User's Manual

Bar Code SymbologiesAppendix —B
406 700 Series Color Mob ile Computer User’s Manual
Code 128
Code 128 (C128) is one of the newest symbologies used by the retail and
manufacturing industries. It responds to the need for a compact alphanu-
meric bar code symbol that could encode complex product identification.
The fundamental requirement called f or a symbology capable of being
printed by existing data processing printers (primarily dot-matrix printers)
that produce daily, work-in-progress, job, and product traceability docu-
ments. The ability to print identification messages between 10 and 32
characters long, on existing forms and labels deemed an important require-
ment.
Code 128 uniquely addresses this need as the most compact, complete,
alphanumeric symbology available.
Additionally, the Code 128 design with geometric features, improves scan-
ner read performance, does self-checking, and provides data message man-
agement function codes.
Code 128 encodes the complete set of 128 ASCII characters without ad-
ding extra symbol elements. Code 128 contains a variable-length symbolo-
gy and the ability to link one message to another for composite message
transmission. Code 128, being a double-density fi eld, provides two numer-
ic values in a single character.
Code 128 follows the general bar code format of start zone, data, check
digit, stop code, and quiet zone. An absolute minimum bar or space di-
mension of nine mils (0.010 inch minimum nominal ± 0.001 inch toler-
ance) must be maintained.
Characters in Code 128 consist of three bars and three spaces so that the
total character set includes three different start characters and a stop char-
acter.
UCC/EAN-128 Shipping Container Labeling is a versatile tool that can
ease movement of products and information. The Shipping Container La-
beling bar code can take any form and usually has meaning only within the
company or facility where applied.
Because this random data can get mistaken later for an industry standard
code format, the UCC and EAN chose a symbology uniquely identified
from these other bar codes. This standard is for maximum flexibility, to
handle the diversity of distribution in global markets by cost efficiency.
The UCC/EAN-128 Container Labeling specification calls for a FUNC1
to immediately follow the bar code’s start character. FUNC1 also follows
any v ariable-length application f ield. The specification also calls for the
computer to send “]C1” for the first FUNC1. The specification requires
that the computer send a “<GS>” (hex 1D) for subsequent FUNC1 codes
in the bar code.
Because “<GS>” is not compatible with computer emulation data streams,
the Uniform Code Council has been asked to change the specification.
This change is made to send the same three character sequence “]C1” to
identify the embedded FUNC1 codes.