How to Print A Barcode Label in VB .NET

Installing IronBarcode Library

To seamlessly integrate the IronBarcode library into your project via the Package Manager Console, follow this step-by-step procedure for a smooth installation process:

1. Open your Visual Studio project.
2. Click on Tools in the menu.
3. Select NuGet Package Manager.
4. Choose Package Manager Console.

5. In the console, type the following command and press Enter:

   Install-Package Barcode

   Install-Package Barcode

   SHELL
6. This command will download and install the IronBarcode package for you.

IronBarcode is free for development purposes but requires a license to explore all its functionality.

Generating a Barcode Image

Write the following code to generate a Barcode.

Imports IronBarCode

Module Program
    Sub Main(args As String())
        ' Creating a barcode is simple:
        Dim myBarcode = BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode("123456BCX65432", BarcodeWriterEncoding.Code128)
        ' Save the barcode as an image:
        myBarcode.SaveAsImage("myBarcode.jpeg")
    End Sub
End Module

Imports IronBarCode

Module Program
    Sub Main(args As String())
        ' Creating a barcode is simple:
        Dim myBarcode = BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode("123456BCX65432", BarcodeWriterEncoding.Code128)
        ' Save the barcode as an image:
        myBarcode.SaveAsImage("myBarcode.jpeg")
    End Sub
End Module

This code simplifies the process of generating a barcode image using the IronBarcode library. It shows how to create a barcode and save it as an image, essentially turning data into a scannable picture.

• Import IronBarCode: This line allows our program to use the features provided by the IronBarcode library.
• Create Barcode: Generates a barcode for the value "123456BCX65432" using Code 128 encoding. A barcode is a unique pattern of lines and spaces that represents specific information.
• Save Image: Saves the barcode as an image file named "myBarcode.jpeg". This file contains the visual representation of the barcode, which can be printed or displayed.

Output

Let's resize the barcode to fit into the printable area.

Resizing the Barcode Image

The following code will resize the barcode as per the provided dimension.

Sub Main(args As String())
    ' Creating a barcode is simple:
    Dim myBarcode = BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode("123456BCX65432", BarcodeWriterEncoding.Code128)
    ' Resize the Barcode:
    myBarcode.ResizeTo(400, 100)
    ' Save our barcode as an image:
    myBarcode.SaveAsImage("myBarcode.jpeg")
End Sub

Sub Main(args As String())
    ' Creating a barcode is simple:
    Dim myBarcode = BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode("123456BCX65432", BarcodeWriterEncoding.Code128)
    ' Resize the Barcode:
    myBarcode.ResizeTo(400, 100)
    ' Save our barcode as an image:
    myBarcode.SaveAsImage("myBarcode.jpeg")
End Sub

The process of creating a barcode remains the same. We just added a line to resize the image before saving. This adjusts its dimensions to be 400 pixels wide and 100 pixels tall, ensuring that it fits well within the desired space when displayed or printed.

Output

Let's add the Barcode Value and annotation text below or above our barcode.

Adding a Barcode Value and Annotation

The following source code adds a Barcode Value and annotation text above and below the barcode, respectively.

Sub Main(args As String())
    ' Creating a barcode is simple:
    Dim myBarcode = BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode("123456BCX65432", BarcodeWriterEncoding.Code128)
    ' Resize the Barcode:
    myBarcode.ResizeTo(400, 100)
    ' Add an annotation text above the barcode
    myBarcode.AddAnnotationTextAboveBarcode("This is my test barcode generated using IronBarcode.")
    ' Add the actual barcode value below the barcode
    myBarcode.AddBarcodeValueTextBelowBarcode()
    ' Save our barcode as an image:
    myBarcode.SaveAsImage("myBarcode.jpeg")
End Sub

Sub Main(args As String())
    ' Creating a barcode is simple:
    Dim myBarcode = BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode("123456BCX65432", BarcodeWriterEncoding.Code128)
    ' Resize the Barcode:
    myBarcode.ResizeTo(400, 100)
    ' Add an annotation text above the barcode
    myBarcode.AddAnnotationTextAboveBarcode("This is my test barcode generated using IronBarcode.")
    ' Add the actual barcode value below the barcode
    myBarcode.AddBarcodeValueTextBelowBarcode()
    ' Save our barcode as an image:
    myBarcode.SaveAsImage("myBarcode.jpeg")
End Sub

The code for creating, resizing, and saving the barcode remains the same. We've added extra lines for annotation and value text.

• Add Annotation: This line adds extra text above the barcode to provide additional context or information.
• Add Barcode Value: Displays the actual value represented by the barcode beneath it.

Output Barcode Image

Let's style our barcode by changing the background and barcode color.

Style Barcode

The following code will change the background color and the barcode color.

Sub Main(args As String())
    Dim myBarcode = BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode("123456BCX65432", BarcodeWriterEncoding.Code128)
    myBarcode.ResizeTo(400, 100)
    myBarcode.AddAnnotationTextAboveBarcode("This is my test barcode generated using Iron Barcode.")
    myBarcode.AddBarcodeValueTextBelowBarcode()
    ' Change the barcode's color
    myBarcode.ChangeBarCodeColor(IronSoftware.Drawing.Color.DarkBlue)
    ' Change the background color
    myBarcode.ChangeBackgroundColor(IronSoftware.Drawing.Color.Cornsilk)
    ' Save our styled barcode as an image:
    myBarcode.SaveAsImage("myStyledBarcode.jpeg")
End Sub

Sub Main(args As String())
    Dim myBarcode = BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode("123456BCX65432", BarcodeWriterEncoding.Code128)
    myBarcode.ResizeTo(400, 100)
    myBarcode.AddAnnotationTextAboveBarcode("This is my test barcode generated using Iron Barcode.")
    myBarcode.AddBarcodeValueTextBelowBarcode()
    ' Change the barcode's color
    myBarcode.ChangeBarCodeColor(IronSoftware.Drawing.Color.DarkBlue)
    ' Change the background color
    myBarcode.ChangeBackgroundColor(IronSoftware.Drawing.Color.Cornsilk)
    ' Save our styled barcode as an image:
    myBarcode.SaveAsImage("myStyledBarcode.jpeg")
End Sub

The basic barcode creation steps remain unchanged. We've added lines to alter the appearance of the barcode with a different color.

• Barcode Color: Changes the barcode's lines and spaces to a Dark Blue color for better visual distinction.
• Background Color: Sets the background to Cornsilk, ensuring the barcode stands out clearly.

Output

This generates a styled barcode image. You can use the print dialogue in .NET Winforms if you're developing a Windows Forms application.