For determining positions of a support having a bar code relative to a sensor array, the position of lines in the region of the sensor array is determined at least once and a position is determined therefrom. Thereafter, at least one line of the bar code is selected, a displacement of the position of the at least one selected line in the region of the sensor array is registered and the actual position is calculated therefrom by means of a previously determined position. An incremental and rapid measurement is thus permitted with a bar code and a sensor array.