Bar Code Tool

• Although some 3rd party/recycled toner cartridges work, toner cartridges from the original manufacturer tend to provide more reliable, clearer images.
• Use a black and white postscript printer or a color postscript printer in black and white mode.
  • Laser printers provide better quality bar codes than Ink jet or dot matrix printers, as ink may bleed, creating muddy lines on ink jet or dot matrix printers.
  • Color laser printers do not always provide as good quality of bar code as black only laser printers, unless you print in black and white mode only. See your printer driver settings for more details.
• We recommend horizontal bar code orientation for software bar codes. The physical size of the bar code is usually smaller than a vertical bar code for the same data.
• If your application is implemented on a variety of scanner models, we recommend you use a minimum bar/space width compatible with all scanners:
  • Horizontal bar codes - .010 inches
  • Vertical bar codes - .017 inches
• If your application is implemented with both hardware and software bar code read, we recommend you use a minimum bar/space width compatible with both read types:
  • Horizontal bar codes - .010 inches
  • Vertical bar codes - .017 inches

Consider using one of the many bar code fonts or bar code creation tools available on the Internet to create your bar codes.

See also: ScanFlex Rules for Success - Designing Forms and ScanFlex Rules for Success - Printing Forms.

Type	Hardware Bar Code	Software Bar Code
Code 39 (Code 3 of 9)	Yes	Yes
Code 128	Yes	Yes
Code 25 (Interleaved 2 of 5)	Yes	Yes
Codabar	Yes	Yes
UPC/EAN	Yes	Yes
PDF417	No	Yes

Characteristics	Hardware Bar Code	Software Bar Code
Bar codes per sheet, maximum	6	No limit
OMR scanner compatible	Yes, optional	No
Imaging scanner compatible	Yes, optional	Yes
Orientation of bar code on sheet	Vertical only	Horizontal (recommended) or  Vertical
2D bar code support	No	Yes, PDF417
Side of sheet for bar code placement	Top only	Top or Bottom
Placement on sheet of multiple bar codes	In a single column on the sheet, aligned with the reader on the scanner. We recommend all documents within an application have bar codes placed the same so that the bar reader does not have to be repositioned for each document.	Any
Character set support	Asterisk (*) indicates a failed read/no label condition Some characters are not allowed. See your scanner Operator's Manual for requirements	Asterisk (*) indicates a failed read/no label condition
Minimum bar/space width	.007 inches TIP: 0.017 inches recommended if compatibility with all scanner types and bar code read techniques is required	.017 inches for vertical orientation bar codes on 5000i and iNSIGHT 70 and 150 scanners at high speed resolution (120 dpi) NOTE: If the greater minimum bar/space width in this scenario results in bar codes that are too large to be practical, we suggest you use the hardware bar code reader, if your scanner is equipped with one. 0.010 inches for bar codes on iNSIGHT 20, iNSIGHT 30 and iNSIGHT 2 and 4 (with Imaging) scanners 0.009 inches for vertical orientation bar codes on 5000i and iNSIGHT 70 and 150 scanners at low speed resolution (240 dpi) 0.009 inches for horizontal orientation bar codes on 5000i and iNSIGHT 70 and 150 scanners TIP:0.017 inches vertical and .010 inches horizontal recommended if compatibility with all scanner types and bar code read techniques is required
Quiet zone	Minimum 1/4 inch blank space before and after a bar code is required Minimum 1/2 inch blank space between bar codes is recommended	1/4 inch blank space all around the bar code recommended

If you are migrating from one bar code read technique to the other, you must account for differences between the two. Some bar codes will work with one system but not the other. You may need to change bar code type, size, orientation, or other attribute for a successful migration.

Use this element…	…to…
Bar Code Length	Specify the number of characters (including spaces) that are produced by scanning the bar code you are defining. To determine the length, count the number of characters in the caption below the bar code. If the bar code does not include a caption or if it contains a large number of characters, you can use the Test Bar Code function to determine the bar code length (see Test Bar Code, below, for more information). The maximum number of characters is 999. Do not count the start and stop characters (asterisks) used in the Code 39 bar code type. The default Bar Code Length value is 10 for both hardware and software bar codes. Bar Code Length Requirements Type Hardware Bar Code Length Software Bar Code Length* Codabar 2-60 characters 2-999 characters Code 128 2-128 characters 2-999 characters Code 25 (Interleaved) 2 of 5 4-80 characters 4-998 characters Code 39 (Code 3 of 9) 2-40 characters 2-999 characters EAN 8 8 characters exactly 8 characters exactly EAN 13 13 characters exactly 13 characters exactly PDF417 N/A 2-999 characters UPC Version A 10 characters exactly 10 characters exactly UPC Version E 6 characters exactly 6 characters exactly *Realistically, software bar code length will be limited by the size of the bar code that can be placed on the form.
Hardware Bar Code	Specify that you are using a bar code to be read by a scanner with an optional hardware bar code reader installed. A hardware bar code reader mounts to the transport bed cover and must be manually adjusted to read the bar code labels that pass beneath it. Hardware bar code readers can read labels in vertical orientation only. See your scanner documentation for more details on hardware bar code reading.
Hardware Bar Code Status	View the current bar code status. Any of the following messages may appear: No bar code selected:The current active grid is not a bar code or if it is a software bar code. Editing bar code: Editing a bar code. The number of the bar code is appears. You can have up to six hardware bar codes. Bar code N selected: s=Shows a hardware bar code is selected. N is the number of the bar code. Creating bar code N: Appears when you click Add a Bar Code. N is the number of the bar code. This message changes to Bar code N selected when you click Append.
Add Bar Code (Hardware bar codes only)	Automatically add a new hardware bar code. The bar code status text changes to Creating bar code N and the Append button in the Output Palette is available.   The Add Bar Code button is not available if: You have already defined the maximum 6 hardware bar codes. You are defining software bar codes. During bar code definition, you can switch your selection from hardware to software bar code. After defined, a hardware bar code can't be changed to a software bar code. You must delete the hardware bar code and create a software bar code.
Software Bar Code	Specify that are using a bar code to be read by an imaging scanner and interpreted using ScanTools software. When using this option, the imaging scanner takes an image of the entire sheet. ScanTools software then finds the bar code labels in the image based on the grid definitions in your application. Bar code software can read labels in either vertical or horizontal orientations.
Orientation (software bar codes only)	NOTE: A software bar code grid can be vertical, horizontal, or both Specify the software bar code orientation settings: Horizontal: Check this option if the bar code can have a horizontal orientation. Vertical: Check this option if the bar code can have a vertical orientation. Allowed Skew: Choose from up to 5, 13, 21, 29, 37 and 45 degrees skew. CAUTION: Higher skew values can take proportionately longer times to successfully read the bar code, so this can slow scanning somewhat. Also note that skewed bar codes may require slightly larger horizontal or vertical regions. You can use the Test Bar Code results to determine bar code orientation.
Bar Code Type	Check the type of bar code you expect to read. Check as many types as needed if you are not sure what type will be used. You can use the Test Bar Code results to determine bar code type.
Unit of Measurement	(missing or bad snippet)(missing or bad snippet)
Edit Selected Grid	(missing or bad snippet)
Clip Attributes	(missing or bad snippet) Hardware bar code - an image clip is optional. If desired, you must draw the clip region in the grid definition area. You can do this during bar code creation or you can do it later using Edit Selected Grid. Hardware bar code image clips may be useful if bar codes include captions so that the encoded information is also human readable. If the bar code is not decoded for any reason, you can key enter data from the image clip of the caption. Software bar code - an image clip region is automatically defined for each software bar code.
Grid Measurement	(missing or bad snippet)
Test Bar Code	Scan a prepared sheet after defining the bar code grid. The scanner scans one sheet and your application reads the bar code grid. The Bar Code Read Results dialog box appears. Use the information from this test to refine or control your bar code settings further.

1. Click New in the Output Palette. The Output Field Entry dialog box appears.
2. In the Output Field Entry dialog box, enter a field Name, Type, and other Attributes and click OK.
3. Select the Bar Code Tool.
4. Enter the Bar Code Length.
5. Select Hardware Bar Code and click Add Bar Code. Creating bar code N appears.
(missing or bad snippet)

1. Click New in the Output Palette. The Output Field Entry dialog box appears.
2. In the Output Field Entry dialog box, enter a field Name, Type, and other Attributes and then click OK.
3. Select the Bar Code Tool.
4. Enter the Bar Code Length.
5. Select Hardware Bar Code and Add Bar Code. Creating bar code N appears.
6. Ctrl+drag a clip region for the bar code in the grid definition area.
7. (Optional) Click Clip Attributes. This opens the Clip Attributes dialog box where you can specify image Grayscale, Compression, Rotation, and other attributes.
(missing or bad snippet)

1. Click New in the Output Palette. The Output Field Entry dialog box appears.
2. In the Output Field Entry dialog box, enter a field Name, Type, and other Attributes and click OK.
3. Select the Bar Code Tool.
4. Enter the Bar Code Length.
5. Select software bar code and set the Orientation, Allowed skew, Bar code type, and Unit of Measurement.
6. (Optional) Click Clip Attributes. This opens the Clip Attributes dialog box where you can specify image Grayscale, Compression, Rotation, and other attributes.
7. Click+drag an evaluation region around the bar code in the grid definition area.
(missing or bad snippet)

(missing or bad snippet)
1. Click Edit Selected Grid.
2. Edit the Allowed skew, Orientation, Type, or Unit of Measurement setting.
(missing or bad snippet)

(missing or bad snippet)
1. Click Edit Selected Grid.
2. Click Clip Attributes.
3. In the Clip Attributes dialog box, edit image Grayscale, Compression, Rotation, or other attributes.
4. Click OK.
(missing or bad snippet)

(missing or bad snippet)
1. Click Edit Selected Grid.
2. Select the bar code grid and drag it to a new location.

The grid is highlighted in green as you move it. Both the new and the old grid location are visible.

(missing or bad snippet)

(missing or bad snippet)
1. Click Edit Selected Grid.
2. Click a side or corner of the grid and drag the side or corner to a new size.

Both the new and the old grid size are visible.   

(missing or bad snippet)

(missing or bad snippet)
1. Click Edit Selected Grid.
2. CTRL+drag to draw a new clip region.

Both the new and the old grid location are visible.   

(missing or bad snippet)

(missing or bad snippet)
1. Click Edit Selected Grid.
2. CTRL+drag any side or corner of the existing grid clip region to the new size.

By default, the bar code clip region is the same size and shape as the evaluate region. Both the new and the old clip region location are visible.

(missing or bad snippet)

(missing or bad snippet)
1. Click Edit Selected Grid.
2. Click Grid Measurement.
3. In the Modify Grid Measurement/Create a New Grid dialog box, edit Unit of Measurement, Evaluate Region, or Clip Region.
(missing or bad snippet)

Test Bar Code results

Output Palette

Clip Attributes Dialog Box

Modify Grid Measurement/Create a New Grid Dialog Box

OMR Tool

Graybox Tool

Literal Tool