Barcode Generator

Overview

  • The barcode generator converts a given text into a machine-readable, one-dimensional (1D) or two-dimensional (2D) barcode.
  • With regard to the text content, various well-established formats are available (e.g. for transferring phone numbers, email addresses or calendar events) with certain data fields structured according to the respective standard.
  • The barcode generator can be accessed via the button with the file box icon (between the gear icon and the lamp control) in the upper left corner.
  • When tapped, a pop-up window appears below it and inside you will find the menu item "Barcode Generator".

Providing Content

  • The content type determines the data structure of the encoded text for which there are different formats (e.g. calendar, appointment, business card, WI-FI network). If no specific format is desired, a plain text can also be entered. These are the content types currently available: Wi-Fi Network, Bank Transfer, Crypto Currency (such as Bitcoin), Calendar Event, Contact, Geo Location, E-Mail, Phone Number, Text Message, Websites/URL, Ticket.
  • This selection is only available for 2D barcodes. Please also note that for technical reasons, only certain characters are allowed when entering text in any format (see next section).
  • Depending on the selected content type, different data fields are available. These can be edited when tapping the "Data" button.
  • Some data fields allow entering a user-defined text, others only numbers or picking a selection from a list of predefined values. Certain data fields are optional, others are mandatory (marked in bold) in order to yield a useful result.
  • When selecting a different content type, all fields will be populated with suitable examples. The "Clear" button can be used to empty all fields or reset them to default values.

Selecting Barcode Types

  • The barcode type determines the look of the generated barcode. One-dimensional barcodes (e.g. classic barcodes found on product packaging) are read along one axis only and usually do not offer much storage space. For these, only the input of a simple text is possible, i.e. there is no meaningful use for structured content types.
  • For situations in which a higher data volume is desired, two-dimensional barcodes (e.g. QR codes or DataMatrix) are used. These consist of multiple lines and usually have a rectangular block shape.
  • Only a limited range of characters can be encoded in each barcode type. The "ASCII encoding" (for 1D types) allows for numbers, letters (without mutations), punctuation marks and a few special characters. With the "ISO 8859-1" encoding (also called "Latin-1", for 2D types), mutated letters and other special characters are possible.
  • If a data field contains an invalid character, the barcode cannot be generated and a corresponding message will be displayed. These characters must be deleted or replaced before the procedure can be completed.
  • Each barcode type can be customized with individual code settings (e.g. error correction or geometric shape). These settings usually change the appearance of the final barcode. In some cases, the barcode also grows bigger as the effective data volume increases, e.g. because of a higher error correction level inserting more redundant data. Error correction helps to recognize a barcode even if it is partially illegible (e.g. due to dirt).

Output Options

  • The final barcodes can be issued as PNG, JPEG or PDF files.
  • The output can occur in different sizes or be supplied with an empty frame. When choosing the size "Original (1:1)", each code point takes exactly one pixel. This is useful, for example, if the image is supposed to be scaled afterwards without interpolation.
  • If the option "Close after saving" is deactivated, the window remains open after saving so that further barcodes can be generated subsequently.

Saving The Result

  • The result can be stored by tapping the "Save" button (top right corner).
  • Different targets are available for output depending on the capabilities of your device (e.g. photo album, sending email or cloud services).
  • Some targets will only be displayed if the system is meeting the requirements (i.e. an email account or cloud service has been set up in the device settings, etc.).