POSTNET barcodes

[Guest]

I am looking into the feasability of writing a program (probably as an
active-x addon) for my school district that accepts zipcodes and returns the
correct POSTNET barcode. This would most likely be used when building mailing
labels in MS Access. I realize that Word produces the barcodes, but I'm still
interested in how it would be programmed.

I presume I'll need some kind of barcode font, unless there are ways to
programmatically build the postnet graphic.

And if a font is available, then I expect that most of the coding would be
based on distinguishing standard zip, zip+4 and 11-digit codes; and
performing the verification check.

BUT...

Perhaps it is better to shuck the whole thing and purchase an existing
product?
If so, any recommendations?

Thanks a bunch!
George

 

[Cor Ligthert]

George,

VBNet is not the first choose to build activeX components.

Withouth ActiveX you can just do a search in this newsgroup.
http://groups-beta.google.com/group...&q=barcode&qt_g=1&searchnow=Search+this+group

I hope this helps,

Cor

 

[Richard L Rosenheim]

Actually, the POSTNET barcode is a simple barcode to display. It consists
of evenly spaced vertical lines of two different heights. Easy enough to
draw with basic GDI+ methods. You could also just utilize a PictureBox
control and generate the appropriate bitmap image for it.

If you are serious about writing such a control, I would suggest you stop by
your local Post Office and talk to either the Postmaster, or the local "Bulk
Mailing Expert" for information on the POSTNET barcode. One of Postal
Service publications I have which documents the barcode is "Designing Letter
Mail", publication 25, August 1995 (see chapter 5). There are also other
publications from the Postal Service where the barcode is documented.

At one time, the Postal Service even had a clear plastic template that you
could use to help check the various spacing with.

Richard Rosenheim

 

[Thomas Lutz]

The easiest way to print PostNET bar codes in an Access report is to
use a bar code ActiveX control. The best one on the market is from TAL
Technologies and you can download a demo version of it from their web
site at:
http://www.taltech.com/products/activex_barcodes.html
The demo version of the control comes with a sample Access database
that contains label reports with postnet bar codes along with a report
that describes how to use the control in an Access report.

With a bar code font you would need to both calculate and append a
check digit as well as add special start and stop codes to the data
that you want encoded in the PostNET bar code. An ActiveX control will
do all of this for you as well as produce the highest quality bar code
possible. Bar Code fonts generally produce very poor quality bar
codes.