EasyBarcode
by JanSTP
Easy !
Scanning barcodes in FileMaker is very easy. We can use a barcode scanner as keybord input or in FM Go we can even use the iPhone’s camera to scan barcodes and put the result directly in one of our fields. But generating the barcodes was not that easy… till now!
Meet the EasyBarcode custom function. Yes, its just a custom function! In fact, the only two things you need is the custom function and a webviewer!
Update: 2016.03.21: EasyBarcode v2: Possibility to save the barcode as PNG in container!
Update: 2016.09.09: EasyBarcode v2.1: saving as PNG also works on Windows now!
Update: 2017.06.27: EasyBarcode v2.2: works in FM16 now. ( new ‘extended privilege set’: fmurlscript )
Update: 2017.12.15: EasyBarcode v2.3: rotate barcode 90° and EAN13 barcode also takes 12 digit values.
Check the filemaker file: EasyBarcode_20171215a.fmp12 for the latest version of the custom function.
This is what you do:
1. Place a webviewer on your layout.
2. Put the EasyBarcode custom function in the webviewer.
3. Pass a value to the EasyBarcode custom function. ( You probably want to feed it a field value )
4. READY!
Easy but Powerful
When passing only a value to the EasyBarcode custom function, it generates a CODE128 barcode with following default specs: width = 1 px, height = 40 px, quite zone = 0 px, value displayed, white backgroundcolor and black barcode bars.
How it works?
Advantages
New in version 2: save barcode as PNG in container!
How? You can now specify a new parameter: script, in the custom function.
This script will be triggered in your file when the barcode is generated. The barcode is passed as a base64 string. The string is then decoded and saved as a picture in a container field with the result below: the barcode in a container!
Two things:
– Is there any way to make webviewer background transparent (or at least custom color) only barcode background works fine.
– Any possibility to make it work in webdirect?
thanx
Hi BT,
Thx for your comment.
I’ve updated the code and the background of the webviewer follows the background of the barcode now.
The EasyBarcode function is indeed not working in WebDirect.
For the moment I don’t have a solution for that.
Grts,
Jan
This is absolutely brilliant! Thank you for allowing use of this barcode generator and taking the time to share.
I have downloaded the file.. cant seem to get it to work because it is not generating the barcodes… or maybe it is but they aint visible.. Am I missing something here?
Hi,
Normally it should work… What FM version are you using? What platform?
When you downloaded the sample file, did you had a barcode then?
Grts,
Jan
I use filemaker advance 13, on windows 7. When I downloaded the file, I just tested it with the default values it came with. It wasnt displaying. I tried to change the value to something simple like 123456, still wasnt working.
Hi,
It works fine on my Windows 7 machine…
It is just a bunch of JavaScript in the webviewer. So I suppose there is a setting in your default browser ( used by FM ) that does not let the javascript render the image.
Maybe try it once on another machine?
Sorry, but I don’t have a direct solution for you…
Grts,
Jan
I have tried it on a friend’s pc (running w7 professional), same result. I will keep trying anyways to find solution. Thanks a bunch for your work..
ok thanks.. Is there a way I can skip the browser stuff? like do a print out to ascertain that it is actually working. Just incase it is my browser settings that is causing it not to display?
Big up and massive respect to Jan for uploading this, and Johan Lindell for giving the javascript to the open source community… As you say, so so easy and so fast too. Very cool. Works fine in F12 too, though it’s an F13 file. Many many thx, Tom
Doesn’t seem to work in Windows… is there any way to make it work?
Hi,
Works fine on my VirtualMachines ( Windows 7 and Windows Server 2012 R2 ) on my Mac.
FileMaker uses your browser to display the barcode in a webviewer. Maybe you have restrictions there that block the JavaScript?
Or something else…?
Grts,
Jan
Hello,
I think this tool is amazing. The only issue I have is that the barcode comes out blurry when I print. Any idea on how to increase the resolution?
Thank you,
Majid
Hi Majid,
Maybe try ‘printing’ to pdf.
Is it oké there? Then print that document to the printer
Also check your driver of your printer.
We had same issues with other barcode plugins in the past an the printer driver was the problem then… so maybe that is also the issue here?
Grts,
Jan
Hello,
This is a great use of the web viewer, thank-you!
Our application requires 2D barcodes. What would be needed to generate them?
Thanks,
Steve
Hi Steve,
Check out:
https://github.com/metafloor/bwip-js
There you can find the source javascript code to create nearly all types of barcodes. You could take the code. Put it in a global field and just replace the value by your value and then display it in a webviewer.
I was not able to make a custom function for that because I’m limited to 30.000 chars in the calculation screen…
Grts,
JanSTP
Hi,
This is an excellent function.
How I can download this module to implement in my FM14 database ?
Thank you
DLA
Hi DLA,
You can click on the filename in the first paragraph of this module to download the demofile…
The custom function is in it. Just copy past it to your solution.
( you will need FileMaker Pro ADVANCED to edit/add custom functions )
Grts,
Jan
Thank you Jan,
I found exactly where’s my problem was… Actually I don’t have the “Advanced” version. So I’ll probably upgrade to it for maximum functionality ! 🙂
Tnx
DLA
I don’t know who you wrote this for but you helped a brehtor out.
You’re welcome.
Great function, I had to modifiy it for our needs slightly as we were trying to print barcodes on a Label printer but it would not go lower than a width of 1. just removed your round check and sorted, thanks!
Hallo!
Can i change the width with 0.5 ? The Barcode is too large
Thanks
I didn’t checked this if the barcode still works.
You can try. Maybe you will need to change a little bit in the function itself because I think I round the number.
If you need help, let me know.
Is there a way to put the barcode in a container as an image?
Not directly. I think there is a way to get the result of your webviewer and transform it to a base64 image, but I do not know how. ( I’m not an expert on that matter ) If you find it, let me know!
Hi,
Check out the new version of EasyBarcode!
I implemented a way to store the barcode as a PNG in a container file!
Grts,
Jan
I’m curious if the barcode field can be rotated?
When I attempt to do so, the Rotate option is greyed out.
Nice software, BTW.
Hi,
No, it is not possible to rotate the barcode.
But you could rotate your page in the Print Setup dialog.
Kind regards,
JanSTP
Hi
Very nice app.
I get this error when I edit or print the layout.
Loading “data:text/html,
and never ends
And has an skip button, if I do it continue.
Im using FM14 Pro Adv
What can be?
Hi John,
I didn’t get this error. Can you send me a screenshot? ( jan.stieperaere[at]clickworks.eu )
Or more details? I can’t reproduce it.
Grts,
Jan
Hi, I’m having a devil of a time trying to figure out how to insert this into my database. Is there a more detailed step by step instructions?
Thanks so much
Brittany Tremor
Hi Brittany,
Do you have FileMaker Pro ADVANCED?
You will need to have the ‘advanced’ version in order to copy the Custom Function.
Grts,
JanSTP
I am having the same problem of FM (14 Pro) showing Loading: “data:text/html, when entering preview mode. The only thing I can do to get it to enter preview mode is to click the Skip button that’s on the dialog. Did anyone figure this one out? Thanks!!
P.S. Thanks for such a wonderful function!
Hey I made some headway on my issue. If I remove the final parameter (the script name) I no longer get the “loading” message.
Hi Jan.
Do you have a version of this that works in FileMaker 12? This looks like the perfect solution for us but we can’t upgrade to v13 at the moment.
Normaly it should also work in FM12…
Hi Jan..
Great tool, easy to implement, but…
As seen before in these comments: tool works like a charm on a mac, but fails consistently on Windows machines. I’ve spend several hours, in the Internet options of Internet Explorer, following guidelines to activate Javascript, but no luck. Does anybody reported a solution for this problem?
Should work out of the box, just like (almost anything) on my mac.
Hi,
I’ve found a fix for the problem on Windows.
Please download the latest demo file and try again.
Grts,
Jan
Hi, this is amazing! Nice Work. Has anyone been able to print barcodes on a Zebra printer? We would like to make weather proof bar code labels on equipment.
Thanks
Marty
Hi Marty,
This should work on a Zebra printer.
Be sure to check the print settings in the driver of the Zebra printer.
There are different options for printing images. Choose the one that gives the best result for you.
Regards,
Jan
Great Tool! Can it be rotated so it can be printed via Dymo LabelWriter 450?
Hi Scott,
No, for the moment it is not possible to rotate the barcode.
But can’t you rotate the layout through print setup. Change the layout from portrait to landscape?
But then you would need to change the rotation of the text (if any) on your label.
Grts,
Jan
This seems like a great simple alternative: http://www.barcodes4.me/apidocumentation
I just tested it with a simple insert from URL script step, worked brilliantly. Limitations are that it requires and internet connection and only supports the following formats:
Code 39
Code 128a
Code 128b
Code 128c
4 of 5 Interleaved
Also, QR codes!
Did a cleaner solution that generates a BMP file with a custom function, without webview or js code.
http://www.mc128k.info/2015/12/codici-a-barre-su-filemaker-con-una-funzione/
Nice Job if you only need EAN13!
Very lightweight!
Thx for sharing.
Grts,
Jan
Is it possible to integrate the barcode into a Text Field?
My database needs a custom label function. The labels must include other text items and field values.
Basically, on the left is a list of Labels. On the right is a mockup of the label sheet ( 3 x 10 ).
The idea is to drag a label from the list on the left to any location on the mockup to the right. This will provide the ability to print any label in any position on the sheet. It needs to be a single Text field in order to drag its entire contents.
Does that make sense? Or if you have another solution for this concept, I would appreciate it.
I can send you a PDF example.
Thank You.
Where in the custom function do you add the table and field (Shipments::POnumber) to pickup the text to convert to a barcode.
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
You do not need to change anything in the custom function itself.
Just change the first parameter input of the custom function to your field.
Enter layout mode, double click on the webviewer, there you can change the params you give the custom function…
( see screenshot )
Hi Jan,
thanks for this great tool!
Iam using FileMaker 16 Pro Advanced on Mac. Alway when I change the “value” field it opens FileMaker 15 Pro.app.
So if I want to print a layout that contains the web viewer, the script hangs. I have the same problem in your
sample file.
Do you have any idea?
Thanks in advance
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for your post.
This has to do with the fact that the FMP protocol is used to trigger FileMaker back from the webviewer with the barcode png data.
He does this in the version that was first openend… so if you close entirely your FileMaker 15, it won’t happen. Normally in a user environment, a user has only one version of FileMaker open.
But if you do not want this to happen, you can empty the last parameter given to the function. This is the script that has to be called when the barcode is generated. If you leave this empty, FileMaker would not be triggered back, but of-coarse, then you will also not have the png of the barcode and only the one in the webviewer.
Kind regards,
Jan Stieperaere
ClickWorks
Brilliant function – thanks
I have a layout that contains two web viewers – only the first one ever prints. cant get the second barcode to print.
Any ideas gratefully received
Hi,
This is a known issue in FM16, due to the update to Apple’s WebKit 2.0
I’m afraid I can not do anything about it at the moment…
https://community.filemaker.com/thread/173737
Kind regards,
Jan
This custom function has nicely done what I need, but I’ve hit a weird glitch in how the image is scaled in its web viewer in FileMaker 16 on a windows 7 system. In some cases, the image displays scaled much larger than in other cases even though the parameter values input have not been changed.
I’ve made a parallel report with screen shots here: https://community.filemaker.com/message/744196
Not sure if this is a web viewer issue or a java script issue.
Do you have any idea?
Hi Phil,
I never seen this issue and the problem is, I only have a Mac to test with… so I can’t reproduce this phenomena.
I hope someone else will have a answer for you in the FileMaker Community.
Kind regards,
Jan
I used the older version and wanted to add the png function. We want to print really small barcodes (Jewellry) and I thought the png might work better than a web viewer. When I plugged in the new version, I kept getting “No access” errors that I couldn’t get rid of. It seems to be related to the display in the container. The error comes up whenever it redraws. I am logged in with Full Access. Any idea as to what could cause this? FileMaker Advanced 16.0.5 on OS X 10.13.14 (High Sierra).
Thanks in advance.
Harold
Hi Harold,
There is a new extended privilege set in FMP16 to allow an external program to run scripts in your file. I think this is the problem you have here. Go to Manage > Security and add the extended privile to your account.
Regards,
Jan
Any ideas how to get this print smaller labels from within filemaker? Just a little wide for my existing labels!
Thx!
Hi Andrew,
The easiest way is by making your label double as big as it is now.
Except for the barcode.
Then printing at 50%
Regards,
Jan
Per my previous comment, need to have printed vertically as well!
Hi Andrew again,
In the latest version of EasyBarcode you have the option to rotate the barcode.
Download the latest example file.
Regards,
Jan
Hi Jan
We would need a 2D datamatrix code with the following string:
/-/#46#29032018124811#190068
Is this possible with your tool?
Hi Simon,
No, this is not possible for now.
I only have 1D barcode formats in it for now.
The thing is that the barcode is generated by a bunch of javascript code.
Because it is in 1 custom function, I’m limited to 30.000chars.
When I created this tool, there was no library available for QR codes below 30.000chars.
I think there is now, but I didn’t had the time to look at it and implement it.
Kind regards,
Jan
Thx for the response Jan. Only on windows machine so printing at 50% is not an option. Wish there was something that could be modified in the code to print smaller labels.
Excellent solution though, even if it isn’t application to my situation!
Dear Jan,
First of all, thanks for the EasyBarcode Tool.
When I am printing Labels there is always a window with the following message:
Laden: “data:text/html,
and I need to hit ESC to start the print.
Laden = German for Loading / Load
The rest of the message corresponds to the header of the EasyBarcode Function …
I am using Web Viewer in the Label Layout and not the BacodeContainer field.
This because the print quality in (fast) text mode is better on a Dymo LabelWriter …
Filemaker 13
EasyBarcode 20171215
Any adwise ?
Thanks
Al
Hi Al,
I suppose you are working on Windows?
I don’t have a quick solution I’m afraid.
In browse mode, you don’t have any problems and the barcode is generated?
Kind regards,
Jan
Thanks, this is great!!