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PDF417 Barcodes in LEADTOOLS

PDF417 is the most common 2D barcode, and can be used in a variety of applications including identification cards, shipping and inventory management systems. PDF417 offers more data storage than linear (1D) barcodes, up to 1,850 ASCII characters, and includes Error Correction Code (ECC) which allows error-free reading even when a symbol has been partially lost or destroyed.

Sample Barcode

Symbology
BarcodeSymbology.PDF417		PDF417 can be used in conjunction with GS1 linear barcodes to create composite barcodes.

Leadtools.Barcode support

Data Options	Member
LEADTOOLS symbology identifier	BarcodeSymbology.PDF417
Data class	PDF417BarcodeData
Read options	PDF417BarcodeReadOptions
Write options	PDF417BarcodeWriteOptions

Features

Uses Error Correction Code (ECC) to reconstruct damaged barcode symbols
Stores up to 1,850 ASCII characters
Can be combined with GS1-128 to create Composite Code C (CC-C) barcodes

Composite PDF417 Barcodes

PDF417 can be used in conjunction with GS1-128 to create GS1 Composite Code C (CC-C) barcodes. A GS1 Composite barcode is a group of two barcodes, one linear and one 2-dimensional. The linear barcode symbol usually contains the primary data, while the 2D barcode contains related supplementary data such as expiration date and product weight. CC-C can encode up to 2,361 digits of alphanumeric data.

Writing PDF417

PDF417 is a multi-row barcode symbology with high storage capacity and error-correction capabilities. It can be read by linear barcode readers, laser scanners, and 2D barcode scanners. PDF417 barcodes can store 1,108 bytes, 1,850 text characters, or 2,710 digits. A barcode is made up of 3 to 90 rows stacked into columns.

Row Composition

Leading quiet zone (the required minimum amount of white space before the barcode begins)
Start pattern
"Row left" codeword
1 to 30 data codewords
"Row right" codeword
Stop pattern
Trailing quiet zone

Codeword Composition by Encoding Type

1.2 bytes when using Binary Encoding
2 characters when using Text Encoding
2.9 digits when using Numeric Encoding

MicroPDF417 is derived closely from the PDF417 specifications. It is designed for applications that require improved area efficiency without the maximum data capacity of PDF417. As a result it has a limited number symbol sizes with fixed Error Correction for each symbol size.

The following table contains information for writing Micro PDF417 barcodes:

# of Columns	#of Rows	Total # of Codewords	# of Error Correction Codewords	% of Error Correction Codewords	# of Non- Error Correction Codewords	# of Codewords for Data	Max Data Bytes	Max Alpha Characters	Max Digits
1	11	11	7	64	4	3	3	6	8
1	14	14	7	50	7	6	7	12	17
1	17	17	7	41	10	9	10	18	26
1	20	20	8	40	12	11	13	22	32
1	24	24	8	33	16	15	18	30	44
1	28	28	8	29	20	19	22	38	55
2	8	16	8	50	8	7	8	14	20
2	11	22	9	41	13	12	14	24	35
2	14	28	9	32	19	18	21	36	52
2	17	34	10	29	24	23	27	46	67
2	20	40	11	28	29	28	33	56	82
2	23	46	13	28	33	32	38	64	93
2	26	52	15	29	37	36	43	72	105
3	6	18	12	67	6	5	6	10	14
3	8	24	14	58	10	9	10	18	26
3	10	30	16	53	14	13	15	26	38
3	12	36	18	50	18	17	20	34	49
3	15	45	21	47	24	23	27	46	67
3	20	60	26	43	34	33	39	66	96
3	26	78	32	41	46	45	54	90	132
3	32	96	38	40	58	57	68	114	167
3	38	114	44	39	70	69	82	138	202
3	44	132	50	38	82	81	97	162	237
4	4	16	8	50	8	7	8	14	20
4	6	24	12	50	12	11	13	22	32
4	8	32	14	44	18	17	20	34	49
4	10	40	16	40	24	23	27	46	67
4	12	48	18	38	30	29	34	58	85
4	15	60	21	35	39	38	45	76	111
4	20	80	26	33	54	53	63	106	155
4	26	104	32	31	72	71	85	142	208
4	32	128	38	30	90	89	106	178	261
4	38	152	44	29	108	107	128	214	313
4	44	176	50	28	126	125	150	250	366

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# of Columns	#of Rows	Total # of Codewords	# of Error Correction Codewords	% of Error Correction Codewords	# of Non- Error Correction Codewords	# of Codewords for Data	Max Data Bytes	Max Alpha Characters	Max Digits
1	11	11	7	64	4	3	3	6	8
1	14	14	7	50	7	6	7	12	17
1	17	17	7	41	10	9	10	18	26
1	20	20	8	40	12	11	13	22	32
1	24	24	8	33	16	15	18	30	44
1	28	28	8	29	20	19	22	38	55
2	8	16	8	50	8	7	8	14	20
2	11	22	9	41	13	12	14	24	35
2	14	28	9	32	19	18	21	36	52
2	17	34	10	29	24	23	27	46	67
2	20	40	11	28	29	28	33	56	82
2	23	46	13	28	33	32	38	64	93
2	26	52	15	29	37	36	43	72	105
3	6	18	12	67	6	5	6	10	14
3	8	24	14	58	10	9	10	18	26
3	10	30	16	53	14	13	15	26	38
3	12	36	18	50	18	17	20	34	49
3	15	45	21	47	24	23	27	46	67
3	20	60	26	43	34	33	39	66	96
3	26	78	32	41	46	45	54	90	132
3	32	96	38	40	58	57	68	114	167
3	38	114	44	39	70	69	82	138	202
3	44	132	50	38	82	81	97	162	237
4	4	16	8	50	8	7	8	14	20
4	6	24	12	50	12	11	13	22	32
4	8	32	14	44	18	17	20	34	49
4	10	40	16	40	24	23	27	46	67
4	12	48	18	38	30	29	34	58	85
4	15	60	21	35	39	38	45	76	111
4	20	80	26	33	54	53	63	106	155
4	26	104	32	31	72	71	85	142	208
4	32	128	38	30	90	89	106	178	261
4	38	152	44	29	108	107	128	214	313
4	44	176	50	28	126	125	150	250	366

# of Columns	#of Rows	Total # of Codewords	# of Error Correction Codewords	% of Error Correction Codewords	# of Non- Error Correction Codewords	# of Codewords for Data	Max Data Bytes	Max Alpha Characters	Max Digits
1	11	11	7	64	4	3	3	6	8
1	14	14	7	50	7	6	7	12	17
1	17	17	7	41	10	9	10	18	26
1	20	20	8	40	12	11	13	22	32
1	24	24	8	33	16	15	18	30	44
1	28	28	8	29	20	19	22	38	55
2	8	16	8	50	8	7	8	14	20
2	11	22	9	41	13	12	14	24	35
2	14	28	9	32	19	18	21	36	52
2	17	34	10	29	24	23	27	46	67
2	20	40	11	28	29	28	33	56	82
2	23	46	13	28	33	32	38	64	93
2	26	52	15	29	37	36	43	72	105
3	6	18	12	67	6	5	6	10	14
3	8	24	14	58	10	9	10	18	26
3	10	30	16	53	14	13	15	26	38
3	12	36	18	50	18	17	20	34	49
3	15	45	21	47	24	23	27	46	67
3	20	60	26	43	34	33	39	66	96
3	26	78	32	41	46	45	54	90	132
3	32	96	38	40	58	57	68	114	167
3	38	114	44	39	70	69	82	138	202
3	44	132	50	38	82	81	97	162	237
4	4	16	8	50	8	7	8	14	20
4	6	24	12	50	12	11	13	22	32
4	8	32	14	44	18	17	20	34	49
4	10	40	16	40	24	23	27	46	67
4	12	48	18	38	30	29	34	58	85
4	15	60	21	35	39	38	45	76	111
4	20	80	26	33	54	53	63	106	155
4	26	104	32	31	72	71	85	142	208
4	32	128	38	30	90	89	106	178	261
4	38	152	44	29	108	107	128	214	313
4	44	176	50	28	126	125	150	250	366

# of Columns	#of Rows	Total # of Codewords	# of Error Correction Codewords	% of Error Correction Codewords	# of Non- Error Correction Codewords	# of Codewords for Data	Max Data Bytes	Max Alpha Characters	Max Digits
1	11	11	7	64	4	3	3	6	8
1	14	14	7	50	7	6	7	12	17
1	17	17	7	41	10	9	10	18	26
1	20	20	8	40	12	11	13	22	32
1	24	24	8	33	16	15	18	30	44
1	28	28	8	29	20	19	22	38	55
2	8	16	8	50	8	7	8	14	20
2	11	22	9	41	13	12	14	24	35
2	14	28	9	32	19	18	21	36	52
2	17	34	10	29	24	23	27	46	67
2	20	40	11	28	29	28	33	56	82
2	23	46	13	28	33	32	38	64	93
2	26	52	15	29	37	36	43	72	105
3	6	18	12	67	6	5	6	10	14
3	8	24	14	58	10	9	10	18	26
3	10	30	16	53	14	13	15	26	38
3	12	36	18	50	18	17	20	34	49
3	15	45	21	47	24	23	27	46	67
3	20	60	26	43	34	33	39	66	96
3	26	78	32	41	46	45	54	90	132
3	32	96	38	40	58	57	68	114	167
3	38	114	44	39	70	69	82	138	202
3	44	132	50	38	82	81	97	162	237
4	4	16	8	50	8	7	8	14	20
4	6	24	12	50	12	11	13	22	32
4	8	32	14	44	18	17	20	34	49
4	10	40	16	40	24	23	27	46	67
4	12	48	18	38	30	29	34	58	85
4	15	60	21	35	39	38	45	76	111
4	20	80	26	33	54	53	63	106	155
4	26	104	32	31	72	71	85	142	208
4	32	128	38	30	90	89	106	178	261
4	38	152	44	29	108	107	128	214	313
4	44	176	50	28	126	125	150	250	366