Barcodes in smart shapes won’t scan

Started by HMI-Ken, September 15, 2010, 05:21:03 PM

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HMI-Ken

Barcode in smart shape won’t scan

I am attempting to use properties of SmartShapes to scan with our barcode scanner – but for some reason Visio treats the text with a smart shape (or its property values) different the standard Visio Text boxes.

If you are not familiar with creating barcode, it is a simple task. You add an asterisk before and after the text string you wish to scan into your application. For example if you change the string “12345678” to “*12345678*” (quotes are not part of the string), then change the sting to a barcode font, VOILA – you have a barcode to print then scan latter.

My problem is that if I create a textbox with the value of *12345678* and change the font to barcode it WILL scan, but if I change one of the properties of a SmartShape, and print it, it will NOT scan.

I attached a screen capture – the top two barcode don’t scan, but the bottom two do. I also attached the sample VSD file.

If you look at the visual difference of the two barcode TEXT vs. SmartShape, you can see they are definitely not the same.

I need to use the SmartShape to feed data from the database, and I can’t change text to just use it.

So what the heck is Visio doing with the SmartShape text sting? Is it the asterisk that is throwing it for a loop, or the barcode font?

If you look at the values of the objects prior to changing to the barcode font, they both show the asterisk like they should.

Please let me know if anyone has some insight.
I am using Visio 2003 (dumb IT mongers won’t let me go to ’07)

Jumpy

Look in the TextField Entry in the ShapeSheet. The Text gets formatted with Fieldpicture(37). Don't know the Fieldpicture numbers, but maybe that has sth. do to with your problem?

andyadams

#2
I haven't met such a problem when i scan the barcodes in smart shapes,i use a barcode addin in my smart shapes to scan and generate barcodes.Maybe ,you can try another scanner to see if your scanner is not compatible with the fonts of the barocdes in smart shapes.