Barcode printing -Barcode is not being scanned by the scanner.

Question

Hi,
I am working on a rtf XML template creation for Pick slip Report. I have field called delivery_id which should be printed as barcode. I
followed the instructions as per documents: 411899.1 and 373001.1.I downlaoded
a demo version of the barcode font.(IDAutomationSC128L).
I added it to the template . and registered the font in XMl publisher and ran the whole process
which generates the report output. The report gave me a output as per the
template witha a barcode.But the barcode reader did not read it. the barcode
reader(I am using the Intermec Oracle Ready CK30 Handheld Computer) that I have
is compataible with the following fonts.
Supported Bar Code Symbologies
Code 39, Code 39 Full ASCII, Code 93, Code128, UCC/EAN-128, Codabar, Code 11,
DUN-14/16, EAN-8, EAN-13, 2 digit supplement, 5
digit supplement, UPCA, UPC-E, 2/5, 2/5 I, 2/5 Matrix, EAN. UCC Composite, 2/5
Industrial, MSI Plessey, Postnet, Code16K, Codablock A, Datamatrix, Maxicode,
PDF417, MicroPDF417, QR Code.
I have copied the sample encoder code from the XML Publisher user guide but when I tried to create the class file using javac command I got the following warnings
C:\source>javac -g XXBarcodeUtil.java -Xlint:unchecked
XXBarcodeUtil.java:26: warning: [unchecked] unchecked call to put(K,V) as a member of the raw type
java.util.Hashtable
ENCODERS.put("code128a",mUtility.getClass().getMethod("code128a",clazz));
^
XXBarcodeUtil.java:27: warning: [unchecked] unchecked call to put(K,V) as a member of the raw type
java.util.Hashtable
ENCODERS.put("code128b",mUtility.getClass().getMethod("code128b",clazz));
^
XXBarcodeUtil.java:28: warning: [unchecked] unchecked call to put(K,V) as a member of the raw type
java.util.Hashtable
ENCODERS.put("code128c",mUtility.getClass().getMethod("code128c",clazz));
^
3 warnings
Can any one please let me know how to chnage the code so that these warnings wont be there.
I got a class file eventhough there were warnings. and i put that class file in the path /u6/u0/ting/comn/java/oracle/apps/xdo/template/rtf/util
I am getting a report with barcode. but the scanner is not reading it. ?
DO i have to put the font in reports server path. I have put the font to this path in the server :athena2:/u6/u0/oracle/trng/appl/fnd/11.5.0/reports.
Please help.
Is there any stpes that i am missing.
Thanks,
Nisha

Answer 1

Hi Nisha
If you are using a code 128 barcode font then you need to call an encoding class to transform the input, delivery_id from say '123456789' to an encoded string string, say '!wrwr34353'
It looks like you are on the right track. Some thoughts:
1. You say its a demo font - are there any limitations that IDAutomation has documented e.g. it will not handle certain characters in the barcode font?
2. You should not really copy and paste from the documentation - that was an example class. IDAutomation, I know provides the java code algorithms to encode the data correctly for their fonts. That said the basic structure of the class is good to use you just need to plug IDAutomation's java code into it
3. You get warnings, this should not prevent the .class file being generated.
4. To test that the class is being called correctly. Change the font on your delivery field to a humanly readable font, say Arial. Now run the template against the data - you should see the encoded value for the delivery id in the output. If its the same as the data in the XML delivery_id element then your class is not being called correctly. this could be caused by:
a. The class is not in the classpath for the publisher engine - from your directory path it looks like you are using EBS and you are putting it in the right place. Whats the field contents for the barcode vendor registration field?
b. The class is not encoding the result correctly - to test this and c. you should add a 'main' method that you can call to test the class outside of EBS
c. the class is erroring out somewhere - see above
If you are getting a barcode on your output then the font is in the right place. Are you testing in Template Builder or on the server? If the hardware is not reading it then I would suggest you check 1 and 2 above and then carry out step 4 to check its being encoded.
you might also check out this blof article on the encoding - http://blogs.oracle.com/xmlpublisher/2006/06/advanced_barcode_support.html
regards
tim