It really depends on your needs. Certainly, a soft font will provide the best economy and flexibility as to different barcode symbologies. Or you could buy a LaserJet from a company like TROY that makes modified LJs specifically for barcodes. Now if you are talking about several hundred printers across the enterprise, then the cash outlay for the hardware is a major consideration.
Speaking in the PCL context, PCL5 now, I know of no extensions to the language that will do anything for you. This brings us to the barcode symbology. Most require a checksum embedded in the barcode itself to catch a bad scan or what have you, so the application that generates the code comes into play. Typical barcode label printers, e.g. Zebra, Datamax, Sato etc., will calculate checksums internally and assemble the appropriate print string including start/stop codes and necessary checksums.
Can I assume that as this is a PCL forum you are going to generate the output yourself.
The other thing is the nature of your print job. Consider that a print run could have a different barcode data in each instance, OR maybe the barcode data doesen't change where it is a fixed barcode in a manual or a business reply envelope or somesuch. In the latter case. you could simply use the PCL rectangle command to draw the barcode manually.
If you tell us more about your we can probably give you specific advice.
It really depends on your needs. Certainly, a soft font will provide the best economy and flexibility as to different barcode symbologies. Or you could buy a LaserJet from a company like TROY that makes modified LJs specifically for barcodes. Now if you are talking about several hundred printers across the enterprise, then the cash outlay for the hardware is a major consideration.
Speaking in the PCL context, PCL5 now, I know of no extensions to the language that will do anything for you. This brings us to the barcode symbology. Most require a checksum embedded in the barcode itself to catch a bad scan or what have you, so the application that generates the code comes into play. Typical barcode label printers, e.g. Zebra, Datamax, Sato etc., will calculate checksums internally and assemble the appropriate print string including start/stop codes and necessary checksums.
Can I assume that as this is a PCL forum you are going to generate the output yourself.
The other thing is the nature of your print job. Consider that a print run could have a different barcode data in each instance, OR maybe the barcode data doesen't change where it is a fixed barcode in a manual or a business reply envelope or somesuch. In the latter case. you could simply use the PCL rectangle command to draw the barcode manually.
If you tell us more about your we can probably give you specific advice.
Jim Asman
