An Extension of the Brouwer–Zimmermann Algorithm for Calculating the Minimum Weight of a Linear Code

A modification of the Brouwer–Zimmermann algorithm for calculating the minimum weight of a linear code over a finite field is presented. The aim was to reduce the number of codewords for consideration. The reduction is significant in cases where the length of a code is not divisible by its dimensions. The proposed algorithm can also be used to find all codewords of weight less than a given constant. The algorithm is implemented in the software package QextNewEdition.