Hi Wolfgang,
Since my users only run one Debian server and then use Windows on the
client machines, I had to rig up something to print barcodes for them.
We happen to use Avery 5160 mailing labels to attach to each item, and
we need to occasionally print up a batch of labels for new items (as
well as individual replacement labels).
The attached files are something I quickly put together to interact with
command line GNU barcode. They are probably full of security holes and
other problems since I didn't have time to do it the RightWay.
But here they are. Perhaps you or someone else may find them useful or
perhaps point out some better ways to take care of this.
Most things can be explained as I understand them from "man barcode".
However a few things that are additions may need explanation:
Skip Labels:
Sometimes we have a partially used sheet of labels, so we want to skip a
number of labels at the beginning of the first sheet to be printed.
Barcode Values:
This accepts comma separated values as well as ranges (from-to). There
can also be blanks between commas. For instance:
1,,3,6-100
Barcode Length and Barcode Suffix should be similar to how Emilda works.
I'm certain that there are many bugs with this, since it is only
occasionally used by a few people, but perhaps you may find some of it
helpful.
Thanks,
Dave.
On Fri, Oct 01, 2004 at 03:48:13PM +0200, Wolfgang Pichler wrote:
> Erik Berglund wrote [ Was: Re: [Emilda] Barcode and PDF generation fails ]
>
> >Wolfgang Pichler wrote:
> >[snip]
> >
> >>regarding barcodes i will have to use a bulk print system using
> >>_kbarcode_ since ther will be no mature system in 1.2 alas ...
> >
> >
> >Is barcode type diversity still the main issue, or are you thinking of
> >something larger in terms of a "mature" barcode (printing) system?
> >
> kbarcode
> - uses it's own database, alas
> - you have to understand it's design purposes WELL, alas - it has a
> customer/article paradigm
> - will need kde installed, but can show up on any X-windows
> - kbarcode's printing (but virtually any) guis can be triggered in a
> parametrized way via dcop
> - you can use any kde-printer (ps to file, pdf to file, any cups-, lpd-,
> whatever printer / format
> - you can edit labels WYSIWIG (ok, what you get will will be SIMILAR to
> what you get, but maintenance is well and will be improved :-)
> - you can include virtually anything easily to be printed on labels
> - as stated before there IS some learning curve, alas but if used for
> ALL labeling effort is ok
> (e.g. for inventory/transition i print shelf-labels, i print cd-labels,
> video-cassette-labels, ...)
>
> >>SO
> >>for BOOKS it would be nice to have added :
> >>
> >>- table "books" : field "barcode_printed tynint unsigned NOT NULL
> >>default '0' "
> >>- some assurance that such a field won't interfere with the system
> >>- field established in "deleted_books" accordingly
> >>
> >>i do not think this will be a _too_big_ enhancement going into 1.2 :-)
> >
> >
> >No, it's not a big enhancement, but I'm not sure it fits within the
> >current barcode system. I.e. whether it is something useful for Emilda
> >in general or just a tweak for your case. When and how would you
> >exactly populate this field, what would you do with the data, and why
> >do you need it? I can imagine a scenario, but I would like to make
> >sure we're talking about the same thing.
>
>
> main reason is to batch print of heavy-duty-labels. these labels may
> pass the laser-printer only once. and any partial sheet is a waste of
> space and money since quality decays after sheet passes the fixation unit.
>
> when establishing the library data from scratch (we will have to label
> 14k books) to reflect the new book-id's no such issues arise but if
> adding new books to the library it is fine to print labels in multiples
> of sheets (or leave it up to the library manager to print fewer labels
> than on one sheet and "lose" the empty ones)
>
> table books is the natural place to achieve batch printing since there
> migt be copies :-)
>
> <quote>field "barcode_printed tynint unsigned NOT NULL default '0' "</quote>
> whenever books are added this field is 0 automagically. no pain.
>
> external or internal batch tasks can modify it e.g. to 1 ("currently
> printing") 2 ("printing done") etc. to give some control over
> paper-jams, toner low etc.
>
> last but not least it is desirable to achieve automatical
> "grouping/sorting" of labels e.g. on shelves and alphabetical order of
> so called "order-word" (3 characters which determine sorting of books
> within their so called "classes" ; in our diction "classes" are assigned
> to an ordered set of shelves ; so books reside within the shelves in an
> ordered way which will determine the print order)
>
> will this hit the target ?
>
> ---
>
> w.pichler
>
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