Barcodes are commonly used for categorizing products in a store having hundreds of products. They are used for representing product information, most commonly identification numbers, in a machine readable format. Then we can use scanners to read the barcodes and process the information contained them using computers. Usually if you want to list your products in a store, then you need to have a valid identification number. This product number is obtained form the authority regulating your product. For example, ISBN is the authority for publishing books. You have to fill a form and get a valid ISBN number for your book. Then you can convert the number into a barcode and add it to the book. This is typically added to the back of the book. Then you can supply your books to a book store.
Generating Barcodes using Inkscape
Inkscape has a builtin extension for generating Barcodes codes. This makes the process of generating a Barcode much more easier. We’ll have to enter only the information and then click a button to generate the Barcode. Since Inkscape is a vector art program we can resize the Barcode to any size we want.
In order to open the Barcode extension go to Extensions > Render > Barcode > Classic
The Barcode type is used to specify a particular format. This is decided by the authority who issues the product numbers. The type of the code also determines what information can be entered. For example some types support only numbers while others support alphabets as well as some special characters. You have to contact the store or your product regulator to obtain the type details. For example, ISBN numbers are issued for books. They are represented using the EAN-13 extension.
In the barcode data field you can enter your product information like product number that will be converted into the barcode.
If you are going to be using the barcodes internally for your own store, then you can choose any of the types you want and then configure your scanners to scan for that type of barcode.
Click on Apply to generate the barcode.
The barcode appears small initially. In order to expand the Barcode code press Ctrl and then drag one of the corners.
You can go to File > Export PNG image to bring up the export settings.
Enter the height and width required for the image and give a file name
Click on Export to save as a PNG image and then click on File > Save to save the project as an Inkscape SVG file for later use.
Generating QR codes
Need for QR codes
Quick Response codes or more commonly known as QR codes are a special type of bar code. They are commonly used for representing information like website URLs and other information in a format which is accessible for anyone with a smart device with a camera. Since mobile phones have become ubiquitous essentially every person with one is able to read information in a QR code.
Generating a QR code in Inkscape
Inkscape has a builtin extension for generating QR codes. This makes the process of generating the QR code much more easier. We’ll have to enter only the information and then click a button to generate the QR code. Since Inkscape is a vector art program we can resize the QR to any size we want. This is especially helpful when the code needs to be printed on large banners or posters.
In order to open the QR code extension go to Extensions > Render > Barcode > QR code
In the Text field enter the information you want to be converted into a QR code.
Set the size in unit squares field to auto to make Inkscape calculate the size automatically.
When you have your QR code printed on a material like paper, chances are that the printed code might get damaged or torn in some part. The QR code could still be read correctly depending on the error correction level. If the error correction level is set to high, then the chance of obtaining the information from a damaged code increases. On the flip side the size of the QR code may increase in order to hold the extra error correction information. So choose the level you want in the error correction level field.
Choose the encoding as Latin 1 if you only have Latin alphabets. If you want other language alphabets choose UTF-8.
Click on Apply to generate the QR code.
The QR code appears small initially. In order to expand the QR code press Ctrl and then drag one of the corners.
You can go to File > Export PNG image to bring up the export settings.
Enter the height and width required for the image and give a file name
Click on Export to save as a PNG image and then click on File > Save to save the project as an Inkscape SVG file for later use.
VLC for Windows
VLC media player is a free and open source program. It is capable of playing almost any video or audio format. It has features that can help enhance the experience with the media. It is also capable of other features like screen recording and format conversion. It is available for all major desktop and mobile platforms.
You can open the link above or Open a browser and search for VLC media player in Google or any other search engine.
Click the first link in the search results.
Click the download button.
Wait for the download to finish.
Click the downloaded file to start installing.
Click Yes when the User Account Panel asks for permission.
Select your preferred language and click OK.
Click Next
Read the license agreement if you want and then click Next if you agree to the license terms.
You can change the installation settings if you want in the next window.
Click Next
You can change the installation path if you want and then click Install.
Wait for the installation to complete.
Click Finish.
You can uncheck the Network Access policy options if you don’t want them.
You can pin the software to the taskbar by right clicking on the icon in the taskbar and selecting the "Pin to Taskbar" option.
Google Photos for Windows
Google Photos is a free service from Google which allows for unlimited photos and videos storage. It comes preinstalled on some Android phones and is available for most mobile platforms. Since it is a web service it can be accessed in devices having a browser. There is also a software version called Backup and Sync which allows for backing up certain folders in Google Drive and Google Photos.
