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

174 Responses to “Ask a Question”

Brandy says:

September 16, 2008 at 4:05 pm

Hi!

I was wondering how I would go about creating a barcode in 3 of 9 that would simulate an “f10″ keypress.

Thanks for your help.

ANSWER:
I’m not sure about this one. I’ll send you an email shortly.
Richie says:

September 18, 2008 at 8:50 am

i am attempting to recreate the barcodes found on retailers “rewards” cards. They seem to be different from card to card. They do not seem to have the uniformity of UPC codes. Any thoughts?

Also: can a barcode be scanned from a screen?

ANSWER:
Believe it or not, I only have one reward card. A few years back the store I worked at introduced a loyalty card and the barcodes were all random numbers that were assigned to customers after they filled out their application. They just came in boxes of about 500 cards with random numbers. The one reward card I have has an 11-digit barcode.

As far as your second question, yes barcodes can be scanned from a screen, but you need a barcode imager rather than a barcode laser scanner.
MikeR says:

September 19, 2008 at 8:47 am

I am interested in using programmable scanners with data entry and a display. It appears that I have a couple of choices – display of a couple of lines or a ‘Windows-like’ display. If I can work with either, can you provide some guidance as to:
1. Whether they are easy to program.
2. Preferred language – especially for the 2-line display type.
3. Opinion of Symbol’s MCL Designer software.

Thanks

ANSWER:
Mobile computers with Windows Mobile are quite simple to use because the program is somewhat similar to desktop versions of Windows. In fact, WM provides mobile versions of the standard Microsoft Office Suite. Windows CE on the otherhand allows you to customize your platform and provides more flexibility. The choice for your operating system really depends on your application (or future applications) and what kind of features/flexibility you would like to have. I would recommend talking to a systems integrator. Once you provide them with specific details about your application and what you desire, they can make a better recommendation than I can.

As far as Symbol’s MCL Design Software, I’ve never used it, but I know it is considered simple to use because of the Windows interface and the drag and drop features. Yet again, this would be a good question to ask a systems integrator. If you’d like me to have someone contact you to help you with this decision I’ll just need more contact info. Thanks for the question, and good luck with everything!
Richie (Again) says:

September 24, 2008 at 4:29 pm

Another one, I have 2 barcodes that I can not identify using your barcode generator. How can I find out what format these barcodes are using?

ANSWER:
To identify the format of a barcode you need a barcode verifier. Much like a barcode scanner this will decode the data, but it is also capable of analyzing print quality and data formats for industry specifications. Quick Check is the Honeywell HandHeld line of barcode verifiers, if you’d like more information about their products I can have someone contact you. I hope this helps!
Victor says:

September 25, 2008 at 11:23 am

Is it possible that I make a UPC-A bar code jpg file by generator and send it to my cell phone then scan that picture as my grocery membership card?

ANSWER:
The barcode scanners at your local grocery store are most likely laser barcode scanners and in order to scan a barcode from your cell phone display you would need a barcode imager.
JASON MOORE says:

September 25, 2008 at 10:16 pm

CAN I GET A BARCODE FOR MY MUSIC? AND HOW DO I GET IT?

ANSWER:
You can get a barcode from a barcode reseller such as Buy a Barcode. CD Baby may be able to sell you a barcode as well, but I’m not sure if this is part of a packaged deal when they make your CD. I would check out their sites and see what they have to offer. I hope this helps!
John Ianni says:

September 26, 2008 at 11:05 am

Want to use bar code gun to run Excel macro. Macro – Cntl q
How can I print in bar code the Cntl key input. The scanner must read this as the same as pressing the cntl key on keyboard.
Lisa says:

October 2, 2008 at 4:55 am

Hi There,
I love this website. Learn a lot of knowledge from here.
One question, are there any big /famous expo. in the state that relate to scanner, auto id?

Thanks

ANSWER:
Thanks for the question. I try to write a post each Friday about upcoming events related to Auto ID. You should check out my past posts under the category ‘Upcoming Events’ and check the blog every Friday. You can also find listings for these kinds of events on manufacturer Websites. Intermec, Motorola, etc. all have event calendars that list events that they will be taking part in. I hope this helps!
Lisa says:

October 2, 2008 at 8:47 am

Thank you very much for the quick respond. The information help a lot.
Erik says:

October 3, 2008 at 3:49 am

I work for a teacompany in Rwanda. For export the tea we need a barcode. I know nothing about it, so what to do? can we print the barcode ourselfs on the boxes?

ANSWER:
You can read some of the posts throughout this blog to gain a basic knowledge of barcodes and for further information you can visit GS1 Global http://www.gs1.org/. I hope this helps, good luck with everything!
bob says:

October 6, 2008 at 4:57 am

if you have different packakings for the same product, do I need different barcodes?

ANSWER:
Thanks for the question. Yes, you need different barcodes for the same product even if you have different packaging. For example, if you have an 8 oz. size package and a 12 oz. size package of the same item you’ll need different barcodes. Hope this helps!
Ian Parham says:

October 6, 2008 at 10:54 am

Hello,

We are manufacturing a specific product in the East Africa region. We do intend to market that product here in the US. Do we need a specific barcode for that product by US standards or will the Kenyan standards suffice? If we use the barcode from the UCC here in the US, I assume I can then place that barcode on our product when manufactured in Kenya, correct?

Thanks.

ANSWER:
Thanks for the question. If you plan on marketing your product in the U.S. you’ll need to be sure that it meets the U.S. standards. If you go through GS1 Global you’re sure to have a barcode that will meet both the U.S. and Kenyan standards. In fact, GS1 has an office in South Africa. You can visit their site for more information http://www.gs1za.org/. Hope this helps!
Jay says:

October 7, 2008 at 11:58 am

Can I print a bar code on a green or pink tag?

ANSWER:
Thanks for your question. It depends on what shade of green or pink you plan on using. You need the black bars of the symbol to provide enough contrast for a good read. So for example, you wouldn’t want to use a dark green shade. You can read my Question of the Week about Barcodes and Color for more information http://www.barcode.com/2008/07/barcodes-and-color/
mariah says:

October 7, 2008 at 1:31 pm

I have a small company that rolls our own cigars. I am looking for a in house barcoding system for sales recording and inventory. since this is for inhouse and not national distrubiation do i need a gs1 barcode or can i create my own?

ANSWER:
Thanks for the question. You can create your own barcodes for in house use, no need to go through GS1. Many businesses use Code 128 for inventory purposes. You can also purchase software such as IntelliTrack’s inventory management software to make tracking and managing inventory even more simple. If you’d like more information about IntelliTrack software I can have someone contact you. I’ll just need some additional contact info and I can have someone give you a call.
Carl Safreed says:

October 9, 2008 at 9:37 am

Our customer has asked us to their part number on our label using “Code 128.” Our label design program, “Label Matrix” gives me 4 choices and I don’t know which to use: Code 128 Auto, A, B or C?

ANSWER:
The difference between the subsets are the characters that they can encode. You can read my post about Code 128 for more information about what each subset is capable of http://www.barcode.com/2008/08/a-closer-look-at-code-128/
Subset C also provides a more dense symbol, if size is a concern. I hope this helps, thanks for the question!
Ian Parham says:

October 9, 2008 at 1:37 pm

Thanks for your response. It was very helpful.
Jim Johnson says:

October 9, 2008 at 2:37 pm

Can a upc be a shape other than a rectangle and still be read?

ANSWER:
Thanks for your question. As a matter of fact, there is a Japanese firm that designs creative barcodes that aren’t the traditional rectangle. You can check out a gallery of images here…
http://www.barcoderevolution.com/gallery/index.php?c=all some of them are amazing!
Oscar Hernandez says:

October 14, 2008 at 12:10 pm

Does anyone know of a barcode label/adhesive that can withstand upto temperatures of 400 degrees F. I would like to use it on hot stamping plates.

ANSWER:
Thanks for your question, Barcoding Inc. offers many different types of labels, including heat resistant labels. I’m sure that they can help you find a barcode label that would be perfect for your application. You can contact them at 1.888.860.7226 or you can provide me with more contact information and I can have someone get in touch with you.
Jeff says:

October 20, 2008 at 9:51 pm

Hey,

I am new to understanding the barcode process. If standard U.S. barcodes are 11 digits in length, and the first digits are for a company prefix, does that limit the total number of different UPC’s for a company? As I see it there are only a certain number of possible combinations, or is there something I am not seeing? Thanks

ANSWER:
Thanks for your question. Yes that is right, one unique prefix can only create a limited number of UPC’s. One prefix can create 100,000 unique 12-digit UPC’s though, so it’s not too limited. Hope this helps!
David Linscott says:

October 21, 2008 at 2:38 pm

What type of coding is used on the top of AMD CPUs? I have heard that it is either a 2-d or 3-d “barcode”. I need to find out what type of code it is and what hand held scanners can read it directly. Thank you.

ANSWER:
Thanks for the question. The barcode chosen by AMD to prevent fraud is the 2D Data Matrix barcode. 2D symbologies like Data Matrix need to be read by 2D barcode scanners rather than linear barcode scanners. I can have someone recommend a 2D barcode scanner for you if you’d like, I’ll just need more contact info (phone, etc.) I hope this helps!
Ben says:

October 25, 2008 at 6:01 pm

A similar question to mine was asked, but my question wasn’t quite cleared up. As a publisher of books, I am interested in printing barcodes on colored paper — some possible colors include maroon and light blue. Will printing a black barcode on colored paper end up causing too much trouble for our retailers?

A follow-up question: Is it acceptable to affix a sticker with a barcode printed on it to a product, in lieu of printing the barcode on the product (in this case a paperback book)?

ANSWER:
Thanks for the questions. Whether or not you’ll have trouble scanning the barcodes always depends on what colors you plan on using. You need to have enough contrast between the black bars of the symbol and the background or it won’t be easily read. Maroon would probably be too dark and would cause problems, but light blue should read fine. If you decide to use different colors you also want to test out the combinations to see how well they scan. Yes, you can use a sticker to barcode a product. In fact, I’ve seen this done on books before. I hope this helps!
Joe says:

October 25, 2008 at 9:49 pm

can I find who the manufacturer of a product is through his bar code number?
If so..How can i do that?

ANSWER:
Thanks for the question. You can search for barcode information using GEPIR. This post I wrote explains some more about it and provides a link. http://www.barcode.com/2008/10/search-for-barcode-information-using-gepir/
This should help you out!
B. Russ says:

October 29, 2008 at 3:51 pm

I am looking for a sample micro QR barcode. Is there any website that will generate a micro QR barcode, or freeware software to generate the code (windows, linux or Mac!)

ANSWER:
Thanks for the question, the following link has an image of a micro QR Code compared to a normal QR Code http://www.denso-wave.com/qrcode/microqr-e.html. I was unable to find any free generators for the micro version though. I did find a site that offers a free trial download that supports micro QR Codes, so maybe this will work for you http://www.tec-it.com/en/news/Default.aspx#102440. Hope this helps!
Regina says:

October 30, 2008 at 12:47 pm

We want to set up a bar code tracking system with a Shareware Code 128 Excel Bar code Add-In.

I do not seem to grasp how a bar code reader will scan the bar code label and send it back to Excel. Do you about this?

Also, what are the options for cordless readers, that is to say, the Excel data will be upstairs on our desktop, but the scanned items will be downstairs. Is there a reader that can store data to later be plugged in via USB upstairs and dump the data into Excel?

ANSWER:
Thanks for your question. A keyboard wedge will translate any data you scan with your device into keyboard data. So in other words, it will appear as though you entered it in on the keyboard. This is how it will transfer the data to Excel.

There are many options when it comes to cordless barcode scanners. You can use one with Bluetooth capabilities that will wirelessly transmit your data to your computer, or you can use a portable batch scanner that allows you to store data in memory and upload later. If you’d like some help with this decision I can have someone contact you to make some recommendations. I’ll just need some more contact info (phone, etc.), good luck with everything!
Blue says:

October 31, 2008 at 1:44 pm

Are there any home solutions? Is it possible to get access to the barcode/product cross-reference list?

I would love to be able to scan our groceries when un-loading them. Then I would be able to cross-reference with recipes into dinner ideas. It would also keep me up on what the kids (5 of them) have finished. Almost everything with a barcode gets recycled these days so it would be easy to track on the way out.

I also have 300 CDs, 150 DVDs, 60 video games, and a couple of hundred books I would love to track. Who borrowed what, etc. Which books I already own (Dragonlance, Hercule Poirot, literary classic collection, etc.) so that when I am in a used book store I can quickly bring up the list on my Blackberry and make the purchase… or not!

Grocery stores track what gets bought. Why couldn’t they provide customers with electronic access to their purchases. The first question could be, “Would you like an e-slip?”, with a web-site and confirmation number printed out on the sales slip to allow a time-limited period for download.

I’ve got lots of ideas. Please shoot them down!

Thanks.
Blue

ANSWER:
Thanks for your questions and good ideas. You can use a barcode solution at home very easily. You can use a keyboard wedge to scan your personal items and keep track of them in a database. If you want to inventory your CD’s and DVD’s etc., you can use software by companies such as IntelliTrack (they even offer Lite Versions). You can also create a simple database in Excel for all your items.

The smart fridge concept is a refigerator that uses barcodes or RFID to alert customers when an item is running low. A barcode scanner on the fridge is used to scan items as they run low and the fridge creates a shopping list of these items. This list can then be sent automatically to the grocery store and your food will be delivered. The grocery store e-slip is a good idea. You could easily scan all of your purchases into your smart refigerator at once, or keep track of purchases in a home database.

Thanks again for your questions and comments!
jane says:

November 1, 2008 at 8:35 am

I am looking for software that will allow my clients who have scanned the bar codes for items they wish to purchase , to then be able to upload
the info direct to our online shopping cart once they sign into our website

Answer
Hi Jane, thank you for your post. Depending on your exact needs, there are many different software options for uploading information onto your online shopping cart. Please e-mail me at mmclean@barcode.com with your concerns and contact information and I will be sure to send it to someone who can provide you with a solution as soon as possible.
Ice says:

November 2, 2008 at 6:46 am

I am a student whose project requires me to create a barcode system. I created a fixed position scanner using photo-sensors and the scanner works fine. But in the decoding stage if the barcode is scanned at a fast pace the digital signal is different to that of a slow pace scan, so how can I scan a barcode at any speed? (note I cannot hold the barcode in one position)

Thanks for your help.

Answer
Hello and thank you for your question! Your project seems very interesting. One thing that you may consider doing is increasing the size of your scan area. Also, making an omni-directional scanner will greatly improve the speed at which the barcode is scanned. Omni-directional scanners are very similar to laser scanners, but they implement the use of mirrors and other reflective devices in order to transform the standard laser line into many, which allows the laser come from all different angles. In turn, this increases the area of the barcode that the laser can cover, allowing you to scan the barcode at a much faster speed than with traditional laser scanners. Goodluck with your project!
Nyein Nyein Pyae says:

November 4, 2008 at 3:21 am

WHAT IS BARCODE’S DEFINITION?

BARCODES OF COUNTRIES’S PRODUCT?

PLEASE,REPLY ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

WITH MANY HOPING.

Nyein

Answer
Nyein, thank you for your question. A barcode is an optical representation of data that can be read by machines such as scanners. At a basic level, barcodes are used to automate data collection and greatly improve the speed and efficiency at which it is done. Linear barcodes are represented through lines of varying widths, and are called 1D barcodes. 2D barcodes are represented through patterns, squares, dots and other geometric patterns and can hold more data than the standard 1D barcode. Within the realm of 1D and 2D barcodes, there are different symbologies, or languages that represent different characters which meet the needs of various industries. To learn more about the different types of symbologies, check out the June 3rd post on types of barcode symbologies.
Frank says:

November 11, 2008 at 2:20 pm

Thank you for having a website dedicated to barcodes. I am having a hard time navigating your site trying to find information on different symbologies. Can you please provide a “symbologies” link on your main page that will link to a page containing links to each symbology type? I would also like to see the specifications on each symbology type along with examples and how to manually decode them, thanks.

Answer
Hi Frank, I’m glad to know that you enjoy the site and will work on making it easier to find information. In the mean time, you can find information about some of the more popular symbologies here.

Also, you can find all the posts on barcode symbologies here.
Rohini says:

November 14, 2008 at 9:23 am

i need the information about the scanner, which is read the delelimited word. for example “*”+”A”+”$I”+”B”+”*”. the $I is delimited. but my barcode is read as single word like A$IB. how can i split the word. which type of barcode scanner is supporting.

Answer
First, make sure that you have properly programmed your scanner correctly. Then, consult the user manual. If the scanner is old, I recommend getting a newer one. Symbol has a great line of easily programmable scanners with clear and concise user manuals.
John Ianni says:

November 17, 2008 at 2:34 pm

Still want to read ctrl-q to run excell macro. Print barcode using full ascii 39 of $Q. Set ls4004i scanner to ‘Enable code 39 Full ASCII’ Scanner still reads $Q does not read ascii. Tried setting rule ‘SEND CONTROL Q’ , then every scan runs the excell ctrl-q macro. Even scanning numbers.

Answer
If you have already tried setting the rule and the scanner is still not functioning properly, I would recommend contacting the manufacturer directly, as there could be something wrong with the hardware.
Curtis R. Caldwell says:

November 24, 2008 at 3:34 pm

How do I get a list of manufactor barcodes by countries.

Answer
The numbering system of barcodes is maintained by the EAN organization. Each country has a number associated which is then assigned to a manufacturer code within its jurisdiction. Below is a list of the codes by country:

00 – 09 United States of America
10 – 19 Reserved for UCC (USA) joining EAN
20 – 29 For local use by retailers or distributors
30-37 France
400 – 440 Germany
45 Japan
46 Russian Federation
471 Taiwan
474 Estonia
475 Latvia
477 Lithuania
479 Sri Lanka
480 Philippines
481 Belarus
482 Ukraine
484 Moldova
485 Armenia
486 Georgia
487 Kazakhstan
489 Hong Kong
49 Japan
50 United Kingdom
520 Greece
528 Lebanon
529 Cyprus
531 Macedonia
535 Malta
539 Ireland
54 Belgium and Luxembourg
560 Portugal
569 Iceland
57 Denmark
590 Poland
594 Romania
599 Hungary
600 – 601 South Africa
609 Mauritius
611 Morocco
613 Algeria
619 Tunisia
622 Egypt
625 Jordan
626 Iran
64 Finland
690 – 692 China
70 Norway
729 Israel
73 Sweden
740 – 745 Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama
746 Republica Dominicana
750 Mexico
759 Venezuela
76 Switzerland
770 Colombia
773 Uruguay
775 Peru
777 Bolivia
779 Argentina
780 Chile
784 Paraguay
785 Peru
786 Ecuador
789 Brazil
80 – 83 Italy
84 Spain
850 Cuba
858 Slovokia
859 Czech
860 Yugoslavia
869 Turkey
87 Netherlands
880 South Korea
885 Thailand
888 Singapore
890 India
893 Vietnam
899 Indonesia
90 – 91 Austria
93 Australia
94 New Zealand
955 Malaysia
959 Papua New Guinea
977 Periodicals (ISSN)
978 Books (ISBN)
979 Music (ISMN)
980 Refund receipts
99 Coupons
Vijay says:

November 26, 2008 at 8:26 am

I read one of your responses which stated that a photocopy of a barcode can work. Does this mean using barcodes for access control is not a secure solution as employees may be able to copy their ID containing the barcode to gain access to restricted areas?

Answer
While photocopies of barcodes can work, non-photocopiable barcodes do exist. If you are thinking about getting new security badges from your company, I would suggest getting VeriMark or HolloMark cards, which you can get from Barcoding Inc. Or, if you want a high level of security, I would suggest using RFID technology.
no name says:

December 5, 2008 at 11:32 am

what is the type of barcode for student if the Id is form of 10 numbers only?
Chris says:

December 9, 2008 at 8:39 am

I am looking for a solution that allows me to gather a food items nutritional data via barcode. I know there is a product that allows you to scan bar codes into it and then later look online for nutritional info, but do you know of anything that is offline that allows me to do this?

Answer
Hi Chris,
Thanks for your question. As you know, solutions that allow you to scan barcodes and view the nutritional information online later already exist. I don’t know of an instant view solution… yet. I do know that when 2D (QR) barcodes are fully implemented in the US, nutritional information will be embedded in the barcode and you will be able to scan the code with your camera phone provided you download barcode reader software. In Japan, all McDonald’s food wrappers contain 2D barcodes and people are already instantly accessing nutrition content from their mobile phone. It’s only a matter of time before this sort of solution is implemented in the US. In the mean time, you may have to settle for something like the Symbol CS1504 combined with Training Peaks software. Or, if you absolutely must have an offline solution, you may be able to set up a custom solution. Contact a provider for more information on a custom solution for instantly receiving nutritional information.
John Sorensen says:

December 9, 2008 at 2:25 pm

I have stationary scanners trying to read stationary barcodes (Keyence BL 600HA). They won’t read the barcode without movement of the label being scanned. Any thoughts or ideas on what we are overlooking? Thanks for considering this question.

Answer
Hi John, thanks for your question. While this is a rare problem, it could simply be a programming error or even a defect in the scanner. I would contact the manufacturer directly on this matter. Perhaps other people have had similar problems with this scanner.
sam says:

December 10, 2008 at 1:41 am

Hi, i’m in need a long- lasting barcode printed on garments. Also that the printing would not fade away even after we wash them? Is there such product? could you advice me what i can do?

Answer
Hi Sam, thanks for your question. What you will need is a special thermal transfer/direct thermal barcode printer. In addition, it would be helpful to have label printing software. I would recommend going through a value added reseller who can give you a whole solution; the printer, the ink, and the software, so that it will be easy for you to maintain once its implemented.
Beth says:

December 16, 2008 at 5:34 pm

Hi,
I am looking for information about how assigning customers individual barcodes (on a frequent buyer card,or something TBD). With this barcode, that would need to be scanable at grocery stores, I would like to have discounts or promotional offers that would change each week. The question I have would be, is it possible to change what discount the customer gets at the check-out counter without actually having to assign new barcodes to the customer each week. Would it be simple to change it? And, where would I get these barcodes? I already have a company prefix that we use on coupons now. Would I assign each customer an item number like I normally would for an individual product? Thanks for any help you might be able to provide!

Answer
Hi Beth,
Thanks for your question. Basically, each customer could have their own card, which would remain the same. After scanning their card, you could then have another sheet of barcodes, each representing a different discount. This way, you would not have to assign new barcodes to the customer each week, but would be able to have variable discounts. Read more on how to buy a barcode.
Alex says:

January 1, 2009 at 2:51 pm

Maybe a dumb question but we have a large estate and want to use scanning as a means of food/beverage inventory. Do I have to buy my own symbol for this? Why can’t I just scan in the codes that are on the grocery items as they come into the estate and use those to make my inventory?
Thank you kindly,
Alex

Answer
Hi Alex, there’s never a dumb question here at barcode.com! If it is for your own estate and you are using the barcodes for inventory purpoeses only, then you do not have to by the barcodes. You can simply scan their codes with a barcode reader and link it to a database inventory. Depending on how much inventory you have, I’d recommend getting the Symbol CS1504. Hope this helps! If you have any further questions, feel free to e-mail me at mmclean@barcode.com.
Scott H says:

January 7, 2009 at 4:35 pm

Hello,

We’re a small company that specialized in liquidations/closeout product. We attend a couple of purchasing shows each year. The pace for these shows is rapid and we’re looking for a barcoding system to:
– scan item
– generate PO
– track inventory levels

And we would like this to tie somehow to QuickBooks.

Any assistance on hardware/software you’d recommend would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Scott

Hi Scott,
Thanks for you question. The easiest and most hassle free way to do this would be to work with a value added reseller that would be able to implement your custom solution, Quickbooks and all. I recommend contacting Barcoding Inc. for further assistance on this. They will be able to make recommendations and find the software and hardware that’s best for you, providing a total solution that’s quick and easy for you to use. Hope this helps!
Joseph Ober says:

January 15, 2009 at 3:26 pm

I am an Industrial Engineer in a warehouse setting and we use GSI-128 labels with symbol scanners. Our receivers are notorious for missed scans and blame the problem on the scan gun. Is there a percentage we can use to determine if it is normal scan gun error or simple co-worker error.

Answer
Hi Joseph, thanks for your question. Depending on what kind of scanner you have, there could be a variety of different reasons why scans are being missed. I would contact your manufacturer directly, as they would be able to provide you with the appropriate statistics.
Michael Campbell says:

January 15, 2009 at 5:03 pm

I am looking for a way to have a barcode execute a series of commands. Also, can a barcode execute, say, an F2 ocmmand? I am not sure if barcodes can execute a function key. If you could get back to me with an answer as soon as poosible I would appreciate it. We are an on-line company and all of our inventory is barcoded.

Answer
Hi Michael, thanks for your question. In order to do this, or something similar, there are a lot of variables that would need to be taken into account. First, it depends on the type of barcode symbology that you plan on using becuase not all can support alpha-numeric, which is needed for this request. It also depends on the hardware and software that you are using. Some piece
of software needs to look for specific codes, (say key presses codes in the barcode data), and translate them into actually key press events on the device. Motorola’s DataWedge, for example, does this. It simulates barcode values as key strokes (i.e., if I scan the barcode “A2″,
DataWedge acts like pressed the A key, and then 2 key), but I have never tried to use command keys like F2 before. You may need a custom software solution for this, in which case, you would need to contact a value added reseller.
Terri says:

January 23, 2009 at 10:06 am

I’m looking for a printer that will print labels for Standard mail that can print a Intellegent Barcode. It has to be pretty fast. Do you have any suggestions.

Answer
Hi Terri, thanks for your question. I would recommend the SATO CL408e for its very high-speed and high-quality performance. Check it out here.
Shelly says:

January 29, 2009 at 3:22 pm

Is there a way to get new copies of barcodes that were purchased in April of 2008? I know the numbers but have misplaced the images of the actual barcodes.
Thanks
Shelly

Answer
Absolutely! Here is a free barcode generator. There’s also an option to buy more barcodes if you need. You may also want to check out some frequently asked barcode questions.
HARMEET SINGH PANESAR says:

January 31, 2009 at 9:38 am

how bar code system be applied to auto ancillaries?

Answer
Barcoding and automated data capture are absolutely helpful in auto ancillaries. Barcoding would be able to automate everything in your supply chain, and depending on the size of hte ancillary, there is a solution for you. Please contact a value added reseller with a more detailed description of your needs and they will be able to provide you with options. Thanks!
Kathy Schliem says:

February 9, 2009 at 4:43 pm

Does anyone know of an inexpensive (under $1500) THERMAL printer that will support either IPDS or Blue Serve? I am trying to replace several IBM 4400’s for a client. THANKS

Answer
Hi Kathy, I would recommend the Intermec EasyCoder PD4. The list price is just under $1300, so you could probably get a pretty good deal on them. Also, check out this page for more information on popular barcode printers.
Louie Yap says:

February 20, 2009 at 11:48 am

Packaging indicator “00″, what does it stand for?

For example; we have 10 for fixed weigth items, 90 for variable weight, what is “00″ for? We are told that “00″ is for less than 12? Is this 12 packages or 12 kg weight?

Answer
The “00″ at the beginning of the barcode is the country code. 00 represents the United States.
Anubhav Mishra says:

February 23, 2009 at 5:42 am

Please, tell me how to prevent the photocopied Bar codes, any procedure. Or any procedure which we can use while generating the bar code to prevent it for reuse by photocopying.

In order to prevent photocopied barcodes, I would suggest getting VeriMark or HolloMark barcode cards, which you can get from Barcoding Inc. Or, if you need a high level of security, I would suggest using RFID technology.
Brenda says:

February 26, 2009 at 7:02 pm

I am not the manufacture of the product that I sell. It doesn’t have a UPC code. I want to sell it on Amazon – can I buy the code? How does that work with the manufacturer then?

Hi Brenda,

Thanks for your question. If you are strictly selling your product on Amazon, you may just want to get an ASIN, or Amazon Standard Idenification Number, which can be purchased through the site. However, if you forsee a future of selling outside of Amazon, it would be wise to purchase a barcode through the GS1.
Mark says:

March 2, 2009 at 7:20 am

Could I disable a trigger? I got a used Symbol LS4004 scanner. It works, but I didn’t realize it had a trigger when I bought it. In my library I’d sooner leave the scanner in its’ base and scan by moving books under the light, and never touch any trigger.

Answer
Hi Mark, thanks for your question. The Symbol LS4004 barcodes scanner should have come with an IntelliStand. The Intellistand turns on the scanner, and once placed on the Intellistand, the LS4004 does not need a trigger to operate. Since you bought it used, this could be why there was no Intellistand. In the future, I would recomment purchasing barcoding equipment from a value added reseller who will give you all parts to the product, in addition to any future support you should need. You can find more information on the Symbol LS4004 here.