Code 128
Code 128 linear barcode has become widespread in many areas. From its name, it can be understood that it allows 128 characters to be encoded. However, this is not limited to numbers only, as it is also capable of encoding letters and some special characters. This is its main advantage and difference from EAN standard codes.
The structure of the code, like most linear barcodes, is simple. On both sides, the code has an empty space, which allows you to clearly define the beginning of the code. Next, the beginning of the code is indicated by a special character – a sequence of lines and spaces. After the start character, the encoded data follows. Then, a checksum character to verify the integrity of the code. Stop code, signaling the end of the encoded data, completes it.
Different information is encoded using different sets of characters for letters, numbers, and special characters. Each character is encoded with three lines and three spaces. Lines and spaces can vary in width. The width is determined by the number of modules – from 1 to 4.
As a result, Code 128 has the following advantages:
- both numbers and letters (uppercase) can be encoded;
- a purely digital code is very compact due to the use of double packaging.
To generate a Code 128 barcode in FastReport .NET, select the Barcode object at the Components Panel in the Report Designer. In the drop-down list, navigate to the "Others" category, and then choose Code128:
After selecting the barcode, place it on the Report Page.
Double-click on the added barcode to open the editor. You can also open the barcode editor by clicking the button in the context menu of the added object, accessed by right-clicking:
If you want to hide the text under the barcode, locate the ShowText
property in the property inspector of the corresponding barcode and set its value to False
: