Worth Data 5000 owner manual Appendix G Code 128 Specifications, GS1-128/UCC-128/ EAN-128

Appendix G: Code 128 Specifications

Code 128 is a very powerful bar code, combining an extensive character set and variable length with compactness and error checking. The character set contains all 128 ASCII characters with each character made up of three bars and three spaces. (No double characters are required to make up lower case ad special characters). Each element (bar or space) varies from one to four units in width, totaling 11 units of width per character. Code 128 contains two levels of error checking:

12345	∙ Each character is checked for internal parity, and
	∙ The last character is a checksum.

Code 128 has three subsets, A, B and C. Subset A contains alphanumeric characters and unprintable control characters, subset B contains alphanumeric characters plus printable control characters and subset C contains only numeric characters and uses a 2- character encoding scheme to create a more compact bar code. Code 128 uses an internal Mod 103 check character that is not displayed by the bar code reader. Code 128 bar codes can be made up of only one subset or may be a combination of several.

The Code 39 features of Accumulate Mode, Caps Lock ON and Caps lock OFF also apply to Code 128.

GS1-128/UCC-128/ EAN-128

GS1-128 UCC-128/EAN-128 Code is a subset of Code 128 adopted by the GS1 (UCC and EAN) council‟s product, container, and shipping label symbology. GS1-128 UCC/EAN-128 bar codes always start with a Function Code 1 character. In addition, a Function Code 1 character terminates all variable length fields unless they are the last field in the bar code. The TriCoder outputs the following for the special function codes and start sequences:

]C1	Start C/Function Code 1
^]	(GS) Function Code 1 as a variable string terminator

If UCC/EAN 128 is enabled, the reader looks for the Function Code 1 as the leading character, and treats all such codes as UCC/EAN 128 bar codes.

A subset of GS1/UCC/EAN-128 is the UCC or EAN Serial Shipping Container Code; it‟s specification calls for a 19 digit UCC/EAN 128 code with an additional Mod 10 Check digit (20 digits in all). The Mod 10 Check digit is calculated the same as the Interleaved 2 of 5 example in Appendix H. It is the 20 digit data length (including the MOD 10 check digit) and the MOD 10 check calculation that distinguishes the UCC Serial Shipping Container Code from other UCC /EAN 128 bar codes.

GS1/UCC/EAN 128 is enabled in the TriCoder Setup Mode: Bar Codes Section: Code 128. If UCC/EAN 128 is enabled, you will be able to read standard Code 128 bar codes, any UCC/EAN 128 bar code, as well as the 19 digit UCC/EAN 128 bar codes with the Function 1 character and the Mod 10 check character. (Any 19 digit UCC/EAN 128 code will not be read unless the 20th digit computes as a valid Mod 10 check digit.

The GS1-128(UCC 128) specification is used extensively by the retail industry. If you have a requirement for a UCC 128 Serial Shipping Container bar code, be sure to follow the specification as closely as possible as many vendors will impose fines for non- conformance. For more information on UCC 128, GS1-US at:

GS1-US(Formerly Uniform Code Council, Inc.)

7887 Washington Village Drive, Suite 300 Dayton, OH 45459

937-435-3870

937-435-7317 info@gs1us.org

8:00 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST

Many of the specifications are available online at:

http://www.gs1us.org

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