How to Export Barcodes as Streams in C

Export Barcode as Stream Example

:path=/static-assets/barcode/content-code-examples/how-to/create-barcode-as-stream-to-stream.cs

using IronBarCode;
using System.IO;

// Create one-dimensional barcode
GeneratedBarcode barcode = BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode("IronBarcode1234", BarcodeEncoding.Code128);

// Convert barcode to stream
Stream barcodeStream = barcode.ToStream();

// Create QR code
GeneratedBarcode qrCode = QRCodeWriter.CreateQrCode("IronBarcode1234");

// Convert QR code to stream
Stream qrCodeStream = qrCode.ToStream();

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Why Use Streams Instead of Files?

Using streams eliminates file system dependencies and provides in-memory processing for better performance. This approach is ideal for web applications, APIs, and scenarios where temporary file creation is restricted or undesirable. Stream-based processing offers several advantages:

• Enhanced Security: No temporary files on disk that could expose sensitive data
• Better Performance: Direct memory operations are faster than disk I/O
• Cloud Compatibility: Works seamlessly in containerized and serverless environments
• Resource Efficiency: Reduces disk space usage and file system overhead

When Should I Use MemoryStream for Barcodes?

Use MemoryStream when you need to process barcodes in memory, send them directly to HTTP responses, or integrate with other stream-based APIs without creating temporary files. Common scenarios include:

• Web API Responses: Return barcodes directly in HTTP responses without saving to disk
• Database Storage: Store barcode data as binary blobs in databases
• Email Attachments: Generate and attach barcodes to emails on-the-fly
• Cloud Storage: Upload directly to Azure Blob Storage, AWS S3, or similar services
• Real-time Processing: Generate barcodes for immediate consumption without persistence

Export Barcode as Stream in Various Image Formats

Use the ToJpegStream and ToStream methods to output streams in JPEG image format:

:path=/static-assets/barcode/content-code-examples/how-to/create-barcode-as-stream-to-jpeg-stream.cs

using IronBarCode;
using IronSoftware.Drawing;
using System.IO;

// Create one-dimensional barcode
GeneratedBarcode barcode = BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode("IronBarcode1234", BarcodeEncoding.Code128);

// Convert barcode to JPEG stream
Stream barcodeStream = barcode.ToStream(AnyBitmap.ImageFormat.Jpeg);

// Create QR code
GeneratedBarcode qrCode = QRCodeWriter.CreateQrCode("IronBarcode1234");

// Convert QR code to JPEG stream
Stream qrCodeStream = qrCode.ToJpegStream();

Imports IronBarCode
Imports IronSoftware.Drawing
Imports System.IO

' Create one-dimensional barcode
Private barcode As GeneratedBarcode = BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode("IronBarcode1234", BarcodeEncoding.Code128)

' Convert barcode to JPEG stream
Private barcodeStream As Stream = barcode.ToStream(AnyBitmap.ImageFormat.Jpeg)

' Create QR code
Private qrCode As GeneratedBarcode = QRCodeWriter.CreateQrCode("IronBarcode1234")

' Convert QR code to JPEG stream
Private qrCodeStream As Stream = qrCode.ToJpegStream()

Advanced Stream Export Examples

This comprehensive example demonstrates how to create barcodes from various data types and export them as streams in different formats:

using IronBarCode;
using IronSoftware.Drawing;
using System.IO;
using System.Drawing.Imaging;

public class BarcodeStreamExporter
{
    public static void ExportMultipleFormats()
    {
        // Generate barcode with custom data
        var myBarcode = BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode("PRODUCT-2024-001", BarcodeEncoding.Code128);

        // Apply styling
        myBarcode.ResizeTo(300, 150);
        myBarcode.SetMargins(10);
        myBarcode.AddAnnotationTextAboveBarcode("Product ID");

        // Export to different stream formats
        Stream pngStream = myBarcode.ToPngStream();
        Stream jpegStream = myBarcode.ToJpegStream();
        Stream pdfStream = myBarcode.ToPdfStream();
        Stream tiffStream = myBarcode.ToTiffStream();

        // Use with HTTP response (ASP.NET Core example)
        // return File(pngStream, "image/png", "barcode.png");
    }

    public static byte[] GenerateQRCodeBytes(string data)
    {
        // Create QR code with error correction
        var qrCode = QRCodeWriter.CreateQrCodeWithLogo(data, "logo.png", 500);

        // Convert to byte array via stream
        using (var stream = qrCode.ToStream())
        {
            using (var memoryStream = new MemoryStream())
            {
                stream.CopyTo(memoryStream);
                return memoryStream.ToArray();
            }
        }
    }
}

using IronBarCode;
using IronSoftware.Drawing;
using System.IO;
using System.Drawing.Imaging;

public class BarcodeStreamExporter
{
    public static void ExportMultipleFormats()
    {
        // Generate barcode with custom data
        var myBarcode = BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode("PRODUCT-2024-001", BarcodeEncoding.Code128);

        // Apply styling
        myBarcode.ResizeTo(300, 150);
        myBarcode.SetMargins(10);
        myBarcode.AddAnnotationTextAboveBarcode("Product ID");

        // Export to different stream formats
        Stream pngStream = myBarcode.ToPngStream();
        Stream jpegStream = myBarcode.ToJpegStream();
        Stream pdfStream = myBarcode.ToPdfStream();
        Stream tiffStream = myBarcode.ToTiffStream();

        // Use with HTTP response (ASP.NET Core example)
        // return File(pngStream, "image/png", "barcode.png");
    }

    public static byte[] GenerateQRCodeBytes(string data)
    {
        // Create QR code with error correction
        var qrCode = QRCodeWriter.CreateQrCodeWithLogo(data, "logo.png", 500);

        // Convert to byte array via stream
        using (var stream = qrCode.ToStream())
        {
            using (var memoryStream = new MemoryStream())
            {
                stream.CopyTo(memoryStream);
                return memoryStream.ToArray();
            }
        }
    }
}

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How Do I Choose the Right Format?

Select the appropriate format based on your requirements:

• PNG: Best for web use, supports transparency, lossless compression
• JPEG: Smaller file sizes, ideal when transparency isn't needed
• PDF: Perfect for document integration, reports, and printable formats
• TIFF: High-quality archival purposes, multi-page support
• GIF: Limited color palette, suitable for simple barcodes with animation

What Are Common Stream Processing Scenarios?

Stream-based barcode processing enables numerous practical applications:

1. Direct HTTP Response: Serve barcodes to web clients without intermediate storage
2. Database Binary Storage: Store barcode data as BLOB fields
3. Memory-based Caching: Cache generated barcodes for high-performance scenarios
4. Stream Chaining: Process barcodes through transformation pipelines
5. Batch Processing: Generate thousands of barcodes without disk I/O

Working with Stream Data

When working with streams, you may need to read barcodes from streams. Here's an example of round-trip processing:

using IronBarCode;
using System.IO;
using System.Collections.Generic;

public class StreamRoundTrip
{
    public static void ProcessBarcodeStream()
    {
        // Generate barcode and get stream
        var originalBarcode = BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode("STREAM-TEST-123", BarcodeEncoding.Code128);
        Stream barcodeStream = originalBarcode.ToStream();

        // Read barcode back from stream
        var results = BarcodeReader.Read(barcodeStream);

        foreach (var result in results)
        {
            Console.WriteLine($"Value: {result.Value}");
            Console.WriteLine($"Format: {result.BarcodeType}");
        }

        // Don't forget to dispose of the stream
        barcodeStream.Dispose();
    }
}

using IronBarCode;
using System.IO;
using System.Collections.Generic;

public class StreamRoundTrip
{
    public static void ProcessBarcodeStream()
    {
        // Generate barcode and get stream
        var originalBarcode = BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode("STREAM-TEST-123", BarcodeEncoding.Code128);
        Stream barcodeStream = originalBarcode.ToStream();

        // Read barcode back from stream
        var results = BarcodeReader.Read(barcodeStream);

        foreach (var result in results)
        {
            Console.WriteLine($"Value: {result.Value}");
            Console.WriteLine($"Format: {result.BarcodeType}");
        }

        // Don't forget to dispose of the stream
        barcodeStream.Dispose();
    }
}

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Performance Considerations

When exporting barcodes as streams, consider these performance tips:

• Reuse Streams: Use MemoryStream with initial capacity for better performance
• Async Operations: Use async methods when dealing with large volumes
• Stream Pooling: Implement stream pooling for high-frequency operations
• Format Selection: Choose formats wisely—PNG is generally faster than PDF