What is the substitute for the 'space' character in code 39 barcode font?

Question

I'm writing a customization for MFG/Pro ERP. My program has a couple of 1-D barcodes which are printed and are getting read correctly.

However, whenever there is a space in the text to be barcoded, the barcode has a hole/space in the printed barcode.

I need the scanner to read the space character.

I've tried various substitute characters to no avail, e.g. to code "Test 123", I've tried:

underscore ( _ ) => "Test_123"
equal ( = )      => "Test=123"
comma ( , )      => "Test,123"
exclamation ( ! )=> "Test!123"
tilde ( ~ )      => "Test~123"
chr(32)          => "Test" + chr(32) + "123"
chr(194)         => "Test" + chr(194) + "123"

My questions are:

1. What other substitute characters exists for code 39 space character?

2. How can I find which character is used by my printer, we are using a Ricoh MP C4504.

Update: I tested the bar code with all uppercase characters (REV B) and here is the output.

Answer 1

The Code 39 Alphabet is as follows: "0123456789ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ-. $/+%*"

The space character is the 39th character in the above string between the '.' and the '$'. There is not a direct ASCII conversion to the characters in the symbology. If you are unable to generate the space symbol in the Code 39 symbology, it is because of whatever software you have that is parsing the string you are passing to the printer.

The following is a code 39 barcode that reads 'TEST 123'.

<img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/AQD/AAD/AAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATUoCA+Jw8kAAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/Af//AAABAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD/AAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAajkDAr7LFAwAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/AQD/AAAAAAAAAAAAAP8AAAABAAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARVICA/z3WM0AAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/Af//AAABAAAA/wAAAAEAAAD/AAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAizUEAhrxcbgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/AQD/AAAAAAAAAAAAAP8AAAABAAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARVICA/z3WM0AAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/AQD/AAAAAAAA/wAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASTUCAqHeHtMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/AQD/AAD/AAAAAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATVICAxOyzrMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/Af//AAABAAAA/wAAAAEAAAAAAAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAck4DAxY8F10AAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/AQD/AAD/AAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATUoCA+Jw8kAAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/Af//AAABAAAA/wAAAAEAAAD/AAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAizUEAhrxcbgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/AQD/AAAAAAAAAAAAAP8AAAABAAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARVICA/z3WM0AAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/Af//AAABAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD/AAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAajkDAr7LFAwAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/Af//AAAAAAAAAQAAAP8AAAABAAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAbkoDA3iPVH4AAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/Af//AAABAAAA/wAAAAEAAAAAAAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAck4DAxY8F10AAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/AQD/AAD/AAAAAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATVICAxOyzrMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/Af//AAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAAAD/AAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAajEDAm49ReYAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/AQD/AAD/AAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATUoCA+Jw8kAAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/ASL/AADeAAAA/gAAAAIAAAD+AAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAh6QEAZKdo54AAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/AQD/AAAAAAAAAAAAAP8AAAABAAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARVICA/z3WM0AAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/Af//AAABAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD/AAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAajkDAr7LFAwAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/AQD/AAD/AAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATUoCA+Jw8kAAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/Af//AAABAAAA/wAAAAEAAAAAAAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAck4DAxY8F10AAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/AQD/AAD/AAAAAQAAAP8AAAABAAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAak4DA7VAmk0AAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/AQD/AAAAAAAA/wAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASTUCAqHeHtMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/AQD/AAD/AAAAAQAAAP8AAAABAAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAak4DA7VAmk0AAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/AQD/AAAAAAAA/wAAAAEAAAAAAAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASVICA62zYxMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/AQD/AAD/AAAAAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATVICAxOyzrMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/Af//AAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAAAD/AAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAajEDAm49ReYAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/AQD/AAD/AAAAAQAAAP8AAAABAAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAak4DA7VAmk0AAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/Af//AAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAAAD/AAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAajEDAm49ReYAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/AQD/AAAAAAAAAAAAAP8AAAABAAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARVICA/z3WM0AAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAACCAQAAADLaIVbAAAANUlEQVQIHQEqANX/ASL/AADeAAAA/gAAAAIAAAD+AAAAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAh6QEAZKdo54AAAAASUVORK5CYII=" width="10" height="60">

Code 39 does not support lowercase characters, so your example is either being converted to uppercase, or the software you are using supports Full ASCII Code 39. By the length of the example symbol that you supply, this cannot be the case. As a matter of fact, the problem seems to be with your use of the lower case letters in your test string. It seems that only the start character and the 'T' are being converted to barcode. The 'est' is generating the whitespace you are experiencing.

I removed the space in between the symbol segments and the barcode scans as "REVB" so the software is definitely creating whitespace where there should be the missing symbol according to the following diagram.

We need to understand the layers of software between your ERP and the printer driver. Something between the input field and the printhead is really fouling this up. Is the barcode courtesy of a printer driver, add-on, font, or the ERP itself?

Answer 2

I finally found the ASCII character that is used to encode the space inside the barcode text. I have to use ASCII character '44' for this.

In order to reach this solution, I had to write a small program that loops through 1 to 128 , print the number, its ASCII code and its barcode. Later on I had to scan each barcode to find the correct space encoding character.