[Code 39/Code 128]: How to enter control characters?/Tab with libre extended

[paulowuk]

Hi,
Does your libre extended font code TAB functionality? If so how do I write this in text so that is encoded by the font correctly?
Thanks,

[graphicore]

I don't know what "TAB functionality" is.

Note: the Code 39 extended versions are merely a interpretation of regular Code 39 character combinations. See the table on Wikipedia. It's likely you can't enter the control characters in a printable way using that font, so maybe using the plain Code 39 fonts and doing the "extended encoding" by hand would work better in these cases!

[paulowuk]

Yeh sorry I was referring to horizontal tab (9 | HT | $I in the article) control character which I guess can't be easily done as you can't 'write' control characters in text. Thanks anyway.

[graphicore]

You can literally enter $Ifor the same resulting barcode. Your scanner needs to interpret it as extended Code 39 in any case. Or you maybe use code 139 which can do tabs natively, but the input is a problem as well.

Since entering these control characters is a problem, I'll make this issue into a feature request.

[paulowuk]

Yeh I tried that $I but it didn’t work…even after activating the scanner for extended code 39/ASCII (it picked up the other text, capitals, small case etc correctly). Many thanks.

…

-- Paul Wainman Brindle Cottage Lime Street Eldersfield GL19 4NX 07790 875459 From: Lasse Fister <[email protected]> Sent: 19 January 2021 17:50 To: graphicore/librebarcode <[email protected]> Cc: paulowuk <[email protected]>; Author <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [graphicore/librebarcode] Tab with libre extended (#37) You can literally enter $Ifor the same resulting barcode. Your scanner needs to interpret it as extended Code 39 in any case. Or you maybe use code 139 which can do tabs natively, but the input is a problem as well. Since entering these control characters is a problem, I'll make this issue into a feature request. — You are receiving this because you authored the thread. Reply to this email directly, <#37 (comment)> view it on GitHub, or <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ASQTX7THWUSI3RAWZGTBBC3S2XA4JANCNFSM4WIXEA4Q> unsubscribe.

[pflugs30]

You can literally enter $Ifor the same resulting barcode. Your scanner needs to interpret it as extended Code 39 in any case. Or you maybe use code 139 which can do tabs natively, but the input is a problem as well.

Since entering these control characters is a problem, I'll make this issue into a feature request.

I'd just like to share my experience for the next person. I tested in MS Word by entering these literal characters, trying to make a barcode of the ENTER key for a test print. I found I needed to include the encoding asterisks before and after the encoding literal. I also had to use the Libre Barcode 39 font (NOT the extended font), and my barcode scanner configured with Code 39 ALL ASCII-on. Once these requirements were met, the barcode scanned as expected. :-)