Barcode
Configuration reference: Código de barras
Overview
The Barcode component stores a code (text) that can be typed by hand or read with the phone camera, and draws it as a QR code or a 1D barcode. It can also identify the record itself, so that a printed label opens that record on another device.
The stored value is always text.
Value
The Value section sets where the code comes from:
| Option | Behaviour |
|---|---|
| Typed or scanned (default) | The user types the code or reads it with the camera. This is how existing columns behave. |
| This record (id) | The code is the record identifier, assigned on creation. The form field is read-only. |
| This record (link) | The code is the record link in the app, assigned on creation. Read by the phone camera outside the app, it opens the record in the browser. |
In both This record modes the value is filled when the record is created (or on the first save of an older record with an empty cell) and is never rewritten; a duplicated record gets its own code. Switching an existing column to This record keeps the hand-typed values already there; only empty cells receive the record code. These modes hide the input options and the Uniqueness section, because the code is unique by construction. Use QR or Code 128: an identifier or a link does not fit in an EAN-13.
Configuration
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Format | Symbology used to draw the code: QR (default), Code 128 or EAN-13. |
| Allow camera scan | Shows the scan button. Default: on. |
| Allow manual entry | Allows typing the code by hand. Default: on. |
| Show code in cells | Shows a thumbnail of the code in table/list views, at row height, next to the text. Default: off. |
| Draw the code in the form | Draws the code below the field in the form, with the Copy image and Copy code buttons. Default: off. |
At least one of "Allow camera scan" / "Allow manual entry" must stay on; the configuration flags an error when both are off.
With the EAN-13 format the value must have exactly 13 digits with a correct check digit, both when typing and when the form is validated.
Display in views
| View | Display |
|---|---|
| Form / Calendar | Text field, with the camera scan button when available. With "Draw the code in the form" on, the code appears below the field (read-only columns too) and updates while typing; an incomplete or invalid EAN-13 is not drawn |
| Table / List | Plain text or, with "Show code in cells" on, a thumbnail of the code at row height with the text; the Show code button (and tapping the thumbnail) opens a dialog with the enlarged code, Copy image and Copy code |
| Kanban / Execution | Plain text |
Uniqueness
This column can enforce a Unique value (and a key together with other columns of the same table) with the same settings as the Text Field component. The server rejects the repeated value: the app, an import, an automation and the API receive the same refusal, naming the column.
Read code
The Read code action opens the record that matches a printed code:
- In the command bar (Ctrl+K / ⌘K), type "read code"; the direct shortcut is Ctrl+Shift+L (⌘⇧L on Mac).
- In the kiosk, the read button appears in the top bar when a tab has a barcode column; it opens and creates records only in the tables of the tabs.
On Android and iOS the action opens the camera and accepts any format. On web and desktop it opens a field to type or paste the code; a USB reader types like a keyboard and ends with Enter.
The code is looked up in every table of the workspace, in this order: a record link, a record identifier and, last, the value of a Barcode column (with the same whitespace and case normalisation as uniqueness). The result:
- One record: opens in the form, editable or read-only according to permissions.
- Several records: shows the list to choose from.
- No record: offers Create record with the code already filled, asking for the table when more than one has a hand-typed barcode column.
- Another organisation or no access: shows only that message.
Copy the image
Copy image copies the code as a PNG image, on a white background with a margin, ready to paste into Word or another document. Copy code copies the text.
- Windows, macOS and iOS: the image goes to the clipboard.
- Web: the image goes to the clipboard when the browser allows it; when the browser refuses (some Safari and Firefox versions), the image is downloaded as a file.
- Linux and Android: the button is named Save image and saves the PNG to a file.
Limitations
- Camera scanning only works on Android and iOS. On web and desktop the scan button never appears, even with "Allow camera scan" on; only manual entry is available there (with a notice when the configuration only allowed camera scanning).
- Read code searches the device local database: a record not yet synced is only found through its link, which waits for the sync.
- Records created by the server (automations) get their This record code on the first save made in the app.
- This component can be filtered in views.