Creating Code 39 images with 'AVS Barcode Source' barcode image generation software

'AVS Barcode Source' is a Windows application designed to create image files containing barcodes. The barcodes can be of any size, with configurable parameters for setting colours, bar-width, height, quiet zone (to left and right of barcode), space at top and bottom of image, and various other parameters. This page describes the features specific to Code 39 barcodes - please note that a number of other barcode formats are supported.

Code 39 (also called Code 3 of 9 or Code 3/9, USD-3, Alpha39, MIL-STD-1189, ANSI AIM BC-1) is a straightforward barcode specification that can encode upper case alphabetic characters, numeric digits, and a small number of other ASCII characters. An advantage of Code 39 is that being a fairly old barcode standard, it is very widely used and can be read by almost all barcode scanners.

'AVS Barcode Source' software supports Code 39, including Extended Code 39 (full ASCII Code 39).

For Code 39, a check digit is optional. As such, the 'AVS Barcode Source' software has a simple check-box to enable the user to decide whether to append a check digit or not. If selected, the software generates the check digit and appends it to the barcode image in the correct way.

Sample applications: This barcode format is in very widespread use in government, industry and business - for example, it is used with the US DoD for general supply-chain use, and on the DoD CAC ID cards. This is the barcode format specified in MIL-STD-1189. It is also known as ANSI AIM BC-1.

Images may be saved as BMP, GIF, JPG, TIFF, EXIF, PNG or EPS (vector) format files. Alternatively, the image can be 'copied' directly to the Windows clipboard, ready for 'pasting' into another application.

The images produced may then be used in other products such as Desktop Publishing (DTP) packages, word processors, etc. The software is not a label designer in its own right, but rather a 'source' of barcodes, which can then be exported and used as desired in other applications.

Note that the 'AVS Barcode Source' product supports a number of 1-dimensional (linear) barcode formats, not just Code 39. For a full list, see the main product details page.

How to Download

Please click here to download the software. You will get the choice of whether to go for the free trial or the paid version after you've installed the software - the software is the same either way, only the authorisation code we send you is different.