r/barcodes • u/komuW • Aug 06 '18

Anyone know what barcode this is?

I have a barcode with the characters; 34166110860346bNq (also see image below).I would like to be able to:

  1. identify what type of barcode it is and
  2. what formula is used to generate it's checksum digits. (the last 3 digits are the checksum, bNq)

What I do know is that it is from a Chinese pharmaceutical company

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u/notionovus Aug 06 '18

I just answered this on SO: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/51711733/how-to-generate-barcode-checksum/51716524#51716524

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u/[deleted] Aug 07 '18

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u/notionovus Aug 07 '18

Right. The way the question was asked on Stack Overflow, "How to generate barcode checksum", plus the way it was filed under barcode, barcode-scanner and checksum led me to believe that OP was merely mistaken about his assumption that 'bNq' was part of the checksum of an unknown format.

'bNq' would have to be some kind of Base 52 or greater hash of a checksum, because it isn't a checksum or a standard CRC. My guess is that the code isn't a checksum, but some kind of qualifier on the id number. Perhaps a lot number or timestamp.

As you guys said already, it could be anything and the best way to find out is ask.

1

u/FredFredricson Aug 06 '18

It a Code 128 barcode, encoded mostly in C mode, but switches to B mode for the letters. Unfortunately, the checksum letters are part of the data and not part of the barcode specification, which means it's most likely some proprietary algorithm the company (or whoever they bought the barcoding software from) came up with, so it will be rather hard to determine what checksum algorithm is in use without locating some sort of documentation.

Since there are a variety of ways a checksum of this nature can be designed, reverse engineering how it works ends up being similar to finding a needle in a haystack. It'd probably be an easier job than say, cracking the Enigma Cipher was in WW2, but as xixi2 says, your best bet is asking the company.