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Implementing Barcodes 2

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jurgen

Programmer
Feb 8, 2001
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Whcih is the best way to start with barcodes for your articles ? and how do I print those on labels etc ... ?

Regards Jurgen
 
When you say articles? what are you referring too clothing, Boxes, loose items, or what.

It depends on the qty you need as to which way to start off.
Small qty's can use Access and a barcode font. and print to Avery mailing labels.
large qty's or fast production requires special Barcode printers. And perhaps a label applicator.
Give me more specifics and I can guide you.
DougP, MCP

Visit my WEB site to see how Bar-codes can help you be more productive
 
I just finished a UPC-A barcode project in Access97. Works great, figures the correct symbols for fonts.. I found a font altering program and used it to take the "Demo" figures out of a ttf. I haven't set it up to figure the check digit, I let another program figure it since most of the numbers I use are already 12 digit. I would be glad to share any info with you either here or email me at:

jpen_10@hotmail.com

Jim
 
Hi DoughP

Sorry, I responsed so late but I had a little urgent program to work on, now i can go further with the barcodes.

The application I try to enhance, as an application that registrates serial numbers on equipement, so we can track down where each equipement is working at any time or has to go to a location to work, or is in the store house etc.

Were talking about 2000 pieces of equipement, each year grows this with a 100 pieces.

This is one part, based on these results it can be possible that our stocks will be barcoded as well, on this moment everything goes by the good old keyboard ...

Jurgen

 
Great I would just add a Keyboard wedge Barcode scanner (one that attaches to the keyboard cable with a "y" adaptor) and you would not have to change a thing.
Just add a barcode label or sticker to the products and instead of keying in its number you would scan it.

You need a way to print the labels of course
and the Cost goes hand in hand with efficiency.

So to have a ONE –OFF label printer would be about $1000.00
You might need a program to run it $495.00
And Access would be the glue to hold the whole thing together.

Cheapest way
Use you existing LaserJet and Avery mailing labels in and Access database.



DougP, MCP

Visit my WEB site to see how Bar-codes can help you be more productive
 
That last you wrote is the way I had in mind, i'm not to keen on existing applications and those labelprinters is when everything runs smoothly. Otherwise you don't have the pleasure of programming the way you need it.

I've already wrote my serialnumber interface on an access client en SQL server in background, I use to create a barcode code 39.

I've made 2 kind of labels, one with the partnumber from the equipement and one with the serialnumber (seperate labels)

Now I've a little problem printing it on labels, I always get 1 label on a Avery Sheet with 10 on it. How can I duplicate 1 label to 10 on a sheet. I need this because the partnumbers are always the same.

Any idea how to do this ?

Jurgen



 
So you want 10 labels with the same part number?
One way though far from the best is to create a New table with the fields you need on your label. Then in a For-Next loop, loop the number of times you need labels

For a = 1 to 10
' Get data from part number table
'add a new part to the new table
next

So you would end up with a table that has the same part number 10 times, then base you report on that table.

Of course you would need to erase all records at the start of the function.
DougP, MCP

Visit my WEB site to see how Bar-codes can help you be more productive
 
Hi DougP

It works just fine, now for the rest. I'll keep you posted on my further development.

By the way, does access support matrix printers I always use LaserJet or InktJet. The reason I ask is for the serialnumber labels, they are always different and thos printers can use contious paper

jurgen
 
Any Windows Program supports any printer "IF" there is a Windows driver.
The functionality of a printer is what is in the Driver.

So to answer your question YES if you have a Windows driver for a Dot Matrix printer then Access will be able to print to it.
BUT the Dot Matrix printer has to be in good shape and have a NEW ribbon OR you will get crappy barcodes. A the printer make several passes back and forth the worn out printer will tend to make wavy barcode lines. If these get too wavy then they will not scan at all.
See a barcode is actually the white spaces between the black lines
A Barcode scanner can only read or see the white spaces if there is good White/Black contrast. A LaserJet as you know will print an impeccable barcode. So your Dot Matrix has to up to the task.
Of course a brand new Dot Matrix with a Brand new ribbon will work great.

Now if the quantity is large enough then going to a special Barcode Printer such as SATO DataMAX or Zebra is the only way to go. You can get one off high quality bar-coded labels in any size you can dream of. But you are looking at $4000.00 for the printer, software, case of labels and ribbon. And you still need Microsoft Access to control the whole thing.
DougP, MCP

Visit my WEB site to see how Bar-codes can help you be more productive
 
Hi Doug,

Can you help me with this one,

If I read a barcode with my barcode scanner, access does'nt recognize the barcode, in stead of entering a code 10000015, he displays an error and opens the options of access.

The same happens if i scan a code on a word document, there opens the help file.

If I launch in the start menu te Run dailog box and read the barcode, het displays correct 10000015 followed by an return.

What's the problem

Thnx Doug

Jurgen
 
try this
Open Notepad and scan a barcode in there and see what happens.

It may be that you scanner is sending extra characters either before or after scanning the barcode.

What else do you use the Scanner for?

Most scanners are programmable and any formatting can be un-done.
But you have to make sure it is not set up for a particular reason.

There is a manual somewhere for it. Which probably has barcodes in it for programming the unit. One of those barcodes will set it back to factory defaults.
If you require a Return after the barcode then you will have to find how to add a Suffix.

Also contact the manufacturer they are more than willing to help you.
DougP, MCP

Visit my WEB site to see how Bar-codes can help you be more productive
 
i am a visual foxpro programmer and im currently developing
a system and im planning to use barcodes in it...

i tend to use barcodes for identifiying a person and to to see of he/she is a part of the company or a new/old on in the group....

BUT REALLY I DNT KNOW HOW...

PLZ...ANSWER ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE...
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH....

 
Hello,

I'm trying to print to an intermec high performance printer


I am printing from visual basic using a font I downloaded from Wasp. Here is the code.

Private Sub Command1_Click()
Printer.FontName = "WASP 39 HC"
Printer.FontSize = 14
Printer.Print "*" & "1234" & "*"
Printer.EndDoc

End Sub

when I run this I am having trouble getting the margins and page setup correct. Five or six of the labels are skipped and then the barcode is printed but isn't centered on the barcode label. I don't have trouble creating the barcode. I have trouble when I print on the barcode printer. Since I'm not printing on avery labels I can't just specify the avery #. I'm a little stuck. The labels I'm printing on are Computype Width=2" Length =.25" Any help would be very much appriciated.
 
Most of the Special Barcode printers use ESC characters to print. They don’t work like normal LaserJet and Inkjet printers. So you can’t just send the commands that you have.
Second those printers have barcode fonts built it so sending a True Type font is going to be converted to a bitmap and not create a very good barcode. Plus it will be slow.
See if they have a Windows Driver.
Did you get a book with the printer?
Look in the back and see if there is a list of commands to print barcodes and text
Usually there are dozens of pages.

How much information do you need on the label? I have a program that will create labels for any Barcode Printer and I can create a label in it and then have it save the ESC characters out and send them to you.
DougP, MCP
 
Also here is a .PDF file on their site which has IPL
"Intermec Programming Langauge". This is what you need to create barcodes on that Printer.

Unless of course you want to purchase a third party program like "Label Matrix" from Strandware.
go to this site for that program.

Then you can create a label(s) and save them. The program uses WYSIWYG. So in a matter of minutes you are printing labels. Then use VB to launch the Label Matrix Printer controller and manipulate it that way. This is the fastest way to get up and running but it costs more money.
I have done all of the above.

I have not use IPL but I have used ZPL "Zebra Programing Languge" I'm sure it similar. DougP, MCP
 
I downloaded the BAR-ONE software and the ZEBRA printer works fine with it..but when i try to print from ACCESS..it wont work..the printer EJECTS paper..but wont print anything on it...any suggestions? "ACCESS ADDICT"
 
Dirgesh (Programmer)

Please create a new Post for this
so the responses are down here 25 answers later


thanks DougP, MCP
 
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