Code 39 - Full ASCII - Barcode Guide

The symbol comprises the following elements:

• Leading quiet zone

• Start character (usually an asterisk [*])

• One or more pairs of symbol characters that represent data (including an optional check digit)

• Stop character (usually an asterisk [*])

• Trailing quiet zone

• Intercharacter spaces (one module wide) that separate characters within the symbol

Each Code 39 - Full ASCII data character is represented by nine elements: five bars and four spaces, three of which are wide and six narrow.

Code 39 start and stop characters are used at the beginning and the end of the barcode message to signal a barcode reader that a Code 39 barcode has been scanned. This character is commonly designated as an asterisk, but you can choose to have no start and stop characters at all or choose to let the data source specify either the start character or the stop character or both. The start and stop characters are not transmitted as part of the barcode and are not included in any check digit calculations.