levine@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Leonard P Levine) (01/16/91)
Does anyone have a font for laser printers that creates the bar codes that are used by the post office on the bottom of letters. The code is a simple 2 out of 5 code and should be easily made. Seems like a good piece of shareware asking for an author. + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + | Leonard P. Levine e-mail levine@cs.uwm.edu | | Professor, Computer Science Office (414) 229-5170 | | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Home (414) 962-4719 | | Milwaukee, WI 53201 U.S.A. FAX (414) 229-6958 | + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - +
wales@valeria.cs.ucla.edu (Rich Wales) (01/17/91)
In article <8924@uwm.edu> levine@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Leonard P Levine) writes: Does anyone have a font for laser printers that creates the bar codes that are used by the post office on the bottom of letters. The code is a simple 2 out of 5 code and should be easily made. Seems like a good piece of shareware asking for an author. I'm working on such a program right now, in my copious spare time. :-} Can't tell you exactly when it'll be ready for release, though. Please note that it isn't good enough simply to put the numeric bar code (corresponding to the 9-digit ZIP+4 code) on the bottom of the envelope. You also need to put a special bar pattern on the top, to the left of the stamp position. Otherwise, the USPS's mail sorting equipment won't realize that the envelope is bar-coded -- and (I assume) you won't be able to take advantage of the 2-cent postage discount for bar-coded mail which will take effect as part of the forthcoming postal rate increase. Also, the special bar pattern on the top of the envelope =must= be no more than 1/8 inch away from the top edge (and in fact is supposed to extend all the way to the edge of the envelope if possible). The HP LaserJet IIP, at least, won't print this close to the edge of the paper. In the program I'm working on, I'm planning to handle this problem by printing everything upside down (and having the user insert the enve- lopes into the printer backwards). That will necessitate a set of upside-down fonts -- not only for the bar codes, but also an upside-down typewriter-style font for printing the address on the envelope (together with logic in the program to print everything backwards). -- Rich Wales <wales@CS.UCLA.EDU> // UCLA Computer Science Department 3531 Boelter Hall // Los Angeles, CA 90024-1596 // +1 (213) 825-5683 "Close your eyes, my darling . . . well, three of them, at least!"