Swiss QR not readable before removing the center square image

[maglub]

Thanks for an amazing tool!

I have one example of a non readable qrcode, a Swiss QR Bill code. These are used on bills in Switzerland, and can be generated here: https://qrportal.ch/one#paymentForm

I found a not so practical workaround in https://github.com/mchehab/zbar/issues/65, meaning that I would edit the QR code to be able to read it.

These are following the ISO standard, and are valid QR code.

Bad, non working image:

(venv) [maglub@Magnuss-MacBook-Pro-2:~/dev/wue/dani]$ zbarimg magnus2.jpg 
scanned 0 barcode symbols from 1 images in 0.02 seconds

WARNING: barcode data was not detected in some image(s)
Things to check:
  - is the barcode type supported? Currently supported symbologies are:
    . EAN/UPC (EAN-13, EAN-8, EAN-2, EAN-5, UPC-A, UPC-E, ISBN-10, ISBN-13)
    . DataBar, DataBar Expanded
    . Code 128
    . Code 93
    . Code 39
    . Codabar
    . Interleaved 2 of 5
    . QR code
    . SQ code
  - is the barcode large enough in the image?
  - is the barcode mostly in focus?
  - is there sufficient contrast/illumination?
  - If the symbol is split in several barcodes, are they combined in one image?
  - Did you enable the barcode type?
    some EAN/UPC codes are disabled by default. To enable all, use:
    $ zbarimg -S*.enable <files>
    Please also notice that some variants take precedence over others.
    Due to that, if you want, for example, ISBN-10, you should do:
    $ zbarimg -Sisbn10.enable <files>

When I removed the "swiss" sign in the middle of the QR code, zbarimg can read it.

Working image:

(venv) [maglub@Magnuss-MacBook-Pro-2:~/dev/wue/dani]$ zbarimg -q removed_swiss_mark.png 
QR-Code:SPC
0200
1
CH760000000000000
S
Some person
Somewhere
10
1234
Swisstown
CH

1234
CHF
S
Other person
Somewhere
11
9876
Swisstropolis
CH
NON

Please send money
EPD

The QR code on page 11 in the specification works:

But the QR code on page 42 does not work:

(venv) [maglub@Magnuss-MacBook-Pro-2:~/dev/wue/dani]$ zbarimg -q page11.png 
QR-Code:QRType
Version
Coding Type
Konto (IBAN ZE)
Adresstyp (ZE)
Name (ZE)
Strasse oder Adresszeile 1 (ZE)
Hausnr. oder Adresszeile 2 (ZE)
PLZ (ZE)
Ort (ZE)
Land (ZE)
Adresstyp (EZE)
Name (EZE)
Strasse oder Adresszeile 1 (EZE)
Hausnr. oder Adresszeile 2 (EZE)
PLZ (EZE)
Ort (EZE)
Land (EZE)
Betrag
Währung
Adresstyp (EZP)
Name (EZP)
Strasse oder Adresszeile 1 (EZP)
Hausnr. oder Adresszeile 2 (EZP)
PLZ (EZP)
Ort (EZP)
Land (EZP)
Referenztyp
Referenz
Unstrukturierte Mitteilungen
Trailer
Rechnungsinformationen
AV1 – Parameter
AV2 – Parameter
(venv) [maglub@Magnuss-MacBook-Pro-2:~/dev/wue/dani]$ zbarimg -q page42.png 
(venv) [maglub@Magnuss-MacBook-Pro-2:~/dev/wue/dani]$ 
(venv) [maglub@Magnuss-MacBook-Pro-2:~/dev/wue/dani]$ echo $?
4

References

• Standards document (the QR code on page 42 can be read on my iPhone, but not with zbarimg): https://www.paymentstandards.ch/dam/downloads/ig-qr-bill-de.pdf

[ionum]

Same Issue #121. It seems that recognition fails if the swiss cross bars have similar height/width as qrcode-squares.

[maslick]

Hej @maglub! I was able to decode all of the images you provided with my OSS project named Koder. It is based on zbar 0.23.90 (compiled into WebAssembly). You can check out the demo here: https://qr.maslick.tech

[ionum]

But it works not on commandline eg "zbarimg pic.png". Tested with lastest version from here (0.23.92).

[izidormatusov]

It seems to have something to do with QR code error correction:

$ zbarimg -v -q qrbill.png
qr_code_decode: Number of errors corrected: -1 (data irrecoverable)
qr_code_decode: Number of errors corrected: -1 (data irrecoverable)
dump_stats: symbol sets allocated   = 1
dump_stats:     scanner syms in use = 0     recycled  = 0
dump_stats:     image syms in use   = 0     recycled  = 0
dump_stats: symbols allocated       = 0
dump_stats:      recycled[0]        = 0
dump_stats:      recycled[1]        = 0
dump_stats:      recycled[2]        = 0
dump_stats:      recycled[3]        = 0
dump_stats:      recycled[4]        = 0
_zbar_qr_destroy: max finder lines = 127x127

[SemGa92]

Hi, thank you for the great work. I have the same problem tested on Ubuntu 22.04 and 0.23.92 zbar version.

Is there any news regarding this issue?