What HIBC Codablock F is
HIBC Codablock F wraps a Codablock F symbol (already covered separately in this catalog) in the Health Industry Business Communications Council's labeling convention: a leading "+" flag character and a trailing Modulo-43 check character computed over the HIBC data itself. Confirmed directly: bwipp_hibccodablockf computes/validates its own check character over its own restricted 43-character alphabet, then delegates its actual symbol drawing directly to bwipp_codablockf().
Generate it now
Enter HIBC-formatted data using the allowed character set (digits, capital letters, spaces, and -. $/+%) -- the leading "+" flag and trailing check character are added automatically.
Valid input
Up to 25,000 characters, drawn only from digits, capital letters, spaces, and the symbols -. $/+% (bwipp.hibccodablockfBadCharacter rejects anything else, bwipp.hibccodablockfEmptyData rejects an empty value, bwipp.hibccodablockfinputTooLong rejects longer input). The check character is a straight additive sum (starting from 41) over each character's position in HIBC's own 43-character table, taken Modulo 43 -- computed and appended automatically by default.
Key options
Supported options include columns, rows, rowheight, and sepheight -- all Codablock F's own real options genuinely passed through -- plus validatecheck, this bcid's own real option. Real, literal defaults: columns 8 (4-62 accepted), rows sentinel -1 (auto-fill), rowheight 10 (8-50 accepted), sepheight 1 (1-5 accepted), validatecheck false (off computes and appends the check character; on requires the input to already include one and rejects a mismatch with bwipp.hibccodablockfBadCheckDigit).
Output and printing
Export SVG for vector-precise label artwork or PNG for a quick proof.
Common uses
HIBC Codablock F is used on healthcare and medical device labels that need to carry the HIBC Labeler Identification Code and product data in the multi-row Codablock F layout, an alternative to HIBC's own linear (Code 39/Code 128) and other 2D (Data Matrix, Aztec, PDF417) label formats also covered elsewhere in this catalog.
Example
See the live preview above, seeded with a bwip-js-verified valid value.
Size guidance
Columns and rows both change the overall bounding box: fewer columns with more auto-filled rows produces a taller, narrower symbol; more columns produces a wider, shorter one.
Troubleshooting
A rejected value usually means a character outside the allowed HIBC set (only digits, capital letters, spaces, and -. $/+% are accepted), or a mismatched check character if validating an existing one.
Related formats
Related formats: the separately-covered plain Codablock F generator (no HIBC wrapper), and HIBC Code 128, HIBC Data Matrix, HIBC Data Matrix Rectangular, HIBC Aztec Code, HIBC Micro PDF417, HIBC PDF417, and HIBC QR Code for other HIBC-wrapped symbologies.
FAQ
What characters are allowed?
Only digits, capital letters, spaces, and the symbols -. $/+% -- the same restricted 43-character alphabet HIBC uses across all of its own symbologies (Code 39, Code 128, PDF417, and this one).
Do I need to add the leading + or the check character myself?
No -- both are added automatically by default. Enter only your own HIBC data; the leading "+" flag and the trailing Modulo-43 check character are computed and appended for you.