Printing Barcodes

Readerware lets you print barcodes from a number of fields in your database, ISBN, item ID etc. Use barcodes to identify your books, to help with shelving etc.

For example you can assign your own asset number to each book in your database. Enter your asset number in the User Number database column. You can print User Number barcode labels nad apply them to all books. Then to checkout a book you can select a User Number search and scan the barcode.

You can print Dewey Decimal Number labels. Apply these to your books and you can use the Dewey Decimal Number to help shelve your books.

Selecting the items to print

Readerware will print barcodes for the current search results or selected items. Start by searching your database to list the items you want to print. For example you could do a Date Entered search to list all new items.

You can select items from the list of returned results if applicable. To select your first item, just click on it. To add another item, use the standard list selection keys for your operating system to select other items or a range of items. For example on Windows hold down the Ctrl key on your keyboard and click on the next item. On Mac OS X hold down the Command key and click on the next item. To select a range of items, hold down the Shift key and click on an item, all items between the new and previous selections are now selected.

Now select File->Print->Barcodes.

Printing Barcodes

Select and setup your printer - You can print barcodes on any ink jet or laser printer using label sheets. Readerware also supports Dymo LabelWriter label printers which take label rolls.

Select the items you want to print - You can print the current search results or selected items.

Choose your label stock from the list - Readerware supports Avery 5160/8160 label sheets on any ink jet or laser printer. If you have a Dymo LabelWriter printer select either the 30252 address labels or 1738595 barcode labels. The address labels normally work best, they are easier to find in stores and are bigger. They can hold both the barcode and additional text. The Dymo barcode labels are smaller and have room for a barcode only.

Select the database field you want to use as the source for the barcodes - ISBN, UPC, Book ID, User Number etc.

Add a line of text to your label - You can optionally and a single line of text that will be output below the barcode. For example you could add a line identifying your organization, a property of line etc.

You can also include a mini template in this field to print data from your database. For example:

[[$BEGIN_READERWARE]][[$TITLE]][[$END_READERWARE]]

will include the book title on the barcode label.

Click on the Print button to print your barcode labels.

Tips on Printing Barcodes

Readerware picks the barcode symbology based on the source column you select. You should make sure that the data is valid. If not you may have problems encoding the barcodes. For example if you have an invalid ISBN, the barcode may not print.

When printing User Number barcode labels, keep the data short to ensure it will fit on the barcode label. 6-10 letters and/or numbers will work fine, longer and you may find that the barcode overflows the label.

You can include one line of text to be printed below the barcode assuming the label is big enough. For example you could add "Property of your local library" to the label.

You can also include a mini template in this field to include data from your database. This is a very powerful feature, it uses the same keywords as the report writer. (Book keywords, Music keywords, Video keywords). Some examples:

[[$BEGIN_READERWARE]][[$TITLE]][[$END_READERWARE]]
will include the book title.

[[$BEGIN_READERWARE]][[$AUTHOR-U-L=3]][[$END_READERWARE]]
will include the first three characters of the author in uppercase.

Dymo labels can fade over time if exposed to sunlight or fluorescent light. You should consider label placement when choosing Dymo labels.

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