PDF417 Barcode font

Special-K9 Feb 2012

I'm embedding a PDF417 Barcode font in a PDF but when it comes time to output pdf thru my Esko print/prepress equipment, I get an error, "Glyph zero, Character code 48 is missing from the font".

I contacted the author of the font, and this is the response I got:

[It is true that the PDF417 font does not have an active glyph at location "0", because "0" is the place in this font for a white symbol. This is not normally an issue except in rare cases such as what you are experiencing. Placing an active glyph in location “0” of the font would cause a corrupt barcode to be created. I suggest working with the support department of the Esko device so that barcode fonts can be used on their device.]

Any thoughts on what I can do to fix or repair the font or PDF? Is there a way to replace the "white symbol", so I dont have problems? I really have no experience with editing or building fonts. I did conversions with TransType Pro and ran Font doctor, tried subsetting the font, ect,, and still had the same problems. I really can't convert the fonts to paths or image, as I have 10,000+ pages and it makes the PDF huge.

oldnick9 Feb 2012#

Perhaps an active glyph with zero width? Or a width of a single em unit?

Theunis de Jong10 Feb 2012#

Nick, I presume this error is given because the software used inserts a "0" somewhere in the barcode and then relies on the font not to show anything. In InDesign, for example, that would flag a "missing glyph" error.

According to this

Placing an active glyph in location “0” of the font would cause a corrupt barcode to be created.

it should be possible to add a "0" with a zero width, non marking glyph. Then you can use them as much as you want and nothing will appear on paper, and the Esko software will stop complaining.

Special-K18 Feb 2012#

Thanks everyone - you printed me in the right direction. I downloaded a demo glyph editor and looked at their other fonts that do work. They had a nodes that are 0 in width and height on their other fonts for white space, so I drew a box that was 0 in width and height. Font works with no problems now!

Captured from commoncrawl.org on 18 Apr 2015. original URL