HIT -> More Info on Making Your Own Barcodes

[Aaron Noll <anoll@REMC11.K12.MI.US>]

Here are the hits for the request for more information on bar codes.  =
Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge.  I am looking forward to =
finding the time to figure it all out.
Aaron Noll
F. C. Reed Middle School
Librarian (Tech Guy in a Crunch)
anoll@remc11.k12.mi.us
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You can get fonts from the internet - try a Yahoo search or =
http://www.pcfonts.com/index.html.  You can also buy at a computer =
software store.  After you download or install, check in Word font menu =
to see that it is really there.
In Access, make a patron database.  Include a field for an ID number.  =
This is the number that will convert to a barcode.  This is the tricky =
part too - we use ss numbers for ID precede by an a and followed by a b. =
 That may, probably does, vary from font to font. We have used 2 =
versions of Windows and Access and three different fonts over the last =
three years so I'm not sure about the origin of the a and b.
Save your patron database as a table.  Go to Reports, then Report =
Wizard.  Select the fields you want printed on the barcode - ID, name, =
etc.  Finish the wizard and return to the main report screen.  Choose =
Design.  You should see the fields you selected in a small design box.  =
Click on the ID area to put drag boxes around it.  When you do, the font =
window is highlighted.  Pull down the font menu and select the barcode =
font.  Select size - we use 36.  Say OK.  When you go back into your =
report and look at it, the ID field should now look like a barcode =
rather than just numbers. =20
Again, this probably varies a lot, depending on the font and the ID.  =
Hope this works for you.
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I don't know about the MS components, because I've never tried them for =
this purpose, but my quick and easy fix is to use Avery LabelPro. It's =
about $40, easy to use, can print barcodes in series order, etc. What =
library software do you use, though? It's a rare library program these =
days that will use barcodes without also printing them from any =
materials records you have.
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Aaron - You can print barcodes with Access.  You will need to buy or =
download a barcode font so that when you look at your list of fonts in =
Word, it shows up on the list.  Then you create your patron database in =
an Access table.  We have to type the ID number with a at the beginning =
and b at the end of the number. To print the table as barcodes, you have =
to set up a report to print the fields you want, name, barcode, etc.  I =
have the rest of the steps written down at school.  E-mail me there if =
you want to try this.  School address is jsmith@fayar.net.  We print the =
barcodes on a laser printer.
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I print them with use of spread sheet and Macwrite II I am a mac user so =
this infor is mac only I start by exporting a list of unused barcodes =
from Follett This text file I open in Clarisworks spread sheet. it opens =
as one column of numbers I add two column before the list in the first I =
Put the name of my library and copy it with fill down in the second =
colum I put an * this is the start and stop item for 3 of 9 barcodes =
Then fill that column down.  I also do that in the column after the =
numbers. Now I copy the column of numbers and paste it in the 5th column =
 It looks like this!!  Library Name       *     34555      *         =
34557 I save this as a text file I inport it into macwrite II I use this =
program because of it find replace ability.
Using wild cards and special charitors I remove the tabs from the
spreadsheet and a return so I have two lines with the name on top and =
the
numbers below
Library Name (return)
*34555* (Tab) 34555
I then use the find replace in Macwrite II as it will fine and item and
only change the font so I ask it to find the *Number* and change it all =
to
barcode font.  then I set it in 3 columns and adj. font and spacing =
(much
work first time) untill it will fit on laser lable stock (I use 30 to a
sheet standard adress lable stock) print on laser printer
works well
for student ID in follett you need a / between the first * and the =
number
and that number need to be in follet as their ID number.  If you want I =
can
try to send you the font but I found it at a public domain sight I am =
sure
you could do the same thing  with other programs.  I have not been able =
to
do it all in clarisworks need a good WP
good luck

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