# Question about printing tickets (barcodes)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-printing-tickets-barcodes/575428>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 21, 2011, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-printing-tickets-barcodes/575428 "2011-03-21T02:13:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Tree\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9dc877/32.png) [@Tree\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tree_Boy)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-printing-tickets-barcodes/575428/1 "2011-03-21T02:13:45Z")

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I didn’t have any white printer paper left so I had to print my concert tickets out on yellow paper. Anyone know if that will mess up the scanners? I would assume not since food barcodes can be read on a variety of colored packaging, but I would hate to be denied entry because of it and have to scramble to find a place to print them out.

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**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-printing-tickets-barcodes/575428/2 "2011-03-21T02:16:50Z")

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It’ll probably be fine as long as the contrast is great enough.

If you’re worried, knock on a neighbor’s door and ask for one sheet of paper. Or print it on the other side of a used piece of paper. Or tear out a blank page from some book you never read. Or print it to a Fedex Kinko and pick it up on your way over.

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**Author:** ![Kilmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a6a055/32.png) [@Kilmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilmore)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-printing-tickets-barcodes/575428/3 "2011-03-23T00:07:10Z")

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It should be okay if you print black on yellow, but you may want to ask the venue just in case.

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**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-printing-tickets-barcodes/575428/4 "2011-03-23T05:36:56Z")

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If questioned at the venue, tell them the dog peed on them.

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**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-printing-tickets-barcodes/575428/5 "2011-03-23T13:22:49Z")

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I’d be less worried about it working, and more worried about some weird rule. Like I believe I’ve seen coupons that were not valid unless printed in color.