Barcode Magic v2.0 Help
© Copyright 2000, Ichiku Software

Contents
Getting Started

   Install Barcode Magic to your desired directory. To keep costs low, no installation program is currently included with Barcode Magic. You will need to have a zip utility to uncompress the program from it's archive. Windows 98 contains such a utility built in, or you can look for other utilities on the internet (such as WinZip, or pkZip). If you would like shortcuts in your start menu, you will need to create a shortcut by right clicking on the executable, selecting "create shortcut", and moving the shortcut to your windows/start menu/programs directory.
   When the main form of the application appears, you will see a blank child window near the center of the form. This is where your barcode will appear. By typing in text in the text edit box, your barcode will appear in this child window. You work on multiple different barcodes by selecting new from the File menu. This will create a new child window, with a new barcode. You can switch between your barcodes by simply clicking on the desired child barcode window.


Barcode Options

* Barcode Type - Select your desired barcode type from the pull down combo box's. Some barcode only allow numbers to be encoded (numeric only), others allow characters and numbers (alpha-numeric). All text entered in for the barcode is automatically filtered for invalid characters.
* Height - The height of your barcode is displayed in the height edit box. You may manually enter in your desired height in this box. You may also adjust the height of your barcode by clicking on the bottom of your barcode and dragging. (much like resizing a window). Units are initially set to Imperial Inches (USA), but you may change the units to metrics if you like. Select your desired units in the main menu under Options.
* Width - The width of your barcode is automatically determined based on the barcode type, and the text you wish to encode. Some barcodes are always the same width (UPC's, EAN13 + 8, POSTNET). Others will automatically grow larger as you type text in. You can also change the barcode width by changing the scaling factor from 1X up to 10X.
* Scale - Scaling a barcode will make the barcode multiply in size. If you plan on printing the barcode from Barcode Magic, leave this set to 1X, as better scaling tools exist in the printing section.
* Rotate - You may rotate barcodes 90, 180, and 270 degrees. Use the pull down combobox to select your desired rotation.
* Readible Line - This option displays a line of text underneath the barcode which contains the text encoded into the barcode. You may toggle this on and off by clicking on the "Show Readible" checkbox.
* Font - You can change the typeface of the implementation line by clicking on the font. Note, only the typeface can change, style & size changes are not duplicated.
* Adding Text - To encode your text as a bacode, simply type in the text edit box. Depending on the barcode style, you may only be able to enter numbers.


Barcode Formats

* UPC A (numeric only)
Regular version of UPC, encodes 12 digits of data.
The first digit is the industry code.
The next five digits are the manufacturer's code (assigned by the Uniform Code Council).
The next five digits are your product identification number (self assigned).
The last digit is a check digit (automatically generated)

* UPC E (numeric only)
Zero suppressed version, is a six digit code used for marking small packages.
The first digit is industry code (always 0)
The next six digits are based on the following :
The last character is a check digit (automatically generated)

* EAN 13/JAN (numeric only)
EAN barcodes are used to encode 13 digits of data.
The first two characters are the country of origin (49 for Japanese JAN)
The next 5 characters are the manufacturer's identification (assigned by the EAN council)
The next 5 characters are the product's id (company assigned)
The last character is a check digit (automatically generated)

* EAN 8 (numeric only)
The 8 digit version is used for marking small packages.
The first two characters are the country of origin.
The next 5 characters are all data characters.
The last character is a check digit (automatically generated)

* UPC 2,5 Digit Supplementals (numeric only)
Used to encode either 2 or 5 characters of supplemental data. (Like the EAN, UPC 5 ext. combination commonly found on books)

* Interleaved 2 of 5 (numeric only)
A high density code used that can be as long as desired. The "interleaved" part comes from the fact that the first digit is encoded in bars, and the second is encoded in spaces. Since two digits are required to produce the bar-space pattern, all Interleaved 2 of 5 codes have an even number of characters. If an odd number is desired, the first character of '0' will be added to the code.

* Code 39 (Alpha Numeric)
Code 39 can encode 26 uppercase characters, 10 numeric digits, and 7 special characters ( '-' , '.' , ' ' , '*' , '$' , '/' , '+' , '%'). It can be as long as required.

* Code 93/Code 39 extended (Alpha Numeric)
Code 93 & Code 39 extended can represent the full 128 ASCII character set. Code 39 extended uses either 1 or 2 standard Code 39 characters to represent a character. Code 93 is similar to Code 39 extended, however it includes 2 check digits, and all characters are encoded in 9 bar/space modules instead of 13, making code 93 able to produce shorter barcodes than code 39 extended. Both sets can be as long as required.

* Code 128/EAN-128 (Alpha Numeric)
Code 128 uses the full 128 ASCII character set, can encode as many characters as desired, and is designed to be ultra-high density. Code 128 is capable of displaying 2 digits with one set of bars (known as double density, or Subset C). All Ichiku SW barcodes tools will automatically use the most efficient subset of Code 128 as possible. Code 128 also includes a check digit (automatically generated). UCC/EAN-128 is a standard methodology for labeling a package with more than just the product code. UCC/EAN-128 uses standard Code 128 symbols, an always includes the special "FNC 1" character.

* Postnet 5,9,11 (Numeric)
Postnet supports 5, 9, and 11 digits of data. The data being encoded is either the destination zip code (5), destination zip code + 4 digit extension (9), destination zip code + 4 digit extension + last 2 digits of street address (11). Documentation exists on placement, bar sizes, from the United States postal service on our links page.

Printing

   Select print from the main menu, under "File", or press the print button. A dialog will appear showing all availible print options. You can print a single barcode onto a page, or use the label settings to print multiple barcode per page.

* Labels - Select multiple labels from the "Barcodes per Page" section. You can set up your label height & width, top & left margins, and gutter sizes (gutters are the unprintable borders surrounding a label). Press the "Setup" button to alter these settings. You can also import/export settings for future use. Barcode Magic always saves your last changes automatically, and restores them when you restart the application. Pay particular attention to the non-printable area displayed in the settings. This non-printable area is based upon your printer's limitations. Make sure, when purchasing label stock, that you look for labels with margins equal to or greater than your non-printable region. This will ensure that you can use every label on a page, otherwise, some barcodes might not show up completely along the borders.
* Sequences - Instead of using the text you typed in for the barcode, you can use a generated number called a sequence. Simply select sequence in the Barcode Text section. Then each barcode printed will have a incrementally higher number. Set the minimum value, maximum value, and current value in the sequence "Settings" button. You can also specify a minimum size for your sequece. If your number's length is less than the minimum size, it will be left padded with zeros. (ie. a sequence value of 25 with a minimum size of 4 will appear as '0025')


Frequently Asked Questions

Q) Part of my label does not print on the label's edge
A) This is because your printer has an unprintable margin surrounding the page. Most printers are unable to print up to the very edges of the page. This is not a limitation of Barcode Magic, but a limitation of your printer. If the label sheet your attempting to print to has margins smaller than your printer limitation, your likely to see some of your label cut off. Most label manufacturers are diligent about trying to create labels that will print within most printer's limitations. If you run into a case where your labels are getting cut off, the only solutions are to try and use only the center portion of your label, selecting a different label stock with more acceptable margins, or switching to a printer with little or no page margin limitations.

Q) How do I get a UPC code for my product.
A) Visit the Uniform Code Coucil's (UCC) web page at
www.uc-council.org

Q) How do I get a EAN code for my product.
A) Visit the European EAN Code Council's web page at www.ean.be

Q) Why shareware?
A) Through the shareware concept, we can maximize distribution, yet keep our cost low. Ichiku Software is committed to providing easy to use, and low cost business solutions. We can't succeed without your company succeeding. We feel we offer the best value for your money, and we're confident that you will feel the same after trying our software. Shareware allows you to try before you buy. That way you can make sure this product works for you, before you invest any money. Please support the shareware concept by registering your copy.

Updated Help

   Any update's to this help file will be located at www.ichiku.com


Label Formats

   In order to get this product out in a timely fashion, we were unable to include any premade label format files with this release. We will try to most popular label formats available soon at our web site www.ichiku.com. You can help us update our list by emailing us any formats you've created and saved for any of the major brand label manufacturers. Please include the brand, identification number, and small explanation of what type of label. Email them directly to johnd@ichiku.com


Technical Support

   Limited e-mail technical support is available at johnd@ichiku.com. Currently, all e-mails are responded to with 1 working day. We will add additional support as the need grows. Ichiku Software is committed to your companies success. And we will try to find a solution for any problems you might encounter.


Registration Information

   Unlicensed copies of Barcode Magic will automatically disable several key features after 15 days. You may register your copy by visiting www.ichiku.com and following the registration link. Registration fee is $30 US. By registering, you will receive a key to unlock your copy of Label Maker Pro for unlimited use. You will also be eligible for all future upgrades for absolutely free.

Questions/Comments
send mail to
johnd@ichiku.com
www.ichiku.com