Creating Postal Bar Codes

If you've run into problems reproducing postal bar codes, you're not alone. I am convinced that they were created for the sole purpose of confounding the entire graphic industry. But there are solutions to this. Really. I swear.

But before I reveal them to you, let's have a quick overview of the Postal Bar Code. Yes, this is necessary, and yes, this will be on the final.

    The Postal Bar Code is made up of 52 vertical lines, short and tall. The lines are grouped into ten sections of five lines each, plus a tall line at each end of the code. Each five-line section corresponds to a separate digit on your standard nine-digit zip code, without the hyphen. [Think of it as Binary code, with the lines acting as zeroes and ones. Or, think of it as Morse code, using the lines like dots and dashes.] The tenth section is called the checksum number (don't ask what it means –– some of the guys down at the post office don't even know). In order to get this number...
    1. Add up the nine digits in the zip code.
    2. Take the last digit of the sum.
    3. Subtract that number from ten. That makes up the final digit.
    Example: 10036-4708
    Step 1.
    Step 2.
    Step 3.
    Result:
    		29
    9
    1
    1003647081
    Once you convert the numbers to the bar code, you're in the clear.

Now that you have a better understanding, here comes the fun stuff:

If you have the PostNet font (follow Diagram 1)...
  1. Begin by writing out the zip code. (Choose any font you want, as long as you can read it.)
  2. Take out the hyphen. Can't use it.
  3. Add an exclamation point to each end of the zip code. This will provide the tall lines at each end of the bar code.
  4. Follow the steps regarding the checksum number (see above).
  5. Convert the whole thing to the PostNet font.
  6. Jump for joy.
Diagram 1
If you don't have the PostNet font (follow Diagram 2)...
  1. Draw a vertical line that is 1pt. x .125". (Yes, I'm mixing measurement systems. It's good to be the king.)
  2. Repeat this line 51 times with a .0475" space between each line.
  3. Except for the first and last tall line, group the lines into ten groups of five. Then, change the tall lines to short lines (.05") in accordance with the five-line postal digits (see Diagram 3). Remember to omit the hyphen and include the checksum number.
  4. Follow Diagram 1, Number 6.
Diagram 2

Diagram 3