EAN-5
EAN-5 is an optional additional bar code to the right of a EAN-13 or UPC-A bar code, used on product packaging for checkout scanning. It encodes an extra five digits in addition to the main UPC or EAN code, used for supplementary information (of a larger size than the other EAN-2 supplementary code which only encodes two digits). Book publishers use this to encode the suggested list price of the book. Comic book publishers use it on direct-sale versions (to the comic shop market) to encode the issue number and distinguish variant versions and printings; the first three digits correspond to the issue number (so they have a problem when a title reaches #1000, sometimes averted given their propensity to reboot titles with new #1 issues; Action Comics was past #900 before it was reset; however, it subsequently restored its original numbering and reached 1000, which was coded as 000 in this system), then one digit representing the printing ("1" for first printing, which collectors usually want) and one digit for variant (e.g., different covers).
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Software
- Review of barcode scanner apps
- iOS app to read UPC/EAN codes and find product info/prices
- Android app to read UPC and QR codes to look up product info/prices and other info coded or linked in bar codes
- Bar Code app (iOS)
Developer libraries and modules
- ZBar bar code reader library: cross-platform
- zxing (Zebra Crossing) (barcode library for Java, ported to some other systems)
- MediaWiki extension to generate UPC, EAN, and Code39 codes
- Postscript Barcode (barcode writer)
Utilities
- Global UPC database
- Another UPC search site
- Online barcode generator (supports many different formats)
- Another bar code generator
