On $q$-ary shortened-$1$-perfect-like codes

We study codes with parameters of $q$-ary shortened Hamming codes, i.e., $(n=(q^m-q)/(q-1), q^{n-m}, 3)_q$. At first, we prove the fact mentioned in [A.E.Brouwer et al. Bounds on mixed binary/ternary codes. IEEE Trans. Inf. Theory 44 (1998) 140-161] that such codes are optimal, generalizing it to a bound for multifold packings of radius-$1$ balls, with a corollary for multiple coverings. In particular, we show that the punctured Hamming code is an optimal $q$-fold packing with minimum distance $2$. At second, we show the existence of $4$-ary codes with parameters of shortened $1$-perfect codes that cannot be obtained by shortening a $1$-perfect code. Keywords: Hamming graph; multifold packings; multiple coverings; perfect codes.