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Sun StarOffice & OpenOffice Barcode Font Tutorial

This tutorial describes how to use our barcode fonts in OpenOffice.org and Sun's StarOffice. The solutions described here are compatible with Star Office 8 and Open Office 2.0 and should be compatible with later releases as well.

Index:

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 Prepare OpenOffice for the use of barcode fonts

The following will prepare OpenOffice applications such as Calc, Base or Writer for use with our bar code fonts.

  1. The default method Star Office and Open Office uses to display font names is to list them in their own font as a preview. This works well for text fonts; however, barcode fonts cannot be viewed this way because their names cannot be chosen. To allow viewing of barcode font names in Calc, Base or Writer choose Tools - Options - View and deselect the "Show preview of fonts" check box and choose OK.
    Prepare Calc, Base or Writer for use with barcode fonts.
  2. The additional items below do not have to be performed when using the Code 39 Barcode Fonts. If a checksum is required for Code 39 or another barcode type is needed, perform the steps below to install the macros. These macros will reformat the data to the barcode fonts and handle any required checksum calculations.
  3. Choose Tools - Options - Security - Macro Security and set the level to Medium and choose OK.
  4. Download and extract the IDAutomationVB.bas file.
  5. Choose Tools - Macros - Organize Macros - OpenOffice.org Basic.
  6. In the macro from area, click on the name of your file choose New. This will embed the macros and Visual Basic source code into the file.
    embedding bar code macros into the Calc file
  7. Remove the Sub Main and End Sub lines that are automatically added.
  8. Click on the Insert Basic Source button and choose the file IDAutomationVB.bas provided in the download.
  9. Choose File - Save and File - Exit to exit the VB editor.
  10. Shut down all OpenOffice applications and Install the IDAutomation barcode fonts. If you are unsure of what barcode font type to use, we recommend the Code 128 fonts.

 Creating barcodes in Calc

  1. If you have not already done so, complete the tasks in the Prepare OpenOffice section.
  2. Open Calc and Create an area in your spreadsheet column for the barcode.
  3. Size the column to make sure it is wide enough to contain the entire barcode.
  4. Format the column so that any text appearing in it will be centered. This is necessary to create the white space (often called the quiet zone) before and after the barcode.
  5. Enter the formula in the cell that will format the data to the barcode font - this is where the barcode will appear. For use with the Code 39 font, enter the formula of ="*" & B10 & "*" in the cell. If you are unsure of which function or barcode to use, we recommend using our Code 128 fonts with the =Code128(B10;0;0) formula where B10 refers to the cell location of the data that is to be formatted and encoded in the bar code.
    After entering the formula, modified text that is to be formatted and encoded for the barcode font should appear in the cell with the formula.
  6. Apply the applicable barcode font to the cell. After doing this, size the cell so there is at least 4 times the white space before and after the barcode as the thickest bar in the barcode.
  7. To create barcodes for other cells in the column, choose Edit - Copy with this cell selected and choose Edit - Paste with the other cells selected.
  8. To allow for easier scanning of barcodes in cells, select the barcoded cells and choose Format Cells - Borders and set the spacing to 4 points.
    formatting the barcoded cells

 Creating bar codes in Base

This section is currently under construction. In the interim, you may wish to consider our easy to use Barcode Label Software or Barcode Image Generator products. If you have information that you feel would be beneficial to this section, please contact us.

 Barcoding in Writer

This section is currently under construction. In the interim, you may wish to consider our easy to use Barcode Label Software or Barcode Image Generator products. If you have information that you feel would be beneficial to this section, please contact us.

The following barcode macros are available:

The macros listed below are supplied in the file named "IDAutomationVB.bas" which is provided in the download package.

For all functions listed below, the DataToEncode is the string data type. Other data types, such as numbers or dates, may need to be converted to the string data type to be properly encoded. All parameters are required. For example, use Code128("123456"; 0; 0) instead of Code128("123456"). For all number symbologies, such as POSTNET and UPC, you may input dashes or spaces for easier readability and they will be filtered out by the function before the barcode is generated. For UPC-A, UPC-E & EAN-13, the +2 and +5 add-on codes may be created by adding the data to the end of the string.

Function Font to use Notes
Code128(DataToEncode;
ReturnType;
ApplyTilde)		 IDAutomationC128 If you are not sure which Code 128 set is for your application, then use this one. This is a "Code 128 Auto" function that will automatically encode any DataToEncode from ASCII 0 to ASCII 127. It will automatically switch to character set C for numbers also. Data may be easily encoded without any options. For example, the formula Code128("123456") will encode the numbers 123456.

It may be necessary to use the ReturnType and ApplyTilde for special purposes.

  • If ApplyTilde is set to True, the tilde will be processed as described here. ApplyTilde is False by default.
  • To encode alpha-numeric UCC/EAN-128, ASCII 202 or character Ê is entered as the FNC1 before each AI. For example, the UCC number of (8100)712345(21)12WH5678 should be entered as: Ê8100712345Ê2112WH5678.
    More information about AIs and UCC/EAN-128 is located here.
    (DataToEncode; 0; 0) formats barcode output string to the Code 128 barcode fonts.
    (DataToEncode; 0; 1) formats barcode output string for the Code 128 barcode fonts with ApplyTilde enabled.
    (DataToEncode; 1; 1) returns the human readable text.
    (DataToEncode; 2; 1) returns only the check digit.
Code128a(DataToEncode) IDAutomationC128 Caution: Entering a lower case character will create a function. Use the character values 64 through 95 from set A to print characters not on the keyboard; the scanner will recognize these functions as from set A. Formats output to the Code 128 barcode fonts.
Code128b(DataToEncode) IDAutomationC128 Returns codes formatted to the Code 128 character set B. Formats output to the Code 128 bar code fonts.
Code128c(DataToEncode;
ReturnType)		 IDAutomationC128 This code128 function "interleaves" numbers into pairs for high density.
(DataToEncode; 0) formats output to the Code 128 barcode fonts.
(DataToEncode; 1) returns the human readable text with the check digit included.
(DataToEncode; 2) returns only the check digit.
Code39(DataToEncode) IDAutomationC39
or
IDAutomationHC39		 Formats the output to print using Code 39 fonts.
Code39Mod43(DataToEncode;
ReturnType)		 IDAutomationC39
or
IDAutomationHC39		 (DataToEncode; 0) performs the mod43 checksum calculation for increased accuracy and then formats the output to print using Code 39 fonts. The mod43 checksum is usually required for LOGMARS and HIBC applications.
(DataToEncode; 1) returns the human readable data with the check digit included.
(DataToEncode; 2) returns only the check digit.
Code93(DataToEncode) IDAutomationC93 Formats the output to print with the 2 required check digits using Code 93 fonts.
Codabar(DataToEncode) IDAutomationCB Formats the output to print using Codabar fonts.
Code11(DataToEncode) IDAutomationC11 Formats output to the Code11 barcode fonts. Only the "C" check digit is calculated which is the standard when encoding 10 digits or less.
EAN13(DataToEncode) IDAutomationUPCEAN DataToEncode is a number string of 12, 13, 14, 15, 17 or 18 digits with or without a check digit, add-ons are supported. Formats output to the UPC/EAN barcode font. Entering incorrect data will create a barcode containing all zeros.
EAN8(DataToEncode) IDAutomationUPCEAN DataToEncode is a number string of 7 or 8 characters (EAN-8 without the check digit). Formats output to the UPC/EAN barcode font. Entering incorrect data will create a barcode containing all zeros.
I2of5(DataToEncode) IDAutomationI25
or
IDAutomationHI25		 This function "interleaves" numbers into pairs for high density without check digits and formats the return string to the Interleaved 2 of 5 font.
I2of5Mod10(DataToEncode;
ReturnType)		 IDAutomationI25
or
IDAutomationHI25		 (DataToEncode; 0) performs the mod10 checksum calculation for increased accuracy and formats the return string to the Interleaved 2 of 5 font. MOD 10 checksums are required by USPS for special services and for SSC-14 when using Interleaved 2 of 5 for that purpose.
(DataToEncode; 1) returns the human readable data with the MOD10 check digit included.
(DataToEncode; 2) returns the MOD10 check digit.
MOD10(DataToEncode) not applicable Returns the MOD 10 check digit for a given string of numbers according to the UCC/EAN method.
MSI(DataToEncode;
ReturnType)		 IDAutomationMSI
or
IDAutomationHMSI		 (DataToEncode; 0) formats output to the MSI barcode fonts.
(DataToEncode; 1) returns the human readable data with the check digit included.
(DataToEncode; 2) returns only the check digit.
Postnet(DataToEncode;
ReturnType)		 IDAutomationPOSTNET
or
IDAutomationPLANET		 Enter a single string of Zip, Zip + 4 or Zip + 4 + Delivery Point or any number of digits for the planet code. The DataToEncode must be a number and can include dashes and spaces.
(DataToEncode; 0) formats output to the POSTNET barcode fonts.
(DataToEncode; 1) returns the human readable data with the check digit included.
(DataToEncode; 2) returns only the check digit.
RM4SCC(DataToEncode) IDAutomationRM Formats the output to print using RM4SCC fonts. Checksum calculated according to the mailsort customer barcoding specification.
SpliceText(DataToEncode; SpacingNumber; ApplyTilde) Text font Returns text with a space inserted every SpacingNumber of digits to improve readability. If ApplyTilde is set to True, the tilde will be processed as described here.
UCC128(DataToEncode) IDAutomationC128 This symbology option calls the Code128() method with the Tilde option enabled and the FNC1 character in set C as required. It is often an easier method to use when encoding an even number of number digits. For example, to encode an SSCC-18 barcode, you would enter 00000123455555555558 as the data input. For more information, please visit here. Formats output to the Code 128 barcode fonts.
UPCa(DataToEncode) IDAutomationUPCEAN DataToEncode is a UPC-A number string of 11, 12, 13, 14, 16 or 17 digits with or without a check digit, add-ons are supported.  Formats output to the UPC/EAN barcode font. Entering incorrect data will create a barcode containing all zeros.
UPCe(DataToEncode) IDAutomationUPCEAN DataToEncode is a UPC-E number of 6, 7 or 8 digits or a UPC-A number string of 11, 12, 13, 14, 16 or 17 digits with or without a check digit, add-ons are supported only with 13, 14, 16 or 17 digits. Formats output to the UPC/EAN barcode font. Entering incorrect data will create a barcode containing "00005000000". UPC-E1 is supported when the first character is "1" instead of "0".

* NOTE: You must use Interleaved 2 of 5 fonts dated May 1, 2001 or later for Interleaved 2 of 5 functions. You MUST use Code 128 fonts dated December 2000 or later for Code 128 functions. 

 About the free barcode font

We offer a free, fully functional Code 39 bar code font. This product may be freely used by individuals and organizations that have gross annual revenue of less than $500,000 USD or are classified as nonprofit for tax purposes excluding government and military organizations. This product may also be freely used by educational organizations such as schools and universities. Any other use requires a purchase of our Code 39 Font Advantage Package to be properly licensed. We also offer fully functional demo versions of our products available for download.

 

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