dlsoft Barcode Desk By dlsoft

Transcription

1 dlsoft Barcode Desk By dlsoft

2 This manual was produced using ComponentOne Doc-To-Help.

3 Contents dlsoft Barcode Desk 1 Introduction... 1 System Requirements... 1 Installation... 1 Using Barcode Desk... 2 Barcode Creator 3 Graphics Options... 5 Saving a barcode image... 6 Printing a barcode... 7 Copying a barcode... 8 Templates... 8 Barcode Reporter 9 What Barcode Reporter is not Barcode symbologies How to use Barcode Reporter Scanning modes The Report Heading section Analysis section Scan results section Byte Reporter 29 Using Byte Reporter Label printer 33 Introduction Tutorial Designing a label template Viewing labels Printing labels Common element properties Text element properties Picture element properties Barcode element properties Line element properties Shape element properties Batch Printing Connecting to an existing data source Attaching an element to a data field Creating Label Printer databases dlsoft Barcode Desk Contents iii

4 Retaining existing template features Editing Label Printer databases Modifying Labels databases Adding Records Filtering records Sorting records Finding records Formula data Built in functions Index 75 iv Contents dlsoft Barcode Desk

5 dlsoft Barcode Desk Contents v

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7 dlsoft Barcode Desk Introduction Barcode Desk is a suite of tools for creating and testing barcodes. Barcode images for artwork may be generated using the Barcode Creator and (for some barcode types) the barcodes on the final printed material can scanned on a quality flatbed scanner and the images tested for quality using Barcode Reporter. Barcode Labels may be printed using the Label printer and Barcodes may also be decoded into byte values using Byte Reporter in conjunction with a serial barcode scanner (or a USB barcode scanner with a USB-serial driver). Barcode Reporter supports the following barcode types: Code 39, Code 93, Code 128, Standard, IATA and Interleaved 2 of 5, GS1-13, GS1-8, GS1-128, UPC-A and UPC-E (supplementaries are also supported on the GS1 and UPC symbols) Barcode Creator and Label Printer support most common 1D and 2D barcode types as well as GS1-Composite symbols. Byte Reporter is entirely dependent on the barcode scanner used. System Requirements Barcode Desk requires: Windows XP (service pack 2), Vista or Windows 7 Microsoft.NET Framework (version 2 or later) Barcode Reporter requires a flatbed full colour scanner with a resolution of at least 1200 dpi (2400 dpi recommended) Barcode Byte Reporter requires a barcode scanner with either a serial connection, or a USB connection and a serial port emulation driver (drivers are typically available from the scanner manufacturer s web site). Installation Barcode Desk may be installed by running the installer (Barcode_Desk_Installer.exe). The installer installers the program and its associated help file into the programs folder and installs a number of scanned barcode images into a samples folder generally to be found in the Documents folder. An icon for launching Barcode Desk is placed on the Windows desktop, and entries for the program and the help file are placed in a dlsoft section of Program on the Start menu. dlsoft Barcode Desk dlsoft Barcode Desk 1

8 Using Barcode Desk When Barcode desk is launched by double clicking on the Barcode Desk icon either from the desktop or from the Start menu the opening screen appears. From this screen any of the tools may be opened by clicking on the relevant button. Details of Barcode Creator, Barcode Reporter, Label Printer and Byte Reporter are provided in the sections below. 2 dlsoft Barcode Desk dlsoft Barcode Desk

9 Barcode Creator Barcode Creator generates barcode images, either for use or for comparison with an image that has been scanned with Barcode Reporter. Barcode Creator may be started by pushing the button on the Barcode Desk, or from the View menu of Barcode Reporter. The type of barcode may be changed by selecting Barcode Properties from the Edit menu and using the Barcode properties dialog to select the required barcode type from the drop-down list of types available: dlsoft Barcode Desk Barcode Creator 3

10 This dialog also permits other aspects of the barcode to be specified. If a 2D or Composite barcode type is selected from the drop down list of Barcode types the appearance of the dialog changes to reflect the properties relevant to that type. For example, if a Composite barcode type is selected, or if a composite is added to a 1D barcode, the dialog changes to: While if a 2D type is selected the dialog becomes: 4 Barcode Creator dlsoft Barcode Desk

11 For Datamatrix barcodes if the GS1 flag is set then the data is scanned for AIs and treated according to the GS1- Datamatrix specification. Some of the 2D barcode types support byte modes, allowing Unicode or other non-ascii character sets to be used generally by setting the Flag shown in the above example. The font used in the Data entry box may be selected by choosing Data Font from the Edit menu. Graphics Options Selecting Graphics Options from the Edit menu displays the Graphics Options dialog which allows the selection of the default graphics type and resolution (in dpi) used to display the barcode image and save images to file. dlsoft Barcode Desk Barcode Creator 5

12 Vector graphics formats (EPS and WMF) provide the highest resolution available, and for these types setting the Default resolution has no effect. For bitmap images PNG files will be the most compact, followed closely by TIFF. GIF images have the disadvantage that many programs will resize the images when they are loaded and are not recommended for printing. JPEG images produced by Barcode creator have minimum compression, but many programs may introduce compression (and so lower the quality) when the image is saved or incorporated into other artwork. BMP file are uncompressed and may be very large. Note that, because all bitmap graphic images are created with bars aligned to the image s pixels, the use of low resolutions (e.g. 96 dpi) may generate barcodes that are significantly larger than the size requested in the barcode options dialog. This is because bars and spaces need to be an integer number of pixels wide to ensure good scannability. In general 96 dpi should be avoided. When Barcode creator prints a barcode it ignores the Graphics Options setting and uses the characteristics of the selected printer. Saving a barcode image A graphics image of the barcode may be saved to a named file by selecting Save Image on the File menu. The dropdown list of file types allows the user to select the graphics format for the image. 6 Barcode Creator dlsoft Barcode Desk

13 Bitmap (.BMP), GIF, JPEG, PNG and TIFF bitmap formats are supported as well as Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) and Windows Enhanced Metafile (WMF) formats. The default graphics type and the graphics resolution of the image may be specified in the Graphics Options dialog (see below). Printing a barcode Once created, the barcode may be printed by selecting Print from the File menu. By default the barcode is printed in the centre of the current default page. However a dialog box is displayed to allow the position of the barcode to be moved from the centre by entering positive or negative values into the Horizontal and Vertical offset boxes. dlsoft Barcode Desk Barcode Creator 7

14 Pushing the Print button will cause the barcode to be printed using the resolution of the current printer. If you wish to specify a specific printer for Barcode Creator, then selecting Printer Setup from the File menu will display the Printer setup dialog. This allows a printer and the printer s properties to be selected. Once a printer has been selected the program will remember the printer and its settings until a different printer is chosen. Copying a barcode The barcode may be copied to the clipboard for subsequent pasting into another application such as Word. To copy the barcode select Copy Image from the Edit menu or click the copy icon in the tool bar. Note that the barcode is copied to the clipboard as a bitmap image based on the resolution specified in the Graphic Options dialog (see above). Templates If you need to create particular barcodes regularly then it is useful to be able to save the barcode details and printer settings in a template. You can save a template by selecting Save template from the File menu and entering a suitable name for the template. In the future when you wish to have Barcode Creator return to those same setting just select Open template from the File menu and Open the required template. Templates are saved with the extension.dat Templates may be saved in any folder, although the recommended location would be your Documents folder. 8 Barcode Creator dlsoft Barcode Desk

15 Barcode Reporter dlsoft Barcode Reporter is a tool for analysing high-resolution images of printed barcodes for the purpose of reporting on the quality and structure of the printed barcode. The images below illustrate just a few of the problems commonly encountered in creating barcodes: Incorrect check digit This image illustrates a GS1-13 barcode that appears to be structurally correct, but does not contain a valid GTIN (where the final digit is calculated from the preceding 12 digits). The final digit should be a 0. Missing bars This image shows a Code 39 symbol that has been truncated and the last few bars are missing. This can happen when a graphics image is pasted or loaded into a pre-defined space on a design with the pre-defined space being not quite large enough. dlsoft Barcode Desk Barcode Reporter 9

16 Over-generous printing ink This image shows a magnified section of a barcode that illustrates two of the most commonly encountered problems. Firstly the narrow bars (dark bars) are supposed to be the same width as the narrow spaces (light bars). Clearly they are not the bars are too thick and the spaces too thin. Secondly there is a considerable quantity of black ink spattered into the spaces, a problem often found with barcodes printed using ink-jet printers. Voids This image shows a magnified section of a barcode that illustrates another commonly encountered problem missing ink in sections of the bars, known as voids. While almost all barcodes printed on desktop printers will have voids these can become a problem when their number or size becomes comparable with the minimum bar width of the symbol being scanned. Contrast This image shows a section of a barcode that illustrates inadequate contrast between the bars (dark bars) and spaces (light bars). This problem can arise when a barcode image is printed onto coloured material, such as brown cardboard or craft paper. 10 Barcode Reporter dlsoft Barcode Desk

17 Resolution This image illustrates a problem commonly encountered when using thermal printers. The image was originally of good quality and designed for printing on a printer having a resolution of 300 dpi (dots per inch); however, after printing on a printer that had a resolution of 200 dpi the bars have become wider and the spaces have become smaller. Such distortions are unavoidable when images designed for one resolution are printed at a lower resolution. The reason is simple. The bars and spaces need to occupy a whole number of pixels. If an image designed for a dot size of 1/300 inches is printed on a printer that actually prints with a dot size of 1/200 inches then the printed dots will be larger than allowed for on the design. The increase in dark bar width over its nominal value is called the Bar Gain and is normally recorded as a percentage value. [A similar property is Bar Loss, which is when the Bar Gain is negative.] The solution is of course to design the barcode image for the correct printer resolution. Modulation The image below shows bars exhibiting modulation dlsoft Barcode Desk Barcode Reporter 11

18 Modulation may be cause by local variations in background reflectance (e.g., fragments of darker material in a recycled material), local variations in ink density of the bars, or show-through of contents on the reverse side of packaging material. It is also commonly encountered when graphic designers generate a PDF image of a design without ensuring that the PDF conversion process does not resample the image down to a low effective resolution. In most cases Modulation may be seen by zooming the Barcode Reporter image as illustrated below: 12 Barcode Reporter dlsoft Barcode Desk

19 dlsoft Barcode Reporter is designed to provide an approach to testing the quality of printed barcodes with the intention of avoiding some of the errors described above. What Barcode Reporter is not Barcode Reporter does not provide confirmation that a barcode is perfect or that it meets the standards laid down by various bodies. In particular you should bear in mind that: It cannot always measure bar height; so when a standard specifies a particular height or range of heights, you need to measure the height to ensure that you barcode complies. It cannot confirm the quality and accuracy of the data content of a symbol. It does not check that the Human Readable Interpretation matches the bar code data (and it may be necessary to check that the two correspond, particularly where the bar code generating software does not include Human Readable Interpretation data). Because only a portion of the symbol is actually scanned, the quality of the entire symbol cannot be guaranteed beyond the statistical confidence limits associated with the sampling procedure used. Even a perfect symbol at the time of production can be damaged or otherwise affected in its passage through the supply chain (e.g., scratched, frozen, dampened, etc.). It cannot ensure that a barcode is the correct type for its intended purpose (e.g. an ITF-14 Symbol used on an item intended for retail Point-of-Sale). Barcode symbologies Barcode symbologies are not all the same. The decoding of barcodes is based on different aspects of the symbol in different symbologies. For example, GS1-13 and GS1-128 are edge-to-similar- edge decodable symbologies (ie. The distance from the front edge of a dark bar to the front edge of the next dark bar is an important measurement, rather than the width of the bar). Code 39 and Interleaved 2 of 5 barcodes on the other hand are two-width (narrow/wide) symbologies that cannot be decoded by the edge-to-similar-edge technique, but all element widths must be measured. They are, therefore, more subject to the problems caused by incorrect bar widths. dlsoft Barcode Desk Barcode Reporter 13

20 Some barcode symbologies make use of a check digit or check character (one or two final characters determined by performing a mathematical operation on the preceding characters). For some symbologies this is mandatory, eg GS1-13 and GS1-128 both have mandatory check characters. In the case of GS1-13 the check character is the last character printed under the bars; however, the GS1-128 check character is not shown in human readable form (indeed it can be a non-printable character, such as a space or a newline). For such symbologies Barcode Reporter will determine whether the check character in the decoded symbol is the correct character for the preceding characters. For some symbologies a check character is optional; eg. Code 39 and Interleaved 2 of 5 both allow optional check characters. For these barcode types Barcode Reporter will report on whether the final character is a valid check character for the preceding characters, but will add that a check character is not mandatory in other words the designer may not have wanted the symbol to contain a check character, so the final character is simply that: the final data character. A similar warning will also be shown when reporting on ITF-14 barcodes which, although based on Interleaved 2 of 5, do not utilise the optional check digit. Reports on all Interleaved 2 of 5 symbols will also contain a statement to indicate whether the measured X dimension is within the allowed range for ITF-14. For GS1-128 symbols the presence of Function Code 1 (FNC1) in the first position after the start character is used as a flag for the GS1 System subset of the Code 128. Barcode Reporter will test for this and for the other GS1-128 requirements: Use of FNC1 as a field separator following non-predefined length AIs Sequencing of AIs, with pre-defined length AIs preceding non pre-defined length ones Length of data fields with fixed length AIs Correct formatting of data in all AI fields Absence of encoded parentheses around AIs How to use Barcode Reporter Barcode Reporter is relatively simple to use. The following steps are required: Scan the barcode symbol with a quality flatbed scanner. Scanning should be at at least 1200 dpi although we recommend 2400 dpi or better; and in full colour (NOT Black and white or greyscale). The symbol should be scanned in its final configuration wherever possible (i.e, including any overlaminate, package material, contents). Save the scanned image of the barcode area to a graphics file without using compression algorithms. So do NOT save as compressed JPEG files or compressed TIFF files as such formats will modify the edges of the bars in the symbol. BMP or PNG format are preferred. Open Barcode Reporter. 14 Barcode Reporter dlsoft Barcode Desk

21 Drag the scanned image file onto the Barcode Reporter window (or choose Open from the file menu and locate the scanned image file). dlsoft Barcode Desk Barcode Reporter 15

22 Initially select Auto mode from the drop-down list of operating modes in the toolbar, then click the mouse on the barcode image, preferably close to the centre of the barcode. Note that the status bar at the bottom of the screen displays information about the success or failure of the processing of the image. If Barcode Reporter can decode the symbol it will open a window containing a report of its findings. 16 Barcode Reporter dlsoft Barcode Desk

23 The top part of the report window displays any errors and warnings about the scanned symbol. This is followed by an analysis of the symbol, including the recorded contrast between dark and light bars, the size of the observed light margins, the value of the barcode X dimension and the corresponding Magnification (for GS1 symbols). Also shown is the mean dark bar and light bar element sizes and the corresponding Gain. Different barcode symbologies will result in different types of data being displayed in the report window. For example, GS1-128 symbols will also show where control characters (such as FNC1) were found in the symbol, and warn if variable length AIs occur before fixed length AIs. dlsoft Barcode Desk Barcode Reporter 17

24 Scrolling down the report window reveals the detailed results for each bar in the symbol, its actual measured size, the nominal size it would be expected to have, and the deviation of the measured size from the nominal size as a percentage of the X dimension. A positive value of the deviation indicates that the bar is larger than expected (growth), while a negative value indicates that it is smaller than expected (shrinkage). The (RMS) mean values and the maximum values of the deviations for dark bars and light bars are also displayed. 18 Barcode Reporter dlsoft Barcode Desk

25 If Barcode Reporter cannot decode the symbol there are two ways to proceed: Ensure that the symbology name is checked in the symbology list on the left the Barcode Reporter window. Now try again. [Note that some symbologies can be confused with others under some circumstances so it is not a good idea to enable all symbologies and hope for the best!] If the symbol cannot be decoded in Auto mode try using Laser mode or CCD mode (see below). If all else fails from the View menu select Barcode Creator and try to create a barcode of the same type and containing the same data. You should be able to see the difference between you scanned sample and the created symbol. The two windows may be compared with one above the other. Scanning modes Automatic mode In Automatic mode the user initiates analysis of a symbol by simply clicking the mouse while the cursor is pointing to an area inside the barcode symbol. dlsoft Barcode Desk Barcode Reporter 19

26 Barcode Reporter locates the elements of the symbol by checking both to the right and to the left of the mouse click. Laser mode While most symbols can be analysed using Automatic mode, some difficult images are more successfully handled using laser mode. To user Laser mode simply select Laser mode from the drop-down list of modes in the toolbar and then click the mouse to the left hand side of the symbol, as far to the left of the first bar as convenient while still inside the scanned image area. A red rectangle is drawn across the barcode highlighting the area of the image that will be processed. 20 Barcode Reporter dlsoft Barcode Desk

27 CCD mode CCD mode is also useful for difficult images as it allows a larger section of the barcode symbol to be used for processing. To user CCD mode simply select CCD mode from the drop-down list of modes in the toolbar and then position the mouse to the left hand side of the symbol, as far to the left of the first bar as convenient while still inside the scanned image area, then hold down the left mouse button and drag the pointer down and to the right to draw a rectangle covering a portion of the symbol s height but its entire width including areas to the left and right of the symbol that contain no bars (the Light Margins). It is important to ensure that the drawn rectangle doe not contain any non-barcode material (such as adjacent text as in the image below). A red rectangle is drawn across the barcode highlighting the area of the image that will be processed. Releasing the mouse button cause the symbol to be analysed. dlsoft Barcode Desk Barcode Reporter 21

28 The Report The report generated by Barcode Reporter is divided into 3 sections: Heading, Analysis and Scan results. Heading section The Heading section records the following: date and time of the analysis, the resolution of the scanned image in pixels per inch, (e.g dpi) the type of symbol identified (e.g. GS1-8) the number of elements (bars and spaces) found in the symbol, excluding light margins (e.g. 75) the data decoded from the symbol, (e.g ) The Heading section them list any errors and /or warnings about the symbol. Errors can include messages to indicate that a symbol would not be useable for use with a standard barcode scanner, (e.g.a detected check character is incorrect for a barcode that has a mandatory check character). Any errors should be regarded as show stoppers! Warning messages indicate that the symbol scanned has features that may render the symbol unsuitable for use (e.g. the light margins may be smaller that required, or the Gain may be too large). Any warnings should be investigated. In most cases additional details are included in the Analysis section of the report. Analysis section The Analysis section records the following: 22 Barcode Reporter dlsoft Barcode Desk

29 Contrast The detected contrast of the scanned image. This is recorded using the scanned Red level of the image by comparing the intensity returned from the bars and the spaces. This value should not be below 0.8. If a warning value (0.75) or an error value (0.5) is reported the scanned image should be examined in full screen mode to check for defects in the solid bars or ink spatter in the spaces. If the background colour is not white the barcode should be tested using the type of scanner for which the symbol is intended. Light Margins The observed left and right Light Margins. These are reported in units of X (the thickness of the symbols thinnest element) up to a maximum of 40X. Most 1D barcode types require light margins of 10X, although GS1 symbols have varying requirements. The values are also reported in millimetres and inches. If the detected light margin is smaller than that required for the barcode type a warning is also recorded in the Heading section. Note that when using Laser or CCD mode the left light margin may not be recorded correctly if the selected region does not include enough of the light margin. Bar height The observed bar height. If the resolution of the image is adequate, Barcode Reporter will attempt to report on the height of the dark bars in units of X and millimetres and inches. If the resolution is not adequate this step is omitted. Check digit Barcode Reporter tests whether the final character is the correct check character for the barcode type. If the barcode type has a mandatory check character than the test provides a simple response either the character is correct or it isn t (and if it isn t then the expected character is also recorded). If the barcode type has an optional check character the test returns whether the final character is suitable or not. Barcode Reporter has no way of knowing whether the final character was simply that - the final character of the data or was intended to be the check character. Start and Stop bars Barcode Reporter tests for the presence of the correct start and stop bars in the symbol. If the start bars are not found then the symbol is probably not decoded at all. If the stop bars are not found then the symbol may not scan with many barcode scanners. Stop bars are sometimes missing because a graphic artists has not allowed enough space for a barcode image placed onto artwork. Mean X dimension The mean value of the X dimension is calculated from all of the elements detected in the symbol and recorded in Mils (thousandths of an inch), along with the (RMS) error limits in this value. (Subsequent error limits are calculated from these.) Mean Wide/narrow ratio For those barcode types that have two allowed thickness for both bars and spaces (eg. Code 29, Interleaved 2 of 5), Barcode Reporter cords the mean value of the ratio of the Wide bars and spaces to the Narrow bars and spaces. Some uses require this value to be as close a possible to a specific value (e.g. 2.5), while other uses may allow the ratio to be between 2.0 and 3.0. Magnification Those barcode types that have a Nominal size, such as the GS1 barcodes, have the magnification detected for the symbol reported. This is calculated from the observed size compared with the nominal size, expressed as a percentage. dlsoft Barcode Desk Barcode Reporter 23

30 Nominal height Barcode Reporter records the height that the bars would be expected to have at the detected magnification for those barcode types that have a nominal height, such as the GS1 barcodes. The value is recorded in inches and millimetres and can be compared with the value obtained by measuring the original symbol. Mean bar element and mean space element These are the mean element sizes for the bars and spaces in the symbol reported in Mils. They will be the same if the Gain of the symbol is zero. Gain This is essentially a measure of how much thick the bar elements are than the space elements. The desirable value is 0. A Gain of more than 10% is usually a sign that the bars in the symbol are thicker than they should be while the spaces are smaller. This may be cause by printing at too low a resolution for the size of symbol, or because the ink has spread outward from the bars. Mean and maximum deviations The mean and maximum deviation of the observed dark bar and light bar thickness from the corresponding nominal size is reported as a percentage. No mean value should be larger than 5% and no maximum value should be larger than 10%. Scan results section The scan results section records the observed widths of the dark and light bars in the symbol, with the bars numbered from the first (lefthand) dark bar. There are two classes of barcode and the reports are different for the two classes. The first class contains two bar thicknesses (wide and narrow), and detection relies on determining the sequence of the wide and narrow bars and spaces. For these barcode types the report records for each element whether it should be a dark bar (B) or space (S) and whether it should be a Wide element (W) or Narrow (N). It also records the actual number of pixels observed for the element and the percentage deviation from the expected value (as shown below). 24 Barcode Reporter dlsoft Barcode Desk

31 The second class of symbols allows more than two bar and space widths, with each allowed width being an integer multiple of the thinnest element. For these symbols Barcode Reporter records for each element whether it should be a dark bar (B) or space (S), and nominal thickness the element should have at the detected resolution, and the actual observed thickness, along with the percentage deviation from the nominal value (as shown below). dlsoft Barcode Desk Barcode Reporter 25

32 When a symbol has a supplementary barcode, such as the sample below, the report identifies the space between the main and supplementary symbol and specifies the range allowed by the barcode specification. 26 Barcode Reporter dlsoft Barcode Desk

33 dlsoft Barcode Desk Barcode Reporter 27

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35 Byte Reporter Byte Reporter is a program for using a serial port barcode scanner to interpret barcode scans. It was originally created to allow decoding of 2D barcodes where the content is encoded Unicode, but of course has a variety of additional uses such as checking for Tab characters in barcodes designed for form filling or spreadsheet entry. Byte Reporters main window is divided into two displays. The upper display decodes the scanned data into text characters using the selected font and code page for the text. The lower window displays the hexadecimal values of the bytes actually read through the serial port. dlsoft Barcode Desk Byte Reporter 29

36 Using Byte Reporter Serial Port properties The first step is to select the serial port properties for the barcode scanner by selecting Port from the Edit menu. The serial port options dialog is displayed and the serial port (real or emulated) and its properties may be selected. This version of Byte Reporter allows the serial port timeout (in ms) to be selected, and for the reading method to be 1 byte at a time or 1 buffer at a time. For modest sized barcode the buffer method is to be preferred. Decoding The type of encoding used in the barcode may require specific translation on decoding. The decoding method may be used by selecting a class from the drop-down list of code page classes. For "normal" barcode scans just choose the port that the scanner is connected to and scan. The Text version of the barcode will appear in the upper box, and the hexadecimal byte version will appear in the lower box. For encoded scans, select the appropriate encoding. Note that by default dlsoft components encode Unicode as Littleendian. If you have a Big-endian encoded symbol, select the Bigendian mode. The Shift-JIS mode is for Kanji encoded QR Code symbols. Note that for non-english/american data you will need to select an suitable font to display encoded data - otherwise the data will appear as little boxes in the default font. A suitable font may be selected from the Font dialog on the Edit menu (or clicking on the F in the toolbar. Start and Stop Select Start on the menubar to open the selected serial port or click on the Green icon on the toolbar. Now you can scan your barcodes and examine the hexadecimal bytes recorded. When finished, close the serial port by selecting Stop on the menu bar or click on the red icon in the toolbar. 30 Byte Reporter dlsoft Barcode Desk

37 Opening the serial port always clears the display. You can clear the display at any other time by selecting Clear Windows from the Edit menu or click on the blank form icon on the toolbar. dlsoft Barcode Desk Byte Reporter 31

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39 Label printer Introduction Label Printer is a label printing application that can print labels containing text, lines, pictures, and barcodes of most common barcode types. Text and barcode elements and pictures filenames may use data from a wide variety of sources, including CSV (comma separated variables) files, Excel files, Access databases, and most ODBC database servers such as Oracle and SQL. Label Printer can also create its own databases, importing data from ODBC source or by manual record keeping. Label Printer databases may be edited at will; ODBC database are read-only. Text and barcode elements may be rotated through any angle and colour and font properties may be user-selected. The design of a label (the positions, colours, etc. of the elements on the label) and the information required to connect to any data source may be saved into a Template file that can subsequently be opened for use. Labels may be printed on any Windows-supported graphics printer by specifying in the Print dialog box the number of records and number of copies of each record to be printed. The pages below guide you through the processes of designing a labels and connecting to data sources. Tutorial Designing a label template When Label Printer is first started by double-clicking on its icon a blank Window appears showing an empty label at a default size. dlsoft Barcode Desk Label printer 33

40 The first steps in designing a label template are: 1) Select the target print and set its properties. and 2) Set the size of the labels that will be printed. Target printer To select the target printer and its properties choose Printer Setup from Label Printer File menu. 34 Label printer dlsoft Barcode Desk

41 In many cases it will be necessary to select the printer preferences by pushing the Preferences button and selecting properties such as the printer s page size and orientation. Label sizes Once the printer has been selected the size and number of labels on a printer page must be specified by selecting Label Sizes from Label Printer Edit menu. The Label Size dialog appears, allowing the label sizes, number down and across the page, repeat distances and margins to be specified. dlsoft Barcode Desk Label printer 35

42 If you are using a label printer that has only one label per printer page then Current printer page may be selected from the drop-down list of layouts to fill in the values in the boxes. [This facility is NOT available from within the Label Designer window described below.] If you are using a laser or ink-jet printer and one of the common label sizes you may be able to select one of the predefined sizes in the Layout list to fill in the boxes. Otherwise you can manually fill in the boxes using values you measure from your label stock. Pushing the OK button causes the specified label size to be used and the outline in the Label Printer window will be redraw accordingly. Label Designer With the target printer and label setting dealt with its time to start designing the label content. But just before you do that it may be worth considering whether you will be designing several different labels for this same printer and label size. If you will be, then now is a good time to select Make Default Template from Label Printer Edit menu so that when you start the program again to create another label template the printer and label properties will already be set. Selecting Designer from the Edit menu displays the label designer which initially shows an empty label at the size you have specified. 36 Label printer dlsoft Barcode Desk

43 Most of the activities described below may be accomplished by any of the following: Designer magnification 1) Right-clicking on the label image and selecting an item form the pop-up menu displayed 2) Selecting and action from one of the window s menus 3) Clicking on one of the toolbar buttons To change the magnification of the label image in the designer s window select one of the magnification factors listed on the pop-up Zoom menu item, either by right-clicking on the window or by selecting Zoom from the View menu, or by pushing the toolbars + or icons to change the magnification. dlsoft Barcode Desk Label printer 37

44 Adding an element The items that can be placed on your label design are called elements. To add an element to the label select one of the items on the Add Element menu. You can also add an element by pushing the appropriate icon on the toolbar. Clicking on one of the element types causes the menu to be removed. Now clicking on the surface of the displayed label causes a box to appear at the position of the mouse pointer. This box contains default content for the element type you have selected. Moving and sizing an element The element may be moved around on the surface of the label by holding down the left mouse button and dragging the element to the required position. 38 Label printer dlsoft Barcode Desk

45 The element may be resized by holding down the shift key while holding down the left mouse button and dragging the lower right-hand corner of the selection rectangle to form the required size. Saving your template Before we consider editing the contents of elements on your label design, note that choosing Save & Return from either the pop-up menu or from the File menu, or pushing the left-pointing arrow button on the toolbar, all close the designer and return to Label Printer main window. You can Save the template you have designed by selecting Save Template from the File menu. The Save dialog allows you to name the template. Label Printer templates have the file extension.dl3 If you close Label Printer without having saved your template you will be prompted to save the template. Creating a new template Selecting New on the File menu closes the template you are currently using (prompting you to save if you have not already done so) and displays the new template dialog. dlsoft Barcode Desk Label printer 39

46 This allows you to provide a name for a new template, and enables data sources to be selected or created for details on creating database files see Creating Label Printer databases. Viewing labels Once one or more elements have been placed on the label image in the Designer window, right-clicking on the window and choosing Save and Return from the pop-up menu returns to the main display window. By default this displays the image of a single label with an outline around it. Selecting Page View from the View menu displays a page of labels. 40 Label printer dlsoft Barcode Desk

47 Selecting one of the Page outline zoom sizes from the View menu produces a page view that is scaled by the specified amount so that the layout on the printed page may be seen. The printer page size is shown as a coloured background enclosed in a red border as shown below. If your printer is using a legacy driver that does not fully support modern versions of Windows then the view obtained in this way may be incorrect. Page outline view may be turned off by selecting the Off item on the Page outline menu. dlsoft Barcode Desk Label printer 41

48 Printing labels Labels can be printed on the current Windows printer by selecting Print from the File menu. By default the Print dialog is displayed showing the current record as the Starting at record, and set to print a single label. Checking the Print All checkbox changes these settings so that printing starts at the first record and covers all records currently available. 42 Label printer dlsoft Barcode Desk

49 Common element properties In the Label Printer label designer, right-clicking within the selection rectangle of an element results in the display of a menu that allows editing of the element contents. The menu may also be displayed by dropping down the Element menu. Font properties Text and barcode elements allow the selection of the font from standard selection dialog boxes. dlsoft Barcode Desk Label printer 43

50 Colour properties Text and barcode elements allow the selection of the foreground (text and bars) and background colours from standard selection dialog boxes. Other properties of the element may be specified using the Properties dialog, in this case a dialog specific to the element type. 44 Label printer dlsoft Barcode Desk

51 Text element properties The Text element properties dialog allows the contents of a text block to be specified, either as fixed text that may be typed in, pasted or loaded from a text file or derived from a data field (see Data fields) or synthesized from a formula (see Formula data). The alignment, paragraph spacing and orientation angle may be set, and the properties of any border required around the text element may be specified. If a background or border is to be specified for text elements that will vary in size and/or shape, the auto-size check box should be checked to enable the element to adjust its size to its content. Picture element properties The Picture element properties dialog allows the contents of an image block to be specified, either as a fixed image that may be pasted in or loaded from an image file or derived from a named file specified in a data field (see Data fields). The fitting of the picture into the area allowed for it on the label by maintaining the image s aspect ratio based on the height or on the width may be selected using the Scaling radiobuttons, and the properties of any border required around the picture element may be specified. dlsoft Barcode Desk Label printer 45

52 Barcode element properties The Barcode element properties dialog allows the barcode type and the barcode content to be specified, either as fixed text that may be typed or pasted in or derived from a data field (see Data fields) or synthesized from a formula (see Formula data). For 1D barcodes the alignment of human readable text, orientation angle and bearer bar properties may be set, as well as the specific barcode properties such as the visibility of margin indicators. For other barcode types the dialog has a somewhat different appearance, allowing the properties required for the type to be specified. 46 Label printer dlsoft Barcode Desk

53 The Barcode Properties dialog for 1D barcode types The Barcode Properties dialog for 2D barcode types dlsoft Barcode Desk Label printer 47

54 The Barcode Properties dialog for GS1 Composite barcode types Line element properties Vertical, horizontal or sloping lines, circles or rectangles may be created and the properties dialog allows the orientation, colour, style and width of the line to be specified. 48 Label printer dlsoft Barcode Desk

55 Shape element properties A wide variety of shaped elements may be placed on a label, and the colour, texture and outline of both foreground and background components of a shape element may be selected using the Shape properties dialog. Selecting the Shape button in either the foreground or background sections allows the user to select one of the built in shapes from the Shape pallet: dlsoft Barcode Desk Label printer 49

56 Selecting the Colour button displays the standard Color dialog that allows the shapes display colour to be selected. The shape may also be created using either a Hatch or a Texture paintbrush. Pushing the Hatching button allows the style of hatching to be selected from the Hatchstyle pallet. The colour used for the hatching is the colour selected for the shape; the second colour (ie. the hatch background) may be chosen by pushing the Hatch colour button. Shapes may also be drawn using a brush made from a small bitmap. Pushing the Bitmap button allows the user to load a graphic file or paste an image into the preview box: On accepting the image by pushing the OK button the Shape previe box display the current shape using a paintbrush made from the specified image. 50 Label printer dlsoft Barcode Desk

57 The outline of a shape may be drawn with a line thickness specified in the Outline pen edit box (using the units displayed in the Units box), and the line style may be selected from the drop-down style list. The outline clour may be selected by pushing the Colour button in the Outline pen section. For example: dlsoft Barcode Desk Label printer 51

58 Batch Printing The Label Printer can print batches of labels through the use of the Batch Printer. The Batch Printer is started by selecting Batch Print from the File menu, and displays a window containing a list of the available records and the current batch of records and number of copies of each record required. A record may be added to the batch list by entering the number of copies required in the No of copies box and then selecting the required record from the Record list and pushing the Add item button (or double-clicking on the record in the Record list). Similarly an item can be deleted from the batch list by selecting the item and then pushing the Remove item button. The number of copies of a record in the batch list may be modified by selecting the item in the batch list, changing the value in the No of copies box, and then pushing the Update item button. Batch lists may be saved for future use by selecting Save Batch from the File menu, and previously saved batch lists may be opened by selecting Open Batch from the File menu. When a batch file has been opened its name is displayed in the Batch name box. A Batch printing operation using the current batch list may be started by either pushing the Print Batch button or selecting Print Batch from the File menu. In normal use the Print Dialog is not displayed during a batch printing operation, but may be displayed for information purposes by checking the Show Print Dialog chekbox before initiating printing. Changing record-related items in the Print Dialog prior to a batch print is likely to cause unexpected results! The Batch Printer may be closed by selecting Close on the File Menu. Other Batch printing facilities There are two additional ways of creating a Batch list. 1. The Batch list may be created by using a field in the data source to specify the number of copies to be printed of any specific item just select the field that contains this number from the drop-down listbox labelled Quantity field. If the field is blank or contains a value less than 1 then it is not included in the list. 52 Label printer dlsoft Barcode Desk

59 2. A text file containing the quantity and the data used for selection may be imported using the Import list item of the Batch Printer s File menu. Note that the database field that will be used for selecting the records must be selected before attempting to import a list. The list file must be a text file which lists one record per line, with the quantity as the first item, followed by a space, tab or comma, followed by the unique data string used to identify the record, e.g 100 Baked Beans 500g 50 Sardines in Oil 125g Or 100,Baked Beans 500g 50,Sardines in Oil 125g Connecting to an existing data source To connect to an existing data source you need to know the file name and location if it s a csv, Excel or Access source, or the server name, database name, and any required user id and password if it s an SQL or other ODBC database source. or the DSN name if it s a DSN source already defined on your computer. You also need to know how the data should be selected, and this usually requires the Table or Query name that holds the data in a database, or the name of the sheet containing the data in Excel. Some examples given below should clarify this. Selecting Data Source from the Edit menu displays the Data source properties dialog box The Source type drop-down list provides some of the Connection string data for a number of common data sources, including: Microsoft Access Microsoft Excel CSV or Text files Custom OLEDB DSN sources SQL Server Oracle Server Custom ODBC dlsoft Barcode Desk Label printer 53

60 Access For MS Access the Data source properties dialog permits the.mdb or ACCDB file containing the database to be selected using the Browse button 54 Label printer dlsoft Barcode Desk

61 A user id and password may be entered into the relevant boxes if required, otherwise the User ID box should be left blank Once the Connection string is complete the connection may be tested by pushing the Test connection button. To complete the dialog a query is required to determine what data to retrieve from the database. Frequently this will be the all the content of a specific table or Access Query. For example the string: SELECT * FROM Products returns all the data from the Products table, including the fieldnames. Excel For Excel the Data source properties dialog permits the.xls,.xlsx,.xlsm or.xlsb file containing the data sheet to be selected using the Browse button dlsoft Barcode Desk Label printer 55

62 Once the Connection string is complete the connection may be tested by pushing the Test connection button. To complete the dialog a query is required to determine what data to retrieve from the workbook. Frequently this will be the all the content of a specific worksheet. For example the string: Select * from [Sheet1$] returns all the data from the worksheet named Sheet1. Note that the sheet name is followed by a $ and enclosed in square bracket. Note also that Label Printer assumes that the fieldnames are provided in the first row of the worksheet. If no fieldnames have been provided in the worksheet then unchecking the Source provides fieldnames box will cause the fieldnames to be set to Column1, Column2, etc. but will still result in the first row of the spreadsheet NOT appearing as data. CSV files For Text and CSV files the Data source properties dialog permits the file containing the data sheet to be selected using the Browse button Note that the name of the file does not appear in the connection string only the path to the folder containing the file. The filename is place in the Recordset/Query string 56 Label printer dlsoft Barcode Desk

63 Select * from test.csv returns all the data from the file test.csv. Note also that Label Printer assumes that the fieldnames are provided in the first row of data in the file. If no fieldnames have been provided in the file then unchecking the Source provides fieldnames box will cause the fieldnames to be set to Column1, Column2, etc. but will still result in the first line of the file NOT appearing as data. SQL and other databases SQL, Oracle and most other database connections require the user to provide the connection string. Label Printer offers a generic connection string that generally requires the user to replace MyServer with the name of the target server, and MyDatabase with the name of the target database. If a user id is entered in the User ID box then the string ;id=******; password=***** (where the ***** represent the text typed into the User ID and Password boxes) is added to the connection string. If a different format is required by a specific database, the User ID box should be left empty and the appropriate credential string included in the Connection string. dlsoft Barcode Desk Label printer 57

64 Once the Connection string is complete the connection may be tested by pushing the Test connection button. Again the appropriate string for selecting data from the database should be entered before pushing the OK button. Attaching an element to a data field Once a data source has been defined any suitable element on a label can have its data source directed to a field in the data source. Start the Designer window (by selecting Designer from the Edit menu) and select an element by clicking on it. Then right click on the element and choose Properties from the pop-up menu. The appropriate Properties dialog is displayed. In the Source area of the dialog push the Field radiobutton, then drop down the list of fields provided by the database source. 58 Label printer dlsoft Barcode Desk

65 Select the required field, then push the OK button. The dialog closes and the Designer window displays the label with the selected element showing the data derived from the requested field. Text and barcode elements may take their data directly from a suitable field in the database. Image elements may be provided with a filename of a suitable graphics file from a database field. Creating Label Printer databases Selecting New from Label Printer File menu displays the New Template dialog which allows you to create a new label template and/or connect to or create a database. dlsoft Barcode Desk Label printer 59

66 Entering a name in the Create new empty label template file edit box (or pushing the Browse button to name a file in a specific location) is all that is required to name the template file. The template may be: 1) Not connected to any data source 2) Connected to an external ODBC source, or 3) Connected to a Label Printer database that you are now about to create. In the first two cases just pushing the OK button is all that is required. If you have selected Using an external ODBC data source then when you push the OK button and the New Template dialog closes the Data source dialog is displayed (see Connecting to an existing data source above). If you have selected Create new empty data file Label Printer will suggest a filename and location for the database file although you can change this by pushing the Browse button. Unless you plan to immediately import data for a file that contains field names, it remains to specify the names of the fields for your new database, which you can do by pushing the Create fields button and entering the field names you wish to use in the create fields dialog. (If you are importing a file that contains field names the number and names of the fields will be set automatically.) If you are importing data immediately into your new database file check the Import data from existing source on OK checkbox. Then when you push the OK button the Data source dialog is displayed and you can select the data that will be imported into your database file. IMPORTANT: Note that when you create a Labels database, whether by importing data or adding records manually, the FIRST record in the database MUST have all fields completed. This is because the data in the first record is used to determine the data type. You may need to include a dummy record as the first record in the database to ensure that this condition is fulfilled. 60 Label printer dlsoft Barcode Desk

67 Retaining existing template features Selecting New from Label Printer File menu and pushing the OK button in the New Template dialog without entering any data creates an empty template with no data connection. Creating a new database file while leaving the template filename blank will create new database file for the current template, retaining elements and formatting on the label design and using the existing fieldnames (unless you edit these) but, of course, no data in the fields!. To make a new template and database pair that retains the elements and formatting of an existing pair, just save the existing template with a new name, then select New from the File menu and create a new database file while leaving the template filename blank. Editing Label Printer databases Databases created using Label Printer as described above are fully editable. When you create or load an Label Printer database (or a local, writable CSV data file) additional items are enabled on the Label Printer menus. The Edit menu has an Data editor item and selecting this displays a grid view of the database, enabling individual fields to be modified, or new records to be created (by entering data on the bottom row of the grid), or records to be deleted (by selecting a row of the gid using the left-hand button then pushing the Delete key). Alternatively records can be added, edited or deleted by selecting one of the Add record, Edit record or Delete record items of the Records menu. Add record and Edit record both display the Label Printer field editor dialog. Icons for First, Previous, Next and Last fields allow moving through the fields and cause the field name and text data to be displayed. Editing the text data an pushing the OK button will mark the field for updating if the dialog box is closed by pushing the Finish button. Closing the dialog by pushing the Cancel button discards any edits. Date and time (in the.net format) may be inserted into a field by pushing the Insert date/time button. The actual format used to display a date or time should be selected using the formula wizard available through a text elements Properties dialog. Picture file names may be inserted into fields by pushing the Select picture file button. If the graphics file is in the same directory as the Label Printer database only the picture file name will be used; otherwise the full path to the graphics file will be inserted. In either case a preview of the image is display in the Picture preview area. dlsoft Barcode Desk Label printer 61

68 Modifying Labels databases Labels databases may have their fieldnames modified, and the actual database file may be copied to another location or given a new name. Before attempting any such modifications it is essential that a backup of the current template and its associated database is made. Selecting Data Source on the Edit menu when a template using a Labels database is open causes the Labels database dialog box to be displayed. The current database filename is displayed in an edit box. To change the name or location of the database the changes may be typed directly into the box, or the Browse button pushed to browse a suitable location. When the Save button at the bottom of the dialog is pushed the current database will be saved to the new location (leaving the original database unchanged). Similarly field names may be changed or additional fields added by editing the list of fieldnames displayed. If any formulae used in the template contain fieldnames that are modified in this way then the formulae will require modification using either manually or using the Synthesizer Wizard. Note that fields cannot be removed from the database by deleting a fieldname. Adding Records Writable databases may have records added using the Add Record Form dialog (shown below). This dialog contains text boxes for each named field in the database and movement between fields is most readily achieved using the Tab key. Clicking on the Next Record button, or typing <Alt>N, allows another new record to be added. The Print on OK checkbox allows the user to choose to print the record(s) just added when the OK button is pushed. Whether or not the Print on OK checkbox is checked, pushing the OK button will cause the form to be displayed again, ready for further records. If no more records are to be added simply push the Cancel button or press the Escape key to close the form. 62 Label printer dlsoft Barcode Desk

69 The Add Record Form also provides facilities for inserting the current date/time, the name of an image file, or a unique ID (useful for barcoding a record) while the record data is being keyed in. Filtering records Records processed by Label Printer may be filtered, so that only records meeting the filter criteria are displayed or printed. Selecting Filter records from the Edit menu causes the Filter dialog to be displayed and this allows the user to specify up to three criteria for record selection. On the left of the dialog are drop-down list displaying either (which means no filter) or the fieldnames available. The central drop-down lists allow the user to select the criterion to be used for the adjacent field, which may be one of: = equal to > greater than < less than dlsoft Barcode Desk Label printer 63

70 <> not equal to LIKE is like On the right of the dialog are the text boxes into which the target criteria are entered. For example, the picture above shows the settings to select records that have only the word London in the town field Up to three criteria may be specified and combined by selecting either the AND or OR checkboxes between the criteria rows. When the OK button is pushed the Label Printer window is updated to display only the filtered records. Any printing carried out while the filters are in effect will be performed using onlythe filtered records. All filtering may be removed by pushing the Remove filters button on the bottom-left of the dialog. Sorting records Records may be sorted into an order different from the underlying data by selecting Sort records from the Edit menu and specifying up to three levels of sorting in the Sort records dialog. The dialog displays drop down lists displaying either (which means no sorting) or the fieldnames available. Selecting a fieldname from the dropdown list and pushing the OK button will cause the records displayed (or printed) by Label Printer to be arranged in the order based on the selected field. By default the order is Ascending. To sort into Descending order check the Descending checkbox before pushing the OK button. Records may be sorted on up to three fields by selecting fieldnames from the second and third drop-down lists. Note that sorting is applied to the currently filtered records, so changing filtering criteria will return the sort order to that of the underlying data. Record order may also be returned to that of the underlying data by pushing the Remove sorting push button. Finding records Finding records may be accomplished by selecting Find from the View menu, entering a suitable search string in the Find box, and pushing the OK button. If the requested string is found Label Printer will display with the relevant record at the top-left od the window. The search of records may include all fields by selecting the All fields radiobutton or the search restriced to a specific field by pushing the Look in radiobutton and selecting the target field from the drop-down list of field names available. 64 Label printer dlsoft Barcode Desk

71 To repeat a search select Find Next from the View menu or press the F3 key. dlsoft Barcode Desk Label printer 65

72 Formula data The content of any text or barcode element on a label may be generated by through a formula. While formulae can be typed into the Synthesized box in either the Text Properties Dialog or the Barcode Properties Dialog, it is generally easier to generate a formula by pushing the Wizard button just above the Synthesized box. This results in the display of the Synthesizer Wizard that enables formulae to be created by selecting functions and entering or selecting parameters. For example, if product labels need to contain a text element showing a Best Before date that is 30 days in the future, the Wizard can be summoned from the Text Properties Dialog and the Long Date can be chosen from the list of available functions, and 30 entered into the second parameter box. (The standard Today symbol automatically appears as the first parameter for date and time functions). Pushing the Apply Function button causes the formula to appear in the Current formula box. 66 Label printer dlsoft Barcode Desk

73 Now pushing the OK button return us to the Text Properties Dialog where the formula appears in the Synthesized box. Built in functions Labels Printer contains a number of built-in functions for sequencing, adjusting and selecting text items, providing date and time and simple arithmetic functions. All functions are used in one of the following two forms: Symbol[parameter 1] dlsoft Barcode Desk Label printer 67