GS1 Barcode Types

Overview

GS1 is a non-profit international organization that develops encoding standards for automatic identification and data capture (AIDC), which refers to the methods of machine-based data reading used in the trading and transportation of goods. To facilitate item tracking, GS1 has introduced various identification codes, known as application identifiers (AIs), to encode information about goods. GS1 Application Identifiers (AIs) are prefixes included in barcodes and RFID tags that specify the context and format of the data being encoded. GS1 has also developed data encoding standards for different barcode types that are widely used for item identification.

The table below lists barcode types that support all GS1 Application Identifiers and those that are compatible only with the GS1AI_01 type.

Compatibility with GS1 AIs

Barcode Types
All GS1 Application Identifiers Are Supported DataBar Expanded, DataBar Expanded Stacked, GS1 Codablock-F, GS1 Code 128, GS1 DataMatrix, GS1 QR Code, UPC-A GS1 DataBar Coupon, UPC-A GS1 Code 128 Coupon
Only GS1AI_01 Is Supported DataBar OmniDirectional, DataBar Stacked OmniDirectional, DatabarLimited, DataBar Truncated, DataBar Stacked, EAN14, ITF14

Barcode Generation according to GS1 Standards

Aspose.BarCode for JavaScript via C++ supports generating barcodes that comply with GS1 standards. To generate barcodes using GS encoding, the CodeText property of the BarcodeGenerator class must be initialized as a string formatted with predefined application identifiers:

"(Application_Identifier_1)Application_Data(Application_Identifier_2)Application_Data"

For example, the CodeText value could be: “(01)12345678901231(21)ASPOSE(30)9876”.

Below are code snippets that demonstrate how to generate GS1-compatible barcodes for Code 128 and DataMatrix symbologies, along with sample barcode labels.

GS1 Code 128

How to get BarCodeInstance

var gen = new BarCodeInstance.BarcodeGenerator("GS1Code128", "(01)12345678901231(21)ASPOSE(30)9876");
gen.Parameters.Barcode.XDimension = "2px";
document.getElementById("img").src = gen.GenerateBarCodeImage(); // Display barcode image
gen.delete();

GS1 Data Matrix

How to get BarCodeInstance

var gen = new BarCodeInstance.BarcodeGenerator("GS1DataMatrix", "(01)12345678901231(21)ASPOSE(30)9876");
gen.Parameters.Barcode.XDimension = "8px";
gen.Parameters.Barcode.DataMatrix.DataMatrixVersion = BarCodeInstance.DataMatrixVersion.ECC200_12x36;
document.getElementById("img").src = gen.GenerateBarCodeImage(); // Display barcode image
gen.delete();

GS1 UPC-A Coupon Generation

For the UPC-A symbology, Aspose.BarCode for JavaScript via C++ allows generating a barcode label with an additional coupon barcode (DataBar Expanded or GS1 Code128) placed in the same image. This operation can also be performed by generating two barcodes separately and then combining them into an image using an appropriate graphic library; however, the feature provided by Aspose.BarCode for JavaScript via C++ facilitates generating such barcodes in a much simpler and faster way.

As mentioned above, in Aspose.BarCode for JavaScript via C++, it is possible to generate two types of coupon barcodes:

  • UPC-A GS1 DataBar Coupon that allows combining UPC-A and DataBar Expanded
  • UPC-A GS1 Code 128 Coupon that allows merging UPC-A and GS1 Code128

In the library, these two barcode types can be specified by initializing instances of the EncodeTypes class using the following fields: "UpcaGs1Code128Coupon" and "UpcaGs1DatabarCoupon". To generate a barcode with a coupon, initialize the CodeText parameter of the BarcodeGenerator class using an input string in the following format:

"UPC-A Input Data(Application Identifier)GS1 Barcode Text"

For example, CodeText can take the following value: “123456789012(8110)ASPOSE”.

Below, the code samples are provided to explain how to generate barcodes with coupons for UpcaGs1DatabarCoupon and UpcaGs1Code128Coupon barcode types along with corresponding sample barcode labels.

UPC-A + DataBar Expanded

How to get BarCodeInstance

BarcodeGenerator gen = new BarcodeGenerator(EncodeTypes.UpcaGs1DatabarCoupon, "123456789012(8110)ASPOSE");
gen.Parameters.Barcode.XDimension = "2px";
gen.Save($"{path}Gs1CouponUpcaDatabar.png", BarCodeImageFormat.Png);

UPC-A + GS1 Code 128

How to get BarCodeInstance

var gen = new BarCodeInstance.BarcodeGenerator("UpcaGs1Code128Coupon", "123456789012(8110)ASPOSE");
gen.Parameters.Barcode.XDimension = "2px";
document.getElementById("img").src = gen.GenerateBarCodeImage(); // Display barcode image
gen.delete();

Coupon Spacing Settings

In Aspose.BarCode for JavaScript via C++, it is possible to adjust the size of spacing between coupon barcodes placed in the same image. It can be done by setting the SupplementSpace property in class CouponParameters.

Sample barcode images provided below have been generated using the UPC-A GS1 DataBar Coupon standard and applying different spacing settings.

Supplement Space Is Set to 30 Pixels Is Set to 50 Pixels

The following code snippet shows how to modify the size of spacing between coupon barcodes.

How to get BarCodeInstance

var gen = new BarCodeInstance.BarcodeGenerator("UpcaGs1Code128Coupon", "123456789012(8110)ASPOSE");
gen.Parameters.Barcode.XDimension = "2px";

// Set coupon supplement space 30 pixels
gen.Parameters.Barcode.Coupon.SupplementSpace = "30px";
document.getElementById("img").src = gen.GenerateBarCodeImage(); // Display barcode image
gen.delete();

var gen = new BarCodeInstance.BarcodeGenerator("UpcaGs1Code128Coupon", "123456789012(8110)ASPOSE");
gen.Parameters.Barcode.XDimension = "2px";
// Set coupon supplement space 50 pixels
gen.Parameters.Barcode.Coupon.SupplementSpace = "50px";
document.getElementById("img").src = gen.GenerateBarCodeImage(); // Display barcode image
gen.delete();
Specific Parameters of Postal Barcode Types