FA-79836 / Barcode symbology encoding / Open access
Pharmacode width counts a trailing space · case 01
Packaging artwork reserves two extra modules after the last bar.
ROOT CAUSE
A space is counted after every bar instead of between bars.
VERIFIED REPAIR
Count len(bars) - 1 spaces of width 2.
Unsuccessful approach: Counting spaces as one module each halves them.
Case contract
Encode an integer 3..131070 as a one-track Pharmacode: repeatedly, an even value adds a wide bar and becomes (n - 2) / 2, an odd value adds a narrow bar and becomes (n - 1) / 2, until zero; bars are read in the reverse order of generation (left to right). Width: narrow 1, wide 3, spaces 2 between bars. Return [pattern, width] or None outside the range.
Why this case matters
Retail, logistics, pharmacy and document workflows depend on encoders that produce exactly the module pattern, code-set switches, separators and quiet zones scanners expect; one misplaced module or separator makes a label unreadable or, worse, scan as different data.
1 / The failure
Exit 1"""Failure Map reference implementation. Python standard library only."""
import json
N = 1
observations = []
def solve(n):
if not isinstance(n, int) or n < 3 or n > 131070:
return None
bars = []
while n > 0:
if n % 2 == 0:
bars.append('w')
n = (n - 2) // 2
else:
bars.append('n')
n = (n - 1) // 2
bars.reverse()
width = sum(3 if b == 'w' else 1 for b in bars) + 2 * len(bars)
return [''.join(bars), width]
def check(label, actual, expected):
observations.append({"check": label, "actual": actual, "expected": expected, "passed": actual == expected})
fixtures = [[[34, ['nnnww', 17]], [120, ['wwwnnw', 24]], [1, None], [2, None], [131071, None], [0, None], [-5, None], [306, ['nnwwnnww', 30]]], [[6, ['ww', 8]], [146, ['nnwnnww', 25]], [2, None], [131071, None], [0, None], [-5, None], [1, None], [85, ['nwnwwn', 22]]], [[142, ['nnnwwww', 27]], [65, ['nnnnwn', 18]], [131071, None], [0, None], [-5, None], [1, None], [2, None], [396, ['wnnnwwnw', 30]]], [[229, ['wwnnwwn', 27]], [333, ['nwnnwwwn', 30]], [0, None], [-5, None], [1, None], [2, None], [131071, None], [143, ['nnwnnnn', 21]]], [[157, ['nnwwwwn', 27]], [29, ['wwwn', 16]], [-5, None], [1, None], [2, None], [131071, None], [0, None], [225, ['wwnnnwn', 25]]]]
labels = ["regression: spaces between bars", "repair trap", "combined fault", "control", "control", "boundary", "boundary", "control"]
for i, (args, expected) in enumerate(fixtures[N-1]):
check("%s %d" % (labels[i % len(labels)], i), solve(args), expected)
print(json.dumps({"observations": observations, "passed": all(x["passed"] for x in observations)}, ensure_ascii=False))
raise SystemExit(0 if all(x["passed"] for x in observations) else 1)
| Boundary fixture | Actual | Expected | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| regression: spaces between bars 0 | ['nnnww', 19] | ['nnnww', 17] | Failed |
| repair trap 1 | ['wwwnnw', 26] | ['wwwnnw', 24] | Failed |
| combined fault 2 | None | None | Passed |
| control 3 | None | None | Passed |
| control 4 | None | None | Passed |
| boundary 5 | None | None | Passed |
| boundary 6 | None | None | Passed |
| control 7 | ['nnwwnnww', 32] | ['nnwwnnww', 30] | Failed |
SHA-256 / 7fb0cf0061bcad2915f5ef8d6ff402bcf149afed4df3e7a4b97b37c099829998
2 / The unsuccessful fix
Exit 1"""Failure Map reference implementation. Python standard library only."""
import json
N = 1
observations = []
def solve(n):
if not isinstance(n, int) or n < 3 or n > 131070:
return None
bars = []
while n > 0:
if n % 2 == 0:
bars.append('w')
n = (n - 2) // 2
else:
bars.append('n')
n = (n - 1) // 2
bars.reverse()
width = sum(3 if b == 'w' else 1 for b in bars) + (len(bars) - 1)
return [''.join(bars), width]
def check(label, actual, expected):
observations.append({"check": label, "actual": actual, "expected": expected, "passed": actual == expected})
fixtures = [[[34, ['nnnww', 17]], [120, ['wwwnnw', 24]], [1, None], [2, None], [131071, None], [0, None], [-5, None], [306, ['nnwwnnww', 30]]], [[6, ['ww', 8]], [146, ['nnwnnww', 25]], [2, None], [131071, None], [0, None], [-5, None], [1, None], [85, ['nwnwwn', 22]]], [[142, ['nnnwwww', 27]], [65, ['nnnnwn', 18]], [131071, None], [0, None], [-5, None], [1, None], [2, None], [396, ['wnnnwwnw', 30]]], [[229, ['wwnnwwn', 27]], [333, ['nwnnwwwn', 30]], [0, None], [-5, None], [1, None], [2, None], [131071, None], [143, ['nnwnnnn', 21]]], [[157, ['nnwwwwn', 27]], [29, ['wwwn', 16]], [-5, None], [1, None], [2, None], [131071, None], [0, None], [225, ['wwnnnwn', 25]]]]
labels = ["regression: spaces between bars", "repair trap", "combined fault", "control", "control", "boundary", "boundary", "control"]
for i, (args, expected) in enumerate(fixtures[N-1]):
check("%s %d" % (labels[i % len(labels)], i), solve(args), expected)
print(json.dumps({"observations": observations, "passed": all(x["passed"] for x in observations)}, ensure_ascii=False))
raise SystemExit(0 if all(x["passed"] for x in observations) else 1)
| Boundary fixture | Actual | Expected | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| regression: spaces between bars 0 | ['nnnww', 13] | ['nnnww', 17] | Failed |
| repair trap 1 | ['wwwnnw', 19] | ['wwwnnw', 24] | Failed |
| combined fault 2 | None | None | Passed |
| control 3 | None | None | Passed |
| control 4 | None | None | Passed |
| boundary 5 | None | None | Passed |
| boundary 6 | None | None | Passed |
| control 7 | ['nnwwnnww', 23] | ['nnwwnnww', 30] | Failed |
SHA-256 / 5a161881378614d8921ef5ca619d09ba67ae47e6447a166d14e53744b27b3c1d
3 / The verified repair
Exit 0"""Failure Map reference implementation. Python standard library only."""
import json
N = 1
observations = []
def solve(n):
if not isinstance(n, int) or n < 3 or n > 131070:
return None
bars = []
while n > 0:
if n % 2 == 0:
bars.append('w')
n = (n - 2) // 2
else:
bars.append('n')
n = (n - 1) // 2
bars.reverse()
width = sum(3 if b == 'w' else 1 for b in bars) + 2 * (len(bars) - 1)
return [''.join(bars), width]
def check(label, actual, expected):
observations.append({"check": label, "actual": actual, "expected": expected, "passed": actual == expected})
fixtures = [[[34, ['nnnww', 17]], [120, ['wwwnnw', 24]], [1, None], [2, None], [131071, None], [0, None], [-5, None], [306, ['nnwwnnww', 30]]], [[6, ['ww', 8]], [146, ['nnwnnww', 25]], [2, None], [131071, None], [0, None], [-5, None], [1, None], [85, ['nwnwwn', 22]]], [[142, ['nnnwwww', 27]], [65, ['nnnnwn', 18]], [131071, None], [0, None], [-5, None], [1, None], [2, None], [396, ['wnnnwwnw', 30]]], [[229, ['wwnnwwn', 27]], [333, ['nwnnwwwn', 30]], [0, None], [-5, None], [1, None], [2, None], [131071, None], [143, ['nnwnnnn', 21]]], [[157, ['nnwwwwn', 27]], [29, ['wwwn', 16]], [-5, None], [1, None], [2, None], [131071, None], [0, None], [225, ['wwnnnwn', 25]]]]
labels = ["regression: spaces between bars", "repair trap", "combined fault", "control", "control", "boundary", "boundary", "control"]
for i, (args, expected) in enumerate(fixtures[N-1]):
check("%s %d" % (labels[i % len(labels)], i), solve(args), expected)
print(json.dumps({"observations": observations, "passed": all(x["passed"] for x in observations)}, ensure_ascii=False))
raise SystemExit(0 if all(x["passed"] for x in observations) else 1)
| Boundary fixture | Actual | Expected | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| regression: spaces between bars 0 | ['nnnww', 17] | ['nnnww', 17] | Passed |
| repair trap 1 | ['wwwnnw', 24] | ['wwwnnw', 24] | Passed |
| combined fault 2 | None | None | Passed |
| control 3 | None | None | Passed |
| control 4 | None | None | Passed |
| boundary 5 | None | None | Passed |
| boundary 6 | None | None | Passed |
| control 7 | ['nnwwnnww', 30] | ['nnwwnnww', 30] | Passed |
SHA-256 / ef5e442c1585f0671bbc016f5b6308e437ae96ced5b98b32031d5521f8bce74b
Verification & scope
A deterministic bounded teaching model with a stipulated contract; it makes no claim of conformance to any published specification. This reproducer isolates one failure mechanism. Results cover the supplied fixtures. Variants within a family share a test contract and should remain grouped when constructing evaluation splits. Related mechanisms with a shared evaluation_group must also remain together; these controlled models are not independent production incidents.
Observations recorded using Python 3.12.14 at 2026-09-29T14:49:48.242859+00:00.
Case digest / 0d9da187147b9c78cf688e3bccc85bcf23c3aebc83e843b80aa2a335f055e649