barcoding questions

[mhughes250]

I need to create bar codes to track who comes into a motorcycly facility. I would like the bar codes to contain the basic information name age address contact information. How do I go about doing this. Is there a program where i can keep track of all the bar codes that are scanned in one day? dont really know where to start or what i need to go about buying to be able to write the bar codes any help is great. thanks mike

 

[DansDadUK]

The type of bar code which you see most often on individual product packs will be one of a set of codes known collectively as '1-dimensional' (or 1-D) bar codes.

The simplest of these is Code 39; some other common types are EAN13, Interleaved 2 of 5, and Code 128.

Some of these will encode only numeric characters; others can encode any character.

But none of them is designed to encode more than a couple of dozen, or so, characters, because this will generate a bar code which is too wide for most scanners to read successfully.

For encoding a larger number of characters (as is implied by your "name age address contact information" requirement), you need to think about using one of the 2-D bar codes.

The most common of these are PDF417 (a 'stacked' code), Data Matrix, and QR Code (both of which are matrix codes).

2-D bar codes, as well as having a much greater capacity than 1-D codes, also include error correction features (1-D bar codes only include error detection).

BUT 2-D bar codes are MUCH more difficult to encode, so you'd probably need to purchase software to do this for you.

And scanners which can read 2-D codes are more expensive too.

Having said that, many modern mobile phones (e.g. Nokia E71) can read Data Matrix and QR Codes, provided that the symbols are not too large (in terms of encoded data capacity).
These phones should be able to read 2-D bar codes which encode up to 150 or so data characters, but would struggle with the larger symbols encoding hundreds (or even thousands) of characters.

 

[jwigh]

The easiest way is to create a database with the information and an IDNumber to all records, The badge or what you want to print has a bar code that only includes the IdNumber. When you scan the bar code you lookup the extra info in the database. To do that you need a computer with access to the database either directly or using a web interface.

 

[Paul7905]

Exactly. The best way to accomplish what you want to do is to get something like Microsoft Access (Office Professional for example that comes bundled with Access/Outlook/Word etc). Access will be your repository or database of information (as much or as little as you want to collect). Not sure what your trying to accaseomplish but let's take the example of a grocery store that uses the little plastic key chain tags that are bar coded. You could have a supply of tags (already coded with numeric bar code) and when a customer comes in (that is willing to give you their information) you could enter their info into your access database and, as a part of that process, you would scan one of the bar coded tags (which would become their permanent customer ID number). Then, whenever that customer visits the store, you can scan thier tag and do a database lookup (and do whatever tracking/updating you wanted to do. As a side benefit, you could collect their email address and do mass mailings via email for marketing purposes etc. etc. Of course this all assumes you have some skills and can set up your database and the bells and whistles to go along with it.

 

[mhughes250]

I am looking to give out id cards to people who enter out motorcycle facility. I want to scan there barcode when they enter so we know who has attended for the day. as well as be able to scan there card incase of an emergency where there profile would come up and i would be able to see there information. I think i understand what you guys are talking about how would i print the bar codes or get pre printed bar codes to assign to people.

mike

 

[Paul7905]

There are lot's of companies that sell serialized pre-printed bar code labels and tags, off the shelf or custom made (with your company logo etc.). Naturally, these tags won't have any use to you whatsoever unless you have a database system that can serve as a repositiory of customer information. If I were in your shoes, I would spec out a rudimentary database system with the functionality you want and then get that working (you can get a straw horse test system running without any bar-codes). At the same time you could do some reasearch on serialized bar-code tag sourcing to get design and costing information. Once your satisfied your database is functional and doing what you want, you can easily integrate the issuance and scanning of bar coded tags/cards into the application. Do a google or yellow pages search for sources of serialized bar code tags. (You could print them yourself but they would need to be laminated to have any life expectancy). Overall, the entire thing sounds quite simple to accomplish if you already have some Access or other database development / programming skills

 

[mhughes250]

I have access. i just dont know where to start in access. to began programming. I can get my hands on a scanner and bar codes

 

[HHPuser]

The easy way is if you are from US jsut scan there driving licence andstore it in data base.

Regards
HHPuser

 

[mhughes250]

yea I thought of that but i want some way i can store information like emergency contact and such. I have Microsoft office I just dont know where to go to create a file for bar code scanning.

 

[HHPuser]

I am not sure what does the US driving licence contains apart from Age ,name . But am sure all the driving lincences will be in same format so just need to read using the serial port and past it in Excell ,it is very easy to do . And may i know which scanner do you have with you .I can help you out in doing this .

Regards
HHPuser