Code 39 MOD 43 difference

[rtcary(Legacy Member)]

When I use the Monrovia Web calculation for

25078178

it gives a check digit of "V".

When I do it by hand, I get "sp". Is there an error in the Web calculation?

Thank you.....

[benz(Legacy Member)]

I am curious how you get that "V".
From FontPal Web(http://www.morovia.com/font/font-demo.asp), enter your number 25078178, check the "check character" option, it gives barcode string *25078178=*. In our code39 font = represents a space.

Edited by benz on January 26 2006 at 10:23pm

[lstarr]

I am puzzled by "In our code39 font = represents a space." the Equal sign "=" is not part of Code39 (by most information that I can see). If we create a "human readable" version of a string such as "+M5190872Y0P2452" using the Code39Mod43 function, it returns a checksum of "=" . However, this is not a character in Code39, so apparently the Moravia font (only) changes it back to a space " " in order to print the barcode.

However, if you are printing a HIBCC barcode, the secondary barcode uses the primary barcode checksum as part of the data. SO, when you try to calculate a Code39Mod43 checksum for the secondary barcode, the function throws an error becauase the "=" is not part of the mapping set. Why doesn't Moravia's barcode font use an underline "_" like HIBCC uses (or most other companies)?

How can I fix this issue with the checksum? You can't have a checksum character that is not in the allowed characters for the barcode ("=" is not part of Code39). What can I do with it now?

[glitch]

lstarr,

You can replace the = to space when you calls Code39Mod43 the second time. This function is supposed to return the barcode string of the barcode, not the checksum. Passing _ to Code39Mod43 still throws an error as _ is not a Code39 character either.