How to Print Bar Codes
There are many different software options for
printing bar codes in documents and labels, including some methods that are
free. As well, there are different bar code symbologies to choose from.
A symbology can be thought of as the bar code "font", some of which are
more suitable to one purpose or another. For example some symbologies
will encode numbers only, but not letters or punctuation. The most
elementary numeric symbology is "3 of 9" (Code 39), but it can make for
a rather wide bar code if you are encoding more than 15 or so numbers.
The most efficient common symbology is Code 128.
An example Google search for "bar code print" is:
http://www.google.com/search?q=bar+code+print
Here is a website that offers a free Windows Font for Code 39:
http://www.squaregear.net/fonts/free3of9.shtml
It works simply by installing a Windows font, (open your Fonts folder
in Windows Control Panel, then click File>Install New Font) so it's easy to
use and versatile.
Refer to the text file in the download that explains how to use it. Be
sure to read the warning about using it in Microsoft Word. It's very
easy to use in
Windows WordPad, which is a simple program that works fine for basic bar code
printing tasks. To use this free font, just type in the numbers that you
want to bar code, preceded and followed by an asterisk, e.g.
"*0837437*". Then mark the whole sequence, including the
leading and trailing asterisks, but excluding any leading and
trailing spaces or punctuation, and change the font to "Free 3 of
9". Changing the font point size will make the bar code graphic
larger or smaller.
We sell an elementary version of "NiceLabel" bar code printing
software. There is a shopping cart link to this software at:
http://www.scoutpal.com/sp/rov-order.htm
(Scroll down to the bottom and look for "HS 2120-20 - Bar Code Printing
Software")
It's only $20, and it has excellent support for Avery label formats. We
use it to ink-jet print our product labels on Avery 8160 30-up address
labels.
Many people ask us where they can get serialized bar code tags made that
are rugged and weatherproof. There are many companies in this
business, and you can probably find one locally. Look for a company that
makes and sells "Asset Tags". A Google search for "asset tag bar code"
will yield many results. Asset tags from CAMCODE have been
successfully used by our customers:
http://www.camcod.com/asset/fixed.asp |
