Barcodes - Space Start
What is this?
Barcodes typically do not start with a space, but can be easy to include one accidentally while editing an item record.
Why is this trouble?
If an item record has a barcode that is a space followed by the actual barcode on the piece, some uses of that barcode will not function correctly, though many will:
- An analytics search or widget where you scan in that barcode will not work correctly.
- An item API call for the item by that barcode (as may be used in a self-checkout or similar application) will not work correctly.
- Repository search and fulfillment (check out, check in) through Alma's interface for that barcode work just fine.
How to Find
If you are in Alma, there is an analysis to search for this issue in the "Looking for Trouble" folder. Go to the "Barcodes" folder and look for the "Space Start" analysis.
If you can search or filter your barcodes by regular expression, you
can search for /^ /.