What's new in Barcode 2.5.6
Feb 11, 2024
- This update improves batch barcode generation speed a lot. Consider installing it if you make barcodes in bulk.
New in Barcode 2.5.5 (Nov 7, 2023)
- The update fixes a few recently discovered issues with batch barcode generation.
New in Barcode 2.5.4 (Oct 23, 2023)
- Exported Files Naming:
- Starting from version 2.5 Barcode always name the exported files by their content. We tried really hard to manage two styles of naming, but the most requested feature was to make it easier. Done. What you export now depends on the content and it doesn’t matter how you named them the last time.
- If the barcode data has errors or missing elements and you see them added in preview (like a missing check digit) — the same will be done when you save a file. Both in manual and batch modes.
- If you really miss the old behavior — you can turn it back in settings.
- Customizing Exported Names Further:
- Another feature that was often requested is the ability to add custom suffixes and prefixes to the exported filenames. This then quickly grew up to having barcode symbologies and customer’s names there, too, so we ended up with a very flexible, but a slightly complicated solution: scripting.
- You can now process the name which is used to export the barcode with JavaScript and add any information you need there or implement a completely different behavior (including the old–style one). You can process different symbologies in a different way, so that’s a pretty flexible thing.
- Locked Barcodes:
- Barcodes can be “locked” by right–clicking their thumbnail and selecting the Lock option.
- A locked barcode is not saved when you finished with it, it gets restored to its initial state. That’s convenient when you have a pre–configured template and need to change just the data or something minimal. You open the locked barcode, change what you need, export it and done! The next time you open it — it will look exactly the same as when you locked it.
- Variables in Barcode Data
- This one is good for batch processing. You can now specify the barcode data as “hello {value1} from {value2}” and although this might look weird and even make some symbologies report an error, this actually opens up some new options for batch processing.
- When making barcodes in bulk, just make sure that you have the columns named the same as the words in curly braces and they will be automatically replaced by the cell values.
- This works pretty much the same way as variables in custom texts, but for barcode data.
- Besides the normal barcodes, you can use that in WiFi or VCard QR codes which opens up some new possibilities for batch barcode generation.
- QR Codes:
- QR codes get a new Mask parameter, so you can change their appearance without changing the content.
- Another new feature for QR codes is the Empty Space that lets you put artwork in the middle of the barcode.
- Other Changes:
- Besides everything listed above, here’s another list of minor (and not so minor) changes in this version:
- Customer name and Comments fields are added to the second tab;
- URL field is added to VCard QR Code;
- Barcode metadata is now added to barcodes in PDF, PNG and TIFF formats;
- Excel files importing is improved for the files with complex formulas;
- Tooltips with some basic information are now shown for barcodes;
- Better statistics is displayed after batch generation, errors are highlighted;
- Window size and position is properly restored on restart.
- For those who uses the latest beta–version, the only difference in this release is the better alignment of the non–centered empty space in QR codes to improve their readability.
New in Barcode 2.5.3 Beta (Oct 17, 2023)
- QR Codes:
- The update adds the Mask parameter to QR codes, so you can select one of the 8 appearances of the symbol you make. The mask is a feature of QR codes that let them have different looks while containing the same data. Usually the mask is selected automatically by the generator to fit the technical rules like 50/50 white/black balance, but you can switch to the manual mode and select the one that maybe makes a better looking symbol. Give it a try.
- Another feature of this update is the Empty Space option for QR codes. This allows you to put a logotype or any other artwork in the middle of the QR code. Although they are not designed to contain extra graphics, their error tolerance makes it possible to “damage” some of the elements with a picture. The software tries its best to keep the barcode readable, but consider following the rules from the tutorial link below to make sure the code is readable.
- Other Changes:
- Besides that the Excel file import for batch barcode generation is improved. Now complex files with crazy formulas are loaded better :)
New in Barcode 2.5.2 Beta (Jul 25, 2023)
- Names Based on Barcode Data:
- When exporting file names based on barcode data the software now uses “fixed” names by default. This means that the exported name now looks exactly as the barcode data in preview.
- Say if you miss a check digit in EAN–13, you will still see it in preview and you will now get it in the exported file name.
- Scripted File Names Everywhere:
- The previous update of Barcode added optional JavaScript processing of exported file name. This update uses the same script for drag and drop and copy/paste export modes and also for batch processing.
- There is a minor change in the list of parameters passed to the script, have a look at the Export.js tutorial for more details.
- Errors in Batch Processing:
- In batch mode if the output files are named after the barcode data, the full and “fixed” data is used for naming the files. Exactly as in the manual mode.
- All the batch processing errors are now highlighted and the total number of errors is displayed at the end of the batch for your convenience.
- Other Changes:
- Window position restoring improved for multi–monitor setups;
- Barcode tooltips appearance improved;
- Barcode scale is added to exported data and to the tooltips;
- Some typos fixed.
New in Barcode 2.5.1 Beta (Jul 17, 2023)
- This update changes the way the exported barcodes are named, adds metadata to exported files and more.
New in Barcode 2.5 Beta (Jun 15, 2023)
- Variables in Barcode Data:
- Barcode lets you use variables in custom text elements. This update adds variables support to barcode data. This means you can now setup your barcode with a text like “PREFIX {value1} {value2}” and then run a batch series with the table having columns named “value1” and “value2”.
- This makes a lot of sense when processing complex barcodes like VCard QR Code or WiFi QR Code: you can now have a separate data column for each field of the barcodes. The same applies to GS-1 barcodes: you can now provide application identifiers and data blocks in separate columns for batch processing.
- It works exactly the same way as variables in custom texts. Note that barcodes may return errors when the variables are used as data — this needs to be ignored, as variables only make sense in batch or command line processing.
- Other Changes:
- VCard QR Code got URL field added;
- Barcodes list is updated faster on deletions and renames;
- Barcodes filtering is cancelled if a new barcode is added;
- Better naming of batch-generated barcodes if the barcode data is too complex.
- Overall, this update is mostly about batch processing, so consider giving it a good try if you make barcodes in bulk.
New in Barcode 2.4.1 (Nov 3, 2022)
- This is a public release of Barcode 2.4 with new BC412 symbology, proper colors on Mac and some bugfixes. Keep reading for more details.
- BC412 Barcodes:
- Meet the new addition to our list: BC412 barcode. It is used for marking silicon wafers, or anywhere else where the space is limited.
- Other Changes:
- Besides the new BC412 symbology, some other things were done compared to version 2.3:
- GS1 DataBar Stacked Omnidirectional barcodes generation fixed;
- The software displays proper barcode colors on Mac OS;
- Broken barcode projects are now handled better;
- Barcode projects are saved in a safe manner to prevent them from breaking.
New in Barcode 2.4 Beta (Oct 5, 2022)
- This update adds BC412 symbology and fixes GS1 DataBar Stacked Omnidirectional barcodes generation.
New in Barcode 2.3.1 (May 4, 2022)
- Batch Processing:
- Barcode can now load spreadsheet data in Excel or CSV format and use them for barcodes, custom texts and naming the output files.
- Other Changes:
- Besides the batch rendering we have also improved text rendering quality and overall user experience.
- Note that the {main} variable in custom texts has been replaced with {data} for consistency with other custom variables and batch generation. The old variable is still supported, but it is recommended to start using the new one instead.
New in Barcode 2.2.2 (Feb 21, 2022)
- Marks Panel and Canvas:
- This version adds a canvas feature that lets you specify the dimensions of the barcode artwork and fit the barcode there. Marks panel has been changed to reflect that.
- Note that the crop marks feature is deprecated and will be removed in the near future. You can turn it back in setting, but consider not using it for new barcodes.
- New Custom Texts Features:
- Custom texts got variables support, so you can now embed barcode data, addons, pricing etc into the text elements.
- Besides that, more control on alignment is added, so you can align the custom text elements left, center or right against the left, center or the right side of the barcode.
- Importing Barcodes:
- You can now import barcode images and create your own barcodes based on the imported data and symbology.
- Most of the symbologies are supported, addons and pricing information is also imported for EAN, UPC and ISBN barcodes.
- Other Features:
- New Wi–Fi QR Code added;
- New Bank Transfer QR Code added;
- UPC–E barcode improved to read the number system from barcode data;
- Barcode search/filtering added to the barcodes list: just start typing there or use Ctrl/Cmd+F keyboard shortcut;
- Clicking the export icon in the toolbar by holding the Shift key brings an alternative saving window, similar to the Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+S keyboard shortcut;
- Addons for EAN–13, UPC–A and ISBN barcodes can now have custom fonts;
- Batch export got special output file names support;
- Console wrapper is added for Windows to simplify the command line usage of Barcode.
New in Barcode 2.1.3 (Aug 23, 2021)
- This update improves color processing for RGB–based output formats.
New in Barcode 2.1.2 (Jul 12, 2021)
- New Barcodes and Features:
- This update adds GS1 DataMatrix barcode and postal barcodes used in US, UK and Australia. ITF–14 barcode got adjustable border width.
- Barcode Export Improvements:
- New SVG export format has been added. Background color and transparency are now exported properly, and CMYK/RGB color conversion has been improved for better results.
- A new alternative saving option was added that always uses the barcode contents for file name instead of the last used name.
- Barcode can now be copied to a third–party application instead of dragging. Note that not all the target applications support that properly, so you might need to revert to dragging or exporting them. The format of the copied data can be configured in settings.
- User Interface Updates:
- Barcode editor got “Zoom to Fit” option which is activated when you start editing a barcode. You can also zoom the barcode with your mouse wheel while holding Ctrl/Cmd key.
- You can now easily find the barcode location by right–clicking it and selecting “Reveal in Finder/Explorer”, so you can transfer the barcode to another computer or back it up.
- Batch export mode got the option to overwrite existing files when exporting.
- Apple Silicon Support:
- This version comes with native Apple Silicon support, so make sure you download the proper version of the software for your computer.
New in Barcode 2.0.5 (Dec 2, 2020)
- This update fixes the generation of UPC-E barcodes for some types of incorrect input. Please update your installation to get the most stable version of the software.
New in Barcode 2.0.4 (Nov 1, 2020)
- This update improves exported files naming and returns the 2–digits addons to ISBN barcodes.
New in Barcode 1.11 (Feb 19, 2019)
- This minor update improves barcode dragging to Adobe InDesign, allowing to drop it directly to an empty image box without doing a second click. Update your copy if you use both apps together.
New in Barcode 1.10 (Jan 23, 2019)
- This update improves printing support on both Mac and Windows platforms and is highly recommended to those who print barcodes.
New in Barcode 1.8 (Apr 6, 2018)
- This version offers better file naming, better output images compatibility and some other minor improvements.
- For "full-text" barcodes like QR or Datamatrix, Barcode now uses their contents as a file name when saving. This is more convenient if you have lots of them around.
- Default barcode color is now black, not registration black color. Let us know if you want this to be an option.
- Monochrome TIFF files are now saved with LZW compression, rather than FAX. This lets you easily load them to applications like Adobe InDesign without extra conversion.
- We also fixed background barcode previews generation to improve their stability on different operating systems and fixed some other minor issues that you reported.
New in Barcode 1.7 (Aug 1, 2017)
- This update adds Retina support and enables monochrome TIFF images export.
- We're slowly moving towards the support of high-dpi displays in our applications and Barcode is the next application that has been updated. The artwork should look nice on both Mac and Windows computers with high-resolution displays. Origami will be the next one, btw.
- Unfortunately, this comes at a price and Barcode now needs at least OSX 10.8 to work. The good news is that it doesn't affect Windows and Barcode still works even on Windows XP.
- We've also added monochrome TIFF export option as you asked and fixed some minor issues here or there. Application startup time has also been improved.
New in Barcode 1.6 (Apr 12, 2017)
- National Drug Code (NDC) Symbology:
- It is pretty much the same as UPC-A, but have some differences like optional dashes and N letter, so we added it as a separate barcode type with some specific checking rules. You can read more about NDC barcodes here.
- Color Improvements:
- Starting from this update, all the texts and other graphics elements of the barcode (except for crop marks) are using the same color, as the barcode itself. This helps to keep the output image consistent, especially if you use spot colors.
- Crop marks have been updated and now use correct registration color instead of rich black CMYK.
- Other Improvements:
- There is a new option to control human readable text size for some of the barcodes. It is at the second page (Appearance), you can read more about it here.
- We also improved UI appearance for the latest macOS Sierra and enabled Retina displays support.
New in Barcode 1.5 (Feb 16, 2016)
- DataBar Support:
- This update adds 7 new barcode symbologies of DataBar family: DataBar Omnidirectional, DataBar Stacked Omnidirecitonal, DataBar Expanded, DataBar Expanded Stacked, DataBar Truncated, DataBar Limited and DataBar Stacked. They are used for retail, coupons, pharmacy and more. Now you can make them in Barcode
- GS1 and ITF-14 Improvements:
- We improved GS1 application identifiers limitation checking, so it handles more input errors than before. As for ITF-14, we added an option to choose between no decoration of the human-readable text, decoration it with spaces and with dashes.
- Other Improvements:
- We fixed partially-broken units of measurements. Sorry about that, everything is working fine now. Some command-line usage issues have been fixed, as well and we've also improved presets naming, when it comes to unsupported file name characters like slashes or colons
New in Barcode 1.3 (Apr 14, 2015)
- This release comes with three new barcodes:
- Aztec
- Code-93
- GS1-128
- It also fixes some minor issues discovered in the previous version and adds some nice features:
- "Full ASCII" option has been added to Code 39;
- Color picker now displays CMYK values in pecents;
- The font used for ISBN barcode text can be customized;
- One more template for ISBN barcode text has been added;
- Custom texts export has been improved to keep the text dimension the same;
- Barcode preview screen now displays the barcodes you configured, not the default ones;
- Custom texts can be configured using the command line.