Creating and Editing Barcode Profiles

You can create barcode profiles to print barcodes with dynamic content. A barcode is a pattern of elements, such as bars, spaces, and small blocks, that represent letters and numbers in a machine-readable form.

You can apply the barcodes to pages or sheets. Sheet barcodes can contain job information, such as job and sheet comments, the job name, the sheet number, the sheet side, the colors used for the sheet, and up to 3 serial numbers. Page barcodes can contain page information, such as the page number, the file name, and up to 3 serial numbers. Both types of barcodes can also contain custom text or numbers. You can add multiple barcodes to a sheet or page.

    Note:

  • The values for the barcodes are extracted from the current job data and the barcodes are then generated according to the settings in the barcode profile.

  • Not all variables and fields work with all documents.

  • Custom fields and data sources are not currently supported for general use.

To create or edit a barcode profile:

  1. On the Advanced Imposition screen, click Configuration button, the Configuration button, and select Barcode Editor.
  2. On the Bar Code Settings screen, either create a new profile or edit an existing profile:
    • To create a new profile, click Folder icon, the folder icon. Enter a name for the profile in the New Profile dialog box.
    • To edit an existing profile, select the profile from the Name list.
    Barcode Settings screen
  3. Select a barcode format from the Type list.
    The supported barcode formats are Code 39, Code 128A, Code 128B, Code 128C, Interleaved 2 of 5, and Data Matrix.
  4. Select the check box next to the fields that you want to include in the barcode and configure each field:
    Barcode fields
    1. Under Data Type, specify if the field contains text or a number.
    2. Under Data Source, specify the information that you want to include in the field.
      These options are available:

      • Custom (text or number): Encodes custom text or numbers.

        Enter the text or number in the Custom field.

        In this example, the first field in the barcode is the text SAMPLE. Data Type is set to Text and the value for # of Characters is 6, the number of characters in the specified line of text.Example — Field configuration

        You can use this option for page and sheet barcodes.

      • Sheet Number (number only): Encodes the current sheet number.

        You can combine custom text and variables in the barcode. For example, if the first field contains the custom text SHEET and the second field contains the sheet number, the resulting values are SHEET001, SHEET002, and so on.Example — Field configuration

        You can only use this variable for sheet barcodes.

      • Job Comment (text only): The text specified in the Description field on the Job Properties Editor panel. It can include numbers even if Data Type is set to Text.

        You can only use this variable for sheet barcodes.

      • Job Name (text only): Encodes the job name.

        You can only use this variable for sheet barcodes.

      • Booklet Number (number only): Encodes the booklet number.

        You can use this variable for jobs that are imposed based on a signature profile.

      • Booklet Number of Sigs (number only): Encodes the total number of signatures in the booklet.

        You can use this variable for jobs that are imposed based on a signature profile.

      • Booklet Sheet Number (number only): Encodes the number of the current sheet in the booklet.

        You can use this variable for jobs that are imposed based on a signature profile.

      • Booklet Signature Number (number only): Encodes the position of the current signature in the booklet.

        You can use this variable for jobs that are imposed based on a signature profile.

      • Color (text only): Encodes the list of colors used in the source files. You can only use this variable for sheet barcodes.

      • Total Copies (number only): Encodes the number of copies.

      • Current Copy Number (number only): Encodes the current copy number.

      • Doc Name (text only): Encodes the name of the current document.

      • XML DocFile Number of Pages (number only): Encodes the total number of pages in the imposed document.

      • XML DocFile Page Number (number only): Encodes the current page number in the imposed document. You can only use this variable for page barcodes.

      • XML DocFile Count (number only): Encodes the number of the DocFile node in the XML job.

      • Document List Count (number only): Encodes the position of the current document in the list of documents. You can use this variable for page and sheet barcodes.

      • Document Number (number only): Encodes the total number of documents included in the job. You can only use this variable for page barcodes.

      • Folio Number (number only): Encodes the folio number for the current page. You can only use this variable for page barcodes.

      • Frame Number (number only): Encodes the number of the current frame. A frame is one side of a sheet.

      • Imposition Number (number only): Encodes the corresponding page number from the layout used for the job. You can only use this variable for page barcodes.

      • Number of Pages in Document (number only): Encodes the total number of pages in the current document. You can only use this variable for page barcodes.

      • Offset (number only): Encodes the offset value.

      • Paper Width (pt) (number only): Encodes the paper width measured in points.

      • Paper Height (pt) (number only): Encodes the paper height measured in points.

      • Section Number (number only): Encodes the number of the current section. You can only use this variable for page barcodes.

      • Sheets per Booklet Number (number only): Encodes the number of sheets in the current booklet.

        You can use this variable for jobs that are imposed based on a signature profile.

      • Side (text only): Encodes the current printing side. You can only use this variable for sheet barcodes.

      • Sig Comment (text only): Encodes the signature comments. It can include numbers even if Data Type is set to Text.

        You can only use this variable for sheet barcodes.

      • Total Booklet Number (number only): Encodes the total number of booklets.

        You can use this variable for jobs that are imposed based on a signature profile.

      • Total Number of Pages (number only): Encodes the total number of pages printed for the job.

      • Total Number of Sheets (number only): Encodes the total number of sheets used for the job.

      • Total Sections (number only): Encodes the total number of sections.

      • Trim Head (pt) (number only): Encodes the size of the head trim measured in points. The head trim is the area that is removed from the top of the printed document during the binding process.

      • Trim Height (pt) (number only): Encodes the height of the trim area measured in points.

      • Trim Width (pt) (number only): Encodes the width of the trim area measured in points.

      • Web Number (number only): Encodes the current web number.

        You can only use this variable for sheet barcodes.

      • Web Sheet Number (number only): Encodes the current web sheet number.

        You can only use this variable for sheet barcodes.

      • Serial 1, Serial 2, and Serial 3 (number only): Encodes the current value of the selected serial number. You can use this variable for page and sheet barcodes.

        The application tracks the serial numbers and updates their value every time they are used. For example, you can use serial numbers to track the number of jobs that are printed.

        You must specify several settings for the serial numbers before you can use them in barcodes. For more information, see Configuring Serial Numbers for Barcodes.

    3. Under # of Characters, specify the number of alphanumeric characters in the field.
      These characters are converted to barcode bars. To calculate the number of characters automatically, select the Auto check box.
    4. Under Custom, enter the custom value that you want to include in the barcode, such as the company name.
      This setting is available only when Data Source is set to Custom.
  5. Specify size and formatting settings for the barcode:
    1. In the Height field, enter the height of the barcode.
    2. In the Narrow field, enter the width of the narrowest bars in the barcode.
    3. In the Narrow/Wide Ratio field, enter the wide to narrow ratio as a decimal value.
      This value determines the width of the thickest bars.
    4. In the Top/Bottom white border field, enter the width of the white border on the top and bottom of the barcode.
    5. In the Left/Right white border field, enter the width of the white border on the left and right of the barcode.
    6. Select the Generate checksum check box if you want to calculate and add the checksum value to the barcode for verification.
    7. Select the Display Barcode Text check box if you also want to print the text that is encoded in the barcode.
      Specify whether to place the text on top of the barcode or at the bottom of the barcode. In the Text size field, enter the size of the text.
    8. Select the Use Advanced Density Coding (128b) check box if you want to use advanced density for barcodes with Code 128B format.
    9. In the Datamatrix Type (cols x rows) field, set the number of columns and rows for barcodes with Data Matrix format.
      To calculate the number of columns and rows automatically, select Auto.
  6. Click OK.

You can add barcode profiles inside mark profiles, and then apply the mark profile to a job. The barcodes are added for all the jobs that use the mark profile based on the specified positioning settings.

To add barcode profiles inside mark profiles, you must use the Marks Editor. For more information, see Creating and Editing Mark Profiles.

In this section:

  1. Configuring Serial Numbers for Barcodes
    You can define up to 3 serial numbers and include them in sheet or page barcodes.
Parent topic: Specifying Advanced Imposition Settings