EAN-2

EAN-2 is an optional additional bar code to the right of a EAN-13 or UPC-A bar code, used on product packaging for checkout scanning. It encodes an extra two digits in addition to the main UPC or EAN code, used for supplementary information. Typically it is used on periodicals to distinguish issues; the two digits can represent the month or week of the given issue (repeating every year). If the publisher wants to permanently distinguish all issues in the entire run of a publication, as comic book publishers do with direct-sale issues, they need more digits, so the EAN-5 code (with 5 digits) is better for this purpose.

Software

 * Review of barcode scanner apps
 * iOS app to read UPC/EAN codes and find product info/prices
 * Android app to read UPC and QR codes to look up product info/prices and other info coded or linked in bar codes
 * Bar Code app (iOS)

Developer libraries and modules

 * ZBar bar code reader library: cross-platform
 * zxing (Zebra Crossing) (barcode library for Java, ported to some other systems)
 * MediaWiki extension to generate UPC, EAN, and Code39 codes
 * Postscript Barcode (barcode writer)

Utilities

 * Global UPC database
 * Another UPC search site
 * Online barcode generator (supports many different formats)
 * Another bar code generator