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I need to build a QR-code for my url as small as possible - it is short enough to use shorteners (and I don't want to be dependent to their reliability).

HTTP: // SUBDOM.DOMAIN.EU

8-bit byte mode is too place-wasting, I can reach Version 2 there, but Version 1 in alphanumeric mode.

  1. Is there a way how to set alphanumeric mode to use only lower-case letters instead of upper-case?
  2. May using upper-case in URL cause problem in any browser / platform? (I tested it in Firefox, IE but I am afraid, that it is only inner case conversion.)

EDIT:

I didn't explicitely mentioned, that my adress is only subdomain and domain name, that is case-insensitive, according to for example

http://www.enterthenet.com/webgeek-stuff-web-names-and-case-sensitivity/

Addresses of this type, without page names, can be written with upper-case and use alphanumeric mode (Version 1 = 25 characters for compared to 17 chars in 8-bit byte mode on level L)

I have found different recommendations about minimum size of one dot from 0,4 mm to 0,76 mm. I need the QR-code 16 × 16 mm big and Version 1 (21×21) exactly matches the upper recommendation level.

ojinmor
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1 Answers1

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(Aside: version 1 is actually harder to read in some cases than version 2 because it lacks an alignment pattern. I would not be afraid of using version 2.)

Set alphanumeric mode, in what tool? Maybe, probably, but depends on your tool.

Alphanumeric mode only encodes upper-case.

URLs are case sensitive, so no you may not in general upper-case a URL. It is nothing to do with the browser.

Sean Owen
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    Some tools set automatically alphanumeric mode, if the text contains only characters for that mode, for example [link](http://www.morovia.com/free-online-barcode-generator/qrcode-maker.php) Readability Ver 1/Ver 2 of this size - I will have to test it. – ojinmor Mar 22 '12 at 07:42
  • what mode does a lower-case string to encode fall under if no alphanumeric? – Don Cheadle Apr 03 '15 at 18:04
  • Full byte mode = takes most space – Sean Owen Apr 03 '15 at 18:31
  • I have a string which MUST have an apostrophe `'`, among other alphabet and numerical characters. I see almost no difference in space saved between all characters being capitalized, and none capitalized, as long as there is this single `'`. Is that expected? – Don Cheadle Apr 03 '15 at 19:57
  • @SeanOwen I would've expected / hoped that all the characters satisfying `alphanumeric` mode would take up little space according to its mode, and then only the `'` would take up the larger space according to its mode (which I guess would fall into "full byte") – Don Cheadle Apr 03 '15 at 20:00
  • Yes it is possible to encode substrings in different modes. Some encoders manage this where it would save space – Sean Owen Apr 03 '15 at 20:49