How to Create a Barcode Generator in C#

Barcodes are essential for a variety of applications, from product management to inventory tracking. If you’re a C# developer looking to build a barcode generator, you’re in luck! In this blog post, we’ll walk through creating a simple barcode generator using C# and the ZXing.Net library. We’ll cover the essentials to help you get started and customize the generator for your needs.

Prerequisites

Before we dive into the code, ensure you have the following:

• Visual Studio: For creating and running your C# Windows Forms application.
• ZXing.Net Library: A popular library for barcode generation and recognition.

Setting Up Your Project

1. Create a New Project: Open Visual Studio and create a new Windows Forms App (.NET Framework) project.

2. Install ZXing.Net:

• Right-click on your project in Solution Explorer.
• Select Manage NuGet Packages.
• Search for ZXing.Net and install it.

Designing the User Interface

Add Controls to the Form:

• TextBox: For user input (e.g., barcode data).
• Button: To trigger barcode generation.
• PictureBox: To display the generated barcode.

Name these controls appropriately (e.g., txtData, btnGenerate, and pictureBoxBarcode).

Writing the Code

Here’s a step-by-step guide to writing the barcode generation code:

1. Open your Form's Code: Double-click the btnGenerate button to create a click event handler.
2. Add the Following Code:

using System;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using ZXing;


namespace barcode_generator
{
    public partial class Form1 : Form
    {
        public Form1()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
        }

        private void btnGenerate_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            string data = txtData.Text;

            if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(data))
            {
                MessageBox.Show("Please enter data to generate the barcode.", "Input Error", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error);
                return;
            }

            try
            {
                var barcodeWriter = new BarcodeWriter
                {
                    Format = BarcodeFormat.CODE_128, 
                    Options = new ZXing.Common.EncodingOptions
                    {
                        Width = pictureBoxBarcode.Width,  
                        Height = pictureBoxBarcode.Height, 
                        Margin = 10               
                    }
                };

                Bitmap bitmap = barcodeWriter.Write(data);
                pictureBoxBarcode.SizeMode = PictureBoxSizeMode.StretchImage;
                pictureBoxBarcode.Image = bitmap;
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                MessageBox.Show($"Error generating barcode: {ex.Message}", "Error", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error);
            }

        }
    }
}

Explanation

• BarcodeWriter: This class from the ZXing.Net library creates barcodes. We configure it to use the CODE_128 format and set the size of the generated barcode.
• EncodingOptions: Define the width, height, and margin of the barcode.
• Exception Handling: Catch and display any errors that might occur during barcode generation.

Running the Application

1. Build and Run: Click on the Start button in Visual Studio to run your application.
2. Enter Data: Type some data into the TextBox, click the Generate button, and see the barcode appear in the PictureBox.

Conclusion

You’ve now created a simple barcode generator in C# using ZXing.Net! This example provides a solid foundation, and you can expand it to include different barcode formats or additional features like saving the barcode image.

Download C# Barcode Generator Source Code