zint - Man Page
encode data as a barcode image
Examples (TL;DR)
Synopsis
zint [options]
Description
zint takes input data from the command line or a file to encode in a barcode which is then output to an image file.
Input data is UTF-8, unless --binary is specified.
Human Readable Text (HRT) is displayed by default for those barcodes that support HRT, unless --notext is specified.
The output image file (specified with -o | --output) may be in one of these formats: Windows Bitmap (BMP), Enhanced Metafile Format (EMF), Encapsulated PostScript (EPS), Graphics Interchange Format (GIF), ZSoft Paintbrush (PCX), Portable Network Format (PNG), Scalable Vector Graphic (SVG), or Tagged Image File Format (TIF).
Options
- -h, --help
Print usage information summarizing command line options.
- -b TYPE, --barcode=TYPE
Set the barcode symbology that will be used to encode the data. TYPE is the number or name of the barcode symbology. If not given, the symbology defaults to 20 (Code 128). To see what types are available, use the
-t|--typesoption. Type names are case-insensitive, and non-alphanumerics are ignored.- --addongap=INTEGER
For EAN/UPC symbologies, set the gap between the main data and the add-on. INTEGER is in integral multiples of the X-dimension. The maximum gap that can be set is 12. The minimum is 7, except for UPC-A, when the minimum is 9.
- --batch
Treat each line of an input file specified with
-i|--inputas a separate data set and produce a barcode image for each one. The barcode images are outputted by default to numbered filenames starting with “00001.png”, “00002.png” etc., which can be changed by using the-o|--outputoption.- --bg=COLOUR
Specify a background (paper) colour where COLOUR is in hexadecimal
RRGGBBorRRGGBBAAformat or in decimalC,M,Y,Kpercentages format.- --binary
Treat input data as raw 8-bit binary data instead of the default UTF-8. Automatic code page translation to an ECI page is disabled, and no validation of the data’s character encoding takes place.
- --bind
Add horizontal boundary bars (also known as bearer bars) to the symbol. The width of the boundary bars is specified by the
--borderoption.--bindcan also be used to add row separator bars to symbols stacked with multiple-d|--datainputs, in which case the width of the separator bars is specified with the--separatoroption.- --bindtop
Add a horizontal boundary bar to the top of the symbol. The width of the boundary bar is specified by the
--borderoption.- --bold
Use a bold font for the Human Readable Text (HRT).
- --border=INTEGER
Set the width of boundary bars (
--bindor--bindtop) or box borders (--box), where INTEGER is in integral multiples of the X-dimension. The default is zero.- --box
Add a box around the symbol. The width of the borders is specified by the
--borderoption.- --cmyk
Use the CMYK colour space when outputting to Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) or TIF files.
- --cols=INTEGER
Set the number of data columns in the symbol to INTEGER. Affects Codablock-F, DotCode, GS1 DataBar Expanded Stacked (DBAR_EXPSTK), MicroPDF417 and PDF417 symbols.
- --compliantheight
Warn if the height specified by the
--heightoption is not compliant with the barcode’s specification, or if--heightis not given, default to the height specified by the specification (if any).- -d, --data=DATA
Specify the input DATA to encode. The
--escoption may be used to enter non-printing characters using escape sequences. The DATA should be UTF-8, unless the--binaryoption is given, in which case it can be anything.- --direct
Send output to stdout, which in most cases should be re-directed to a pipe or a file. Use
--filetypeto specify output format.- --dmiso144
For Data Matrix symbols, use the standard ISO/IEC codeword placement for 144 x 144 (
--vers=24) sized symbols, instead of the default “de facto” placement (which rotates the placement of ECC codewords).- --dmre
For Data Matrix symbols, allow Data Matrix Rectangular Extended (DMRE) sizes when considering automatic sizes. See also
--square.- --dotsize=NUMBER
Set the radius of the dots in dotty mode (
--dotty). NUMBER is in X-dimensions, and may be floating-point. The default is 0.8.- --dotty
Use dots instead of squares for matrix symbols. DotCode is always in dotty mode.
- --dump
Dump a hexadecimal representation of the symbol’s encodation to stdout. The same representation may be outputted to a file by using a
.txtextension with-o|--outputor by specifying--filetype=txt.- -e, --ecinos
Display the table of ECIs (Extended Channel Interpretations).
- --eci=INTEGER
Set the ECI code for the input data to INTEGER. See
-e|--ecinosfor a list of the ECIs available. ECIs are supported by Aztec Code, Code One, Data Matrix, DotCode, Grid Matrix, Han Xin Code, MaxiCode, MicroPDF417, PDF417, QR Code, rMQR and Ultracode.- --embedfont
For vector output, embed the font in the file for portability. Currently only available for SVG output.
- --esc
Process escape characters in the input data. The escape sequences are:
\0 (0x00) NUL Null character \E (0x04) EOT End of Transmission \a (0x07) BEL Bell \b (0x08) BS Backspace \t (0x09) HT Horizontal Tab \n (0x0A) LF Line Feed \v (0x0B) VT Vertical Tab \f (0x0C) FF Form Feed \r (0x0D) CR Carriage Return \e (0x1B) ESC Escape \G (0x1D) GS Group Separator \R (0x1E) RS Record Separator \\ (0x5C) \ Backslash \dNNN (NNN) Any 8-bit character where NNN is decimal (000-255) \oNNN (0oNNN) Any 8-bit character where NNN is octal (000-377) \xNN (0xNN) Any 8-bit character where NN is hexadecimal (00-FF) \uNNNN (U+NNNN) Any 16-bit Unicode BMP character where NNNN is hexadecimal \UNNNNNN (U+NNNNNN) Any 21-bit Unicode character where NNNNNN is hexadecimal- --extraesc
For Code 128 only, as well as processing the normal escape sequences above, process the special escape sequences
\^A,\^B,\^Cand\^@that allow manual switching of Code Sets, and the special escape sequence\^1that inserts anFNC1character. The sequence\@turns off manual switching. The sequence\^^can be used to encode data that contains special escape sequences.- --fast
Use faster if less optimal encodation or other shortcuts (affects Data Matrix, MicroPDF417, PDF417, QRCODE & UPNQR only).
- --fg=COLOUR
Specify a foreground (ink) colour where COLOUR is in hexadecimal
RRGGBBorRRGGBBAAformat or in decimalC,M,Y,Kpercentages format.- --filetype=TYPE
Set the output file type to TYPE, which is one of
BMP,EMF,EPS,GIF,PCX,PNG,SVG,TIF,TXT.- --fullmultibyte
Use the multibyte modes of Grid Matrix, Han Xin and QR Code for non-ASCII data.
- --gs1
Treat input as GS1 compatible data. Application Identifiers (AIs) should be placed in square brackets
"[]"(but see--gs1parens).- --gs1nocheck
Do not check the validity of GS1 data.
- --gs1parens
Process parentheses
"()"as GS1 AI delimiters, rather than square brackets"[]". The input data must not otherwise contain parentheses.- --gssep
For Data Matrix in GS1 mode, use
GS(0x1D) as the GS1 data separator instead ofFNC1.- --guarddescent=NUMBER
For EAN/UPC symbols, set the height the guard bars descend below the main bars, where NUMBER is in X-dimensions. NUMBER may be floating-point.
- --guardwhitespace
For EAN/UPC symbols, add quiet zone indicators
"<"and/or">"to HRT where applicable.- --height=NUMBER
Set the height of the symbol in X-dimensions. NUMBER may be floating-point.
- --heightperrow
Treat height as per-row. Affects Codablock-F, Code 16K, Code 49, GS1 DataBar Expanded Stacked (DBAR_EXPSTK), MicroPDF417 and PDF417.
- -i, --input=FILE
Read the input data from FILE. Specify a single hyphen (
-) for FILE to read from stdin.- --init
Create a Reader Initialisation (Programming) symbol.
- --mask=INTEGER
Set the masking pattern to use for DotCode, Han Xin or QR Code to INTEGER, overriding the automatic selection.
- --mirror
Use the batch data to determine the filename in batch mode (
--batch). The-o|--outputoption can be used to specify an output directory (any filename will be ignored).- --mode=INTEGER
For MaxiCode and GS1 Composite symbols, set the encoding mode to INTEGER.
For MaxiCode (SCM is Structured Carrier Message, with 3 fields: postcode, 3-digit ISO 3166-1 country code, 3-digit service code):
2 SCM with 9-digit numeric postcode 3 SCM with 6-character alphanumeric postcode 4 Enhanced ECC for the primary part of the message 5 Enhanced ECC for all of the message 6 Reader Initialisation (Programming)
For GS1 Composite symbols (names end in
_CC, i.e. EANX_CC, GS1_128_CC, DBAR_OMN_CC etc.):1 CC-A 2 CC-B 3 CC-C (GS1_128_CC only)
- --nobackground
Remove the background colour (EMF, EPS, GIF, PNG, SVG and TIF only).
- --noquietzones
Disable any quiet zones for symbols that define them by default.
- --notext
Remove the Human Readable Text (HRT).
- -o, --output=FILE
Send the output to FILE. When not in batch mode, the default is “out.png” (or “out.gif” if zint built without PNG support). When in batch mode (
--batch), special characters can be used to format the output filenames:~ Insert a number or 0 # Insert a number or space @ Insert a number or * (+ on Windows) Any other Insert literally
- --primary=STRING
For MaxiCode, set the content of the primary message. For GS1 Composite symbols, set the content of the linear symbol.
- --quietzones
Add compliant quiet zones for symbols that specify them. This is in addition to any whitespace specified by
-w|--whitespor--vwhitesp.- -r, --reverse
Reverse the foreground and background colours (white on black). Known as “reflectance reversal” or “reversed reflectance”.
- --rotate=INTEGER
Rotate the symbol by INTEGER degrees, where INTEGER can be 0, 90, 270 or 360.
- --rows=INTEGER
Set the number of rows for Codablock-F or PDF417 to INTEGER. It will also set the minimum number of rows for Code 16K or Code 49, and the maximum number of rows for GS1 DataBar Expanded Stacked (DBAR_EXPSTK).
- --scale=NUMBER
Adjust the size of the X-dimension. NUMBER may be floating-point, and is multiplied by 2 (except for MaxiCode) before being applied. The default scale is 1.
For MaxiCode, the scale is multiplied by 10 for raster output, by 40 for EMF output, and by 2 otherwise.
Increments of 0.5 (half-integers) are recommended for non-MaxiCode raster output (BMP, GIF, PCX, PNG and TIF). Human Readable Text (HRT) for raster output will not be shown for scales less than 1.
See also
--scalexdimdpbelow.- --scalexdimdp=X[,R]
Scale the image according to X-dimension X and resolution R, where X is in mm and R is in dpmm (dots per mm). X and R may be floating-point. R is optional and defaults to 12 dpmm (approximately 300 dpi). X may be zero in which case a symbology-specific default is used.
The scaling takes into account the output filetype, and deals with all the details mentioned above. Units may be specified for X by appending “in” (inch) or “mm”, and for R by appending “dpi” (dots per inch) or “dpmm” - e.g.
--scalexdimdp=0.013in,300dpi.- --scmvv=INTEGER
For MaxiCode, prefix the Structured Carrier Message (SCM) with
"[)>\R01\Gvv", wherevvis a 2-digit INTEGER.- --secure=INTEGER
Set the error correction level (ECC) to INTEGER. The meaning is specific to the following matrix symbols (all except PDF417 are approximate):
Aztec Code 1 to 4 (10%, 23%, 36%, 50%) Grid Matrix 1 to 5 (10% to 50%) Han Xin 1 to 4 (8%, 15%, 23%, 30%) Micro QR 1 to 3 (7%, 15%, 25%) (L, M, Q) PDF417 0 to 8 (2^(INTEGER + 1) codewords) QR Code 1 to 4 (7%, 15%, 25%, 30%) (L, M, Q, H) rMQR 2 or 4 (15% or 30%) (M or H) Ultracode 1 to 6 (0%, 5%, 9%, 17%, 25%, 33%)
- --segN=ECI,DATA
Set the ECI & DATA content for segment N, where N is 1 to 9.
-d|--datamust still be given, and counts as segment 0, its ECI given by--eci. Segments must be consecutive.- --separator=INTEGER
Set the height of row separator bars for stacked symbologies, where INTEGER is in integral multiples of the X-dimension. The default is zero.
- --small
Use a smaller font for Human Readable Text (HRT).
- --square
For Data Matrix symbols, exclude rectangular sizes when considering automatic sizes. See also
--dmre.- --structapp=I,C[,ID]
Set Structured Append info, where I is the 1-based index, C is the total number of symbols in the sequence, and ID, which is optional, is the identifier that all symbols in the sequence share. Structured Append is supported by Aztec Code, Code One, Data Matrix, DotCode, Grid Matrix, MaxiCode, MicroPDF417, PDF417, QR Code and Ultracode.
- -t, --types
Display the table of barcode types (symbologies). The numbers or names can be used with
-b|--barcode.- --textgap=NUMBER
Adjust the gap between the barcode and the Human Readable Text (HRT). NUMBER is in X-dimensions, and may be floating-point. Maximum is 10 and minimum is -5. The default is 1.
- --vers=INTEGER
Set the symbol version (size, check digits, other options) to INTEGER. The meaning is symbol-specific.
For most matrix symbols, it specifies size:
Aztec Code 1 to 36 (1 to 4 compact) 1 15x15 13 53x53 25 105x105 2 19x19 14 57x57 26 109x109 3 23x23 15 61x61 27 113x113 4 27x27 16 67x67 28 117x117 5 19x19 17 71x71 29 121x121 6 23x23 18 75x75 30 125x125 7 27x27 19 79x79 31 131x131 8 31x31 20 83x83 32 135x135 9 37x37 21 87x87 33 139x139 10 41x41 22 91x91 34 143x143 11 45x45 23 95x95 35 147x147 12 49x49 24 101x101 36 151x151 Code One 1 to 10 (9 and 10 variable width) (HxW) 1 16x18 6 70x76 2 22x22 7 104x98 3 28x32 8 148x134 4 40x42 9 8xW 5 52x54 10 16xW Data Matrix 1 to 48 (31 to 48 DMRE) (HxW) 1 10x10 17 72x72 33 8x80 2 12x12 18 80x80 34 8x96 3 14x14 19 88x88 35 8x120 4 16x16 20 96x96 36 8x144 5 18x18 21 104x104 37 12x64 6 20x20 22 120x120 38 12x88 7 22x22 23 132x132 39 16x64 8 24x24 24 144x144 40 20x36 9 26x26 25 8x18 41 20x44 10 32x32 26 8x32 42 20x64 11 36x36 28 12x26 43 22x48 12 40x40 28 12x36 44 24x48 13 44x44 29 16x36 45 24x64 14 48x48 30 16x48 46 26x40 15 52x52 31 8x48 47 26x48 16 64x64 32 8x64 48 26x64 Grid Matrix 1 to 13 1 18x18 6 78x78 11 138x138 2 30x30 7 90x90 12 150x150 3 42x42 8 102x102 13 162x162 4 54x54 9 114x114 5 66x66 10 126x126 Han Xin 1 to 84 1 23x23 29 79x79 57 135x135 2 25x25 30 81x81 58 137x137 3 27x27 31 83x83 59 139x139 4 29x29 32 85x85 60 141x141 5 31x31 33 87x87 61 143x143 6 33x33 34 89x89 62 145x145 7 35x35 35 91x91 63 147x147 8 37x37 36 93x93 64 149x149 9 39x39 37 95x95 65 151x151 10 41x41 38 97x97 66 153x153 11 43x43 39 99x99 67 155x155 12 45x45 40 101x101 68 157x157 13 47x47 41 103x103 69 159x159 14 49x49 42 105x105 70 161x161 15 51x51 43 107x107 71 163x163 16 53x53 44 109x109 72 165x165 17 55x55 45 111x111 73 167x167 18 57x57 46 113x113 74 169x169 19 59x59 47 115x115 75 171x171 20 61x61 48 117x117 76 173x173 21 63x63 49 119x119 77 175x175 22 65x65 50 121x121 78 177x177 23 67x67 51 123x123 79 179x179 24 69x69 52 125x125 80 181x181 25 71x71 53 127x127 81 183x183 26 73x73 54 129x129 82 185x185 27 75x75 55 131x131 83 187x187 28 77x77 56 133x133 84 189x189 Micro QR 1 to 4 (M1, M2, M3, M4) 1 11x11 3 15x15 2 13x13 4 17x17 QR Code 1 to 40 1 21x21 15 77x77 29 133x133 2 25x25 16 81x81 30 137x137 3 29x29 17 85x85 31 141x141 4 33x33 18 89x89 32 145x145 5 37x37 19 93x93 33 149x149 6 41x41 20 97x97 34 153x153 7 45x45 21 101x101 35 157x157 8 49x49 22 105x105 36 161x161 9 53x53 23 109x109 37 165x165 10 57x57 24 113x113 38 169x169 11 61x61 25 117x117 39 173x173 12 65x65 26 121x121 40 177x177 13 69x69 27 125x125 14 73x73 28 129x129 rMQR 1 to 38 (33 to 38 automatic width) (HxW) 1 7x43 14 11x77 27 15x139 2 7x59 15 11x99 28 17x43 3 7x77 16 11x139 29 17x59 4 7x99 17 13x27 30 17x77 5 7x139 18 13x43 31 17x99 6 9x43 19 13x59 32 17x139 7 9x59 20 13x77 33 7xW 8 9x77 21 13x99 34 9xW 9 9x99 22 13x139 35 11xW 10 9x139 23 15x43 36 13xW 11 11x27 24 15x59 37 15xW 12 11x43 25 15x77 38 17xW 13 11x59 26 15x99For a number of linear symbols, it specifies check character options (“hide” or “hidden” means don’t show in HRT, “visible” means do display in HRT):
C25IATA 1 or 2 (add visible or hidden check digit) C25IND ditto C25INTER ditto C25LOGIC ditto C25STANDARD ditto Codabar 1 or 2 (add hidden or visible check digit) Code 11 0 to 2 (2 visible check digits to none) 0 (default 2 visible check digits) 1 (1 visible check digit) 2 (no check digits) Code 39 1 or 2 (add visible or hidden check digit) Code 93 1 (show the default check characters) EXCODE39 1 or 2 (add visible or hidden check digit) LOGMARS 1 or 2 (add visible or hidden check digit) UK Plessey 1 (show the default check characters) MSI Plessey 0 to 6 (none to various visible options) 1, 2 (mod-10, mod-10 + mod-10) 3, 4 (mod-11 IBM, mod-11 IBM + mod-10) 5, 6 (mod-11 NCR, mod-11 NCR + mod-10) +10 (hide)For a few other symbologies, it specifies other characteristics:
Channel Code 3 to 8 (no. of channels) DAFT 50 to 900 (permille tracker ratio) DPD 1 (relabel) PZN 1 (PZN7 instead of default PZN8) Ultracode 2 (revision 2) VIN 1 (add international prefix)
- -v, --version
Display zint version.
- --vwhitesp=INTEGER
Set the height of vertical whitespace above and below the barcode, where INTEGER is in integral multiples of the X-dimension.
- -w, --whitesp=INTEGER
Set the width of horizontal whitespace either side of the barcode, where INTEGER is in integral multiples of the X-dimension.
- --werror
Convert all warnings into errors.
Exit Status
- 0
Success (including when given informational options
-h|--help,-e|--ecinos,-t|--types,-v|--version).- -1
Human Readable Text was outputted as raw text (
ZINT_WARN_HRT_RAW_TEXT)- 1
Human Readable Text was truncated (maximum 199 bytes) (
ZINT_WARN_HRT_TRUNCATED)- 2
Invalid option given but overridden by Zint (
ZINT_WARN_INVALID_OPTION)- 3
Automatic ECI inserted by Zint (
ZINT_WARN_USES_ECI)- 4
Symbol created not compliant with standards (
ZINT_WARN_NONCOMPLIANT)- 5
Input data wrong length (
ZINT_ERROR_TOO_LONG)- 6
Input data incorrect (
ZINT_ERROR_INVALID_DATA)- 7
Input check digit incorrect (
ZINT_ERROR_INVALID_CHECK)- 8
Incorrect option given (
ZINT_ERROR_INVALID_OPTION)- 9
Internal error (should not happen) (
ZINT_ERROR_ENCODING_PROBLEM)- 10
Error opening output file (
ZINT_ERROR_FILE_ACCESS)- 11
Memory allocation (malloc) failure (
ZINT_ERROR_MEMORY)- 12
Error writing to output file (
ZINT_ERROR_FILE_WRITE)- 13
Error counterpart of warning if
--werrorgiven (ZINT_ERROR_USES_ECI)- 14
Error counterpart of warning if
--werrorgiven (ZINT_ERROR_NONCOMPLIANT)- 15
Error counterpart of warning if
--werrorgiven (ZINT_ERROR_HRT_TRUNCATED)- 16
Error counterpart of warning if
--werrorgiven (ZINT_ERROR_HRT_RAW_TEXT)
Examples
Create “out.png” (or “out.gif” if zint built without PNG support) in the current directory, as a Code 128 symbol.
zint -d 'This Text'
Create “qr.svg” in the current directory, as a QR Code symbol.
zint -b QRCode -d 'This Text' -o 'qr.svg'
Use batch mode to read from an input file “ean13nos.txt” containing a list of 13-digit GTINs, each on a separate line, to create a series of EAN-13 barcodes, formatting the output filenames to “ean001.gif”, “ean002.gif” etc. using the special character “~”.
zint -b EANX --batch -i 'ean13nos.txt' -o 'ean~~~.gif'
Bugs
Please send bug reports to https://sourceforge.net/p/zint/tickets/.
See Also
Full documention for zint (and the API libzint and the GUI zint-qt) is available from
https://zint.org.uk/manual/
and at
https://sourceforge.net/p/zint/docs/manual.txt
Conforming to
Zint is designed to be compliant with a number of international standards, including:
ISO/IEC 24778:2024, ANSI/AIM BC12-1998, EN 798:1996, AIM ISS-X-24 (1995), ISO/IEC 15417:2007, EN 12323:2005, ISO/IEC 16388:2023, ANSI/AIM BC6-2000, ANSI/AIM BC5-1995, AIM USS Code One (1994), ISO/IEC 16022:2024, ISO/IEC 21471:2019, ISO/IEC 15420:2009, AIMD014 (v 1.63) (2008), ISO/IEC 24723:2010, ISO/IEC 24724:2011, ISO/IEC 20830:2021, ISO/IEC 16390:2007, ISO/IEC 16023:2000, ISO/IEC 24728:2006, ISO/IEC 15438:2015, ISO/IEC 18004:2024, ISO/IEC 23941:2022, AIM ITS/04-023 (2022)
Copyright
Copyright © 2025 Robin Stuart. Released under GNU GPL 3.0 or later.
Author
Robin Stuart robin@zint.org.uk\c