# Check Digit Calculator & GTIN-8 Validator

This program calculates the 7th digit of a GTIN-8 barcode and calculates the validity of an 8 digit GTIN-8 barcode. Could I simplify my code any further?

import math

def roundup(x):
return int(math.ceil(x / 10.0)) * 10

def doMaths(number):
count = 0
total = 0
for n in number:
n = int(n)
if count %2 == 0:
total += n * 3
else:
total += n
count += 1
if len(number) == 8:
if total %10 == 0:
print("Valid")
else:
print("Invalid")
else:
print(number + str(roundup(total)  - total))

while True:
try:
number = input("Enter a 7 or 8 digit number for testing: ")
i = int(number)
if len(number) == 7 or len(number) == 8:
doMaths(number)
break
else:
print("Length of number must be 7 or 8")
continue
except ValueError:
print("Only enter numbers.")
continue


The doMaths function has no clear purpose — hence its weird name. It acts as both to calculate the expected last digit of a 7-digit input and to validate the last digit of an 8-digit input. Furthermore, it prints its results instead of returning them, hindering reuse of the function.

What you really want to do is share the code that calculates total. You could write a function like this, using slices:

def gtin8_checksum_digit(number):
"""
Given a 7- or 8-digit string, calculate the expected GTIN-8 checksum.

>>> gtin8_checksum_digit('3141592')
'7'
>>> gtin8_checksum_digit('31415927')
'7'
"""
total = sum(3 * int(d) for d in number[0:7:2]) + \
sum(int(d) for d in number[1:6:2])
return str(10 - (total % 10))


No floating-point arithmetic should be necessary.

Note the docstring, and in particular, the doctests that make it clear how the function behaves.

To use that function…

if __name__ == '__main__':
while True:
try:
number = input("Enter a 7 or 8 digit number for testing: ")
int(number)    # Trigger possible ValueError
if 7 <= len(number) <= 8: break
print("Length of number must be 7 or 8")
except ValueError:
print("Only enter numbers.")
if len(number) == 8:
print("Valid" if gtin8_checksum_digit(number) == number[7] else "Invalid")
else:
print(gtin8_checksum_digit(number))

• @Graipher That concern did cross my mind. How about Rev 3? – 200_success Oct 6 '16 at 13:37
• Definitely better. Although I would put the break on its own line for PEP8 compliance. – Graipher Oct 6 '16 at 14:31