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There have been many barcode symbologies developed over the years to
fulfil
different requirements and many are still used today particularly for internal
stock tracking systems. The main symbologies found are listed below and
also included are the new emerging 2-D symbologies which utilise a 2-Dimensional
structure to incorporate much more data in the available space that a
traditional linear barcode.
Which symbology you use will depend on the final destination
of the barcode. If the product is to be supplied to an external party then
they will be able to tell you which symbology and format they need, however if
the barcode is purely for your own internal use then it is down to personal
choice and the equipment you have available (e.g. not all software can produce
all symbologies and some symbologies are easier to print than others).
Linear Symbologies
Code 39 Code 39 (also called Code 3 of 9) is suitable for encoding general
purpose alphanumeric data. Reference symbology for many industry standards.
Character encodation (standard and optional full ASCII), reference decode
algorithm and optional check character calculation are included in this
document. Upper case letters only are used in Code 39. Code 128 is now often used in place of Code 39.
Codabar Codabar encodes all-numeric data and has four unique start/stop
characters which can convey additional information. Character encodation
(including traditional Codabar), reference decode algorithm and optional check
character calculation are included in this document. This code is no
longer recommended by the standards bodies.
Code 128
More condensed than Code 39, Code 128 is suitable for encoding ge neral
purpose alphanumeric and full ASCII data and provides high information density
encodation of numeric data strings. A new feature permits encodation of extended
ASCII for non-English language characters, reference symbology for EAN.UCC
Serial Shipping Container Symbol and all EAN.UCC secondary identification
symbols employing application identifiers. Character encodation (code sets A, B
and C), reference decode algorithm and optional check character calculation are
included in this document. Upper and lower case letters can be used.
UCC/EAN 128 is a subset of Code 128 which is identified to a scanner by a prefix
function character.
Code 93 
Code 93 offers higher information density for alphanumeric data
either Code 39 or Code 128. Character encodation (including full ASCII),
reference decode algorithm and optional check character calculation are included
in this document.
Telepen
Telepen is a bar code symbology which enables the full 128 ASCII
character set to be encoded. Additionally it offers a compressed numeric mode
enabling numeric data to be encoded at twice the density of the standard mode.
It is a wide-narrow symbology with a fixed 3:1 wide:narrow ratio.
Reduced Space Symbology (RSS)
The EAN.UCC Reduced Space Symbology (RSS) family contains three
linear symbologies to be used with the EAN.UCC system. The use of this symbology
is intended to comply with EAN International (EAN) and Uniform Code
Council, Inc. (UCC) application guidelines.
2-Dimensional Symbologies
PDF417 
PDF417 is a two dimensional, multi-row symbology designed to be scanned by
laser scanners and linear CCD scanners. The symbology can be decoded even when
scan lines cross rows. PDF417 is designed with selectable levels of error
correction. It supports industry standard escape sequences to define
international code pages and special encodation schemes. PDF417 is used to
encode data files with hundreds or thousands of characters in a laser
scannable symbol.
Data Matrix 
Data Matrix is a two-dimensional matrix symbology containing dark and light
square data modules. It has a finder pattern of two solid lines and two
alternating dark and light lines on the perimeter of the symbol. A
two-dimensional imaging device such as CCD camera is necessary to scan the
symbology. Data Matrix is designed with a fixed level of error correction
capability. It supports industry standard escape sequences to define
international code pages and special encodation schemes. Data Matrix is used
for small item marking applications using a wide variety of printing and
marking technologies. A diskette with electronic versions of tables referenced
in the specification is included.
Composite Symbologies
EAN.UCC Composite Symbols
This consists of linear component (encoding the item's Primary
identification) associated with an adjacent 2D Composite Component (encoding
supplementary data, such as a batch number or expiration date). It always
includes a linear component so that the primary identification is readable by
all scanning technologies and so that 2D imagers can use the linear component
as a finder pattern for the adjacent 2D Composite Component. The composite
symbol always includes a multi-row 2D Composite Component, for compatibility
with linear and area CCD scanners and with linear and rastering laser
scanners.
© Information sourced from AIM International
2000, all copyrights recognised.
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