What does a barcode contain? Is a barcode readable?
Test and control barcodes!

bcTester reads barcodes from images or PDF files. Linear barcodes can be recognized as well as modern 2D-(two dimensional) barcodes Find out what is encoded in the barcodes you see! Just create an image file by scanning or taking a picture of the barcode, and bcTester reads it from the file.

bcTester is FREEWARE and demonstrates the performance of QS-Barcode SDK, the Barcode-Recognition Software of QS QualitySoft GmbH. NEW IN VERSION 4.8: bcTester now reads 2-state and 4-state Post Codes like PostNet, Royal Mail, USPS Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMB) NEW IN VERSION 4.7: Rebuild with VisualStudio 2008, installation routine, various small improvements and bug fixes NEW IN VERSION 4.6: bcTester now reads GS1 DataBar (POS) NEW IN VERSION 4.5: bcTester now reads the 2D Code Aztec Barcode, which is e.g. used by the "Deutsche Bahn" (German Railway) for online ticketing.

bcTester is a Windows application to read barcodes. You open up an image file (tif, jpg, pdf file) and start "Recognize barcode". The software searches for the special characteristics of the barcodes in the image and decodes the content. A linear barcode usually contains rather short information like order numbers. A modern two-dimensional barcode such as Aztec, QR Code, Data Matrix, or PDF417 can encode much more information, e.g. besides the order number also the batch number, date of expiry and weight of a product.The software bcTester recognizes all common barcode types such as EAN13, Code39, Code128 and the 2D codes Aztec, Data Matrix, PDF417 and QR Code. bcTester contains detailed general information on barcodes and various sample images. The product was developed in Hamburg, Germany and is constantly updated.

Example of a 2D-barcode (Aztec), which can be read with bcTester: