BarcodeTypes Enum

The BarcodeTypes enumeration defines the supported barcode symbologies in the BarcodeGenerator library. Each type has specific formatting requirements and use cases.

Namespace

TyKonKet.BarcodeGenerator

Declaration

public enum BarcodeTypes

Values

Ean13 = 1

European Article Number (EAN-13) barcode used for marking products sold at retail point of sale.

Specifications

Encoding: 13 digits total (12 data digits + 1 check digit)
Input Format: 12 digits (check digit calculated automatically)
Character Set: Numeric only (0-9)
Applications: Retail products, grocery items, books

Example

using var barcode = new Barcode(options => options.Type = BarcodeTypes.Ean13);
string result = barcode.Encode("123456789012"); // Returns: "1234567890128"

Input Validation

// Valid inputs
barcode.Encode("123456789012");     // 12 digits
barcode.Encode("999888777666");     // Any 12 digits

// Automatic handling
barcode.Encode("12345678901");      // Too short - auto-padded with leading zeros
barcode.Encode("1234567890123");    // Too long - end-truncated to 12 digits

// Invalid inputs - will throw FormatException
barcode.Encode("12345678901A");     // Contains invalid characters

Upca = 2

Universal Product Code (UPC-A) widely used in the United States for tracking trade items in stores.

Specifications

Encoding: 12 digits total (11 data digits + 1 check digit)
Input Format: 11 digits (check digit calculated automatically)
Character Set: Numeric only (0-9)
Applications: North American retail products

Example

using var barcode = new Barcode(options => options.Type = BarcodeTypes.Upca);
string result = barcode.Encode("12345678901"); // Returns: "123456789012"

Input Validation

// Valid inputs
barcode.Encode("12345678901");      // 11 digits
barcode.Encode("03600029145");      // Example UPC

// Automatic handling
barcode.Encode("1234567890");       // Too short - auto-padded with leading zeros
barcode.Encode("123456789012");     // Too long - end-truncated to 11 digits

// Invalid inputs - will throw FormatException
barcode.Encode("1234567890A");      // Contains invalid characters

Upce = 9

Universal Product Code (UPC-E) is a compressed 6-digit version of UPC-A, designed for small packages where space is limited.

Specifications

Encoding: 8 digits total (1 number system + 6 data digits + 1 check digit)
Input Format: 6-7 digits (number system defaults to 0 if not provided, check digit calculated automatically)
Character Set: Numeric only (0-9)
Number System: 0 or 1 (encoded via parity pattern)
Applications: Small retail items, cosmetics, chewing gum, travel-size products

Example

using var barcode = new Barcode(options => options.Type = BarcodeTypes.Upce);
string result = barcode.Encode("0123456"); // Returns: "01234565"

Input Validation

// Valid inputs
barcode.Encode("0123456");          // 7 digits (number system + 6 data digits)
barcode.Encode("123456");           // 6 digits (number system defaults to 0)
barcode.Encode("01234565");         // 8 digits (with check digit)

// Automatic handling
barcode.Encode("12345");            // Too short - auto-padded with leading zeros
barcode.Encode("012345678");        // Too long - truncated and check digit recalculated

// Invalid inputs - will throw FormatException
barcode.Encode("12345A");           // Contains invalid characters

Number System and Parity

UPC-E uses parity patterns to encode the number system digit:

// Number system 0 (most common)
barcode.Encode("0123456");          // First digit is 0

// Number system 1
barcode.Encode("1234567");          // First digit is 1

Isbn13 = 3

International Standard Book Number (ISBN-13) used to identify books and similar publications.

Specifications

Encoding: 13 digits total (12 data digits + 1 check digit)
Input Format: 12 digits (check digit calculated automatically)
Character Set: Numeric only (0-9)
Prefix: Typically starts with 978 or 979
Applications: Books, e-books, audiobooks

Example

using var barcode = new Barcode(options => options.Type = BarcodeTypes.Isbn13);
string result = barcode.Encode("978012345678"); // Returns: "9780123456786"

Allowed ISBN Prefixes

// Books published before 2007 (978 prefix)
barcode.Encode("978123456789");

// Books published after 2007 (979 prefix)
barcode.Encode("979123456789");

// Invalid prefix - will throw FormatException
barcode.Encode("980123456789");  // 980 is not a valid ISBN prefix

Ean8 = 4

European Article Number (EAN-8) is a shorter version of EAN-13, used on small packages where space is limited.

Specifications

Encoding: 8 digits total (7 data digits + 1 check digit)
Input Format: 7 digits (check digit calculated automatically)
Character Set: Numeric only (0-9)
Applications: Small packages, cosmetics, cigarettes

Example

using var barcode = new Barcode(options => options.Type = BarcodeTypes.Ean8);
string result = barcode.Encode("1234567"); // Returns: "12345670"

Input Validation

// Valid inputs
barcode.Encode("1234567");          // 7 digits
barcode.Encode("9876543");          // Any 7 digits

// Automatic handling
barcode.Encode("123456");           // Too short - auto-padded with leading zeros
barcode.Encode("12345678");         // Too long - end-truncated to 7 digits

// Invalid inputs - will throw FormatException
barcode.Encode("123456A");          // Contains invalid characters

Code93 = 7

Code 93 is a more compact version of Code 39, used in logistics and inventory management for alphanumeric data.

Specifications

Encoding: Variable length alphanumeric
Input Format: Any length string with supported characters
Character Set:
- Uppercase letters (A-Z)
- Digits (0-9)
- Special characters: space, $, %, +, -, ., /
Applications: Logistics, inventory management, postal services

Example

using var barcode = new Barcode(options => options.Type = BarcodeTypes.Code93);
string result = barcode.Encode("HELLO-WORLD"); // Returns: "HELLO-WORLD3L"

Character Set Examples

// Alphanumeric
barcode.Encode("PRODUCT123");

// With special characters
barcode.Encode("ITEM-001");
barcode.Encode("PART+ABC");
barcode.Encode("CODE/123");
barcode.Encode("REF$456");
barcode.Encode("QTY%789");
barcode.Encode("VER.2.1");

// With spaces
barcode.Encode("HELLO WORLD");

Input Validation

// Valid inputs
barcode.Encode("ABC123");           // Alphanumeric
barcode.Encode("ITEM-001");         // With hyphen
barcode.Encode("A B C");            // With spaces

// Invalid inputs - will throw FormatException
barcode.Encode("hello");            // Lowercase letters not supported
barcode.Encode("item@123");         // @ symbol not supported
barcode.Encode("test_case");        // Underscore not supported

Code39 = 6

Code 39 is a widely used barcode standard for alphanumeric data, commonly found in automotive, defense, and industrial applications.

Specifications

Encoding: Variable length alphanumeric
Input Format: Any length string with supported characters
Character Set:
- Uppercase letters (A-Z)
- Digits (0-9)
- Special characters: space, $, %, +, -, ., /
Start/Stop Character: Asterisk (*) - added automatically
Applications: Automotive parts, defense logistics, industrial inventory, warehouse management

Example

using var barcode = new Barcode(options => options.Type = BarcodeTypes.Code39);
string result = barcode.Encode("ABC-123"); // Returns: "ABC-123"

Character Set Examples

// Alphanumeric
barcode.Encode("PART123");

// With special characters
barcode.Encode("ITEM-001");
barcode.Encode("PART+ABC");
barcode.Encode("CODE/123");
barcode.Encode("REF$456");
barcode.Encode("QTY%789");
barcode.Encode("VER.2.1");

// With spaces
barcode.Encode("HELLO WORLD");

Input Validation

// Valid inputs
barcode.Encode("ABC123");           // Alphanumeric
barcode.Encode("ITEM-001");         // With hyphen
barcode.Encode("A B C");            // With spaces

// Automatic uppercase conversion
barcode.Encode("abc");              // Converted to "ABC"
barcode.Encode("Test123");          // Converted to "TEST123"

// Invalid inputs - will throw FormatException
barcode.Encode("item@123");         // @ symbol not supported
barcode.Encode("test_case");        // Underscore not supported

Check Digit Support

CODE-39 supports optional modulo-43 check digit calculation. You can manually calculate check digits using the encoder's static methods:

// Get check digit for validation
char checkDigit = Code39Encoder.GetCheckDigit("ABC123"); // Returns 'X'

Codabar = 8

Codabar is a linear barcode symbology used in libraries, blood banks, and logistics for serial number tracking and labeling.

Specifications

Encoding: Variable length numeric with special characters
Input Format: String with start/stop character, data, and end start/stop character
Character Set:
- Digits (0-9)
- Special characters: -, $, :, /, ., +
- Start/Stop characters: A, B, C, D (required at both ends)
Applications: Libraries, blood banks, FedEx airbills, photo labs, medical sample tracking

Example

using var barcode = new Barcode(options => options.Type = BarcodeTypes.Codabar);
string result = barcode.Encode("A123456A"); // Returns: "A123456A"

Start/Stop Characters

Codabar requires start and stop characters (A, B, C, D). These characters must match or can be different:

// Matching start/stop
barcode.Encode("A123456A");         // Start: A, Stop: A
barcode.Encode("B987654B");         // Start: B, Stop: B

// Mixed start/stop (allowed)
barcode.Encode("A123456B");         // Start: A, Stop: B
barcode.Encode("C789012D");         // Start: C, Stop: D

Character Set Examples

// Numeric only
barcode.Encode("A1234567890A");

// With special characters
barcode.Encode("B12-34-56B");       // Hyphens
barcode.Encode("C$10.50C");         // Currency
barcode.Encode("D1:2:3D");          // Colons
barcode.Encode("A1/2/3A");          // Slashes
barcode.Encode("B1+2+3B");          // Plus signs

Input Validation

// Valid inputs
barcode.Encode("A123456A");         // Standard format
barcode.Encode("B$100.00B");        // With special chars
barcode.Encode("C1-2-3C");          // With hyphens

// Automatic uppercase conversion
barcode.Encode("a123456a");         // Converted to "A123456A"
barcode.Encode("b987654b");         // Converted to "B987654B"

// Invalid inputs - will throw FormatException
barcode.Encode("123456");           // Missing start/stop characters
barcode.Encode("A123456");          // Missing stop character
barcode.Encode("E123456E");         // Invalid start/stop (E not allowed)
barcode.Encode("A123ABC456A");      // Letters in data (not allowed)

Use Cases

// Library tracking
barcode.Encode("A1234567890A");     // Book ID

// Blood bank samples
barcode.Encode("B" + sampleId + "B");

// Package tracking
barcode.Encode("C" + trackingNumber + "C");

// Photo lab orders
barcode.Encode("D" + orderNumber + "D");

Code128 = 5

Code 128 is a high-density barcode symbology for alphanumeric or numeric-only barcodes, widely used in logistics, shipping, and inventory management.

Specifications

Encoding: Variable length alphanumeric
Input Format: Any length string with ASCII characters (0-127)
Character Set:
- Full ASCII character set (0-127)
- Automatic code set switching (Code A, B, C)
- Optimized for numeric pairs (Code C)
Applications: Shipping labels, product tracking, retail barcodes, inventory systems

Example

using var barcode = new Barcode(options => options.Type = BarcodeTypes.Code128);
string result = barcode.Encode("ABC123xyz"); // Returns: "ABC123xyz"

Character Set Examples

// Alphanumeric
barcode.Encode("PRODUCT123");

// Mixed case
barcode.Encode("MixedCase123");

// Numeric sequences (optimized using Code C)
barcode.Encode("1234567890");

// Special characters
barcode.Encode("Item-001");
barcode.Encode("Price:$12.99");
barcode.Encode("Qty>5");

// With spaces
barcode.Encode("Hello World 123");

Code Set Optimization

Code 128 automatically selects the optimal code set for maximum efficiency:

Code A: Control characters and uppercase
Code B: Standard printable ASCII characters (default for most text)
Code C: Numeric pairs (00-99) - most compact for numbers

// Numeric data uses Code C for efficiency
barcode.Encode("12345678");      // Optimized as pairs: 12,34,56,78

// Mixed data switches between code sets automatically
barcode.Encode("ABC1234XYZ");    // Code B → Code C → Code B

// Text data uses Code B
barcode.Encode("Hello World");   // Code B throughout

Input Validation

// Valid inputs (all ASCII 0-127)
barcode.Encode("ABC123");           // Alphanumeric
barcode.Encode("test@example.com"); // With symbols
barcode.Encode("Price: $9.99");     // With special chars
barcode.Encode("Line1\nLine2");     // With control chars (Code A)

// Invalid inputs - will throw FormatException
barcode.Encode("Hello™");           // Extended ASCII not supported
barcode.Encode("Test\u0200");       // Unicode beyond ASCII not supported

Future Types (Not Yet Implemented)

Currently all standard barcode types are implemented. Future enhancements may include:

QR codes and 2D barcodes
DataMatrix
PDF417
Additional 1D symbologies

Usage Examples

Type Selection Based on Use Case

public Barcode CreateBarcodeForUseCase(string data, string useCase)
{
    return useCase.ToLower() switch
    {
        "retail" => new Barcode(options => options.Type = BarcodeTypes.Ean13),
        "book" => new Barcode(options => options.Type = BarcodeTypes.Isbn13),
        "small-package" => new Barcode(options => options.Type = BarcodeTypes.Ean8),
        "compact-retail" => new Barcode(options => options.Type = BarcodeTypes.Upce),
        "logistics" => new Barcode(options => options.Type = BarcodeTypes.Code93),
        "usa-retail" => new Barcode(options => options.Type = BarcodeTypes.Upca),
        "shipping" => new Barcode(options => options.Type = BarcodeTypes.Code128),
        "inventory" => new Barcode(options => options.Type = BarcodeTypes.Code128),
        "library" => new Barcode(options => options.Type = BarcodeTypes.Codabar),
        "blood-bank" => new Barcode(options => options.Type = BarcodeTypes.Codabar),
        "medical" => new Barcode(options => options.Type = BarcodeTypes.Codabar),
        _ => new Barcode(options => options.Type = BarcodeTypes.Ean13)
    };
}

Validation Helper

public static bool IsValidForBarcodeType(string input, BarcodeTypes type)
{
    return type switch
    {
        BarcodeTypes.Ean13 => input?.Length == 12 && input.All(char.IsDigit),
        BarcodeTypes.Upca => input?.Length == 11 && input.All(char.IsDigit),
        BarcodeTypes.Upce => input?.Length >= 6 && input?.Length <= 8 && input.All(char.IsDigit),
        BarcodeTypes.Isbn13 => input?.Length == 12 && input.All(char.IsDigit),
        BarcodeTypes.Ean8 => input?.Length == 7 && input.All(char.IsDigit),
        BarcodeTypes.Code93 => IsValidCode93(input),
        BarcodeTypes.Code128 => IsValidCode128(input),
        BarcodeTypes.Code39 => IsValidCode39(input),
        BarcodeTypes.Codabar => IsValidCodabar(input),
        _ => false
    };
}

private static bool IsValidCode93(string input)
{
    if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(input)) return false;
    
    const string validChars = "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0123456789 $%+-./ ";
    return input.All(c => validChars.Contains(c));
}

private static bool IsValidCode39(string input)
{
    if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(input)) return false;
    
    const string validChars = "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0123456789 $%+-./ ";
    return input.All(c => validChars.Contains(c));
}

private static bool IsValidCodabar(string input)
{
    if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(input) || input.Length < 3) return false;
    
    // Must start and end with A, B, C, or D
    char start = char.ToUpper(input[0]);
    char end = char.ToUpper(input[^1]);
    if (!"ABCD".Contains(start) || !"ABCD".Contains(end)) return false;
    
    // Middle characters must be 0-9 or special chars
    const string validDataChars = "0123456789-$:/.+";
    return input[1..^1].All(c => validDataChars.Contains(c));
}

private static bool IsValidCode128(string input)
{
    if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(input)) return false;
    
    // Code 128 supports all ASCII characters (0-127)
    return input.All(c => c >= 0 && c <= 127);
}

Type-Specific Configuration

public static void ConfigureForBarcodeType(BarcodeOptions options, BarcodeTypes type)
{
    options.Type = type;
    
    switch (type)
    {
        case BarcodeTypes.Ean13:
        case BarcodeTypes.Ean8:
        case BarcodeTypes.Upca:
        case BarcodeTypes.Upce:
        case BarcodeTypes.Isbn13:
            // Numeric barcodes - clean, standard appearance
            options.Height = 50;
            options.Scaling = 2;
            options.UseTypeface("Arial", SKFontStyle.Normal);
            break;
            
        case BarcodeTypes.Code93:
        case BarcodeTypes.Code128:
        case BarcodeTypes.Code39:
        case BarcodeTypes.Codabar:
            // Alphanumeric - may need more height for readability
            options.Height = 60;
            options.Scaling = 3;
            options.UseTypeface("Courier New", SKFontStyle.Normal);
            break;
    }
}

Batch Processing Different Types

public void ProcessMixedBarcodes()
{
    var barcodeData = new[]
    {
        ("123456789012", BarcodeTypes.Ean13),
        ("12345678901", BarcodeTypes.Upca),
        ("0123456", BarcodeTypes.Upce),
        ("978123456789", BarcodeTypes.Isbn13),
        ("1234567", BarcodeTypes.Ean8),
        ("PRODUCT-001", BarcodeTypes.Code93),
        ("ABC123xyz", BarcodeTypes.Code128),
        ("PART-123", BarcodeTypes.Code39),
        ("A123456A", BarcodeTypes.Codabar)
    };
    
    foreach (var (data, type) in barcodeData)
    {
        using var barcode = new Barcode(options => options.Type = type);
        string result = barcode.Encode(data);
        barcode.Export($"{type}_{result}.png");
    }
}

Check Digit Calculation

For all supported barcode types, the library automatically calculates and appends check digits when required:

Numeric types (EAN-13, UPC-A, ISBN-13, EAN-8): Use standard check digit algorithms Alphanumeric types (CODE-93): Use modulo-47 check digit calculation CODE-128: Uses modulo-103 check digit calculation with weighted sum

// Input: 12 digits, Output: 13 digits with check digit
using var ean13 = new Barcode(options => options.Type = BarcodeTypes.Ean13);
string result = ean13.Encode("123456789012"); // Returns: "1234567890128"

// Input: 11 digits, Output: 12 digits with check digit  
using var upca = new Barcode(options => options.Type = BarcodeTypes.Upca);
string result2 = upca.Encode("12345678901"); // Returns: "123456789012"

// Input: 6-7 digits, Output: 8 digits with check digit
using var upce = new Barcode(options => options.Type = BarcodeTypes.Upce);
string result3 = upce.Encode("0123456"); // Returns: "01234565"

// Input: variable length, Output: same data (check digit encoded in barcode)
using var code128 = new Barcode(options => options.Type = BarcodeTypes.Code128);
string result4 = code128.Encode("ABC123xyz"); // Returns: "ABC123xyz"

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BarcodeTypes Enum

Namespace

Declaration

Values

Ean13 = 1

Specifications

Example

Input Validation

Upca = 2

Specifications

Example

Input Validation

Upce = 9

Specifications

Example

Input Validation

Number System and Parity

Isbn13 = 3

Specifications

Example

Allowed ISBN Prefixes

Ean8 = 4

Specifications

Example

Input Validation

Code93 = 7

Specifications

Example

Character Set Examples

Input Validation

Code39 = 6

Specifications

Example

Character Set Examples

Input Validation

Check Digit Support

Codabar = 8

Specifications

Example

Start/Stop Characters

Character Set Examples

Input Validation

Use Cases

Code128 = 5

Specifications

Example

Character Set Examples

Code Set Optimization

Input Validation

Future Types (Not Yet Implemented)

Usage Examples

Type Selection Based on Use Case

Validation Helper

Type-Specific Configuration

Batch Processing Different Types

Check Digit Calculation

Related Documentation