^B1 - Code 11 Bar Code

Numeric-only symbology used in telecommunications, with one or two check digits.

^B1 prints a Code 11 symbol, also known as USD-8. Its designers made it for labels on telecommunications equipment. It is numeric, it is not self-checking, and it needs check digits to be reliable, which makes it a poor choice for other work. Use ^B3 Code 39 or ^BC Code 128 unless a telecommunications standard names Code 11 specifically.

Syntax

^B1o,e,h,f,g

Support

Supportedparsed: full · state: full · rendered: full

Every documented parameter renders the same output Labelary produces.

Labelary renders this command.

Parameters

oBar code orientationoptional · one of a set

Rotation of the symbol and interpretation line.

Default: the orientation set by ^FW, which itself defaults to N
Invalid value: discarded, and the default applies. The renderer reports an unrecognized character as invalid, and uses the default.
Test coverage: Values exercised: N, R, I, B. The invalid-value rule is not pinned by a test.

N: No rotation (default)
R: Rotated 90° clockwise
I: Rotated 180°. The symbol reads upside down
B: Rotated 270° clockwise

eCheck digit countoptional · Y or N

Code 11 always carries a check digit; this argument chooses how many.

Default: N
Invalid value: discarded, and the default applies. The renderer reports any character except Y or N, and uses two check digits.
Test coverage: Values exercised: Y, N. The invalid-value rule is not pinned by a test.

Y: One check digit
N: Two check digits (default)

hBar code heightoptional · dots

Height of the bars, without the interpretation line.

Default: the height set by ^BY, which itself defaults to 10 dots
Accepted range: 1 to 32000 dots
Invalid value: clamped to the nearest allowed value. We measured this against live Labelary on 2026-07-12. The renderer clamps an out-of-range value to the violated bound, and does not ignore it.
Test coverage: Bounds pinned: below the minimum (0), above the maximum (33000). No test at the minimum or maximum. The invalid-value rule is not pinned by a test.

fPrint interpretation lineoptional · Y or N

Whether the renderer prints the interpretation line.

Default: Y
Invalid value: discarded, and the default applies. The renderer reports any character except Y or N, and uses the default.
Test coverage: Values exercised: Y, N. The invalid-value rule is not pinned by a test.

Y: Print the text (default)
N: Print the symbol only

gInterpretation line aboveoptional · Y or N

Where the interpretation line sits. It has no effect without that line.

Default: N
Invalid value: discarded, and the default applies. The renderer reports any character except Y or N, and uses the default.
Test coverage: Values exercised: Y, N. The invalid-value rule is not pinned by a test.

Y: Above the symbol
N: Below the symbol (default)

Behavior

The character set is the ten digits and the hyphen. Each character is three bars and two spaces.

Code 11 always carries at least one check digit. The e argument chooses one or two check digits, and the default is two. The printer appends the check digits to the encoded data and prints them in the interpretation line, so the text under the symbol is longer than the field data.

We measured this against Labelary on 2026-07-30. ^FD123456 prints as 12345611 with the default two check digits, and as 1234561 with e set to Y. Labelary's own reference describes the argument in the opposite direction, as a flag for an "extra" check digit. Labelary matches the guide, and this page documents the guide.

The internal start and stop characters also appear in the interpretation line, as small triangles on each side of the digits. The number of check digits selects the stop character, so the two settings look different.

Code 11 is a two-width symbology, so the ^BY ratio applies over the guide's range of 2.0:1 to 3.0:1. The width of the label limits the field data. For a rotated symbol, the length of the label limits it.

The guide takes the default orientation from ^FW. The renderer applies ^FW to text fields only. A barcode after ^FWR prints unrotated unless its own o argument rotates it. — not pinned by a test

Example

Six digits with the default pair of check digits, so the interpretation line reads 12345611:

^XA
^FO50,50^BY3
^B1N,N,80,Y,N
^FD123456^FS
^XZ

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^BY Bar Code Field DefaultSets the module width, wide-to-narrow ratio and height that every later bar code inherits.
^FD Field DataSupplies the text or barcode content of the field.
^FO Field OriginSets the top-left corner of the next field.
^FT Field TypesetPositions the next field by its text baseline rather than its top edge.

^B1 - Code 11 Bar Code

Syntax

Support

Parameters

Behavior

Known issues

Tested behavior

Differences from the specification

Example

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