Barcode Writer in Pure PostScript

Useful links:

• Homepage: https://bwipp.terryburton.co.uk
• Documentation: https://github.com/bwipp/postscriptbarcode/wiki
• Documentation in PDF format for print: https://bit.ly/2LzxYcU
• Download: https://github.com/bwipp/postscriptbarcode/releases/latest
• Source: https://github.com/bwipp/postscriptbarcode.git
• Support: https://github.com/bwipp/postscriptbarcode/discussions
• Issues: https://github.com/bwipp/postscriptbarcode/issues
• Presentation: Slides: https://goo.gl/WqYB6A

Barcode Writer in Pure Postscript (BWIPP) generates all barcode formats entirely within PostScript so that the process of converting the input data into the printed output can be performed by the printer or RIP itself. This is ideal for variable data printing (VDP) and avoids the need to re-implement the barcode generation process whenever your language needs change.

Since this resource is written in PostScript and interpreted within the virtual machine of a printer it is compatible with any operating system and hardware platform.

It makes including any barcode within a PostScript document as simple as inserting the following directive:

0 0 moveto (978-1-56581-231-4) (includetext)
/isbn /uk.co.terryburton.bwipp findresource exec

There is a web-based demonstration of the project here:

https://the-burtons.xyz/barcode-generator/

This project is dedicated to the memory of Craig K. Harmon.

"Flavours" of Named Resources

BWIPP is essentially a set of generic PostScript Level 2 named resources that are provided in four flavours for ease of use. The one to use depends on how you intend to deploy the library.

• "Packaged" or "unpackaged": The named resources have been packaged for DSC conformance, portability and ease of distribution. You will most likely want to use a packaged flavour in production, however the unpackaged versions of the resources are useful for understanding the code, developing the library and debugging.

• "Separate files" or "monolithic": The resource is provided as separate files that are formatted for direct use by Adobe Distiller, GhostScript, a printer hard disk or a document manager. The monolithic flavours contain all of the resources in a single file that is suitable for inclusion in the Prolog section of a each PostScript document or installing to a printer's initial job VM to provide persistence between jobs until the device is reset.

This leads to the following set of four files.

For production use:

• postscriptbarcode-packaged-resource – Packaged; Separate files.
• postscriptbarcode-monolithic-package – Packaged; Monolithic file.

For BWIPP development:

• postscriptbarcode-resource – Unpackaged; Separate files.
• postscriptbarcode-monolithic – Unpackaged; Monolithic file.

Downloading

You can download prepared packages and the sources from here:

https://github.com/bwipp/postscriptbarcode/releases/latest

Alternatively you can get and build the latest from version control:

git clone https://github.com/bwipp/postscriptbarcode.git
cd postscriptbarcode
make

The flavours are built into subdirectories of the build/ directory.

The build requirements are Perl, GNU Make and GhostScript.

Commercial Support

Alternate licensing, bespoke integrations, custom developments and technical support (per incident or prepaid) is available from Terry Burton Consulting Ltd.