How can print Barcode directly to printer? 2

[kenwall123]

Hi
I have few barcode fonts which I use in my reports.
but first I should make a PDF file then print it.
is there any solution to print a report which has barcode fonts directly to printer?
thank you

 

[Nifrabar]

Hi!

I only use the barcodefont 3of9.
You can easily print directly using this font.

In your printcursor you need to make your data ready for printing as barcode. The data must have an asterix just before and after the thing you like to see as barcode.
So If you want to print ABCD, the printdata should be *ABCD*.
In the report give the control you use for printing that barcode-data (mostly textbox) the 6of9.TTF font to use.

-Bart

 

[kenwall123]

thanks Bar
do you have the link of this file(fonts)? is it free or commercial?

thank you..

 

[Nifrabar]

google-search gave:

http://www.barcodesinc.com/free-barcode-font/

I once, years ago, bought the font so don't know wether or not it's real free nowadays.
-Bart

 

[JRB-Bldr]

There are 'free' versions of the Code 3of9 (or Code39) out on the web in various places. A Google search should turn up a few.

Then you merely lay out your VFP Report Form in the normal manner, but specify the Font of the textbox where you want the barcode to appear to be the Code 3of9 Font and you should be set to go.

Don't forget that a printed barcode may likely take up more page 'real estate' than its corresponding text so make the barcode textbox long enough.

NOTE - there are a lot of barcode symbologies which can be used. The most common one for document control, etc. is Code 3of9, but how it is being used many times dictates a REQUIREMENT to use a different barcode symbology (and associated font).
UPC-A
UPC-E
Interleaved 2 of 5 (or I25)
Codabar
Various 2-D barcode symbologies
etc.

There is another area within Tek-Tips dedicated to barcode issues

http://tek-tips.com/threadminder.cfm?pid=694.

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr

 

[kenwall123]

HI to everyone
I have no idea how to use Barcode fonts in my reports in order to print directly to printer.
I make a report and put text on it and change the font to barcode font, when I execute the the report nothing print on paper but when I use PDF creator it has the barcode.!! what should I do?
PLZ help me.

 

[Olaf Doschke]

Simply try to make the report fields a bit larger, wider, and keep stretch with overflow, otherwise you get trimming. The size may also be to flat, higher the height.

VFP draws it's preview with GDI, there are almost no other windows printer than GDI printers anymore, but that change from the native reportengine makes the same text and data a few pixels larger, which can cause empty output.

The PDF printer driver seems to work a bit different, though it's also fed with VFPs output.

That would be my interpretation of the symptoms, I could be wrong, but it would be worth a try. Jsut make your report objects a bit larger.

Bye, Olaf.

 

[JRB-Bldr]

I will throw in one additional, albeit not very likely, thing to consider.

If you were, by chance, attempting to print a non-standard character (or set of characters) into your barcode font, you might need to use another font set.

For example: There are 2 sets of Code 3 of 9 fonts - Standard and Extended.
The Standard set handles all 'normal' Alpha-Numeric characters
The Extended set handles all that the Standard set does, but also handles additional ASCII values such as ENTER (CRLF), TAB, Backspace, etc.

If you were going to attempt to print one of the 'additional' ASCII values using a Standard Code 3 of 9 font, it would not work.

Additionally there are certain barcodes (and there associated fonts) which will not support Alpha characters at all.
The UPC barcodes A & E
Interleaved 2 of 5 (I25)
etc.
If, you attempted to print Alpha characters with them, it also would not work.

Admittedly these are not likely to be the situation you are experiencing, but I thought that I'd throw it out there just in case.

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr