Bar Code

[+Shadow's]

Im sorry if this has been asked before but my search did not come up with anything. Do any of you have a link on a bar code reading program? The only thing I am finding is for readers.

Thanks,

Rick

[+ogeoISplash]

Im sorry if this has been asked before but my search did not come up with anything. Do any of you have a link on a bar code reading program? The only thing I am finding is for readers.

Thanks,

Rick

 

Are you looking for one to create your own bar codes or to read a bar code that is in a cache? I came across a puzzle cache that used a bar code for the clue. I was able to take it to a store and they were glad to scan it for me.

[+Adrenalynn]

Im sorry if this has been asked before but my search did not come up with anything. Do any of you have a link on a bar code reading program? The only thing I am finding is for readers.

Thanks,

Rick

 

What you're looking for, to print your own barcodes, is a "barcode font".

 

Barcode is in no way standard. There's a TON of different formats.

 

A Code39 (or "3 of 9" code) is fairly common, and there are a bunch of free fonts that you would then generate from your wordprocessor of choice.

 

Here's one I've used in the past:

 

http://www.barcodesinc.com/free-barcode-font/

 

To read barcode, you're going to either need to learn the code, or find a scanner.

 

If you post a picture of it, I can read a few dozen of the fairly common ones on-sight. I also have a 2D scanner that will read the complicated styles (like you see on a fed-ex package for example) and decode many of them...

[+Mousetrap]

Im sorry if this has been asked before but my search did not come up with anything. Do any of you have a link on a bar code reading program? The only thing I am finding is for readers.

Thanks,

Rick

 

What you're looking for, to print your own barcodes, is a "barcode font".

 

Barcode is in no way standard. There's a TON of different formats.

 

A Code39 (or "3 of 9" code) is fairly common, and there are a bunch of free fonts that you would then generate from your wordprocessor of choice.

 

Here's one I've used in the past:

 

http://www.barcodesinc.com/free-barcode-font/

 

To read barcode, you're going to either need to learn the code, or find a scanner.

 

If you post a picture of it, I can read a few dozen of the fairly common ones on-sight. I also have a 2D scanner that will read the complicated styles (like you see on a fed-ex package for example) and decode many of them...

[+Team Cotati]

This might be a good place to start: http://www.makebarcode.com/

 

Or this: http://www.azalea.com/

 

Perhaps this: http://www.taltech.com/se/lybarcode.htm

 

Here?: http://www.dlsoft.com/

 

This one might do the trick: http://www.barcodehq.com/G2/index.html

 

Not quite rocket science.................is it?

 

You're most welcome.

[uber_bike_geek]

another one that can probably help you learn: http://www.cut-the-knot.org/do_you_know/Ba...eEncoding.shtml

 

a handy (free!) barcode maker: http://www.tec-it.com/asp/main/startfr.asp...ground.asp&LN=1

 

Happy Caching!

Jeff

[+Nittanys1]

Im trying to decode a barcode:

 

[+thedeadpirate]

Try some of the links given earlier in the thread. It is really frowned upon to ask for help solving a puzzle in the forums. That being said, the coordinates are just south of Buford, in the Suwanee area. You may want to ask the cache owner for some help if the previous links in the thread don't help.

 

N?? ??.?1? W0?? ??.?3? (??????)

[+Nittanys1]

i looked at the links above but didnt find anything that would help me solve the barcode.... I live in the suwanee area and have been trying to figure out this one...

[+grueinthedark]

You can make a low cost reader if you have an old CueCat from Radio Shack.

 

http://www.microsyl.com/cuecat/cuecat.html

 

http://www.accipiter.org/projects/cat.php

 

http://www.cexx.org/cuecat.htm

[+erik88l-r]

Feel free to ask me about the cache in an e-mail but, as others have noted, it wouldn't be appropriate to post the answer here.

 

Thanks,

 

~erik~

[+mgbmusic]

Im trying to decode a barcode:

 

 

What's the cache? Just curious...

 

--MGb

[markandlynn]

Try here

[+2qwerqE]

Take it to the library and ask them to scan it. Most stores scanner's will simply read it as 'item not on file', but if the library scans it into Wordpad, it should just come up naked numbers. At least, that's how I read a cache bar code before. At least this way, you are actually doing something to solve the puzzle.

 

-2Q

[+Tervas]

This helped me with another barcode cache.

[+Jonovich]

I've noticed on a couple of Camera Phones that bar-code decoding is one of the features offered. May be worth a try if you have such a beast to see if yours does it to?

 

J

[bug and snake]

Hi! I want a CueCat! You know, the barcode thingie.

[+DocDiTTo]

Hi! I want a CueCat! You know, the barcode thingie.

 

Ebay, roughly $10 or so. Get a modified one or you'll have to use special software to use it.

[bug and snake]

Hi! I want a CueCat! You know, the barcode thingie.

 

Ebay, roughly $10 or so. Get a modified one or you'll have to use special software to use it.

Thanx Doc, why did I not think of that? DUH!

But, do I really want one? Or is it just another toy?

 

Yeah, I want one! Now, where is the eBay button?..... There it is!.......... Away......... Thanx again Doc.

[+JohnE5]

I have a barcode that I can't get the numbers out of. I've taken it to the library and the store and scanned it several times. The cache owner refuses to help anyone and its coming up on a year since it's been placed. No one has found it yet. Can someone help?

[+Jeepster++]

I have a barcode that I can't get the numbers out of. I've taken it to the library and the store and scanned it several times. The cache owner refuses to help anyone and its coming up on a year since it's been placed. No one has found it yet. Can someone help?

Let's see the bar code.

[+Bad_CRC]

ironically, I have a cuecat (and a large barcode scanner) as well as several barcode scanners at work... but no printer.

 

[+niraD]

I have a barcode that I can't get the numbers out of. I've taken it to the library and the store and scanned it several times. The cache owner refuses to help anyone and its coming up on a year since it's been placed. No one has found it yet. Can someone help?

The systems at the library and store are probably not set up to give you the data in the barcode itself. They're probably set up to use the data in the barcode to look up an entry in their system, so if the data in the barcode doesn't correspond to an entry in their system, then you'll just get an error message.

 

You need to read the raw barcode sequence.

 

On the other hand (and keep in mind that I haven't seen the puzzle you're working on), are you sure that the coordinates are in the barcode? Maybe the barcode is a red herring.

Edited August 27, 2008 by niraD

[+JohnE5]

I've searched the html of page and found nothing; also there doesn't appear to be any coding in the "Letter" in the description.

 

I'd like to figure it out on my own but I need some direction.

 

Also, I'm still learning and I don't know how to post an image to the thread.

 

But here is the Geocache code: GC15FFB.

[+trainlove]

Im trying to decode a barcode:

 

 

I think I did that one.

I did it on paper, making a list of 1's and 0's. As I remember it, that format only has 1's, 0's, 11's and 00's, whereas a UPC can have 1's, 0's, 11's, 00's, 111's, 000's, 1111's and 0000's. If a computer can understand the format then a human being can do it too, just a lot slower.

 

But many barcode readers can read many of the common formats. Try printing out that code, going to your friendly supermarket and let the cashier scan it for you, or go to a public library that uses barcodes for your library card...

 

Edited to say, SOLVED. The timeof this edit is when I completed it, but the time to do it was also spent reading some other forum posts and checking 3 email accounts.

Edited August 27, 2008 by trainlove

[+hairball45]

Scanning system we use here at work to keep track of time spent on various tasks gives it back real nice, although it says the employee ID does not exist.

I don't expect to be in Georgia anytime soon though, so it's kind of a moot exercise for me.

hairball

[+Jeepster++]

Im trying to decode a barcode:

 

 

I think I did that one.

I did it on paper, making a list of 1's and 0's. As I remember it, that format only has 1's, 0's, 11's and 00's, whereas a UPC can have 1's, 0's, 11's, 00's, 111's, 000's, 1111's and 0000's. If a computer can understand the format then a human being can do it too, just a lot slower.

 

But many barcode readers can read many of the common formats. Try printing out that code, going to your friendly supermarket and let the cashier scan it for you, or go to a public library that uses barcodes for your library card...

 

Edited to say, SOLVED. The timeof this edit is when I completed it, but the time to do it was also spent reading some other forum posts and checking 3 email accounts.

The image in the above quote is a code 3 of 9 bar code and contains the COs in the form of N 34 .03... etc.

 

We have lots of bar code scanning and printing equipment at work but I can't can the bar codes in GC15FFB

 

trainlove, did you solve GC15FFB or the one above?

[+trainlove]

We have lots of bar code scanning and printing equipment at work but I can't can the bar codes in GC15FFB

 

trainlove, did you solve GC15FFB or the one above?

 

I solved that image.

Give me 10 minutes and I'll work on GC15FFB and PM you. But you should try it the manual on paper method yourself.

 

Oh, and the ones I had done in the past is neither of those.

[+JohnE5]

I tired to do the paper method on GC15FFB but I think I goofed it up. Can someone explain the paper method?

Edited August 27, 2008 by JohnE5

[+trainlove]

I tired to do the paper method on GC15FFB but I think I goofed it up. Can someone explain the paper method?

 

I gave up on that one, the image on the web page is just too blurry which probably explainis why others can't do it using a barcode scanner too.

 

But the paper method is basically:

You see a thin bar so you write a 1,

you see a thin space so you write a 0,

you see a thinker bar so you write 11,

you see a thicker space so you write 00.

When all is said and done you then have a long list of 1's and 0's. Split this up into the format for the particular barcode, code 39 in the case of the image, code 128 or code 93 for the one I gave up on, and decode using the rules for that format. With code 93 or code128 the bars and the spaces can be of length 1 to length 4, and that's where the blurryness makes it hard to do manually.

 

I.E. post #7 shows an image, I represent that image as 100101101101010101101001101101100 ... 1101010100101101101.

I then split that into groups of 9 things with a trailing space, of the 9 things, there will be 3 that are long and 6 that are short.

100101101101 0

101011010011 0

1101100...

...1101010

100101101101

And that's *N...*

[+JohnE5]

I tired to do the paper method on GC15FFB but I think I goofed it up. Can someone explain the paper method?

 

I gave up on that one, the image on the web page is just too blurry which probably explainis why others can't do it using a barcode scanner too.

 

But the paper method is basically:

You see a thin bar so you write a 1,

you see a thin space so you write a 0,

you see a thinker bar so you write 11,

you see a thicker space so you write 00.

When all is said and done you then have a long list of 1's and 0's. Split this up into the format for the particular barcode, code 39 in the case of the image, code 128 or code 93 for the one I gave up on, and decode using the rules for that format. With code 93 or code128 the bars and the spaces can be of length 1 to length 4, and that's where the blurryness makes it hard to do manually.

 

I.E. post #7 shows an image, I represent that image as 100101101101010101101001101101100 ... 1101010100101101101.

I then split that into groups of 9 things with a trailing space, of the 9 things, there will be 3 that are long and 6 that are short.

100101101101 0

101011010011 0

1101100...

...1101010

100101101101

And that's *N...*

 

This is the code I got just now:

 

10010110110101101100101010110100010011101101100001010111100010111101101100010010101100010110101011001010110111011110010101101100010100101000110101101101110010101101000110110101011000010111011010110010101101110010101011110010110101101110010101010000110110101111110010101010100110101101110000110101010100101101101010011101101010100110111001000101101101

Edited August 27, 2008 by JohnE5

[+J-Way]

I have a barcode that I can't get the numbers out of. I've taken it to the library and the store and scanned it several times. The cache owner refuses to help anyone and its coming up on a year since it's been placed. No one has found it yet. Can someone help?

"No hints until after FTF" is a fairly common policy (I use it). I'm not willing to give out any hints to person "A" allowing a quick FTF when person "B" has been slaving away without a hint for days (months?).

 

After FTF then sure, send an email and most owners (not all) will help point you in the right direction.

[+Star*Hopper]

I have a barcode that I can't get the numbers out of. I've taken it to the library and the store and scanned it several times. The cache owner refuses to help anyone and its coming up on a year since it's been placed. No one has found it yet. Can someone help?

 

 

Yes. 42.

The answer is, 42.

 

~*

[+ultralist]

A great tool I found for decrypting these Barcodes is bcTester. Got an instant response on the first one posted in this topic and could even decrypt the other two (with the DEMO on it) within seconds.. Didn't look for valid coords in these though. :-)

 

If you don't wanna be spoiled, don't use this program. Reduces the stars from 4-5 to 1...

[+lordzogat]

Take it to the grocery store...har dee har har!

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Take it to the grocery store...har dee har har!

 

No thanks, my grocery bill is already high enough.

 

4,228,126 dollars for a six back of beer and a bag of potato chips is a bit over my budget.

[+JohnE5]

Take it to the grocery store...har dee har har!

 

No thanks, my grocery bill is already high enough.

 

4,228,126 dollars for a six back of beer and a bag of potato chips is a bit over my budget.

How did you get that number?

[+Pegasus3]

Hey JohnE5, I am working on the same cache as you. I e-mailed someone that gave me the hint of looking in here on the forums. That there is link that is not visited frequently enough in here. I am operating on a MAC and most of these "free" systems don't work for me. =( He also told me that this barcode was in plain text not encrypted. It was the only hint he would give since the owner was adamant about not giving clues. My husband and I have been working on it for days and for hours at a time. Still coming up short handed... =( I am beginning to think that this barcode is a "Red Herring", in good disguise. Especially after reading his hint...

 

 

[+Pegasus3]

Hey JohnE5, I am working on the same cache as you. I e-mailed someone that gave me the hint of looking in here on the forums. That there is link that is not visited frequently enough in here. I am operating on a MAC and most of these "free" systems don't work for me. =( He also told me that this barcode was in plain text not encrypted. It was the only hint he would give since the owner was adamant about not giving clues. My husband and I have been working on it for days and for hours at a time. Still coming up short handed... =( I am beginning to think that this barcode is a "Red Herring", in good disguise. Especially after reading his hint...

 

 

[+JohnE5]

I've tried those programs and I can't get a constant result. I've also sent the barcodes into the company that makes the programs and they have told me that they can't crack it eighter. Someone on the cache page from the East coast says they've already cracked it "with 4 minutes in google." I think the bar codes are real, I just don't know how to get the info out of them.

[+ArcherDragoon]

Im trying to decode a barcode:

 

Baked Beans- $0.99

[John E Cache]

I wrote a bar code printing program a long time ago. In a true bar code there are two widths of black and white bars. The thicker bars are fixed at 2.3 to 3 times the width of the thin bars for a given bar code(usually 3 times).

[kirbyy]

Hey JohnE5, I am working on the same cache as you. I e-mailed someone that gave me the hint of looking in here on the forums. That there is link that is not visited frequently enough in here. I am operating on a MAC and most of these "free" systems don't work for me. =( He also told me that this barcode was in plain text not encrypted. It was the only hint he would give since the owner was adamant about not giving clues. My husband and I have been working on it for days and for hours at a time. Still coming up short handed... =( I am beginning to think that this barcode is a "Red Herring", in good disguise. Especially after reading his hint...

 

 

 

Oh come on, how can you not figure it out?

 

the barcode is in plain text, It can be read with both a barcode scanner and compie software.

 

Man, if I was in cali this would've been done in 2 hours.

[+JohnE5]

Hey JohnE5, I am working on the same cache as you. I e-mailed someone that gave me the hint of looking in here on the forums. That there is link that is not visited frequently enough in here. I am operating on a MAC and most of these "free" systems don't work for me. =( He also told me that this barcode was in plain text not encrypted. It was the only hint he would give since the owner was adamant about not giving clues. My husband and I have been working on it for days and for hours at a time. Still coming up short handed... =( I am beginning to think that this barcode is a "Red Herring", in good disguise. Especially after reading his hint...

 

 

 

Oh come on, how can you not figure it out?

 

the barcode is in plain text, It can be read with both a barcode scanner and compie software.

 

Man, if I was in cali this would've been done in 2 hours.

 

Not everyone is an IT Security Analyst with the hardware and knowledge you have. What is “compie” software anyway? If puzzle caches are so easy for you then do some yourself.

 

Everyone one this thread that tries to help just leaves a link to a barcode reader that can NOT read one. I have sent the images in to companies that MAKE bar code reading software and none of them could decode it. Some others in this thread claim they are going to crack it to see if it’s possible and none every leave a post whether they were successful.

 

I know it's bad form to ask for HELP (not the answer) before anyone has found it. But I think 19 months without being found voids that rule. Isn't the point to find geocaches? Not to make them so insanely hard that it makes us learn how to use the ignore bookmark?

 

I have tired the grocery store, the library, the manual method, online programs and even guessing were it is. The owner has said he was going to change the barcodes and never did. Some people just get off on having the hardest cache in their area.

[John E Cache]

Not everyone is an IT Security Analyst with the hardware and knowledge you have. What is “compie” software anyway? If puzzle caches are so easy for you then do some yourself.

 

Everyone one this thread that tries to help just leaves a link to a barcode reader that can NOT read one. I have sent the images in to companies that MAKE bar code reading software and none of them could decode it. Some others in this thread claim they are going to crack it to see if it’s possible and none every leave a post whether they were successful.

 

I know it's bad form to ask for HELP (not the answer) before anyone has found it. But I think 19 months without being found voids that rule. Isn't the point to find geocaches? Not to make them so insanely hard that it makes us learn how to use the ignore bookmark?

 

I have tired the grocery store, the library, the manual method, online programs and even guessing were it is. The owner has said he was going to change the barcodes and never did. Some people just get off on having the hardest cache in their area.

I still think that they are not legal barcodes. Are there specks above the bars or is my monitor dirty?

[+JohnE5]

I see them too. I've zoomed in on it and I can't make out any writing. I've also checked the HTML code and there are no hidden comments. Unless the message is embedded in the binary code of the photos I don't know where else to go with it.

[knowschad]

This just in: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LU...41-554ea85af8c1

 

 

January 4 by Nomex (0 found)

I noticed that this cache has been temporarily disabled for a period of time well in excess of the period of "a few weeks" as contemplated by the cache guidelines published on Geocaching.com. While I feel that Geocaching.com should hold the location for you and block other caches from entering the area around this cache for a reasonable amount of time, we can't do so forever. Please either repair/replace this cache, or archive it (using the archive listing link in the upper right) so that someone else can place a cache in the area, and geocachers can once again enjoy visiting this location.

 

If you plan on repairing this cache, please log a note to the cache (not email) so I don't archive the listing for non-communication.

 

Edited January 4, 2010 by knowschad

[+Chrysalides]

This just in: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LU...41-554ea85af8c1

I guess I know who one of the 30 watchers are now

 

(and, no, I can't really bring myself to care much about this)

[knowschad]

This just in: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LU...41-554ea85af8c1

I guess I know who one of the 30 watchers are now

(and, no, I can't really bring myself to care much about this)

Busted! LOL!

 

But that said... its baaaack! http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...b7-dce5f7348b7c

[+Jeepster++]

This just in: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LU...41-554ea85af8c1

I guess I know who one of the 30 watchers are now

(and, no, I can't really bring myself to care much about this)

Busted! LOL!

 

But that said... its baaaack! http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...b7-dce5f7348b7c

 

Yeah, but the two bar codes are identical!