Barcode Formats
Darty exposes barcode symbologies for general-purpose links and text, retail identifiers, logistics, publishing, pharmaceuticals, and other specialized workflows. This page gives a brief, plain-language description of every format shown in the Barcode editor.
The Format list comes from the installed barcode generator when its capabilities are available. Darty uses the documented list below as a fallback, so an installation may report a different subset of formats.
Choose the format required by the system that will scan or process the barcode—not simply the one whose shape fits the artwork. Confirm the data rules, minimum printed size, quiet zone, and placement requirements with the applicable standard, customer, retailer, carrier, or regulator. Always scan-test the final exported or printed result.
Quick Selection Guide
| If you need to encode… | Start with… | Important distinction |
|---|---|---|
| A website, short text, or general data | QR Code | Widely recognized general-purpose 2D symbol. |
| A GS1 product identifier in a Web address | GS1 Digital Link QR | A structured GS1 URI encoded in an ordinary QR Code. |
| A retail product number | EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, or UPC-E | Use the exact symbol required for the assigned GTIN and market. |
| An ISBN | ISBN | Encodes the ISBN in the retail EAN-13 form. |
| General text in a compact linear symbol | Code 128 | Supports a broad character set and efficient numeric encoding. |
| A GTIN on an outer shipping case | ITF-14 | Common for corrugated cases; follow GS1 sizing and printing rules. |
| GS1 data with attributes such as weight or expiry | A specified DataBar variant, GS1-128, or GS1 2D symbol | The receiving workflow determines the correct carrier. |
| A small square 2D symbol | Data Matrix or Micro QR Code | They are different standards; use the one the receiving system expects. |
| A narrow rectangular 2D symbol | rMQR | Designed for spaces where a conventional square QR Code does not fit. |
| A carrier, pharmaceutical, or film-industry identifier | The specifically required specialized format | Do not substitute a visually similar barcode. |
GS1’s barcode selection guidance is a useful starting point for retail and supply-chain applications. The exact families and variants supported by Darty’s underlying generator are documented by ZXing-C++.
Names, Families, and Aliases
Not every entry in the Format menu represents a separate symbology. Some are family-level choices or alternate names exposed by the generator.
| Menu entries | Relationship |
|---|---|
| GS1 Digital Link QR; GS Digital Link QR Code | Names used by Darty for the same structured Digital Link workflow. The generated carrier is a QR Code. |
| Aztec; Aztec Code | Names for the same Aztec Code family. |
| rMQR; rMQR Code | Names for the same rectangular QR symbology. |
| EAN/UPC | A family-level choice covering EAN and UPC retail symbols. Prefer the exact member when it is known. |
| DataBar | A family-level choice. Select the required DataBar variant when the application specifies one. |
| Code 39 | A family-level name. Choose Standard or Extended when the permitted character set matters. |
QR, Matrix, and Stacked Formats
The QR-family descriptions follow DENSO WAVE’s official types of QR Code. The remaining family relationships and generator names follow the ZXing-C++ supported-format table and the Zint symbology manual.
| Format | Kind | Brief description |
|---|---|---|
| QR Code | Matrix 2D | General-purpose square symbol for text, URLs, binary data, and other content. It offers multiple sizes and error-correction levels. |
| GS1 Digital Link QR | Matrix 2D workflow | A QR Code containing a standardized GS1 Digital Link URI, typically beginning with a GTIN and optionally including batch, serial, or date identifiers. It is not a separate barcode symbology. |
| Micro QR Code | Matrix 2D | A smaller QR-family symbol with one finder pattern and less capacity than a full QR Code. Use it only when the scanner and data size support Micro QR. |
| rMQR Code | Matrix 2D | Rectangular Micro QR. It is intended for narrow spaces and can hold more data than Micro QR in some configurations. |
| rMQR | Matrix 2D | Alias of rMQR Code in the generator. |
| Data Matrix | Matrix 2D | A compact square or rectangular symbol widely used for industrial marking, healthcare, and small items. Darty generates the modern ECC 200 form. |
| Aztec Code | Matrix 2D | A square symbol recognized by the bullseye at its center. It supports variable symbol sizes and error correction and does not require the same external quiet zone as QR Code. |
| Aztec | Matrix 2D | Alternate generator name for Aztec Code. |
| Aztec Rune | Matrix 2D | A very small, specialized member of the Aztec family that encodes only an integer from 0 through 255. |
| PDF417 | Stacked 2D | A multi-row symbol with substantial capacity and configurable error correction, used in documents, tickets, identification, and logistics. |
| Compact PDF417 | Stacked 2D | A narrower PDF417 form, formerly called Truncated PDF417. It removes some row-indicator structure and is therefore less robust than full PDF417. |
| MicroPDF417 | Stacked 2D | A smaller, lower-capacity relative of PDF417 with a defined set of row and column sizes for space-constrained applications. |
| MaxiCode | Matrix 2D | A fixed-size symbol with hexagonal modules around a central bullseye, created for high-speed parcel sorting. Use it when a carrier or logistics specification requires MaxiCode. |
GS1 Digital Link Is a Data Structure, Not a New Shape
Darty’s GS1 Digital Link QR editor assembles a standardized Web URI and then encodes that URI as a QR Code. The default resolver is https://id.gs1.org, but a different conforming resolver can be used. See GS1 Digital Link and the GS1 Digital Link standard for the complete model, or follow Darty’s GS1 Digital Link editor guide.
EAN, UPC, and Publishing Formats
EAN and UPC symbols are members of the GS1 retail barcode family. The number assigned to a product and the barcode that carries it are related but not interchangeable concepts; GS1 explains the distinction in GTINs, EANs, UPCs, and barcodes.
| Format | Kind | Brief description |
|---|---|---|
| EAN-13 | Linear retail | The common 13-digit retail symbol used to carry a GTIN-13. The final digit is a check digit. |
| EAN-8 | Linear retail | A shorter retail symbol for a GTIN-8, generally used when package space cannot accommodate EAN-13. A GTIN-8 must be properly assigned; it is not an arbitrary shortened GTIN-13. |
| EAN/UPC | Linear retail family | A family-level generator selection for EAN and UPC symbols. Choose EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, or UPC-E directly when the required member is known. |
| UPC-A | Linear retail | The familiar 12-digit North American retail symbol used to carry a GTIN-12. |
| UPC-E | Linear retail | A compressed presentation of eligible UPC-A numbers for small packages. Only UPC-A values with a compressible number pattern can use UPC-E. |
| ISBN | Linear publishing | Encodes an ISBN as its EAN-13 bookland representation. Use an officially assigned, valid ISBN rather than treating this as a general text format. |
| EAN-2 | Linear supplement | A two-digit add-on normally printed beside an EAN, UPC, or ISBN symbol. It is a supplement, not a replacement for the main product identifier. |
| EAN-5 | Linear supplement | A five-digit add-on often used with books and periodicals, such as for suggested price information. It is normally paired with a main EAN, UPC, or ISBN symbol. |
General Linear Formats
| Format | Kind | Brief description |
|---|---|---|
| Code 128 | Linear | A compact, general-purpose symbol that represents the full ASCII set through Code Sets A, B, and C. Numeric pairs can be encoded efficiently. Enable Darty’s GS1 option only when the receiving workflow expects GS1-128 data. |
| Code 39 Standard | Linear | An established industrial symbol limited to digits, uppercase letters, space, and a small set of punctuation. Its optional check digit is not universally required. |
| Code 39 Extended | Linear | Uses pairs of Code 39 characters to represent the full 7-bit ASCII set. It produces a longer symbol than Standard Code 39 for many characters. |
| Code 39 | Linear family | Generic Code 39 selection. Prefer Standard or Extended when you need to communicate the accepted character set explicitly. |
| Code 93 | Linear | A denser successor to Code 39 that supports full ASCII through extended combinations and includes two check characters. Scanner support should be confirmed. |
| Codabar | Linear | A legacy symbol with a limited character set and A–D start/stop characters. It has been used in blood-bank, library, laboratory, and older parcel workflows. |
| ITF | Linear | Interleaved 2 of 5, a numeric-only symbol that encodes digits in pairs. Input normally needs an even number of digits; it is the family on which ITF-14 is based. |
GS1 DataBar Formats
GS1 DataBar is a family of linear symbols, formerly known as Reduced Space Symbology or RSS. GS1 documents seven DataBar symbols; some carry only a GTIN, while the Expanded forms can also carry GS1 Application Identifier data such as weight, batch, or expiry.
| Format | Kind | Brief description |
|---|---|---|
| DataBar Omni | Linear GS1 | DataBar Omnidirectional. Carries a GTIN and is designed for omnidirectional point-of-sale scanning. |
| DataBar Stacked Omni | Stacked linear GS1 | DataBar Stacked Omnidirectional. Splits the GTIN symbol across two rows while retaining omnidirectional point-of-sale scanning. |
| DataBar Stacked | Stacked linear GS1 | A two-row, space-saving version of DataBar that carries a GTIN but is not intended for omnidirectional point-of-sale scanning. |
| DataBar Limited | Linear GS1 | A compact GTIN carrier for small items with restricted data values. It is not intended for omnidirectional point-of-sale scanning. |
| DataBar Expanded | Linear GS1 | Carries a GTIN plus additional GS1 Application Identifier element strings, such as variable measure, batch, or date data. |
| DataBar Expanded Stacked | Stacked linear GS1 | Carries the same kinds of GS1 data as DataBar Expanded but wraps the symbol into multiple rows for a narrower area. |
| DataBar | Linear GS1 family | Generic family selection. Prefer the exact DataBar variant required by the application or receiving system. |
Logistics and Specialized Formats
These formats exist for particular industry systems. Their appearance in Darty does not mean they are appropriate substitutes for a customer-, carrier-, or regulator-mandated symbol.
| Format | Kind | Brief description |
|---|---|---|
| ITF-14 | Linear logistics | An Interleaved 2 of 5 symbol for a 14-digit GTIN, commonly used on outer shipping cases and suited to direct printing on corrugated material. Follow the applicable GS1 ITF-14 requirements. |
| Code 32 (Farmacode) | Linear pharmaceutical | Called Farmacode or codice 32 in Italian Ministry of Health material. It is a Code 39-derived symbol for Italian pharmaceutical identifiers and should not be confused with the separate Pharmacode One-Track or Two-Track symbologies. |
| Pharmazentralnummer | Linear pharmaceutical | Usually abbreviated PZN. A Code 39-derived identifier used for pharmaceutical products in Germany. The modern PZN8 includes a check digit. |
| DX Film Edge | Linear film-industry | A specialized code printed along 35 mm photographic film to identify film stock and, in extended forms, frame information. It is intended for compatible film-processing equipment. |
The specialized descriptions above follow the format-specific entries in the Zint symbology manual, including its sections for ITF-14, Code 32, PZN, and DX Film Edge.
Before Production
- Validate the exact data length, character set, check digit, and option requirements for the selected format.
- Preserve the required quiet zone and do not stretch the generated symbol non-proportionally.
- Do not assume that every scanner supports newer or specialized formats such as rMQR, Micro QR, DataBar, MaxiCode, or Aztec Rune.
- Follow the external application specification when it defines symbol size, X-dimension, bar height, error correction, human-readable text, or placement.
- Test the final exported or printed artwork with the actual scanners and production conditions that will be used.