ftp.nice.ch/pub/next/tools/printer/BarCodes.README

This is the README for BarCodes.2.0.N.b.gnutar.gz [Download] [Browse] [Up]

This app demonstrates the generation of bar codes.  The application supports UPC and Code 3 of 9 formats in various sizes and densities.  There are two different ways to generate bar code formats, single or whole sheet.  

						Generation
Barcodes are generated in the BarCode Control window.  This window will cause a sheet of barcodes to be drawn, if a sheet window is the Main Window, or an individual barcode to be draw, in all other cases.  

Valid characters for different codes are listed below.  The Sheet of barcodes has the capabillity to generate a sequence of barcodes.  The Code: typed in is a C printf string, such as AAB023%03d.  An integer, starting with 0 will replace the %xxd string in the code.   This format is invalid for the single barcode since it just draws exactly what you tell it.


						Services
This app supports services in two manners.  It has the Services menu in it so that a user can click on a barcode in the Single BarCode window, and send it to a remote application as a Postscript file.

The app can also be a services supplier for applications that know how to send text and receive postscript back.  WriteNow is a good example of this.  You will have to put this app in an Apps directory somewhere, log out and then log back in.  The WorkspaceManager will figure out that BarCodes can be a service.  This feature could be used in WriteNow, by highlighting a valid barcode number in a WriteNow  document, then sending it to the BarCodes program.  The text in WriteNow  will be replaced with the equivalent barcode.

						Printing
Single codes or whole sheets may be printed by making the appriate window the main window and pressing the Print.. button. There is a bug in the whole sheet because of a margin problem. 

						Codes
UPC
The App generate UPC bar codes for the numbers typed into the Code field.   UPC codes are 10 digits long with an industry number to the left ot the UPC symbol.  The app assumes an industry number of 0 if 10 digits are entered.  The first digit of an 11 digit number is assumed to be the industry code.

Code 3 of 9
Code 3 of 9 support has been added.  This format supports strings up to 30 characters using the following symbols:
			A-Z
			0-9
			- (dash)
			.
			SPACE
			$
			/
			+
			%


						REVISION LOG

2.0 Rev 5 (6/10/91)
Added begining sheet support for printing whole sheet. (2 hours.
2.0 Rev 4 (6/9/91)
Created BarCodeCell and restructured program  and wrote 3 of 9 code.  On our way to making parts reuseable. Added services support. (6 hours)
Rev 0.2
Now copies just the area with bar code in it.  Highlights on bar code select via mouse.  We're up to 2.8 hours now.
Rev 0.1
This application (mini-app actually) took 2.5 hours to write.  


Future enhancements may include:
1)	Other formats, if I can get ps code to draw them.
3)	Page Layout and sequential codes.

<joe>

These are the contents of the former NiCE NeXT User Group NeXTSTEP/OpenStep software archive, currently hosted by Netfuture.ch.