Barcode Generation FAQ

Why will my scanner not read the printed barcode?

When a scanner will not correctly read a printed barcode, it is generally due to 1 of 2 issues:

1. The scanner expects (or does not expect) a Check Digit. On the Barcode Part form, you can enable or disable the check digit for a particular barcode.

2. The sizing or proportions of the Barcode Part are not compatible with the scanner used. This can also result in sporadic success when scanning. You can learn how to test & optimize a barcode for your scanner at Optimizing Barcodes for Scanning.

Why do my small barcode labels have odd sizing or overlap?

We've worked to standardized sizing and make it as easy as possible to build pixel-perfect barcode labels at any size. However, smaller labels make it more difficult to properly fit readable barcodes and additional content. Occasionally, barcodes in small form factors must scale larger vertically or horizontally in order to ensure they can be read by a scanner, and this can push or overlap adjacent content.

In these cases, you may need to adjust sizing and placement of content to find the optimal layout. Also, be sure to test your barcode label with your scanner to ensure that it is still readable at a small size.

How can I improve rendering speed of my barcodes?

Some types of barcodes can take longer to render, especially server-side. This is due to the complexity of performing the necessary vector math to generate barcodes and fonts. Characteristics that can increase rendering time are:

1. Barcode complexity: 2D barcodes such as Aztec Code or PDF417 take much longer to generate than 1D barcodes such as CODE128. (Exception: Our QR Code algorithm has been highly optimized so that it performs similarly to 1D barcodes)

2. Including text on the barcode: Enabling the 'Show value' option on the barcode attempts to include text as part of rendered SVG content, which is computationally intensive. Disabling this option may increase speed significantly. If you need to display the underlying value of the barcode, adding it as a separate text or HTML Barcode Part is a more efficient option.