Chapter
11
Operating Instructions
CLV62x Bar Code Scanner
84
©
SICK AG · Division Auto Ident · Germany · All rights reserved
8011965/S345/2008-04-16
Appendix
11.3
Calculating the code length of a bar code
The code length of a bar code corresponds to the number of characters used in the print
image, including the check digit (if available).
To scan (decode) a code, the code length must be input using the SOPAS-ET configuration
software. Depending on the bar code type, the code length can be calculated by counting
the bars and spaces according to the relevant formula in the following table.
1. Determine the bar code type and count the bars or wide elements (bars and spaces),
incl. start and stop characters according to the information in the following table.
2. Calculate the bar code length according to the relevant formula.
3. Enter the results via the SOPAS-ET configuration software, as shown in column 4 of the
table.
Tab. 11-1: Help table for calculating the code length of a bar code
Bar code type
Count
Calculating the bar code length
1)2)
Input the SOPAS-ET
configuration software
Code 39
Number of bars
Number – 10
I
Code
= —————————
5
Calculated code length
2/5 Interleaved
Number of wide elements
(bars and spaces)
Number – 1
I
Code
= —————————
2
Calculated code length
EAN
n/a
13 characters (normal version)
Activate 13-digit
8 characters (short version)
Activate 8-digit
UPC
n/a
12 characters (UPC A, normal ver-
sion)
Activate version A
6 characters (UPC E, short version)
Activate version E
Codabar
Number of bars
Number – 8
I
Code
= —————————
4
Calculated code length
Code 128 (character set A)
Number of bars
Number – 10
I
Code
= —————————
3
Calculated code length
EAN 128
Number of bars
Number – 10
I
Code
= —————————
3
Calculated code length
Pharmacode
Number of bars
Number
Number = code length
1) Check digit optional for code 39, 2/5 Interleaved, Codabar. Check digit is always integrated into the bar code print for EAN, UPC, code 128, code 93, EAN 128 according to the specification
(automatically eliminated when the bar code scanner reading results are generated)
2) Apart from a few exceptions, every printed character represents an ASCII character which has to be decoded.
Extended for code 39. The number of characters in the bar code scanner's data string may be greater than the number of characters in the print image for code 93, code 128 and EAN 128, since they are made up
of several character sets.
