UPC Codes not starting with 978 not Read?

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UPC Codes not starting with 978 not Read?

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1Selune Primer missatge
nov. 27, 2006, 6:12 pm

I’m a little lost here. I purchased a CueCat (it’s modified) and have attempted to scan in several barcodes. I realize this is an idiotic question, but I noticed that most of my books have UPC codes on the outside that don’t begin with 978, but then have barcodes on the inside flap or pages that do begin with 978. Obviously, the 978 ones are, for the most part, being recognized. Does LT (or Amazon) not recognize the barcodes that don’t begin with 978? Also, why the heck are there two different barcodes and why do they sometimes have the 978 one on the outside and sometimes on the inside? Sorry for all the questions.

2timspalding
Editat: nov. 27, 2006, 6:32 pm

"Obviously, the 978 ones are, for the most part, being recognized." Do you mean the opposite? Are either not being recognized?

3amandaellis
nov. 27, 2006, 7:41 pm

This has been talked about on one of the groups possibly by GreyHead but basically the one inside is correct.

I think this only happens with mass-market paperbacks.

Most books will still scan properly, but you're probably on a stack by the same author?

Good luck!!

4timspalding
nov. 27, 2006, 8:43 pm

Oh, we're talking about mass markets and their "short" codes, right?

5GreyHead
nov. 28, 2006, 5:37 am

Yes that's it - the ISBN that LT will recognise is the one on the inside front cover (cover 2), the one on the back (cover 4) is a product code that LT doesn't recognise.

The ISBN is on the inside front cover of US mass-market paperbacks so that if there are returns the front cover can be ripped off and returned to the publisher (and the rest scrapped by the bookstore) and scanned to identify the return.

In the UK and France we only have the one ISBN barcode on cover 4 (at least for recently published books).

6GreyHead
Editat: nov. 28, 2006, 6:15 am

Hmmm ... testing: looks as though my post isn't being saved

Updated . . . it was but with very long delays - ten minutes or so

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7legallypuzzled
Editat: nov. 28, 2006, 6:20 am

Right. The UPC code isn't tied to an ISBN, like the Bookland/EAN (978...) is.

Here's more info, for the interested. {Barcode-US.com}

Edit: This was posted before GreyHead's message appeared, due to the database slowdown. The link is still informative, though.

8Selune
Editat: nov. 28, 2006, 4:41 pm

Oooh. Thanks, GreyHead. I didn't know that. :) All my old books have just a regular barcode that doesn't begin with 978 (it is the one that includes the price). I never even thought about the ripped off front cover thing, but now that you say it, I remember that notice that if the book doesn't have a cover, it may have been reported destroyed. Thanks so much for the info.

Quite frankly, I'm constantly amazed at how many ISBN numbers are actually found (when I can't scan the barcode). The joys of technology. :)

And, thanks, legallypuzzled for the link. I wish there was a nice little help page with all this info in one place. I tried like mad to bury down in all the posts before I posted my own, but just couldn't come up with an answer. :) You guys are just super speedy with the help, though.

I just love this site!!!

9Selune
des. 8, 2006, 3:36 am

Got almost all my books in with the help of CueCat. That little bugger rocks!! I'm thinking of buying another and giving a subscription to LT to a friend.

10timspalding
des. 8, 2006, 10:36 pm

Do it! :)

11Selune
des. 9, 2006, 1:34 am

I am. It's going to make a nice, unique Christmas present. I think a nice little box with holes in it for the "cat". ;)

Maybe you need a little "Merry Christmas....and wouldn't a lifetime subscription and a CueCat make a lovely Christmas gift....here's how..." banner on your home page.

12ablachly
des. 9, 2006, 10:55 pm

Which reminds me, I need to write up a "wouldn't a CueCat make a nice present" blog post :) We got our tree today, and the case of CueCats is sitting next to it, looking large and present-ish.

13timspalding
des. 10, 2006, 10:34 pm

You can hang them from the tree too. They have these USB tails...

14higgins01
set. 25, 2007, 6:33 pm

I have a huge number of paperback books that have a 17 digit UPC+5 number on the back and no ISBN barcode anywhere. I’ve had to type the ISBN numbers in by hand. But over in the Site Talk group here at LT I got some help converting a large number of UPC manufacturer codes into ISBN publisher numbers. The extra 5 digits on a UPC+5 code are, as many people noticed, part of the ISBN. That plus calculating the check digits is all that is necessary to convert these obsolete UPC+5 barcodes into ISBNs! It isn’t perfect. It does not know many publisher numbers. When it works you still have to cut the resulting number out of one page and paste it into your Add Book page. But it is less prone to error!

You can use it on your own books by going to this page. If you have a book with a manufacturer ID that doesn’t translate, don't type that ISBN in by hand! Send me the UPC+5 and I'll look up the publisher and add it to my table.

It would be ideal if we could convince LT to add this algorithm to their search box when adding books…

15timspalding
set. 26, 2007, 12:36 am

Can we detect a UPC+5 when it happens? I'm not familiar enough with the format, but if it can be detected we can do this. But we'd have to post something like "You scanned a UPC. This may be wrong.... etc."

16higgins01
set. 26, 2007, 2:23 am

If you are looking at a "clawed" :CueCat, it sends a code in the middle (between the serial number and the barcode value, separated by dots) that decodes into "UA5" for UPC+5. Before decoding, it will say ".fGj2." for UPC+5.
Better yet, something that would work for clawed or de-clawed Cats or any other barcode reader would be to look for 17 digit barcodes, calculate the UPC check digit for the first 12 digits, and if it checks out correctly then you probably have a UPC+5 barcode.