RE: Printing barcode

A lot depends on what kind of printer you are using and how your printer is configured on the AS/400.  If it is configured as an IBM IPDS printer then you can create an externally described printer file and use the BARCODE keywords defined in your DDS manual.  However, most companies are printing to a PC laser printer on a network and here your options are a little more complicated but seemingly endless.   Your best option is probably to find software that takes your RPG output and maps it to a form generated by the software.  We are using Create!print AS/400 for our A/P checks so they can print on a laser printer (HP Laser) and it will print the signature.  However, the software can print barcodes as well.  Advanced Function Printing (AFP) is IBM's solution.  Another option is to find the technical manual of your printer.  A lot of times they list special "character streams" that tells the printer that the next data it receives will be barcoded (or bold or specific font or rotated , etc.).  You can pur these "character streams" in your output specs in your RPG program and it will work.  For example, for some printers, "%UPB(0001,0050,)%ITEMNUMBER" will tell the printer that ITEMNUMBER should be barcoded as a UPC barcode and be 1/2 inch tall.  Be aware that these data streams vary widley from printer to printer. 

-----Original Message-----
From:   hrishikesh kotwal [SMTP:hdkotwal@hotmail.com]
Sent:   Wednesday, June 14, 2000 5:37 AM
To:     MAPICS-L@midrange.com
Cc:     dshaw@spartan.com
Subject:        Printing barcode

Dear All,

I would like to know how to print barcode from AS/400. I want to convert
some MAPICS information into Barcode and print it on a A-4 size pre-printed
format. I am a RPG/400 programmer and am not acquainted with barcode. I
would like some information about AS/400 and bar-code.

Thanking you in anticipation,

Yours sincerely,

Hrishikesh Kotwal