inquiring about using C-128. We currently use UPC-A & Code 39. What does a subset B mean in the world of C-128? And is there anyway to incorporate using either one of our current barcodes to that of C-128 subset B?

ANSWER:
Code 128 actually has three subets, A, B and C. The difference between the subsets is just the character set that they can encode. Subset B is capable of standard ASCII symbols, digits and upper and lowercase letters. Code 128 is often selected over code 39 in new applications because of its density and larger selection of characters. You may want to look into code 128 because it is very similar to code 39 which you currenlty use.
Shawn Fiola says:

July 11, 2008 at 3:55 pm

I am looking for a recomendation on any device that I can scan barcodes and download into a basic pc with XP. Nothing complicated. Just read and put into a exel file. Is there something like that out there? Thanks for any help.

ANSWER:
There are many inexpensive general purpose barcode scanners that could work for your application. I recommend you look at the Intermec ScanPlus 1800 or Symbol’s LS1203. You can find more information about both of these scanners at Barcoding Inc, http://www.barcoding.com.
Kenyon Schatz says:

July 11, 2008 at 4:43 pm

Where can one get data pertaining to the accuracy of barcode scanning?

ANSWER:
Thanks for the question. This link provides information about the accuracy and data integrity of barcode scanning compared to keyboard entry:
http://www.barcoding.com/information/learn_about_barcodes.shtml
and here’s another link to a Zebra white paper that also has good information about barcode scanning and accuracy: Barcoding 101
I hope this helps!
David Barkley says:

July 11, 2008 at 5:04 pm

I am having a few issues with UCC128 barcodes. It seems that every now and then the entire barcode is not read, only a portion of it. How can this be prevented from happening? I am new to barcodes but from what I read error checking is automatic on this format.

Dave

ANSWER:
Without knowing all of the particulars, it could be a number of different things. Maybe a faulty element on the printhead (this could cause just one spot to print incorrectly), possibly a ribbon wrinkle or bad media. Having a bad printhead element can be pretty common. If you’ve been using your printer for awhile and haven’t changed the printhead, this could be the problem.

As far as preventing this from happening, investing in a barcode quality verification system might be a good idea. Depending on how valuable this barcode is to your operations, you could benefit from a verification system that ensures maximum reliability for all of your barcodes. Barcoding Inc. http://www.barcoding.com can help you out with this system and even calcualte your ROI to show you how much money a system such as this will save you each year.
Mark Rubin says:

July 13, 2008 at 12:21 pm

I have a large Access data base of clients and since I see them weekly, would like to have them hold a card with their personal barcode, so I can scan the code, and their personal file will come up on the screen. I have no idea what type of barcode system and reader I need. Can you point me in the right direction. Thank you Mark Rubin

ANSWER:
If you contact Barcoding Inc. they can set you up with a barcode system and reader that would be perfect for your application, just let them know I sent you-1.888.860.7226. A systems integrator will be able to help point you in the right direction.
Mark vandermade says:

July 13, 2008 at 9:38 pm

Hi, I am looking for a barcoding system for a client who has a jewellery shop.They need a system that produces ideally very small barcodes or ID tages if you will that will attach to rings,bracelets etc but wont detract from the product but still provide the same info that normal barcoding does.
Thanks in advance.Cheers Mark

ANSWER:
Thanks for your question Mark. I think you should talk to a systems integrator to help you decide what kind of barcoding system would get the best results for your client. They can help you determine what type of printer, media, symbology, hardware etc. that your client can use that won’t detract from the product. Barcoding Inc. has a wide variety of hardware and software so they can point you in the right direction. You can contact a systems integrator at 1.888.860.7226- just let them know I sent you.
Alvaro Munoz says:

July 14, 2008 at 5:18 pm

Hi, we are looking for a barcode system with IP address scanners. We want to use them in a parking lot. What other solutions do you know for those purposes? Thanks for your support.

ANSWER:
It sounds like you’ll need some wireless scanners with wireless network capabilities. I recommend you contact Barcoding Inc. http://www.barcoding.com They can give you some suggestions and a quote for a system that would meet your needs. You can give them a call at 1.888.860.7226- I’m sure they can help you. Thanks for the question!
Kathy S says:

July 16, 2008 at 3:46 pm

I have an AS/400 client who uses regular RPG code to generate barcode labels. They need to generate these 24 x 7 and there are periods of time when the AS/400 is down for planned outages. Do you know of a PC based product that we can utilize when the 400 is off-line to PRINT but then upload those transactions back to the 400 when it is live again? Thanks

ANSWER:
Thanks for your question Kathy. I spoke with someone at Barcoding Inc. and they said that they would be able to help you. You might need a terminal emulation application, they’ll be able to figure out what would be best. You can contact a systems integrator at 1.888.860.7226- just let them know I sent you.
Pat says:

July 17, 2008 at 10:13 pm

I have a small new company that manufactures products that are sold in retail stores an am quite new at the barcode world. Can the barcodes be printed directly on my labels which are a very dark green ink printed on a gold label. I don’t want to have to spend more money on printing barcodes for 9 products, and have to stick them on.
Thanks

ANSWER:
If you’re printing the bars of the UPC in dark green that shouldn’t be a problem. I’m not so sure about the gold background though. I know that green bars on yellow is supposed to be enough contrast, but I’m not sure what shade of gold your label is or how shiny it may be. You’ll definitely want to test any color combination to be sure it scans. Since you’re products are sold in retail stores you’ll want to be very confident that your UPC will scan. Another option is to include a white box on your gold label for the UPC to be printed in. You could still use the dark green for the bars of the symbol, but you wouldn’t have to worry about the gold background. Many products have their labels designed this way and it will ensure that your products UPC will scan in all the retail stores it’s sold in. I’ll send along a picture of a product with a UPC printed this way as an example. I hope this helps. Thanks for the question!
Ashutosh Singh says:

July 18, 2008 at 4:36 pm

I am doing a premilinary study to label all the stocks in our warehouses. I have a couple of questions.
1. I want three pieces of information on one barcode a). Stock code b). Manufacturer’s part number c). Location. Can all this be printed on one label (barcodes and readable information). If yes, what is the right code for this purpose.

2. I want the purchase orders to be transferred from ERP to hand held scanners, receive the stocks and later print the lables. What softwares do I need for this.

ANSWER:
Thanks for your questions. I think you could use either 128 or Code 39 barcodes. Both of these barcodes can encode letters and numbers and can be as long or short as you need them to be. This should provide enough space for the information you want encoded. As far as your second question, you will probably need to speak to a systems integrator. They can help you determine what kind of package will meet your requirements, or if you will need something custom. There are many types of software packages for warehouse management systems that I’m sure could help you. If you would like me to have someone get in touch with you that can get a better idea of your requirements and make a recommendation, you can email me at ehodges@barcode.com. I’ll just need a little more information from you, including: Name, Phone, Company, Address. I hope this helps!
Dave Winer says:

July 22, 2008 at 4:03 pm

I need to design in a barcode reader capable of reading up to 20 characters with 5 mil spacing of a code 128 format. How do I determine what physical size the label needs to be (can be) to accommodate this information? Does a spacing spec also dictate how wide each bar can be and how tall the bars are?

ANSWER:
Thanks for your question David. I’m going to email you shortly to refer you to someone that can answer these questions for you (better than I can).
TERRANCE JOHNSON says:

July 27, 2008 at 2:05 am

The company who manufatured my CD’s provided me with a free barcode. do I need to register the barcode or anything else?

ANSWER:
No, the UPC should be all set to go. They’re probably reselling barcodes, so you haven’t been assigned a unique prefix, but the UPC is yours. When someone buys your CD, the UPC will show up as your CD etc. I would possibly check with the manufacturer of your CD if you have more questions, but I know this is how CD Baby works. Thanks for the question.
karen says:

August 4, 2008 at 9:06 am

We are a small greeting card company based in Canada and are looking into placing barcodes on all of our designs. We wish to use one barcode that can be recognizable worldwide as we export our cards. Is this possible.

ANSWER:
Thanks for your question. EAN-13 is used worldwide for marking retail goods. As of January 2005, all retail scanning systems in the U.S. now accept EAN-13 as well as the UPC. This goes for Canada as well. Before this, manufacturers used to print both UPC and EAN barcodes on products exported. This change means the EAN-13 should be perfect for your greeting cards and will only require one barcode. If you need help finding barcode generating software or anything else please let me know.
Frank says:

August 4, 2008 at 2:47 pm

We have problems with reading EAN13 beginning with 00 (double zero). Scanner gives us every time back an UPC code with just one zero at the beginning. Is EAN13 not working with double zero at the beginning?

ANSWER:
Thanks for your question. I’ve done some research and you’ve definitely got me stumped. The ‘00′ should be valid since it is the assigned Number System for the U.S and Canada. In fact, an EAN-13 symbol is really just a UPC-A symbol with the first number system digit set to 0. So the UPC-A code 012345678912 for example would be 0012345678912 when expressed as an EAN-13 symbol. I’m going to pass this question along to see if I can get you a better answer for your problem. I hope this helps for now, but I’ll contact you soon.
Matt S says:

August 4, 2008 at 5:32 pm

hi, we have a call centers all over the world and currently each location has its own methods of tracking assets. We need some way to track and consolidate our inventory to a centralized system. i am thinking a standardized bar code system is necessary. would you agree? do you have any recommendations on what kind of system would be right for this?

ANSWER:
There are several good Fixed Assets packages available from companies such as IntelliTrack, RedBeam, SeeControl and epcSolutions. It’s likely that at least one of these products will meet your requirements and fit your budget. If not, then a custom solution could be your best option. An experienced systems integrator such as Barcoding Inc. can help you with this critical decision as well as provide implementation, support and training. Please contact me at ehodges@barcode.com if you’d like me to pass along your contact information to someone who can help. Thanks!
Bill D says:

August 5, 2008 at 3:10 pm

Is there a good way for barcodes to be read from a fax machine? With this said, is there a preferred barcode type that would do this well?

ANSWER:
The recommended choice for barcodes sent with a fax machine is the Data Matrix barcode. This 2D high-density symbology is known for withstanding many poor resolution and scanning problems. This may be exactly what you’re looking for. I hope this helps!
Patrick says:

August 7, 2008 at 9:03 am

We are a manufactoring company that manufacters large machines.We are looking at bar coding inventory items as well as tracking jobs on the floor.We are looking at hand held wireless barcode scanner and we were wondering about the differences in 1d,2d and ccd. They will be used inside as well as outside the plant.Also how do i know how far away they will scan.

ANSWER:
Those are some good questions. First, to answer the difference between 1D, 2D, and CCD scanners, you’ll want to go with a 2D scanner most likely. CCD scanners are for close contact scanning, so if you try to scan a barcode more than 2 or 3 inches away a CCD scanner won’t work for you. I would suggest going with a 2D scanner for the simple fact that they can also scan 1D barcodes. Most scanners on the market come with imaging technology, which will allow you to scan 1D and 2D barcodes, as well as take pictures. For the most part, you aren’t losing any quality or speed in your scans, in fact, imaging can provide better results than laser scanners in most instances.

As for how far the scanner will read, that all depends upon the scan engines you have in your device as well as the radio that you have. I would suggest talking with a Systems Integrator in order to find the best scanners/mobile computers for your applications. If you are working in an indoor/outdoor environment you will also have to take a look at the screen to ensure that you can read it in both environments. If you send me your contact information I can have someone follow-up with you to answer your questions in greater detail and help you find the right devices for your environment.
Ann says:

August 14, 2008 at 10:27 pm

We are looking for a color label we can use with our barcoder that will
withstand -80 degrees centigrade.
Do you know of any that can handle that temperature?

ANSWER:
Hi Ann, thanks for your question. These type of labels do exist. I can have someone contact you to help you determine what the right label is for your application, but I’ll need more contact information (company, phone, address, etc.) I’ve tried to contact you via email, but your address keeps coming back as undeliverable. Please contact me at ehodges@barcode.com so I can have someone get in touch with you.
Akash says:

August 18, 2008 at 11:49 pm

would a photocopy of a barcode scan??? just curious?

ANSWER:
As long as you use a photocopy machine that prints with enough contrast and a good barcode scanner it’s not a problem. I’ve done this at work with in-store coupons and they’ve scanned fine.
Bob K says:

August 20, 2008 at 2:46 pm

My company is looking for a barcode scanner and software system that can read Code EAN.UCC 128. We are looking to feed information such as PO, Product ID, Lot #, Container #, Lbs, and Expiration date. I also wanted to minimize the number of scans, so I was considering using a concatenated barcodes. Any recommendations would be much appreciated.

ANSWER:
You have numerous options for barcode scanners and software packages that support EAN/UCC 128. You’re best bet would be to speak with a systems integrator to make sure you select the right software and device for your application. If you’d like to send me more contact info (company, phone, address) I can have someone from Barcoding Inc. contact you to help you find the perfect solution.
H. Y. says:

August 21, 2008 at 12:46 pm

I have a Datamatrix 2D barcode system that contains 6 pieces of information per barcode. When scanned directly into Access database, all 6 pieces of information (40 alpha-numeric characters long) appears as one single data entry. Any thoughts on how to go about breaking up the information contained in the barcodes? (I need to process around 500 barcodes a day; using MS Import Wizard is not really an option.)

ANSWER:
Thanks for the question. Your Access database can be built so that it takes in the information and has intelligence to break it up and put it into the proper fields. Having your information go where you want is determined by the software, so you’ll have to have your Access Database designed to handle the data and put the right information into the proper fields. If you have programmers at your location they should be able to do that, if not, I know of some that will be able to help you out.
Caron Wills says:

August 21, 2008 at 10:14 pm

We’ve just gotten some Argox 8310’s and 8312’s to supplement our Symbol scanners. How can we configure the Argoxes to send TAB after each scan?

Thanks!

ANSWER:
That can be set up by simply programming the scanners. You should check with the company you purchased the scanners from. They should be able to help you with this simple programming.
Brian Hicks says:

August 27, 2008 at 3:46 am

Hi there,

We’re a company based in the UK and we want to generate a barcode that can be read by most, if not all, retailers here in the UK, or even better Europe. Is there an instrustry standard for Europe as there is for America and Canada?

Thanks

ANSWER:
Thanks for your question. The standard barcode that is used throughout Europe is the EAN-13 (European Article Number). Since 2005, all retail scanning systems in the U.S. and Canada must also be capable of reading EAN-13 barcodes. This eliminates the need for multiple barcodes on products sold internationally. I hope this helps!
Alex says:

September 3, 2008 at 1:10 pm

We are a rapidly growing company and recently we have decided to use barcoding on on our boxes to increase import and export efficiency. We will be using the UPC-A style barcode but we will also like to barcode our case packs. Does the barcode has to be different that when scanned it specifies that the carton is a master or a case pack? If so what type of barcode will it be?

ANSWER:
You can barcode your case packs with a SCC-14 barcode. This symbology is used for fixed content shipping containers. You can calculate an SCC-14 barcode from your UPC-A number. You can Google SCC-14 and find more information on creating the barcode. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you need any help finding software to create your barcodes. Thanks!
David says:

September 4, 2008 at 12:20 am

Hello,
We are looking at using barcode technology to track customer applications for our products.
Those applications are first either faxed or scanned with vary various dpi quality.
Would you recommend any specific barcode technology and/or a minimum dpi quality for a successful use of barcodes ?
Thank you in advance for your help.

Kind Regards

ANSWER:
Thanks for your question. It would be very hard for me to make a recommendation without specific information about your application. I think it would be best for you to speak with a system integrator. They’ll be able to give you a recommendation based on exactly what your application requires. If you’d like to provide me with more contact info (phone, address, etc.) I can have someone get in touch with you. Thanks!
Angus says:

September 4, 2008 at 1:51 pm

I am looking to have gift cards printed with random, non-sequential UPC-A barcodes. I need to supply the printer with 5,000 random UPC-A numbers and they can then generate the actual barcode. How do I go about generating 5,000 random UPC-A numbers that I can send to them in an Excel file?
Leo Figueroa says:

September 4, 2008 at 4:59 pm

We concatenated 2 pieces of data (material and lot number) in a single barcode, but the scanner reads also the default prefix of each piece of data, this doesn’t happen when we print 2 separate barcodes… any idea what the problem is?

ANSWER:
Thanks for your question. You’ve stumped me. If you’d like I can have someone contact you to help you out with this, you’d probably be able to better explain the problem over the phone. I’ll just need more contact info. Thanks again!
cesar says:

September 8, 2008 at 7:04 pm

is barcode 3 of 9 the same as code 39?

ANSWER:
Yes, 3 of 9 is also known as code 39. Thanks for your question!
Olefile says:

September 11, 2008 at 6:12 am

I have a bussiness which supplies eggs in Botswana and i would like to have a barcode on my products as this limit my market,could you please help me with an idea on how to get everything in place,ie of how to get the barcode machine,where,how it works etc?

ANSWER:
Thanks for your question. Your best bet is to talk to a systems integrator so they can help you determine what hardware and software is best for your application. They will also offer you support with the products as well. If you’d like to provide me with more contact info I can have someone get in touch with you.
JMack says:

September 11, 2008 at 7:40 pm

Hello!
Great site!

I would like to scan UPS tracking numbers into a MS-Excel spreadsheet to create a record of packages received. That part is easy!

My question is how do I output (print) the UPS tracking both alphanumerically and as a scannable barcode? Do you have suggestions as to what barcode to use and where to get it?

Appreciate your help!

ANSWER:
Thanks for the question. Since you’ll need an alphanumeric barcode you might want to go with code 128. This is a very popular symbology and is used all the time, so it’s standard on barcode label software. You can try out the barcode generator from Barcoding Inc. that is on this site and see if this will work out for you. If you need help finding software to print your labels please contact me and I can help you out.