Can I get the BarcodeMill software to run on my own server
No. The software installation and configuration requires a great deal
of technical expertise. It is much more economic to buy a ready
configured Barcode Mill Server. We are currently updating
the pages of this web site with the details. If you need a server
right away please email us for the details.(link at the head of this page)
Why do I get an Image Expired message instead of a barcode image
To protect our servers from automated scripts The Barcode Mill Home page
expires after a short period. This should not effect normal use to view or experiment
with different types of barcode but if you try to reuse or refresh the page after
a period of inactivity its ability to generate a barcode may expire.
The Barcode Mill Home page uses a special private channel reserved exclusively
for its use. If you need to use Barcode Mill on a regular basis you are encouraged
to access Barcode Mill Free which operates on a different channel and does
not expire.
How much does the Barcode Mill cost to use
The public Barcode Mill service is free. If you wish to run Barcode Mill on your own
server licensing is available at a reasonable cost.
Will the Barcode Mill system work with all browsers.
Yes the system is based on in-line GIF images. All browsers we know support them- even the very earliest. We set out to design a system that works with the widest range of browsers without having to have special plug-ins or upgrades.
Will the Barcode Mill system work with all browser supported printers.
Yes - though some early model dot matrix printers may produce a low quality image that is difficult to scan- particularly if the ribbon is old. There are not many of these printers still in use.
Can I lift the barcode off a web page and paste it into other applications.
Yes. The barcode image can be saved just like any other web page image. The procedure
is browser dependant but usually done by right clicking over the image. The image should
be saved as a .GIF file. Although the barcode produced by this method will be satisfactory
for many purposes it will not be as flexible and scaleable as a barcode produced by a carefully
engineered TrueType font (see our ABC fonts web pages at http://www.abcfont.com/).
This is inherent in the GIF file structure which Barcode Mill has to use if it is to work with all
browsers. Keep in mind Barcode Mill was designed specifically for use with web documents. For other
applications we recommend using a suitable ABC font.
I understand that licensing fees sometimes have to be paid when using GIF images. Will I have to pay these fees to use the Barcode Mill system.
No.
Do I need to use Java, Javascript, Jscript, VBscript...
No. You may wish to use these or other scripts/languages to enhance your web site. Barcode Mill is compatible with them all but Barcode Mill will work just as well without them.
Is Barcode Mill compatible with Microsoft's Active Server Page (ASP) technology, PHP, Java, Javascript, DOM, Miva...
Yes. These and other tools are very important for Web Site development. Barcode Mill is fully compatible now and will keep pace with future
enhancements and techniques in the future.
Will I need to do any server side or CGI programming.
To print a simple barcode on your web page it is not necessary. However any system that provides a useful
function will probably need to be able to handle a web form and this will require some programmed functionality.
The amount of skill needed to create a working web based application is not increased by the use of the
Barcode Mill system. All the necessary technical details are covered in our Technical explanation
for web site designers and programmers.
Which barcode type should I use.
There is no simple answer - it depends on your application. Ask yourself these questions
Is there already a barcode standard being used in my industry- if yes use that barcode.
Is this a point of sale application. Use UPC (EAN JAN - or the equivalent in your country). You will probably have to register with the administrators in your country who will issue you with guidance and a unique number sequence.
Do I need to encode alpha characters in the barcode. If yes use Code 128, or Code 39.
Interleaved 2 from 5 is a compact (numeric only) code. It can result in a few scan errors if not used with a check digit or a fixed field length.
Summary
The most popular codes for general use are Code 39, Interleaved 2/5 and Code 128. To identify goods at the point of sale (Checkout) an international system is used to ensure there is no duplication of numbers worldwide. This is called UPC, EAN or JAN in the USA, Europe and Japan respectively. Choose another code only if you have a very good reason.
Details of barcode specifications can be found at...
http://www.barcodeman.com/
Which font should be installed on my computer
Barcode Mill does not need any particular font to be installed either on your server or the
client machine. The whole barcode consisting of the bars, the human readable text and the
white margin regions are all generated internally to Barcode Mill as a single .GIF image. Barcode Mill
is entirely self contained. It does not rely on any external files other than a simple Perl installation
to run it.
Do I need any Perl libraries or modules to be installed
No. The simplest Perl 5 installation will surfice for Barcode Mill. If you wish you may add
modules and libraries to enhance your Perl installation for other purposes. Barcode Mill is happy
either way.
Can I change the orientation of the barcode from horizontal to vertical.
Not at the moment. If asked often enough it will be considered as a future enhancement.
Do you provide technical support
For unregistered or non paid registered use support is provided by means of the documentation
available from this web site. You may report problems to
Barcode Mill Support though we only guarantee to reply
to paid users.
Will you work with us to help develop our application.
Maybe, but we will make a charge for it. Please email with an outline of what you wish to achieve and we will try to help.
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