Matrix 2 of 5
Matrix 2 of 5 is a variable length, discrete, two width symbology. Matrix 2 of 5 is a subset of two-out-of-five codes. Unlike Industrial 2 of 5 code, Matrix 2 of 5 can encode data not only with black bars but with white spaces.
Matrix 2 of 5 was developed in 1970-х by Nieaf Co. in The Netherlands and commonly was uses for warehouse sorting, photo finishing, and airline ticket marking.
Matrix 2 of 5 can encode only digits 0-9. Matrix 2 of 5 can include optional check digit. Most of barcode readers support this symbology.
Encoding
Matrix 2 of 5 is a subset of two-out-of-five codes family and uses wide and narrow elements for encoding. Unlike previously developed Industrial 2 of 5 it uses both black bars and white spaces for data encoding. However, it has lower density then Interleaved 2 of 5 code, because it is discrete symbology and requires additional space between data patterns. Main advantage over Interleaved 2 of 5 codes is ability to encode odd number of characters in message.Matrix 2 of 5 encodes only digits from 0 to 9 in three black bars and two white spaces, with every data pattern split by additional white space. Matrix 2 of 5 could include optional checksum character which is added to the end of the barcode.
Matrix 2 of 5 features:
- character set is a number ;
- encoding density moderate: barcode length on 11% longer than Interleaved 2 of 5 symbology and on 82% than Code 128;
- variable length of symbol;
- can include optional checking character.
N - narrow black bar or white space.
W - wide black bar or white space.
Narrow to wide components difference could be from 1/3 to 2/5.
| Value | Bars | Encoding |
| Start | ▮ | WNNNN |
| Stop | ▮ | WNNNN |
The barcode has the following physical structure:
1. Quiet zone 10X wide
2. Start character
3. Variable length digit characters, properly encoded
4. Optional check digit
5. Stop character
6. Quiet zone 10X wide
Checksum
Matrix 2 of 5 may include an optional check digit which is calculated as mod 10/3 checksum. Because specification of Matrix 2 of 5 does not require checksum any other checksum types could be used with the symbology. However mod 10/3 checksum is most common.,
where is the most right data digit.
Example for the first 6 digits 423456:
Result: 4234562 barcode
Datalogic 2 of 5
Data Logic 2 of 5 is proprietary Chinese version of Matrix 2 of 5 symbology developed by Datalogic. It has difference from Matrix 2 of 5 code only in start/stop patterns usage and, in this way, it has all advantages and issues of Matrix 2 of 5.Datalogic 2 of 5 was used mostly in Chinese Postal Services. Some readers currently still support this symbology
| Value | Bars | Encoding |
| Start | NNN | |
| Stop | ▮ | WNN |
N - narrow black bar or white space.
W - wide black bar or white space.