Search code examples
c#.netbarcodezxinggs1-datamatrix

Generating GS1 DataMatrix using ZXing.Net

What I need

Is to generate a working GS1 DataMatrix, using this test content:

(240)1234567890(10)AA12345(11)123456(21)1(96)1234567

Steps

I've downloaded the nuget package from here:

enter image description here

and

I've created a console app that uses this code:

private static void DoGs1DataMatrixStuff()
{
    var writer = new BarcodeWriter
    {
        Format = BarcodeFormat.DATA_MATRIX
    };

    writer
        .Write("(240)1234567890(10)AA12345(11)123456(21)1(96)1234567")
        .Save(@"C:\Temp\barcode.png");
}

There's no obvious specific GS1_DataMatrix format I can use ...

that gives me

enter image description here

which if read by a scanner app on my smartphone, gives the literal content that I originally presented, not with the FNC1 formatting that I expect for GS1:

(240)1234567890(10)AA12345(11)123456(21)1(96)1234567

while it should be

2401234567890 10AA12345 11123456211 961234567

From another source (not a source I can use) I got this barcode:

enter image description here

Using my smartphone app this reads into the correct data.

Question

How can I recreate this working GS1 datamatrix, using ZXing.Net?

also see

this link, Chris Bahns raises the same concern I have, but his request didn't get a working answer.

Solution

  • You have to use a formatted string with ASCII character 29 (GS - Group Separator):

    < GS >2401234567890< GS >10AA12345< GS >11123456211< GS >961234567

    (replace the "< GS >" with ASCII 29)

    ZXing.Net supports the GS symbol with the ASCII encoder since version 0.15. It replaces the ASCII 29 value with the FNC1 codeword (232) in the resulting datamatrix image.

    That's only a low level support. There is no built in class or something similar which understands AI (application identifiers) with fixed or variable length (similar to the result parser classes for vCards, vEvent, ISBN, ...).