Bar Code Scanner Info

[Fatboy]

Does anyone know of a way to get info from a bar code sacnner into a parameter for a family? As in inventory/asset tracking for facility management?

Any information would be helpful.

Thanks,

Tony

[rkitect]

A cool concept indeed. Take a look at:

http://qrcode.kaywa.com/

[rkitect]

As a test I took the C-Channel-Column.txt catalog file and converted it into a QR (http://qrcode.kaywa.com/img.php?s=8&d=%2CW%23%23other%23%23%2CA%23%23area%23%23inches%2Cd%23%23length%23%23inches%2Cbf%23%23length%23%23inches%2Ctw%23%23length%23%23inches%2Ctf%23%23length%23%23inches%2Cx%23%23length%23%23inches%0D%0AC15X50%2C50.0%2C14.7%2C15.0%2C3.72%2C0.716%2C0.650%2C0.799%0D%0AC15X40%2C40.0%2C11.8%2C15.0%2C3.52%2C0.520%2C0.650%2C0.778%0D%0AC15X33.9%2C33.9%2C10.0%2C15.0%2C3.40%2C0.400%2C0.65).

The idea being that you can create a catalog for the parameters and have the family read from that. I'm not sure there is a non api way to input parameters directly into a family.

[wmullett]

Can't you just use a TTF bar code font? http://www.adams1.com/fonts.html

[rkitect]

QR Catalog (http://qrcode.kaywa.com/img.php?s=8&d=%2CW%23%23other%23%23%2CA%23%23area%23%23inches%2Cd%23%23length%23%23inches%2Cbf%23%23length%23%23inches%2Ctw%23%23length%23%23inches%2Ctf%23%23length%23%23inches%2Cx%23%23length%23%23inches%0D%0AC15X50%2C50.0%2C14.7%2C15.0%2C3.72%2C0.716%2C0.650%2C0.799%0D%0AC15X40%2C40.0%2C11.8%2C15.0%2C3.52%2C0.520%2C0.650%2C0.778%0D%0AC15X33.9%2C33.9%2C10.0%2C15.0%2C3.40%2C0.400%2C0.65)

versus

Bar Code font (http://screencast.com/t/NWZiZWEwMjEt)

for comparison

The bar code font would require scanning each line of code. The QR image would input everything embedded in the code with one scan. So depending on your process, I would say these are probably your best bets.

[Fatboy]

Thanks Carl...that looks like it might head me in the right direction.

[wayline]

I'm curious, how would this be used in a practical sense?

[rkitect]

I dunno, I just answer the questions... :)

[mbeham]

Why not create a pdf sheet with the bar code and information pertinent to the object/family and just use the url to link to that pdf. Keep the pdf in a folder for the project you are using and keep it on your system with the family to change per item?

[clarkitekt]

you might take a look at Microsoft tag as well. Something to consider, MS Tag and QR Code tags can be read with a digital camera (with your phone for example). Barcodes can be too, but there are more limitations on them.