1. Introduction

Zint is an open source barcode generator which allows you to encode data in over 30 types of barcode symbol. In this documentation a barcode encoding method is termed a symbology and the resulting barcode image is termed a symbol. The symbologies currently supported by Zint are: [1]

Code 11, Standard Code 2 of 5, IATA Code 2 of 5, Industrial Code 2 of 5, Interleaved Code 2 of 5, Code 2 of 5 Data Logic, ITF-14, Deutche Post Leitcode, Deutche Post Identcode, UPC-A, UPC-E, EAN-2, EAN-5, EAN-8, EAN-13, UK Plessey, MSI Plessey, Telepen Alpha, Telepen Numeric, Code 39, Extended Code 39, Code 93, PZN, LOGMARS, Codabar, Pharmacode, Code 128, GS1-128, NVE-18, GS1 DataBar, DataBar-14, DataBar Limited, DataBar Extended, Code 16k, PDF417, MicroPDF417, Two-Track Pharmacode, PostNet, PLANET, Australia Post 4-State Symbols, Dutch Post KIX Code, RM4SCC, USPS OneCode, Data Matrix, QR Code, Maxicode, Composite Symbols, FIM and Flattermarken.

In addition Zint also provides barcode stacking, colour options and a verification stage for SBN, ISBN and ISBN-13 data. The aim of the Zint project is to provide an open source API for encoding all public domain barcode symbologies.

This document is a guide to the Zint API and front end program as well as a guide to the barcode technologies which they make available. Please remember that, although a great deal of care has been taken to de-bug Zint, many of the symbologies have not been tested with commercial barcode scanners so you are recommended to test that symbols decode properly before you use them.

This project needs your support!

The Zint project is committed to providing the open source community with encoding software for all public domain barcode standards. For this we need access to the standard documentation and, unfortunately, this is not free. Your donation will contribute towards the purchase of standard documents from the ISO and ANSI. Standards which we hope to add to Zint in this way include Aztec Code, Codablock-F, Code 49, Supercode, Code One and (when it becomes available) Ultracode. If you have a preference regarding which standard you would like your donation to go towards then please let us know and we will reserve your donation for that standard. Thank you.

To make a donation please go to: http://sourceforge.net/project/project_donations.php?group_id=199350

[1] Note that some of these symbologies have more than one name, and that some of the names given in this list are not the official names for the symbologies referred to.