UPC-E

UPC-E is a zero-suppressed version of UPC-A, designed for smaller packages. It's also known as "zero compressed" UPC because it reduces a 12-digit UPC-A code into 8 digits by suppressing trailing zeros.

Basic Usage

import { barcode } from '@stacksjs/qrx'

barcode('#barcode', '01234565', { format: 'UPCE' })

[!NOTE] Image needed: Basic UPC-E barcode example

Structure

UPC-E has special compression rules:

• First digit must be 0 or 1
• Last digit is a check digit
• Middle 6 digits follow compression patterns

Compression Patterns

UPC-E compresses UPC-A codes that end in zeros. The compression patterns are:

UPC-E	Expands to (UPC-A)	Pattern
0123400	012340000000	XX000-00YYY
0123400	012300000004	XX100-00YYY
0123400	012200000003	XX200-00YYY
0123400	012300000000	XXX00-000Y
0123400	012340000000	XXXX0-0000
0123400	012345000000	XXXXX-0005
0123400	012345600000	XXXXX-0006
0123400	012345700000	XXXXX-0007
0123400	012345800000	XXXXX-0008
0123400	012345900000	XXXXX-0009

Basic Encoding

import { barcode } from '@stacksjs/qrx'

// Direct UPC-E number
barcode('#barcode', '01234565', { format: 'UPCE' })

// With number system and check digit
barcode('#barcode', '01234565', { format: 'UPCE' })

Advanced Options

import { barcode } from '@stacksjs/qrx'

barcode('#barcode', '01234565', {
  format: 'UPCE',
  width: 2,
  height: 100,
  displayValue: true,
  font: 'OCRB',
  fontSize: 18,
  textMargin: 0,
  flat: false,
  guardHeight: 15
})

Conversion Examples

import { barcode } from '@stacksjs/qrx'

// These UPC-A numbers compress to the same UPC-E
barcode('#barcode', '01200000345', { format: 'UPCE' }) // -> 01234565
barcode('#barcode', '01234500005', { format: 'UPCE' }) // -> 01234565

[!NOTE] Image needed: Conversion visualization

Add-on Support

import { barcode } from '@stacksjs/qrx'

barcode('#barcode')
  .UPCE('01234565')
  .blank(20)
  .EAN2('12', {
    height: 85,
    textPosition: 'top'
  })
  .render()

[!NOTE] Image needed: UPC-E with add-on example

Error Handling

import { barcode } from '@stacksjs/qrx'

barcode('#barcode', '01234565', {
  format: 'UPCE',
  valid: (valid) => {
    if (!valid) {
      console.error('Invalid UPC-E')
      // Handle invalid input
    }
  }
})

Best Practices

1. Validation Rules

   • First digit must be 0 or 1
   • Must follow compression patterns
   • Check digit must be valid
   • Total length must be 6 or 8 digits

2. Printing Guidelines

   • Maintain minimum size requirements
   • Ensure quiet zones
   • Use OCR-B font
   • Test scanner compatibility

Technical Notes

1. Size Specifications

   • Nominal size: 22.11mm × 25.91mm
   • Magnification: 80% to 200%
   • Minimum bar width: 0.264mm
   • Quiet zones: 7x module width

2. Conversion Guidelines

   • Not all UPC-A codes can be compressed
   • Only specific patterns are valid
   • Maintain original UPC-A for reference

[!NOTE] Image needed: Technical specifications diagram

Comparison with UPC-A

// UPC-A original
barcode('#barcode', '012000003456', { format: 'UPC' })

// UPC-E compressed equivalent
barcode('#barcode', '01234565', { format: 'UPCE' })

[!NOTE] Image needed: Side-by-side comparison of UPC-A and UPC-E

Common Applications

1. Small Packages

   • Travel-size products
   • Small cosmetics
   • Limited label space

2. Special Products

   • Zero-suppressed items
   • Space-constrained labels
   • Small retail items

[!NOTE] Image needed: Real-world application examples