Using FileMaker Pro to generate Code 39 barcodes without the need for fonts or plug-ins.  

By Doug West, Product/Project manager for Excelisys.

   

 

This FileMaker Pro file demonstrates the use of conditional formatting with a repeating field to draw the bars of a Code 39 (Code 3 of 9) barcode. This FileMaker Pro code 39 barcode generator uses a series of 16 “slots” per character which appear as wide or narrow bars. The intermediatebarcodeBitFlags field simply tells each repetition of the repeating field whether or not to use a background fill color, creating the bars.

For the repeating field to display properly, the width must be set to 1 pt for each repetition that’s displayed. You will need 32 repetitions for the start and end characters (16 for each), in addition to 16 repetitions for each of the characters in the input field. An auto-enter calculation is used on the input field to remove invalid characters.

The good news about having this in native FileMaker objects is that you can adjust as needed for your specific usage. For example, if you want thicker bars, you can just increase the width of the repeating field. If you’re showing 200 repetitions, give it a try with a field width of 300, or 400. This will make the bars 50%, or 100% thicker than the original size.

The leading and trailing asterisk characters are required with Code 39 barcodes to indicate the direction of the barcode to the reader. These characters are not required with the “other” barcode plugin because that product supports only the Code 128 symbology instead of the Code 39 output. This alternate format could be implemented using the same bar/space methodology demonstrated in this file by changing the barcodeBitFlags calculation field to match the pattern in the bar/space column detailed online at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_128

Enjoy and let us know what ya think! Also please feel free to share, we just hope you give Excelisys a shout-out.

Download Demo File Here

I really liked this article but wanted to add my  own twist. I wanted to create barcodes without repeating fields and without a barcode font,  So I wanted to use the webviewer and only html.

Please see the attached file  I only have 0 and 1 programmed so far but wanted to get some feedback  and possible assistance before continuing. The file seems to work ok but I am worried about running into a problem similar to the one I list below

I ran into an issue I could not get past. I am sure it is something stupid (brain meltdown) .

I originally wanted to use this substitute (shown below) but it does not works as it should..  as an example if I enter an "A" as the text I get 42 characters instead of the 9 I am expecting. if I enter a 0 I get about 60 , if I enter a Z I get the 9 I am expecting, ie... the higher up on the list the more characters i seem to get..  this could be a glitch I suppose  but I have never ran into it before.

Substitute (Upper(text);
["0";"bwbWBwBwb"];
["1";"BwbWbwbwB"];
["2";"bwBWbwbwB"];
["3";"BwBWbwbwb"];
["4";"bwbWBwbwB"];
["5";"BwbWBwbwb"];
["6";"bwBWBwbwb"];
["7";"bwbWbwBwB"];
["8";"BwbWbwBwb"];
["9";"bwBWbwBwb"];
["A";"BwbwbWbwB"];
["B";"bwBwbWbwB"];
["C";"BwBwbWbwb"];
["D";"bwbwBWbwB"];
["E";"BwbwBWbwb"];
["F";"bwBwBWbwb"];
["G";"bwbwbWBwB"];
["H";"BwbwbWBwb"];
["I";"bwBwbWBwb"];
["J";"bwbwBWBwb"];
["K";"BwbwbwbWB"];
["L";"bwBwbwbWB"];
["M";"BwBwbwbWb"];
["N";"bwbwBwbWB"];
["O";"BwbwBwbWb"];
["P";"bwBwBwbWb"];
["Q";"bwbwbwBWB"];
["R";"BwbwbwBWb"];
["S";"bwBwbwBWb"];
["T";"bwbwBwBWb"];
["U";"BWbwbwbwB"];
["V";"bWBwbwbwB"];
["W";"BWBwbwbwb"];
["X";"bWbwBwbwB"];
["Y";"BWbwBwbwb"];
["Z";"bWBwBwbwb"];
["-";"bWbwbwBwB"];
[".";"BWbwbwBwb"];
[" ";"bWBwbwBwb"];
["$";"bWbWbWbwb"];
["/";"bWbWbwbWb"];
["+";"bWbwbWbWb"];
["%";"bwbWbWbWb"];
["*";"bWbwBwBwb"]
)

code39 test.zip

Well, the thing is that =

Substitute ( "A" ; 
[ "A" ; "B" ] ; 
[ "B" ; "cc" ]
)

returns "cc".

 

You need to use some placeholders for "B" and "W" and substitute them out only after all text has been converted (or not at all)..

Wouldn't a code 39 add-in for Excel work more easily than this FileMaker Pro you shared? I was using add-in to do so and it worked very well and conveniently for me.

But I downloaded the free demo of FileMaker and now trying it. I have some little questions of its adjustment settings. Like resolution to get high-quality image output for almost all printers?

Wouldn't a code 39 add-in for Excel work more easily than this FileMaker Pro you shared? I was using add-in to do so and it worked very well and conveniently for me.

But I downloaded the free demo of FileMaker and now trying it. I have some little questions of its adjustment settings. Like resolution to get high-quality image output for almost all printers?

 

Stepping up from Excel to FileMaker can provide many benefits in managing your data. Without a FileMaker database handling your workflow, this barcode sample file is not likely to be the best solution for you.

Resolution is not relevant in this case because the file simply prints straight lines of varying widths. All printers should provide high-quality output without changing any settings in this file.

Stepping up from Excel to FileMaker can provide many benefits in managing your data. Without a FileMaker database handling your workflow, this barcode sample file is not likely to be the best solution for you.

Resolution is not relevant in this case because the file simply prints straight lines of varying widths. All printers should provide high-quality output without changing any settings in this file.

Thanks for ur reply. It's helpful.

Is there a limitation on the length of the barcode? For example, can a UUID be used for the barcode? I'm having trouble with UUIDs.

Is the problem that you can't generate a barcode with a UUID, or that you can't scan the barcode that's generated?

 

I can't speak for the sample file at the top of this thread, but there isn't any inherent length limitation to Code 39 symbols. Here's one rendered by Barcode Creator. (Disclosure: I wrote Barcode Creator.)

 

UUIDs are longer than what's usually encoded in a Code 39 symbol. Some scanners may not be able to handle it. A more compact symbology like Code 128, or maybe even a 2D symbology like QR Code, might be better suited for UUIDs.