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I am trying to generate EAN-128 (GS1-128) barcode labels to label a product.

I have found some online barcode generators that allow to do this task.

However, I am experiencing some conflicts between many web pages.

I mean: for the same code data, two different online applicatinos generates two different barcode images.

Sample barcodes generated for the same data in different applications (both are readable with my barcode scanner): (01)08456789014530(15)081213

enter image description here

If you check the bars, they are different. How can I know which is the correct generated barcode?

Terry Burton
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E. Williams
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1 Answers1

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I've disassembled the bars and spaces in each code above. There is a significant difference in the quality of the codes from an anti-aliased perspective. The bottom code is smoother and more scalable, and for that reason alone, I would select the barcode rendered on the bottom. Here is the rundown of the actual data encoded in each barcode:


    Top Barcode:
    Binary         Val    Code
    11010011100 == 105 == Start C 
    11110101110 == 102 == [FNC 1] 
    11110101110 == 102 == [FNC 1] 
    11001101100 == 1 == 01 GS1 (GTIN)
    10001100100 == 8 == 08 
    10111011000 == 45 == 45 
    10000101100 == 67 == 67 
    11011011110 == 89 == 89 
    11001101100 == 1 == 01 
    10111011000 == 45 == 45 
    11011011000 == 30 == 30 
    11110101110 == 102 == [FNC 1] 
    10111001100 == 15 == GS1 (BestB4Date)
    10001100100 == 8 == 08 
    10110011100 == 12 == 12 
    10011011100 == 13 == 13 
    11101100010 == 58 == Checksum 
    1100011101011 == 106 == End 

    Breaks down to [Code 128C][FNC 1][FNC 1]0108456789014530[FNC 1]15081213[Chk=58][Stop]


    Bottom Barcode
    Binary         Val    Code
    11010011100 == 105 == Start C 
    11110101110 == 102 == [FNC 1] 
    11001101100 == 1 == 01 GS1 (GTIN)
    10001100100 == 8 == 08 
    10111011000 == 45 == 45 
    10000101100 == 67 == 67 
    11011011110 == 89 == 89 
    11001101100 == 1 == 01 
    10111011000 == 45 == 45 
    11011011000 == 30 == 30 
    10111001100 == 15 == GS1 (BestB4Date)
    10001100100 == 8 == 08 
    10110011100 == 12 == 12 
    10011011100 == 13 == 13 
    11101011110 == 101 == Checksum 
    1100011101011 == 106 == End 

    Breaks down to [Code 128C][FNC 1]010845678901453015081213[Chk=101][Stop]

As you can see, the top barcode, while narrower, contains more data, but it is excess data (i.e. two extra [FNC 1] codes).

Brian Anderson
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  • Wow thanks very much for that analysis. So can we say both are correct with respect to the GS1 standard? – E. Williams Aug 24 '18 at 06:17
  • Since they both scan, in this particular case, I suppose so. The bottom barcode seems "smarter" in the way it encodes and renders, imo. – Brian Anderson Aug 24 '18 at 10:48
  • The first barcode is simply improperly encoded. "FNC1 in second position" has a specific meaning that is unrelated to GS1 Application Identifier Syntax. – Terry Burton Feb 18 '23 at 01:28