strat0tele
New member
I got a barcode and when put into my file the size given it seems to take up too much of the album cover. Is there a size that it should be or can I make it smaller? Is there a standard size that it HAS to be?
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barcode size
- Thread starter strat0tele
- Start date
David Hooper
New member
Not sure about a standard size, but I know it has to be black on white.
www.get-a-bar-code.com is a site that has some info on how bar code history. Don't know that it will answer your question, but you may find it interesting.
www.get-a-bar-code.com is a site that has some info on how bar code history. Don't know that it will answer your question, but you may find it interesting.
strat0tele
New member
Bass40 said:Am I missing something or you dont suspose to put ya barcode on yourself.
I have a file, i'm importing it onto my cover art......Whats so hard about that? All i'm asking is if it needs to stay the same size or can I make it smaller.
Rstiltskin
New member
the quality is more important than the size....
check the size on current cd jewel cases, and you can always put it on the back, this is an assigned barcode, right, not one you just made up?
you need a manufacturers code or the use of someones, then an inventory number, i am assuming you did all this. barcode is one of the bigger problems getting into a national outlet, but a local store (like a recording of a highschool band at a local walmart.
quality is more important for a good read from a scanner. the barcode should be at least a quater inch high and good quality.
oh, did I mention quality?
strat0tele said:I have a file, i'm importing it onto my cover art......Whats so hard about that? All i'm asking is if it needs to stay the same size or can I make it smaller.
check the size on current cd jewel cases, and you can always put it on the back, this is an assigned barcode, right, not one you just made up?
you need a manufacturers code or the use of someones, then an inventory number, i am assuming you did all this. barcode is one of the bigger problems getting into a national outlet, but a local store (like a recording of a highschool band at a local walmart.
quality is more important for a good read from a scanner. the barcode should be at least a quater inch high and good quality.
oh, did I mention quality?
strat0tele
New member
Rstiltskin said:check the size on current cd jewel cases, and you can always put it on the back, this is an assigned barcode, right, not one you just made up?
you need a manufacturers code or the use of someones, then an inventory number, i am assuming you did all this. barcode is one of the bigger problems getting into a national outlet, but a local store (like a recording of a highschool band at a local walmart.
quality is more important for a good read from a scanner. the barcode should be at least a quater inch high and good quality.
oh, did I mention quality?
I did not make my own barcode. This is is a file I got from CDbaby for barcodes and it just seems rather large on my cd cover art compared to others, so I was wondering..........if I could make it smaller or does the thickness of the bars or however UPC works will matter.
Rstiltskin
New member
put it on the back, and don't worry about the size.....
if it is good quality (SHARP lines between white and black) and at least a quarter inch high I think you will be all right. How about you print one out and take it to walmart or a bookstore and see if it scans? It won't come up with a price probably, but it should output the number.
when scanned, it compares thickness of one line to the next, in proportion, not against some fixed standerd like 1/8 in for zeros and 1/4 inch for ones.
the code also reverses every other character (figure that out) i think, it is pretty crafty to look so simple.
strat0tele said:I did not make my own barcode. This is is a file I got from CDbaby for barcodes and it just seems rather large on my cd cover art compared to others, so I was wondering..........if I could make it smaller or does the thickness of the bars or however UPC works will matter.
if it is good quality (SHARP lines between white and black) and at least a quarter inch high I think you will be all right. How about you print one out and take it to walmart or a bookstore and see if it scans? It won't come up with a price probably, but it should output the number.
when scanned, it compares thickness of one line to the next, in proportion, not against some fixed standerd like 1/8 in for zeros and 1/4 inch for ones.
the code also reverses every other character (figure that out) i think, it is pretty crafty to look so simple.
Rstiltskin
New member
the crapier the print quality..........
the bigger the barcode needs to be. for instance, if the paper bleeds a little, scale it up some. sharp contrast means dark black, white as you can get (this is dependent on the paper, you can put a barcode on cardboard, but not the same size as on glossy print media) and sharp edges.
kissed by the real world.
I agree measurement would work if he is using claycote paper and cmyk lithographic processes. but I don't know what he is using, and I figure, why not just try it out with a proof, before you commit to a 100 or 10,000.
you will feel kind of funny if you have a bunch printed up, standing there saying to a store manager or rep 'well, it should work, after all, I MEASURED!'
they really won't care.
TimOBrien said:Uh, did you think of the simple way??? Take a couple of commercial CDs down from your shelf and MEASURE them yourself!
"Always use the KISS method: (Keep It Simple...)"
the bigger the barcode needs to be. for instance, if the paper bleeds a little, scale it up some. sharp contrast means dark black, white as you can get (this is dependent on the paper, you can put a barcode on cardboard, but not the same size as on glossy print media) and sharp edges.
kissed by the real world.
I agree measurement would work if he is using claycote paper and cmyk lithographic processes. but I don't know what he is using, and I figure, why not just try it out with a proof, before you commit to a 100 or 10,000.
you will feel kind of funny if you have a bunch printed up, standing there saying to a store manager or rep 'well, it should work, after all, I MEASURED!'
they really won't care.
barcode file resolution
i also get my barcodes from CDBaby -
the reason it seems large is because the resolution of the barcode is at 600 dpi ... so if your artwork is at a lower resolution you will have to change the file's resolution to 600 dpi and the barcode will be the proper size.
i believe that CDBaby recommends keeping the barcode at 600 dpi, so i would not advise you to lower the resolution of the barcode because it may make it harder for scanners to read it.
strat0tele said:I did not make my own barcode. This is is a file I got from CDbaby for barcodes and it just seems rather large on my cd cover art compared to others, so I was wondering..........if I could make it smaller or does the thickness of the bars or however UPC works will matter.
i also get my barcodes from CDBaby -
the reason it seems large is because the resolution of the barcode is at 600 dpi ... so if your artwork is at a lower resolution you will have to change the file's resolution to 600 dpi and the barcode will be the proper size.
i believe that CDBaby recommends keeping the barcode at 600 dpi, so i would not advise you to lower the resolution of the barcode because it may make it harder for scanners to read it.
barcode stretching
i hope that my previous post helped....
i just wanted to add that i am pretty sure that you can't change the horizontal size of the barcode in the artwork, but vertically you can.
if anyone is familiar with Autechre, several of their albums have the edges of the barcode slightly obscured or extended vertically.... there is even an Aphex Twin Cd where the barcode is stretched vertically all the way across the entire back of the CD, but horizontally it is the same standard size.
if i am wrong it would be great if someone could let me know.
- A
i hope that my previous post helped....
i just wanted to add that i am pretty sure that you can't change the horizontal size of the barcode in the artwork, but vertically you can.
if anyone is familiar with Autechre, several of their albums have the edges of the barcode slightly obscured or extended vertically.... there is even an Aphex Twin Cd where the barcode is stretched vertically all the way across the entire back of the CD, but horizontally it is the same standard size.
if i am wrong it would be great if someone could let me know.
- A