
To date, we've written a number of applications that needed the ability to
generate barcode images. An early Learning Management System for Trainersoft
used barcoded employee IDs to grant access to the training room. Our VidRent
Video Rental System uses barcodes for inventory scan-in and scan-out. A Fitness
Management System that we recently wrote for a local county near us needed
the ability to print barcodes on photo ID cards and key cards. Needless to say,
the ability to generate barcodes is need in the software products we've created.
One approach to create barcodes is to use one of the barcode fonts in the public domain. These work great if your application will be running from a computer that has the barcode font installed on it. Not so great though, if you don't have it loaded everywhere.
Another approach is to use ActiveX controls. Here, you embed html object tags within your web page. Given the rampant spread of virus and worm attacks, most computers within companies are locked down and don't accept or run ActiveX controls.
This leaves only a couple of other options. If your barcodes are few in number, you can scan them and display them as images. If this isn't the case, a server based barcode generator is the way to go. That's the way we decided to go.
Unfortunately, server based barcode generators can be rather expensive. We've seen them go for around $1000. By writing our own, we are able to include them with our products without having to pay any additional fees.
You can also purchase the commercial version of our Code 39 Barcode Generator at: Spectrum Barcode Label Software.