Streaming Barcode Images in iReport

In this tutorial, the Dynamic Barcode Generator Service is used to show how to stream linear barcodes in Jaspersoft iReport Designer 5.5. iReport is the free, open source report designer for JasperReports and JasperReports Server.

iReport and Dynamic Barcode Generator Service Overview

Barcodes can be easily implemented in a report by placing the IDAutomation Barcode Generator Service URL into an image item and setting the URL parameter to a desired field. When the report is run, scannable barcodes are streamed to the browser or directly to PDF.

Report Builder Example

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iReport and Dynamic Barcode Generator Service Tutorial

Applications used in this Tutorial
  • This tutorial uses the Free Version of the Dynamic Barcode Generator Service; the purchased version does not include the watermark.
  • Jaspersoft iReport Designer 5.5
  • Excel 2013
Tutorial

NOTE: The tutorial uses iReport Designer 5.5 and an Excel 2013 data source to generate a Code 128 barcode based on the Dynamic Barcode Generator Service Demo.

Excel Data Source

Data Source

  1. To run Jaspersoft iReport, double-click the application icon.
    iReport Icon
  2. Select File - New. From the New file options, select Report, choose the template, and select Open this Template.
     
  3. Enter a Report name, the location to save the report, and select Next.

  4. Select Finish.

  5. Select the Report Datasources icon.
     
  6. In the Connections/Datasources dialog box, select New, choose the data source type to import, and click Next.

  7. Choose a name for the data source, then select Browse and open the desired file. To obtain the column name for each row, select Get columns name from the first row of the file.

  8. Choose Save and Close.

  9. Select the Report query icon.

  10. Select the Datasource tab. This tutorial uses Excel Datasource.

  11. Select Get fields from datasource and choose OK.

  12. The report will appear in Design mode. To add the Palette (which includes report elements), select Window - Palette.

  13. Left-click and drag an Image item from the Report Elements to the Detail band of the report.
    Image item
    A dialog will open, select Cancel.

  14. Left-click the Image item, then select Properties on the right side of the application. If the Properties panel options are not visible, select Window - Properties.

  15. Within the Image properties, set the Expression Class to java.net.URL.

  16. Select the Image Expression editor button.

    Enter new java.net.URL("https://www.bcgen.com/demo/linear-dbgs.aspx?D=" + $F{Product Number}) and select OK.
     
    In the example, the Product Number field is set to the DataToEncode (D parameter). To set additional parameters, view the Dynamic Barcode Generator Service parameter table.

  17. Set up the report title, fields, and column headers.

  18. Save the file.

  19. To view the report, select the Preview tab.

If a scanner is needed, consider purchasing the IDAutomation USB Barcode Scanner.