Capturing barcodes from printed labels is a crucial task in various industries, from inventory management to shipping. At VeryPDF, we understand the importance of streamlining this process, so we developed a custom-built solution that can help you capture a barcode from a printed label, perform automated actions with the barcode data, and even insert it back into a printed page. Let’s take a look at how this can work for your specific needs.
The Problem: Barcode Capture and Automation
One of our customers approached us with a project where they needed to capture a barcode from a printed label and use the captured data to trigger command-line actions or run scripts. Additionally, they wanted the flexibility to insert this captured barcode value into a printed page at a specific location (xy coordinates). This task becomes more complex when dealing with multiple printers, each printing different labels.
The Solution: Custom-Built Barcode Reader and Writer Tools
At VeryPDF, we offer custom-built solutions to meet your specific requirements. In this case, we provided a specialized toolset to efficiently capture and insert barcode data. Here's how the solution works:
Step 1: Capturing the Barcode
To begin with, we created a custom version of our barcodereader.exe tool. This tool allows you to capture barcode data from an image of a printed label. You can run the tool in the following way:
barcodereader.exe D:\test-barcode.png
This command analyzes the barcode in the image located at D:\test-barcode.png and outputs the barcode data (as text) to the screen. The captured data can then be used in your workflow, such as triggering an automated task or running a script based on the barcode value.
Step 2: Inserting Barcode Data into an Image
Once you have the barcode data, the next step is to insert it back into a printed label or image at a specific location. Our barcodewriter.exe tool comes into play here. You can use it to insert the captured barcode text into a new image file at specified xy coordinates.
For example, you can run the following command:
barcodewriter.exe -in D:\input.png -out D:\output.png -x 100 -y 100 -text "4445566777222"
In this case, the input image D:\input.png will have the barcode text "4445566777222" inserted at the coordinates x=100 and y=100. The resulting image is saved as D:\output.png, and you can then use it for printing the label with the barcode value positioned correctly.
Step 3: Scaling for Multiple Printers
Our customer also had a requirement to scale the solution to handle multiple printers. Each of their 6 printers was printing different labels. With the custom-built solution, we can easily handle multiple printers by setting up unique workflows for each printer. The barcode data will be dynamically captured and inserted into the correct label image for each print job.
This scalability ensures that you can adapt the solution as your needs grow, without any limitations.
What We Offer:
To make this process as smooth as possible, we offer the following:
- Custom-built barcode reader tool (
barcodereader.exe) tailored to your project’s requirements. - Barcode writer tool (
barcodewriter.exe) for inserting barcode text into images at specific coordinates. - Documentation and sample command-line instructions to help you integrate these tools into your workflow seamlessly.
Conclusion
Capturing barcodes from printed labels and automating the process of inserting them back into images can greatly enhance your efficiency, especially when managing multiple printers. With VeryPDF’s custom-built solutions, you can capture barcode data, trigger actions, and generate labels with ease.
If you have a similar project or would like to learn more about how we can tailor this solution for your business, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’d be happy to provide a quote and further details on how we can help you streamline your barcode management process.
Contact us today to discuss your custom-built solution!