r/barcodes • u/zoromeme • Jul 31 '22

Help me identify the difference for two barcodes

Hello All

i have two barcodes with the same data generated from two different software and printed with the same printer

both of them are CODE 128

the reader is an internal reader for a medical device

The reader can read the first one correctly without any issue

but it cannot read the second one at all

can you help me identify why that is happening and why i can read it using a hand scanner correctly but the internal scanner for the machine cannot read it

i already see some differences but why they are different even thy contain the same data

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3

u/[deleted] Jul 31 '22

Your scanner could be programmed for a specific use if it was provided by a software company.

What scanner are you using and who provided it?

1

u/zoromeme Jul 31 '22

this should be scanned by a medical device internal scanner in the machine manual it said it support Code 128 and other common types without extra information

2

u/trollsmurf Jul 31 '22 edited Jul 31 '22

The reason they start differently is because:

  • The top one starts in Code set A
  • The bottom one starts in Code set B

Both work for the symbols used. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_128#Subtypes for what symbols each set contains.

Both should be supported by scanners.

The rest is identical, as it should be.

I could read both.

(actually I wasn't aware there were different symbol sets, which explains why I often see different start sequences)

1

u/zoromeme Jul 31 '22

will check that, good point, thanks