Barcode Scanning

How to scan your photos for barcode information

Smart Shooter has the ability to scan a photo and detect if it contains a barcode or QR code, and extract the text information from it. This text can then be used as part of the filename when saving the photo.

When a barcode is successfully scanned, it is saved and shown in the Barcodes table, and also populates the Barcode text box in the Session window.

The next time the app has to compute a photo filename, it will use this barcode text to replace the [Z] parts of the filename expression. For more information on how the filename expression works, see Name Policy.

_images/smartshooter5_barcode.png

The screenshot above shows a demonstration. The QR code in the photo contains the text kuvacode. After the photo was taken, it was automatically downloaded and then scanned for a barcode. The text was extracted and then put in the Barcode text box in the Session window. The filename used when saving the photo contains the same text.

Automatic Scanning

You can configure the app to automatically scan any new photos for a barcode. If you are using multiple cameras, this automatic scanning can be restricted to only scan photos taken by certain cameras. The screenshot below shows these in the Barcodes window.

Whenever a barcode is automatically scanned, it will affect the filename of that particular photo, and then all subsequent photos until another barcode is scanned.

Automatic scanning is also performed for liveview images, so a barcode can be extracted directly from the liveview stream even before a photo is taken.

_images/smartshooter5_barcodeoptions.png

Manually Scanning

The barcode scanning can be triggered manually at any time by pressing the barcode button button at the top of the Preview window. The app will try to scan a barcode from whichever image is visible at that time, and this can include a previously taken photo or a liveview image.

Supported Barcode Types

The following barcode symbologies are supported:

  • QRCode

  • Aztec

  • Codabar

  • Code39

  • Code93

  • Code128

  • DataBar

  • DataBarExpanded

  • DataMatrix

  • EAN8

  • EAN13

  • ITF

  • MaxiCode

  • PDF417

  • UPCA

  • UPCE

Smart Shooter uses the ZXing open source library for detecting barcodes. Their website is: https://github.com/zxing-cpp/zxing-cpp

Using an External Barcode Scanner

Its also possible to use an external barcode scanner with the app. As long as this is also connected to the same computer, and can be configured to enter text in a UI text box, you can have it fill in the Barcode text box of the Session window.