[Barcode] PCL OUTPUT (fwd)

[Andrea Scopece]

Hi Dani,
thanks for your reply.

What I' need ?
I have some my application (accounting/production-control),
written in C, where I would like add some barcode printing features.
My software normally is printer independent, but with some exception.
Where I have nedeed graphical output I have always used PCL formats.

Also, for specific reasons in some case I cannot use spool system,
but my applications deal directly with output device (/dev/....).
(so I can real-time lock access to the printer and avoid undesidered
other's printings jobs).

Also in win32 application, gs conversion may be a problem, I believe.

So, what I really need is a functions like Barcode_Encode_and_Print(),
with a BARCODE_OUTPUT_PCL flags OR'ed in.

I' m really not interested at all to barcode (command line) frontend,
but only to do 'a clean work' I thinked about a PCL output also for this
one.

> > So, idea is that programmers should use COORDS related
> > to required output.

I think this a 'normal way' to do some output format.
You write PS/EPS pages, OK you deal with PS/EPS coords. :-)
I write PCL pages, and I like to deal with PCL coords. :-)
You don't want PCL output, you should not use BARCODE_OUTPUT_PCL flags.
That's all, for library PCL extension at least.

> > For the 'frontend' (command line 'barcode'), a new option (-L ?)
> > may give PCL output as far as deal with PCL coordinates system,
> > and another options (-C ?) used in conjunctions  with PCL output
> > that may deal with PS/EPS coordinates.
> > So 'files' of barcode definitions may easily switched
> > from one output to another.
>
>    More than the frontend, I find the library (specially function
> Barcode_Encode() ) the kernel of the story. The frontend is OK, but think
> about this: Other people (i.e me) will need to draw lines, logos, text
> etc.. other people would need ESC/P2 output, etc..

As far as I know, there are these real way to print barcode:
1-Thermal transfer barcode printers (input ascii, some propriteray
language - output barcodes)
    this is especially true for high quality stickers.
2-Laser (either PCL or POSTSCRIPT, and now some stupid GDI printer)
    medium quality output, custom applications, ...
3-Ink-jet printing (either PCL or POSTSCRIPT, or ESC/P2 and some like Stylus
wich I don't know)
    paper dependent quality output, custom applications,...
4-Offset printing
   very large jobs to print.

So, in my point of view, also ESC/P2, GDI, or ""Stylus"" (sorry I don't
know) output
may be a feature for barcode library.

>    If you need to start dealing with coordinates, point sizes, different
> PCL formats etc.. you'll get crazy.

Hmmm... PS and EPS are available only in one version ?
If you write some PS/EPS code you don't deal with cooords ?
Point sizes instead, in PCL are equal to PS point sizes
(PCL works with some different unit o measures, Points (1/72"),
DeciPoints(1/720"),
PCL Dots (avoided) beacuse are printer resolution related,
and also User Defined Unit of measure.


>   One of these days.. I want to write a Qt application to generate Labels
> (stickers) easily, along with lines/text/etc.. using
> Barcode_Encode() (It's in my TODO tasks :))

Good luck. we are waiting ... ;-)

Best Regards

Andrea Scopece