Bar Code Software

[Gravey]

Anyone have any experience using bar code software with Visual FoxPro? I would like implement a system of bar codes and scanners to track inventory. Any suggestions and/ or recommendations for bar code software that would interface with FoxPro would be appreciated. Thank you.

Mike Graves

 

[DSummZZZ]

Do a keyword search. You will find numerous posts.


-Dave S.-

Even more Fox stuff at:

http://www.davesummers.net/foxprolinks.htm

 

[craigsboyd]

Barcodes are nothing more than a font...and the reader reads them in just like keyboard input...a good deal of barcode wands splice directly into the keyboard. There are really four types of barcode readers... Laser, Pen (photo diode), CCD (LED), and Camera. Barcodes are easy as can be...you won't have any problem getting it to work...just think of the person typing the code 3434546567 into a text box in your application and then just know that instead of them typing they will be scanning a barcode...which is just that special font (think of it as wingdings)...you should be able to download a barcode font on the net somewhere to play around with it... I think the last project I worked on it used 3of9.ttf

Make sure that the Reader (scanner) is able to read the font you've chosen to use, or vice versa...nothing to it really.

Slighthaze = NULL

 

[medic]

Hi Gravey,

There are various ways to do barcoding in VFP. If you have a barcode printer where you print the labels, you would need the programmer's manual that comes with the printer. This will guide you on barcode formats supported by your printer, and the control code formats.

If you're going to use ordinary printers, there are two ways to generate the barcodes. One is to use the line objects to form the patterns in your LABEL or REPORT file. The other way is by using barcode fonts.

I would suggest to use the Code 39 (3 of 9) format if you use ordinary printers. Code 39 is easier to implement and supports alpha characters.

Medic

 

[weedz]

Just a reminder, some barcodereaders use prefixes and suffixes (most are programmable).
Standards are <enter> as suffix and <tab> as a prefix.

Reading a barcode is not the hard part. if you use a keyboard wedge barcode reader it will just send the dat to the keyboard buffer and windows will read it (like stated above) as keybard input.

Depending on the type of barcode you are using, or your supplier, you'll need to decipher the bar code.

Some use strictly defined rules for the position of numbers (EAN13 and EAN8 and other EAN barcodes) and some do not.

HTH,


Weedz (Edward W.F. Veld)
My private project:

http://www.crowncap.demon.nl\info\crwnbase

Download the CrownBase source code !!