The New Barcode Image Generator is Available for Download!

by Nate Schubert

We're pleased to announce the latest update to the Barcode Image Generator family of IDAutomation software applications. On the heels of an earlier release that made this software both Windows and Mac compatible, this release includes several performance improvements and enhancements to various encoding routines, in addition to design style updates.

This new release is most relevant to those who must generate Telepen, Data Matrix, Maxicode or PDF417 barcodes. For more specif information on which updates have been made, please visit our product support forum.

Customers who already own a license for these products may receive access to download the latest versions with a purchase of the one year Priority Support & Upgrade Subscription. Those who do not currently own a license are encouraged to purchase the Barcode Image Generator to receive download access.

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2D Barcode Integration Tips for Adobe InDesign

by Nate Schubert

Adobe InDesign is a powerful application that allows graphic designers, production artists and others to create print media such as magazines, posters, brochures and more in addition to publications intended for digital consumption. Given the business-centric nature of these uses, the integration of 2D barcodes for InDesign works is likely to become a necessity for many users.

IDAutomation provides a range of solutions to enable 2D barcode generation in Adobe InDesign.

• Barcode Image Generators provide an easy method of generating one-off barcodes which can be saved as image files, or copied and pasted directly into InDesign works.
• 2D Barcode Font and Encoder packages allow a roundabout method of generating barcodes where the data is first encoded within Excel and then that encoded data is imported into InDesign where the appropriate font can be applied to it to generate an accurate barcode.\
• Hosted Barcode Generators include custom URLs that can be integrated into InDesign works that are intended for internet viewing, thus allowing easy dynamic barcoding.

These are all dependable solutions when an organization has a need to add 2D barcodes to their InDesign documents. For those looking for an all-in-one solution, consider the 2D Barcode Module for InDesign by Meadows Printing Solutions. This powerful component installs directly into InDesign and appears as a toolbar selection in the application itself. Simply mark out a text box where you want the QR Code, Data Matrix or PDF417 barcode to appear and refer to the "MPS" toolbar menu to create your barcode. Meadows Printing Solutions also offers a free QR Code Generator for InDesign which can be used to demonstrate it's seamless compatibility and ease-of-use.

It's no secret to users that the latest version of InDesign (CS7) will include QR barcodes, and this is an excellent feature to add. However, it is important to note that QR is not the only 2D barcode type and that many organizations will have a need to generate others such as Code 128, Intelligent Mail, Data Matrix, PDF417 and others. Adobe's latest feature addition supports QR Code, but the products listed above support many more as well.

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New Barcode Label Software for Windows 8

by Nate Schubert

The long-anticipated release of the latest Barcode Label Design & Printing Software is here! The newest version of this powerful barcode label application includes several bug fixes and improvements for increased compatibility, performance and look. Following are some of the features of the latest version:

• Compatibility for Windows 8 and .NET Framework 2.0
• Performance enhancements to the processes involved in printing, drawing and viewing.

The 2013 version of the Barcode Label Software also addresses a minor but serious issue where the USPS Intelligent Mail barcode would intermittently generate an incorrect barcode. This occured approximately 1 of every 1,000 attempts and has since been resolved.

IDAutomation's Barcode Label Software is a powerful barcode label design and printing application that allows users to generate barcodes on an individual basis or by connecting to an external source such as a database or .CSV. This software is compatible with virtually any label roll or standard inkjet or laser printer, and is very easy to use. Purchase comes with a 30 day complimentary Priority Support & Upgrade Subscription which may be extended optionally for a full year for an affordable cost.

Now is a great time to consider making your barcode label software purchase so that you can take advantage of the latest-and-greatest that this product has to offer. For those who already own a license to the software, purchase support to get download access to the latest version today!

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Generating USPS Intelligent Mail Tracing Barcode Labels

by Nate Schubert

The United States Postal Service recently made the transition from their legacy Confirm Service to IMb Tracing which allows mailers access outgoing and incoming reply mailpieces data such as date, time, location and sort operation at Postal Service facilities while the mail is en route to it's destination. This program allows mailers in a variety of industries such as banks, direct mail advertisers, insurance companies, printing companies, restaurants and more to improve customer retention, ROI on marketing promotions and much more.

But how can you actually create an Intelligent Mail Tracing barcode?

IDAutomation's Barcode Label Software provides users with the ability to generate Intelligent Mail Tracing barcodes manually or by pulling data from external sources such as a .csv file to populate labels with barcoded data. With user licenses starting at $139.00, this is one of the most affordable and powerful Barcode Label Design & Printing Applications available on the market today. For more information about how to generate Intelligent Mail Tracing barcodes using this software, please watch the video below.

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Generate Free meCard QR Codes!

by Nate Schubert

One of the most common uses of QR Codes in business is in the creation of the meCard electronic business card which is an alternative to the vCard. meCards allow individuals to easily pass their contact information along to other for the purpose of relationships both business and personal. Since most smart phones are capable of reading QR Codes at this point in their technology, the meCard has proven to be an excellent way of delivering your important contact information with relative ease.

IDAutomation provides a free and easy method to create meCards using our special QR Code meCard Generator. By taking advantage of our simple interface, users can quickly create meCard QR Codes in seconds flat, and at no cost. This free service is made by possible through our Hosted QR Code Image Generator. For those who are looking for QR Codes to generate more than just meCards, IDAutomation offers the QR Code Barcode Image Generator which produces high-resolution QR Codes in a variety of popular formats.

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Macintosh Barcode Image Generators are Here!

by Nate Schubert

Generating barcode images in a Macintosh environment is not always as easy as it sounds. Most types of barcode fonts cannot be used easily on a Mac because DLL's may be requried to help to encode valuable data, while stand-alone applications may only be Windows-compatible. 

IDAutomation is proud to offer a purely Mac-compatible Barcode Image Generator Software that will allow Mac users to generate barcode images for a wide variety of barcode types including Code 128, Interleaved 2 of 5, Intelligent Mail, UPC, EAN and others. This software works seamlessly within Mac OSX 10.5 and greater with Java 1.6 for creating and pasting barcodes into other Mac applications like Photoshop, CorelDraw, GIMP, Publisher and others.

IDAutomation's Macintosh Barcode Image Generator is one of the only software proucts on the market that allows easy barcode generation in Mac. Try a demo today and start making barcode images on a Mac!

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How to Make Barcode Labels

by Nate Schubert

Barcode label printing is small but critical aspect of virtually any business in operation today. Many companies make barcode labels to affix to their products or documents for a more efficient inventory tracking or asset management systems while others affix barcoded labels to employee IDs or membership cards. Even in the most basic of businesses, barcode label generation can help save on postal costs, or just make it easier to print address labels for personal mailings. Making barcode labels can be difficult or easy depending on your specific needs and the limitations of the label application at your disposal.

Barcode labels may be created using applications such as Microsoft Word or Excel in conjunction with Barcode Fonts, ActiveX Controls or other components that are compatible within the environment where you are working. This is an excellent option if you have advanced knowledge of the application you are working in. Otherwise, it may be difficult to determine how you can create labels to your desired specifications, and integrate a separate application into that process. For most users, the best method of making barcode labels is by purchasing a complete barcode label design and printing application.

Available in both Standard and Pro versions, the IDAutomation Barcode Label Software is the type of application that is suited for high-volume use, and occasional use as well. The easy-to-use interface provides a simple method of entering the data you want to encode and generating the type of barcode you need. Many different properties of the barcode may be modified if necessary, and other elements may also be added to labels such as images, text, colors and more. There are many pre-defined label stock dimensions from well-known manufacturers such as Avery to choose from, and users may also set their own custom label dimensions. For those who need to generate labels from an external source such as SQL or Excel, this high-quality software allows connectivity to these and other database types.

Affordably priced starting at $139.00 for a Single User License, the IDAutomation Barcode Label Software is an excellent option for individuals who need to generate barcodes for printing onto virtually any type of label. For more information and a brief overview of this top-level software, please see the video below.

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Embed Your Company Logo Into a QR Code

by Nate Schubert

Since QR Codes first came into mainstream marketing use in recent years, they have been used for virtually everything in the field. QR Codes can be encoded with web addresses that take a person on the street and turn them into a consumer on a smart phone. They are can make it easier to track the performance of campaigns or promotions. They can even spruce up a company logo while adding virtually any type of functionality. In fact, embedding your company logo into a QR Code just may prove be one of the best uses of the technology to date.

What are the Benefits of a QR Code Logo?

As the visual representation of your brand, logo's are pretty important. As such, your logo needs to appear on products, service brochures, company vehicles, uniforms or promotional items so that consumers can easily make the jump that you're "the company that sells that thing I like." The problem with this is that logo's can take up space which can be quite hard to come by when deciding what you should and should not put on your printed materials. The single most significant benefit to adding a QR Code to your logo is that it adds dual-functionality to the area:

• The Logo will associate your products with your brand.
• The QR Code can be encoded with a web address which will take people via smart phone to a particular website location, or VCard contact data such as name, telephone number, email address, physical address and more.

This type of dual-functionality can mean a lot for business owners who want to get the most out of their printed materials. Business cards can have QR Codes that import contact data into a persons smart phone. Specific web addresses can be encoded into various printed materials, which will in turn take individuals via smart phone to a particular web address that is relevant to the material from which it was scanned. This can prove to be a great benefit in direct mail pieces, brochures that outline a particular service, promotional items that focus on one facet of your products and services and more.

How To Embed a Logo Image Into a QR Code

Now that you have thought up a million genius ways to use QR Codes to enhance your company logo, you've got one question left. How can you actually embed your logo into a scannable QR Code? Here are some easy steps, as long as you follow them!

1. Create a QR Code image of your choice for VCard data, web address or whatever you like.
2. Open your new QR Code in an image-editor application such as Photoshop or the open-source GIMP.
3. Using layers or similar features, lay your logo on top of the QR Code image. Make sure you have enough white space as a border around the logo itself, or the barcode may not scan.
4. Resize your logo image over the QR Code until the barcode successfully scans. 
5. Test, test, test! IDAutomation provides an excellent 2D Barcode Scanner that not only reads the barcode, but can also utilize it's PQA (Print Quality Assessment) feature for greater insight into the properties of the barcode itself.

This is a pretty simple tutorial for creating a QR Code with a logo inside, but you may have to modify the white space and/or sizing until you can achieve that successful scan. QR Code has error-correction which means a certain portion of the barcode can be damaged and still scan. IDAutomation software products will allow you to increase the error correction level in the barcode, which can give you a bit more freedom with the placement of your logo. In a sense, the logo being placed over the center of the QR code is a type of damage, so it has to be small enough to not interfere too much with the scan itself. 

There are a lot of different things a clever business owner can do with a QR-Logo hybrid image. We would love to hear more about any images like this spotted in the wild. Let us know!

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How To Track Offline Marketing with QR Codes

by Nate Schubert

There is not a business in existence today that wouldn't benefit from utilizing barcode technology in conjunction with web analytics to track offline marketing campaigns. Whether a local plumbing business wants to track the value of a certain advertising location or a film company wants to gauge the level of interest in an up-and-coming summer blockbuster, each of these can leverage 2D barcodes like QR Codes to gain valuable insight into the behavior of potential customers.

There's no question that this is an attractive concept for business owners of every make and model, but theory and practice are two entirely different things. It may seem like QR codes have been introduced into the mainstream of American society, but there are countless opportunities being missed or squandered by companies across the nation. In other words,  it's easy to miss the boat on tracking offline marketing efforts when you don't understand the technology being used. That said, there are three distinct components to any effective tracking of an offline marketing campaign.

Do You Own a Website?

This point may be pretty clear to many, but without a website, it's going to be very difficult to track visitors' behavior once they get to your website. Although encouraged, this does not mean your website has to have 1,000 pages and rank at the top of search engine results pages for any given search term, or that it has to be all things to all people. There is no shame in having a simple website that focuses on your products or services. QR Codes can be used to link prospective customers directly to these products or services, as well as pages that provide information about promotions, coupons or special events.

Is Your Website Enabled for Analytics?

Without good web analytics tools like Google Analytics, it's going to be very difficult to track visitors to your website. There is virtually no limit to the level of depth you can achieve with Google Analytics, but again, this doesn't mean you have to use it to the extreme. For examples, many small businesses are content to gather surface information like unique visits, bounce rate and the behavior of those who use certain search terms to get to your website. In the case of offline marketing, web analytics is essential for gathering statistics on the behavior of those who scan your QR Code. Business owners who do not have web analytics actively tracking user behavior are limited to instinct and guesswork, which is not the most stable method of achieving success.

Are You Tagging Your Offline Links?

The final step in monitoring your offline marketing efforts is to tag the web links in your QR Codes with information that will allow you to identify the particular campaign the link is coming from. This can be a little bit of a challenge to grasp at first, but a little patience and some testing should make any business owner an out-and-out professional in no time. First and foremost, Google's special URL Builder Tool is a must. This free tool will allow you to create one-off links that can be encoded into barcodes using a QR Barcode Image Generator. There are several parameters to define, three of which are required. These help to determine the following:

• Campaign Source is required and is used to identify referrals that originate from the web, social media, a physical event, newsletter or other promotion.
• Campaign Medium is required and is used to identify QR Codes scanned from a medium such as a brochure, billboard, poster, food product, etc.
• Campaign Term is not required, and may be used to identify the focus of the advertisement or QR Code, i.e. a particular item or service.
• Campaign Content is not required, but may be very useful in categorizing different versions of a particular medium like a brochure, etc.
• Campaign Name is required and can be used to further segregate an advertisement, theme or locale.

For instance, IDAutomation has recently made finding the right product on our website much easier with the addition of our Barcode Software Selector tool. If we were to mail out a brochure to promote this time-saving tool, we may include a QR Code in order to track the behavior of individual recipients, with this URL created with the Google URL Builder Tool.

http://www.idautomation.com/customer/product-selector.html?utm_source=direct-mail&utm_medium=brochure&utm_term=product-selector&utm_content=qr-top&utm_campaign=john-smith

This web address would be encoded into a QR Code using a product such as the QR Code Image Generator as follows:

When John Smith scans this QR Code in his brochure, his behavior on the website landing page can be monitored and tracked with astounding precision. As a business owner, it may benefit you to know when your QR Code was scanned, how long the visitor remained on your website, whether they visited other pages, whether they completed a purchase and much more. This type of offline marketing can be extremely effective when tracked properly, and can open up the kind of insight that allows business owners to make the most profitable decisions possible.

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How To Use the PHP Barcode Generator Script

by Nate Schubert

One of IDAutomation's latest software products is the PHP Barcode Generator Script which adds barcode generation capability to PHP environments for ECommerce as well as on popular platforms like Wordpress. This software supports many popular barcode types including Code 128, Code 39, Interleaved 2 of 5, MSI and Postnet.

Even though the PHP Barcode Generator Script does include use of PHP, it is surprisingly easy to use. One reason why this product is so easy to use is because our technical support staff has worked hard to provide users with robust documentation and step-by-step installation and use instructions in the PHP Barcode Script User Tutorial. We also have a very helpful video tutorial available below which demonstrates with ease the process of creating a barcode in PHP. If you would like to follow along with a demo of your own, please feel free and let us know what you think.

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Finally! Barcode Generator Software for Macintosh Users

by Nate Schubert

Just in time for the new year, the fine development staff at IDAutomation has rolled out the latest, greatest addition to their already expansive selection of barcode generation software such as barcode fonts, ActiveX controls, Java components, stand-alone label printing software and more. Unfortunately, many of these products have not been available to Macintosh users for a number of different reasons related to differences in programming and things the like.  No longer will Mac users suffer in barcode silence as Windows, Unix and Linux users generate barcodes until they are blue screen in the face. Today, we are happy to announce that we now have a variety of Macintosh barcode generator software applications! Following is a short overview of the changes we have made to present products, and the new Macintosh barcode products now available for purchase, demo and download.

Macintosh Barcode Image Generator

IDAutomation's popular Barcode Image Generator is now available for Macintosh Users who want to create barcode images which can then be copied and pasted into Microsoft applications such as Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Expressions, Publisher and others as well as Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, PageMaker and more. This software has an barcode image design interface which can make the process of barcode generation both easy and even a little bit fun! You can purchase the Barcode Image Generator for Macintosh for just $99 for a Single User License with immediate download after successful payment, or download a demo for testing.

Macintosh Barcode Add-In for Microsoft Word and Excel

While the Barcode Add-In for Microsoft Word and Excel has been a great benefit for Windows-based users since it's release in April of 2010, it's usefulness has not been available to Macintosh users. The latest release of this product changes that, and Macintosh-based users who are working with Microsoft Word and Excel 2004 and 2011 can enjoy the convenience and ease-of-use that the Barcode Add-In can bring to any scenario. This special font encoder tool may only be used in conjunction with a purchased IDAutomation barcode font, or one of our many barcode font demo packages.

IDAutomation also provides other Mac-compatible products such as Java barcode components or Universal Barcode Fonts which can be used to generate a variety of barcodes from a single font or component. We offer 30 days of free support with every software purchase, with the option of extended that support to a full year.

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Discount QR Code Image Generators for SESCHI Attendees!

by Nate Schubert

Until the end of 2011, IDAutomation is offering a special discount for $30 off the retail price of any QR Code Image Generator license. Just enter the discount code SESchi on the final page of purchase to receive your discount and then reap the benefits of QR Code generation for a number of uses such as encoding web addresses, VCard information, tabbed data, functions and other common QR Code uses. Download the QR Code Image Generator Demo for testing, or complete your purchase today and take advantage of our 60-day return policy if it does not meet your needs.

Search Engine Strategies Chicago is one of the premiere search engine marketing conferences in America today, and is currently in session! Marketers from across the country have been learning tremendous things about how to better design mobile websites and many other actionable tips that can increase traffic, conversions and customer satisfaction. One of the most talked-about technologies in the Mobile Track sessions focuses on QR Codes which can make marketing to mobile users very easy. IDAutomation can help you to generate one-off QR Codes for specific marketing promotions as well as multiple QR Code generation for higher-quantity runs.

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Making VCards with QR Codes

by Nate Schubert

VCards are a very popular type of new technology that uses QR Codes with data encoded into MECARD format, allowing smart phone users to scan the QR Code on a business card, for example, for automatic entry into the contacts list on the mobile device. VCards help to increase efficiency by automatically adding pre-set data into mobile phone contacts lists, which saves the user time. Further, an accurately formatted and encoded VCard can minimize user error when manually entering data as a contact.

In some situations, a person may have a need to simultaneously generate multiple QR Codes with VCard data. This can be done using the IDAutomation QR Code Barcode Image Generator in conjunction with a special text file that is correctly formatted to MECard specifications. Our technical support staff has created an excellent video tutorial that demonstrates how to perform this task. Please take the time to check it out below and let us know what you think!

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How to Generate GS1-128 Barcode Labels

by Nate Schubert

GS1-128, formerly known as UCC/EAN-128, is a type of barcode standard that was designed to bring businesses together into one global standard by allowing application identifiers that define the data encoded in a barcode. The GS1-128 standard may only be met through the creation of a Code 128 barcode which fits the parameters specific to GS1-128. There are a wide variety of application identifiers that can be applied to a GS1-128 barcode, and including this type of information can ease the process of communication between companies, thereby fostering an environment of increased efficiency and smoother operation.

This video tutorial demonstrates how to generate a GS1-128 barcode with the IDAutomation Barcode Label Software for printing onto labels of virtually any dimension or stock. This label design application can also draw specific information from various database environments for automatic printing. Check out our video demonstration below and let us know if you have any questions or comments, as we're always looking for new ways to help.

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How to Generate SCC14 Barcode Labels

by Nate Schubert

SCC-14 barcodes, also known as shipping container codes, consist of a 14-digit number that is assigned to a shipping container as a means to provide an easy method for identification. SCC-14 is based off of EAN-14, which can be created with the IDAutomation UPC EAN barcode fonts. For those who wish to generate barcodes only label rolls or sheets, however, the powerful IDAutomation Barcode Label Software may be the best option.

Despite the fact that this special barcode label software application allows easy barcode generation with connection capability to a variety of databases and more, it can still be a somewhat complicated process to follow for creating an SCC-14 barcode. Please take a moment to watch an IDAutomation video tutorial below and let us know if you have any questions!

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Which Product is Right For Me?

by Nate Schubert

Last week, we started our first installment of the multi-part Choosing the Right Barcode series which asked the question, "Which Barcode Type is Best?" Now that you have determined which specific barcode type is going to be the right choice for encoding the data you need to encode, you can move on to the next important matter at hand: Which implementation is going to best suit the demands of your business? There are several factors that you need to consider in this area before moving forward.

Which Product is Right For Me?

IDAutomation provides quite a range of products that allow many different types of barcode generation through a variety of applications and operating environments. There are three main types of products that can enable barcode generation, all with their own unique advantages and drawbacks.

• Fonts must be installed on every machine that will print or generate a barcode from a font. Font encoders must also be used to format the data before the font can be applied, and IDAutomation provides free encoders for our linear barcode fonts for use in many applications like Excel, Word, Crystal Reports, .NET, Java and more. Fonts may be used to print a barcode type from a variety of different environments and applications, but most font packages only include one specific barcode type.
• Components are used as parts of an application to generate barcodes. Most often, components are used in development environments and require special skills to integrate into existing or custom applications. Where fonts generate one barcode type in many types of applications, components generate a variety of barcode types in just one type of application such as Java, ActiveX, ASP.NET and others.
• Applications are the easiest to use, and are stand-alone software programs that allow easy barcode image generation, or barcode generation for printing barcodes onto labels. These Windows-compatible applications are generally capable of linking to other applications and databases and have some powerful and useful capabilities beyond.

So, now you have an idea as to whether you need a font package, a component or an application. If you know which application or environment you are using, one of our product integration guides can provide valuable insight in terms of which product is the best fit for you. Any of our software programs are available for demo download so that testing can be done to confirm that the product will work. 

Once your testing has been completed and you are ready to buy, it is time to think about which barcode reader to choose. That question will be the question posed for next week's installment. Look for it soon!

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3 Easy-To-Use Barcode Generators

by Nate Schubert

There are a lot of different ways in which barcodes can be generated. From barcode fonts which require special encoders, to components which allow more powerful barcode generation within specific environments, to full-powered, stand-alone applications. It can be overwhelming to determine which method of barcode generation will best suit your needs, but there are a few excellent choices that stand out as the easiest barcode generators to use.

Code 39 Barcode Fonts

Code 39 barcode fonts are the easiest type of font to use when generating a barcode because the only formatting they require is an asterisk (*) at the beginning and end of the data. Then, simply highlight the data (with asterisks) and select the appropriate Code 39 font to turn that text into a readable barcode. Virtually every other barcode font type requires much more complex formatting in order to display a readable barcode, which makes Code 39 an excellent choice over others.

Barcode Image Generators

The IDAutomation Barcode Image Generator is a stand-alone application that is used to create barcodes in image formats like jpg, png and others. These barcode images can then be copied and pasted into other Windows applications, or uploaded to a web server for display on a web site, or used for anything else than a standard image may be used for. This barcode image generator software can create individual images, or multiple images very quickly, and effortlessly.

Barcode Label Software

While many barcode generation components or fonts can be used within existing applications to display barcodes for printing onto labels, the IDAutomation Barcode Label Software is a label design editor that is specifically geared toward generating barcode labels. This software product has a long list of pre-defined custom label stock, and also allows for custom dimensions to be set. Also, the application can be linked to an external database to draw data from, and print onto barcode labels. This is a high-powered barcode label software that is very easy to use, whether for printing individual barcode labels or large amounts of barcode labels.

Depending on your specific need, there may be other products that are more specialized, or more affordable, or allow for greater developer production. The above products are certainly some of the easiest to use in the barcode industry, but it is always a good idea to consult the expertise of a sales or technical support representative with IDAutomation before completing your purchase.

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How to Generate Incremented Barcodes

by Nate Schubert

Barcode label printing is among the most popular ways in which barcode technology is used in business to increase efficiency and make processes operate more smoothly in the work force. Barcode labels can be affixed to products, warehouse bin locations, documents, and virtually anything else that needs to be tracked or easily referenced. Barcode labels can be created in programs like Microsoft Word or Excel, but stand-alone label design and printing applications are also available as an option. These specialized programs focus solely on barcode generation onto labels, and thus may have important features that make it easier to use than existing software.

Incremented barcodes can be generated with the IDAutomation Barcode Label Software with very little difficulty. Our technical support staff has recently published a video demonstration that shows how easy it is to set up the Barcode Label Software to print barcodes with incremented numbers. Please take a moment to view the video tutorial below and let us know if you have any comments or questions.

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Easy QR Code Image Generation

by Nate Schubert

Since March 2009, IDAutomation has offered the QR Code Font and Encoder Packages for those interested in generating QR Code Barcodes in a variety of environments and operating systems. These font and encoder packages contain font and graphic encoders such as Crystal Reports UFL's, .NET Forms Controls, Java Components and much more.

IDAutomation also provides a variety of other components and stand-alone applications that allow generation of QR Codes on labels, and one-off images that can be copied and pasted into other Windows applications. QR capability has always been included with a variety of other barcode types such as Code 128, Code 39, Data Matrix and more.

For those customers who are interested only in generating QR Code images, IDAutomation has released the new QR Code 2D Barcode Image Generator. Below are just a few features of this specialized QR Code Barcode Image Generator.

• Time-Saving Memory Feature retains all settings including encoding type, size, image type, data to be encoded and file save location.
• Save and Load Settings via XML Format allows for the ability to generate several barcodes from values in an external text file.
• Multipe Image Types generated like JPEG, TIFF, PNG, BMP, GIF and 1 bit per pixel monochrome bitmap format as well as vector formatted WMF files.
• Command Line Option allows image files to be generated from the command prompt, or DOS batch files.
• OS Compatibility for Windows 2000 and greater, including both 32 and 64 bit versions of XP, Vista and Windows 7.

There are a lot of different things you can do with a 2D QR Code Barcode. Following are some of the things the IDAutomation QR Code Barcode Image Generator allows you to do with a QR Code.

• VCard Electronic Contact Cards can be created quickly and easily by populating various fields with data such as First Name, Last Name, Address, Email and more.
• Other Common Uses can be found in the Common Encoding tab such as encoding a website URL, Twitter Follow, Facebook Like, Phone Number, Text Message and ASCII Data for any other information.

Like our other Barcode Image Generators, the QR Code Image Generator is available in several license options for users from $79, multiple users, and site-wide, and multi-site licenses for use in virtually any scenario.

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Access Barcode Integration

by Nate Schubert

Generating barcodes in Microsoft Access can add a variety of capability to your database. Assigning a barcode to products, customers or other types of inventory can add to efficiency in terms of reducing human error and actual labor. IDAutomation provides a variety of different products, based on your needs, to generate barcodes in Microsoft Access.

ActiveX Barcoding in Access

Like many Microsoft products, Access supports ActiveX components. Simply install the IDAutomation ActiveX Barcode Control into Access and you will be able to drag these controls into the design area and connect it to database fields which will generate a graphic dynamic barcode image.

• Supports All Versions of Access
• Single Users From $199
• Developer & Commercial From $395
• Purchase or Demo

Access Native Barcode Generator

Where ActiveX Controls need to be installed on each user computer, the Access Native Barcode Generator actually lives within the report itself, meaning no special fonts or components need to be installed on user computers. Additionally, this solution can be preferred for distributed databases or applications.

• Supports Access 2000 to 2007
• Single Users From $149
• Developer & Commercial From $295
• Download a Demo

Using Barcode Fonts in Access

If your data consists of numbers and/or letters, then a Code 39 or Codabar barcode font may be your best option. While not created solely for Access, barcode fonts are compatible with many other applications and operating systems, making them the most flexible option.

• Supports All Versions of Access
• Single Users From $139
• Developer & Commercial From $395
• Barcode Font Index
• Note: If you are not using Code 39 or Codabar, you must use your purchased barcode fonts in conjunction with our free Barcode Macros & VBA Functions For Access encoder tool.

Linking To Access With Barcode Label Software

If you have a wealth of data that you would like to use to print barcode labels directly from your database, but need a label design interface from which to work, then the Barcode Label Software will likely be the best choice moving forward because it can link to Microsoft Access columns as a data source for a text or barcode object.

• Supports All Versions of Access
• Single Users From $139
• Developers & Commercial From $1,990
• Purchase or Demo

Paste Barcode Images Into Access

The IDAutomation Barcode Image Generator is a stand-alone application that will allow you to generate many different barcode types which can then be copied and pasted directly into your Access database.

• Supports All Versions of Access
• Single Users From $129
• Developers & Commercial From $995
• Purchase or Demo

Whatever your method of implementation, IDAutomation provides easy solutions for generating barcodes in Microsoft Access. If you have a favorite method of implementation or if there is a method here that is not touched on, please don't hesitate to leave a comment and let us know.

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