How to Make a Barcode Creation Using Python

Today, I’m excited to share with you how I created a Barcode Generator using Python. Barcodes are widely used for product labeling, inventory management, and even ticketing systems. With just a few lines of code and the python-barcode library, you can generate your own barcodes dynamically.

I’ll explain the code step by step, add some extra functionality, and demonstrate how to make it practical for real-world applications. By the end, you’ll have a fully functional and flexible barcode generator!

Install the Required Libraries

First things firstmbefore writing any code, make sure you have the required libraries installed.

pip install python-barcode
pip install pillow

• python-barcode: This library is used to generate barcodes.
• pillow: A popular library for working with image files, which we’ll use for saving barcodes as PNG images.

Import Necessary Libraries

Here’s the initial setup for our project:

import barcode
from barcode.writer import ImageWriter
from IPython.display import Image, display

• barcode: The core library that helps us generate barcodes.
• ImageWriter: Used to save the generated barcode as an image (e.g., PNG).
• Image, display: For displaying the barcode image in an interactive environment like Jupyter Notebook.

Define the Barcode Format and Number

Next, we define the barcode format (EAN13) and the number to encode:

Barcode_format = barcode.get_barcode_class('ean13')
barcode_number = '1234567895540'

• barcode.get_barcode_class('ean13'): This selects the EAN13 barcode format, which is widely used for product labeling.
• barcode_number: The input number to encode in the barcode. For EAN13, you need a 12-digit number, and the library automatically calculates the 13th digit (the check digit).

Create the Barcode Image

Now, we use the defined format and number to create a barcode image:

barcode_image = barcode_format(barcode_number, writer=ImageWriter())

• writer=ImageWriter(): This specifies that the output should be saved as an image (PNG format).

Save the Barcode Image

To make the barcode reusable, we save it to a file:

barcode_filename = 'barcode_image'
barcode_image.save(barcode_filename)

This saves the barcode as barcode_image.png in the current directory.

Display the Barcode Image

For a quick visual confirmation, you can display the barcode image in an interactive Python environment:

Display(Image(filename=f'{barcode_filename}.png'))

This will render the barcode directly in Jupyter Notebook or any other interactive environment.

Adding More Practical Functionality

To make the barcode generator more flexible, I added several practical features:

1. Dynamic user input for barcode numbers.
2. Validation to ensure the number meets the EAN13 format.
3. Support for multiple barcode formats (EAN13, Code128, UPC, etc.).
4. Custom filenames for saved barcodes.
5. Error handling for invalid inputs or other issues.

The Enhanced Barcode Generator Code

Here’s the upgraded version of the barcode generator:

import barcode
from barcode.writer import ImageWriter
from IPython.display import Image, display

def generate_barcode(barcode_number, format='ean13', filename='barcode_image'):
    """
    Generates and saves a barcode image.

    Parameters:
        barcode_number (str): The number to encode in the barcode.
        format (str): The barcode format (default is 'ean13').
        filename (str): The filename to save the barcode image.

    Returns:
        str: Path to the saved barcode image.
    """
    try:
        # Get the barcode class based on the format
        barcode_format = barcode.get_barcode_class(format)
        
        # Validate the barcode number (EAN13 requires 12 digits)
        if format == 'ean13' and len(barcode_number) != 12:
            raise ValueError("EAN13 format requires a 12-digit number.")
        
        # Create the barcode image
        barcode_image = barcode_format(barcode_number, writer=ImageWriter())
        
        # Save the barcode image to a file
        filepath = f'{filename}.png'
        barcode_image.save(filename)
        
        print(f"Barcode saved as: {filepath}")
        
        # Display the barcode image (for Jupyter Notebooks)
        display(Image(filename=filepath))
        
        return filepath
    
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"Error: {e}")

# Example usage
if __name__ == "__main__":
    # Prompt the user for a barcode number
    barcode_number = input("Enter a 12-digit number for the EAN13 barcode: ")
    
    # Generate and save the barcode
    generate_barcode(barcode_number, format='ean13', filename='custom_barcode')

Features of the Enhanced Code

Dynamic User Input:

barcode_number = input("Enter a 12-digit number for the EAN13 barcode: ")

Prompts the user to enter a barcode number. This allows generating custom barcodes without modifying the script.

Validation:

if format == 'ean13' and len(barcode_number) != 12:
    raise ValueError("EAN13 format requires a 12-digit number.")

Ensures that the number is valid for the chosen format. For example, EAN13 requires exactly 12 digits.

Support for Multiple Barcode Formats:

format='ean13'

You can change the format to code128, upc, or others supported by the python-barcode library.

Custom Filename:

filename='custom_barcode'

Allows you to specify a custom name for the saved file.

Error Handling:

except Exception as e:
    print(f"Error: {e}")

Gracefully handles errors, such as invalid inputs, and provides meaningful feedback to the user.

How to Use the Enhanced Code

1. Run the script in any Python environment (e.g., terminal, IDE, or Jupyter Notebook).
2. Enter a valid 12-digit number when prompted (e.g., 123456789012).
3. The script will:
   • Validate the input number.
   • Generate an EAN13 barcode.
   • Save the barcode as an image file (e.g., custom_barcode.png).
   • Display the barcode if running in an interactive environment.

Final Output

Once you run the script, you’ll see:

1. A barcode image saved to the specified file (e.g., custom_barcode.png).
2. The barcode displayed directly in your Python environment (if using Jupyter Notebook).

Conclusion

Creating a barcode generator with Python is both simple and powerful. This project can be easily adapted for real-world applications like inventory management, product labeling, or even ticket generation. With the enhancements added, the code is now flexible, user-friendly, and suitable for various use cases.