Barcodes for the Android Platform

Introduction
Datamatrix
QRCode
JavaDoc files: open the index.html file in the javadoc subdirectory.

Introduction

This page provides a general introduction to datamatrix and qrcode. Please read the JavaDoc files for information about the API.

Datamatrix

Introduction

Data Matrix is a two-dimensional (2D) matrix symbology which is made up of square modules arranged within a perimeter finder pattern. It can encode up to 3116 characters from the entire 256 byte ASCII character set. The symbol consists of data regions which contain square modules set out in a regular array. Large ECC 200 symbols contain several regions. Each data region is delimited by a finder pattern, and this is surrounded on all four sides by a quiet zone border (margin).

ECC 200 symbols have an even number of rows and an even number of columns. Most of the symbols are square with sizes from 10 x 10 to 144 x 144. Some symbols however are rectangular with sizes from 8 x 18 to 16 x 48. All ECC 200 symbols can be recognized by the upper right corner module being light (binary 0).

ECC200 is the newest version of data matrix and supports advanced encoding error checking and correction algorithms (reed-solomon). This algorithms allow the recognition of barcodes that are up to 60% damaged.

The barcode supports two optional mechanisms:

The "Extended Channel Interpretation" (ECI) mechanism enables characters from other character sets (e.g. Arabic, Cyrillic ..) and other data interpretations or industry-specific requirements to be represented.
The "Structured append" allows files of data to be represented as a secuence of up to 16 Data Matrix symbols. The original data or file can be reconstructed regardless of the order of the symbols.

J4L DataMatrix supports:

All sizes and formats (from 10x10 till 144x144)
Ascii, text , C40 and Base256 (for binary data) encoding.
The Extended Channel Interpretation and Structured append

Formats

RDataMatrix supports all data matrix formats. The following table contains the size , the capacity and the correction error features of each format

Size	Numeric Capacity	Alphanumeric capacity	Binary capacity	Max Correctable Error/Erasure
10 x 10	6	3	1	2
12 x 12	10	6	3	3
14 x 14	16	10	6	5/7
16 x 16	24	16	10	6/9
18 x 18	36	25	16	7/11
20 x 20	44	31	20	9/15
22 x 22	60	43	28	10/17
24 x 24	72	52	34	12/21
26 x 26	88	64	42	14/25
32 x 32	124	91	60	18/33
36 x 36	172	127	84	21/39
40 x 40	228	169	112	24/45
44 x 44	288	214	142	28/53
48 x 48	348	259	172	34/65
52 x 52	408	304	202	42/78
64 x 64	560	418	278	56/106
72 x 72	736	550	366	72/132
80 x 80	912	682	454	96/180
88 x 88	1152	862	574	112/212
96 x 96	1392	1042	694	136/260
104 x 104	1632	1222	814	168/318
120 x 120	2100	1573	1048	204/390
132 x 132	2608	1954	1302	248/472
144 x 144	3116	2335	1556	310/590
8 x 18	10	6	3	3
8 x 32	20	13	8	5
12 x 26	32	22	14	7/11
12 x 36	44	31	20	9/15
16 x 36	64	46	30	12/21
16 x 48	98	72	47	14/25

Encoding

The data represented in the symbol is can be compressed using one or several of the following algorithms:

ASCII: it is used to encode data that mainly contains ascii characters (0-127). It encodes one alphanumeric or two numeric characters per byte.
C40: it is used to encode data that mainly contains numeric and upper case characters. C40 encodes three alphanumeric data characters into two bytes.
TEXT: it is used to encode data that mainly contains numeric and lowercase characters. TEXT encodes three alphanumeric data characters into two bytes.
BASE256: it is used to encode 8 bit values.

All encoding system can be used to encode any data, but for example, encoding binary data with C40 generates much more overhead (longer symbol) than with BASE256.

Control characters

RDataMatrix uses the character ~ to recognize some special characters in the input data. The following possibilities are available:

~X is used to represent character values from 0 to 26. Replace the X like in the following example ~@ = means character ascii 0, ~A= means character 1, ~B=means character 2, ~C=means character 3 ...
~1: represents the character FNC1. When FNC1 appears in the first position (or in the fifth position of the first symbol of a Structured Append), it will indicate that the data conforms to the UCC/EAN Application Identifier standard format.
~2: It is used to represent Structured Append. Structured Append is used to link information from several symbols in a secuence. The ~2 must be followed by 3 additional bytes. The first 4 bits of thie first byte identify the position of the particular symbol in the secuence . The last 4 bits identify the total number of symbols in the secuence. The second and third byte are used as a file identifier are can have a value between 1 and 254 (up to 254*254=64516 identifiers). See Data Matrix Specification for more information about this (ISO 16022).
~3: This character are only allowed in the first position of the symbol. It indicates that the data contains commands for the barcode reader.
~4: not allowed.
~5 and ~6: These characters are only allowed in the first position of the symbol. If ~5 is used the header [)> ascii30 ascii05 ascii29 will be transmitted by the barcode reader before the data in the symbol and the trailer ascii30 ascii04 will be transmitted after the data. If a ~6 is used , the header [)> ascii30 ascii05 ascii29 will be transmittedby the reader before the data and the trailer ascii30 ascii04 will be transmitted afterwards.
~7NNNNNN specifies the Extended Channel to be used, where NNNNNN is a value between and 000000 - 999999. For example: ~7000010 means Extended Channel 10 . Extended channel is used for using other character sets other than ascii. See Data Matrix Specification for more information about this (ISO 16022).
~dNNN represents the ascii character encoded by the 3 digits NNN. For exmaple, ~d065 represents the character 'A'.

QRCode

QR Code is a matrix symbology which includes a finder pattern located at three corners of the symbol used to locate the symbol and figure out its size and orientation.

The main features of QRCode symbols are:

There are 40 sizes of QR Code symbols (called Version 1, Version 2 till Version 40). Version 1 measures 21 modules * 21 modules, Version 2 measures 25 modules * 25 modules and so on. Version 40 measures 177 modules * 177 modules.
The following data can be encoded:
- Numeric data (digits 0-9).
- Alphanumeric characters , digits 0 - 9; upper case letters A -Z and nine other characters: space, $ % * + - . / :
- Byte data (bytes 0-255)
- Kanji characters ( hexadecimal values 8140 -9FFC and E040 - EBBF )
Symbol size is 21 * 21 modules to 177 * 177 modules (Versions 1 to 40, increasing in steps of 4 modules per side).
The maximum number of characters encoded in one symbol (without structured append) is:
- Numeric data: 7089 characters
- Alphanumeric data: 4296 characters
- Byte data: 2953 characters
- Kanji data: 1817 characters
Supports 4 error correction levels:
- L ( 7% of the symbol codewords).
- M ( 15% of the symbol codewords).
- Q ( 25% of the symbol codewords).
- H ( 30% of the symbol codewords).
Structured append (optional) This allows files of data to be represented logically in up to 16 QR Code symbols.
Extended Channel Interpretation (optional): enables data using character sets other than the default set (e.g. Arabic, Cyrillic, Greek).
FNC1 indicators: FNC1 mode is used for messages containing data formatted either in accordance with the UCC/EAN Application Identifiers standard or in accordance with a specific industry standard previously agreed with AIM International.

J4L-QRCode supports:

QRCode mode 2 symbols (not mode 1)
All versions 1-40. Automatic selection of the version is also supported.
All encoding method (numeric, alphanumeric, byte and kanji). Automatic selection of the encoding method is also supported.
Structured append.
Extended Channel Interpretation (only 1 per symbol, no nesting supported).
All 4 error correction levels.
FNC1 indicators.

Table � Data capacity for QRCode versions

Version	Error Correction Level	Numeric	Alphanumeric	Byte	Kanji
1	L M Q H	41 34 27 17	25 20 16 10	17 14 11 7	10 8 7 4
2	L M Q H	77 63 48 34	47 38 29 20	32 26 20 14	20 16 12 8
3	L M Q H	127 101 77 58	77 61 47 35	53 42 32 24	32 26 20 15
4	L M Q H	187 149 111 82	114 90 67 50	78 62 46 34	48 38 28 21
5	L M Q H	255 202 144 106	154 122 87 64	106 84 60 44	65 52 37 27
6	L M Q H	322 255 178 139	195 154 108 84	134 106 74 58	82 65 45 36
7	L M Q H	370 293 207 154	224 178 125 93	154 122 86 64	95 75 53 39
8	L M Q H	461 365 259 202	279 221 157 122	192 152 108 84	118 93 66 52
9	L M Q H	552 432 312 235	335 262 189 143	230 180 130 98	141 111 80 60
10	L M Q H	652 513 364 288	395 311 221 174	271 213 151 119	167 131 93 74
11	L M Q H	772 604 427 331	468 366 259 200	321 251 177 137	198 155 109 85
12	L M Q H	883 691 489 374	535 419 296 227	367 287 203 155	226 177 125 96
13	L M Q H	1022 796 580 427	619 483 352 259	425 331 241 177	262 204 149 109
14	L M Q H	1101 871 621 468	667 528 376 283	458 362 258 194	282 223 159 120
15	L M Q H	1250 991 703 530	758 600 426 321	520 412 292 220	320 254 180 136
16	L M Q H	1408 1082 775 602	854 656 470 365	586 450 322 250	361 277 198 154
17	L M Q H	1548 1212 876 674	938 734 531 408	644 504 364 280	397 310 224 173
18	L M Q H	1725 1346 948 746	1046 816 574 452	718 560 394 310	442 345 243 191
19	L M Q H	1903 1500 1063 813	1153 909 644 493	792 624 442 338	488 384 272 208
20	L M Q H	2061 1600 1159 919	1249 970 702 557	858 666 482 382	528 410 297 235
21	L M Q H	2232 1708 1224 969	1352 1035 742 587	929 711 509 403	572 438 314 248
22	L M Q H	2409 1872 1358 1056	1460 1134 823 640	1003 779 565 439	618 480 348 270
23	L M Q H	2620 2059 1468 1108	1588 1248 890 672	1091 857 611 461	672 528 376 284
24	L M Q H	2812 2188 1588 1228	1704 1326 963 744	1171 911 661 511	721 561 407 315
25	L M Q H	3057 2395 1718 1286	1853 1451 1041 779	1273 997 715 535	784 614 440 330
26	L M Q H	3283 2544 1804 1425	1990 1542 1094 864	1367 1059 751 593	842 652 462 365
27	L M Q H	3517 2701 1933 1501	2132 1637 1172 910	1465 1125 805 625	902 692 496 385
28	L M Q H	3669 2857 2085 1581	2223 1732 1263 958	1528 1190 868 658	940 732 534 405
29	L M Q H	3909 3035 2181 1677	2369 1839 1322 1016	1628 1264 908 698	1002 778 559 430
30	L M Q H	4158 3289 2358 1782	2520 1994 1429 1080	1732 1370 982 742	1066 843 604 457
31	L M Q H	4417 3486 2473 1897	2677 2113 1499 1150	1840 1452 1030 790	1132 894 634 486
32	L M Q H	4686 3693 2670 2022	2840 2238 1618 1226	1952 1538 1112 842	1201 947 684 518
33	L M Q H	4965 3909 2805 2157	3009 2369 1700 1307	2068 1628 1168 898	1273 1002 719 553
34	L M Q H	5253 4134 2949 2301	3183 2506 1787 1394	2188 1722 1228 958	1347 1060 756 590
35	L M Q H	5529 4343 3081 2361	3351 2632 1867 1431	2303 1809 1283 983	1417 1113 790 605
36	L M Q H	5836 4588 3244 2524	3537 2780 1966 1530	2431 1911 1351 1051	1496 1176 832 647
37	L M Q H	6153 4775 3417 2625	3729 2894 2071 1591	2563 1989 1423 1093	1577 1224 876 673
38	L M Q H	6479 5039 3599 2735	3927 3054 2181 1658	2699 2099 1499 1139	1661 1292 923 701
39	L M Q H	6743 5313 3791 2927	4087 3220 2298 1774	2809 2213 1579 1219	1729 1362 972 750
40	L M Q H	7089 5596 3993 3057	4296 3391 2420 1852	2953 2331 1663 1273	1817 1435 1024 784