Help Menu Getting Started Create Bar Codes Check For Updates Utilities Help / License Clear Minimize Problem Solving

It is recommended that you read through this entire help document before using this software.

Select the help option that corresponds with the appropriate software tab.

Getting Started Basics Printers Label Stock Main Help Menu     Basics Creation Bar Code Software is extremely flexible and simple to use as long as you know a few basics. The software is split into categories by tabs. Main - Styles - Jobs - Print / Preview - Add-Ons - Simple Bar Codes - Info. The main tab has no function other than to provide you with software details. The "Styles" tab allows you to select and create styles that you will use with your jobs. The "Jobs" tab allows you to create and add bar code jobs. The "Print / Preview" tab allows you to preview and print jobs you have created. The "Add-Ons" tab gives you the option to open the add-ons manager which provides added graphics and / or software enhancements. The "Simple Bar Codes" tab presents a sub menu of tabs for simple bar codes. The "Info" tab provides additional software registration that you may require if you should ever need tech support. Because so many people fail to read help files this is a quick summary to get you started. For more detailed help please read this entire document. This software comes with some sample images and data. For best results we recommend you create your own art to the following specifications: 2-Up Bitmap Image (.bmp) 656 pixels X 419 pixels 3-Up Bitmap Image (.bmp) 330 pixels X 687 pixels 3-Up With Card Bitmap Image (.bmp) 330 pixels X 687 pixels 4-Up Bitmap Image (.bmp) 330 pixels X 494 pixels 10-Up Bitmap Image (.bmp) 330 pixels X 189 pixels 10-Up With Photo Bitmap Image (.bmp) 330 pixels X 189 pixels Label Bitmap Image (.bmp) 371 pixels X 93 pixels CD - FRont Bitmap Image (.bmp) 513 pixels X 509 pixels CD - Back Bitmap Image (.bmp) 593 pixels X 479 pixels DVD Bitmap Image (.bmp) 1076 pixels X 726 pixels Additional images can be installed using the Add-ons feature. IMPORTANT! As per popular request version 5.0 now features duplicate guard. Duplicate guard automatically inserts an accumulative counter number (on selected jobs) that can not be reset to the end of the bar code you select. This elimnates any possibilities of accidental duplicates. If you require multiple bar codes with the same ending number, just set your printer to print the number you require of that one item. To insert an image / background: 1) Click on the image box to highlite it. 2) From the main tool bar menu select "Insert" and then "Object" from the drop down list. 3) Select the "Create from File" option. 4) Check the "Link" option. 5) Select browse and navigate to, and select the bitmap image you wish to insert. (All the template images are conveniently sorted in the folder: C:\Program Files\BCS\Styles.) (See image below) To set up the page so your print jobs come out corectly, you may need to adjust the page layout to suit your needs. To do this: 1) Select the "Preview" option for the job you wish to process. 2) From the main menu select "File" and then "Page Setup". 3) Adjust the Margins, Page and Columns to suit your needs. (See image below) Please note, some jobs such as DVD covers require a very minimum margin. Not all printers are capable of printing that close to the edge. If you encounter this, you will have to adjust your art work so there is no image where your printer can not print. Tips! You don't have to use all fields. For example, if you are using a preprinted paper and all you need is the bar code printed on it, don't select a background. Double clicking on the background / image will open the image so you can personalize and edit it however you like. This is extremely usefull when using predesigned templates. All the template images are conveniently sorted in the folder: C:\Program Files\BCS\Styles. Getting Started      Main Help Menu     Printers Printers - Creation Bar Code Software will work with any printer. Your printers resolution must be set to the highest quality and you must use high quality label stock suited for your printer. Getting Started      Main Help Menu     Label Stock Label Stock - Creation Bar Code Software was designed to use full 8.5" X 11" uncut label sheets that can be purchased anywhere you buy supplies for your printer. After printing your Bar Code labels you can easily cut them down with the printed cut marks. This allows you to save money on expensive precut labels that may be hard to find. Getting Started      Main Help Menu     Create Bar Codes Main Create A Job (Only available with Gold Version.) Add To Job (Only available with Gold Version.) Process Job (Only available with Gold Version.) Bar Code Bar Code Batch Info Main Help Menu     Main Main - This tab displays software information. Create Bar Codes      Main Help Menu     Create A Job Create Job - This tab allows you to create a new job which will be saved. (Only available with Gold Version.) Job Name - Enter the name you want for a job. Jobs can store many Bar Codes and are saved on your hard drive. Description - Enter a brief description for this job. Go to job - Allows you to quickly navigate to a job. Add - Press this to add a job, and press it again to save the job. Remove - This removes the job Description. This will not remove the actual job. Navigation Arrows - Allows you to navigate through all of your job descriptions. Close - This closes the Bar Code tool. Create Bar Codes      Main Help Menu     Add To Job Add To Job - This tab allows you to add Bar Codes to any jobs you have created. (Only available with Gold Version.) Job - Select the job that you want this Bar Code to be saved to. SKU up to 15 Characters - Enter the SKU or any Alphanumeric characters you like (up to 15 characters). All letters must be in upper case! This is what will be encoded to Bar Code format. Description - Enter the description for what this Bar Code is for. This will be printed on the Bar Code label if selected when viewing and printing labels. Price - Enter the price of the item that the Bar Code is for. This will be printed on the Bar Code label if selected when viewing and printing labels. Load - This loads the current label to your hard drive. Click on this to create and save new Bar Codes. Unload - This unloads the current label from your hard drive. Navigation Arrows - Allows you to navigate through all of the Bar Codes you have loaded on your hard drive. Refresh - Refreshes the information from the saved data. Sunglasses - Opens a window that shows all Bar Codes on your hard drive sorted into groups. You can speed edit Bar Codes here, delete Bar Codes (including multiple bar codes by holding the shift key on your key board while selecting the jobs on the far left box). Close - This closes the Bar Code tool. Create Bar Codes      Main Help Menu     Process Job Process Job - This tab processes a job of your choice and prints and previews the labels. (Only available with Gold Version.) SKU Bar Code Only - Clicking on the Magnify Glass previews the labels. Clicking on the Printer prints the labels. SKU Bar Code With Visible SKU # - Clicking on the Magnify Glass previews the labels. Clicking on the Printer prints the labels. SKU Bar Code With Visible SKU # And Description - Clicking on the Magnify Glass previews the labels. Clicking on the Printer prints the labels. SKU Bar Code With Visible SKU #, Description And Price - Clicking on the Magnify Glass previews the labels. Clicking on the Printer prints the labels. SKU Bar Code Only With Price - Clicking on the Magnify Glass previews the labels. Clicking on the Printer prints the labels. Close - This closes the Bar Code tool. Create Bar Codes      Main Help Menu     Bar Codes Bar Code - This tab will print multiples of the same Bar Code. Information is not saved. SKU up to 15 Characters - Enter the SKU or any Alphanumeric characters you like (up to 15 characters). All letters must be in upper case! This is what will be encoded to Bar Code format. Description - Enter the description for what this Bar Code is for. This will be printed on the Bar Code label if selected when viewing and printing labels. Price - Enter the price of the item that the Bar Code is for. This will be printed on the Bar Code label if selected when viewing and printing labels. Load - This loads the Bar Code information for printing. SKU Bar Code Only - Clicking on the Magnify Glass previews the labels. Clicking on the Printer prints the labels. SKU Bar Code With Visible SKU # - Clicking on the Magnify Glass previews the labels. Clicking on the Printer prints the labels. SKU Bar Code With Visible SKU # And Description - Clicking on the Magnify Glass previews the labels. Clicking on the Printer prints the labels. SKU Bar Code With Visible SKU #, Description And Price - Clicking on the Magnify Glass previews the labels. Clicking on the Printer prints the labels. SKU Bar Code Only With Price - Clicking on the Magnify Glass previews the labels. Clicking on the Printer prints the labels. Close - This closes the Bar Code tool. Main Help Menu     Bar Code Batch Bar Code Batch - This tab will print a batch of Bar Codes. Information is saved until updated. SKU up to 15 Characters - Enter the SKU or any Alphanumeric characters you like (up to 15 characters). All letters must be in upper case! This is what will be encoded to Bar Code format. Description - Enter the description for what this Bar Code is for. This will be printed on the Bar Code label if selected when viewing and printing labels. Price - Enter the price of the item that the Bar Code is for. This will be printed on the Bar Code label if selected when viewing and printing labels. Load - This loads the Bar Code information for printing. Unload - This unloads the Bar Code information from the print job. Magnify Glass - Allows you to view, edit, and delete all Bar Codes in the batch. Navigation Arrows - Allows you to navigate through all Bar Codes in the batch. SKU Bar Code Only - Clicking on the Magnify Glass previews the labels. Clicking on the Printer prints the labels. SKU Bar Code With Visible SKU # - Clicking on the Magnify Glass previews the labels. Clicking on the Printer prints the labels. SKU Bar Code With Visible SKU # And Description - Clicking on the Magnify Glass previews the labels. Clicking on the Printer prints the labels. SKU Bar Code With Visible SKU #, Description And Price - Clicking on the Magnify Glass previews the labels. Clicking on the Printer prints the labels. SKU Bar Code Only With Price - Clicking on the Magnify Glass previews the labels. Clicking on the Printer prints the labels. Close - This closes the Bar Code tool. Main Help Menu     Info Info - This tab displays information about the software. Main Help Menu     Check For Updates Check For Updates - Allows you to check for software updates with a single click of your mouse. Main Help Menu     Utilities Auto Update - If updates are available this will update your software to the most current version. Update Details - This will allow you to view details of any updates available as well as connect you to the dmchambers.com website. Compact Software - This feature allows you to compact the software if it should be required. (See Compact / Repair help for more details.) Repair Software - This feature allows you to repair the software if it should be required. (See Compact / Repair help for more details.) Compact Data - This feature allows you to compact the data if it should be required. (See Compact / Repair help for more details.) Repair Data - This feature allows you to repair the data if it should be required. (See Compact / Repair help for more details.) Backup Data - Backs up your Bar Code jobs saved with this program. Restore Data - Restores the last back up of your Bar Code jobs saved with this program. Main Menu - Returns to the main menu. Main Help Menu     Help / License Software - Help guide for this software. License - Licence agreement for this software. Clear - Clears the last selection. Compact / Repair - Help guide for the Compact / Repair feature. Website - Connects you to the dmchambers.com website. Print - Prints the content of the information window. Main Menu - Returns to the main menu. Refresh - Refreshes the contents of the information window. Main Help Menu     Clear Clear - Clears the information window. Main Help Menu     Minimize Minimize - Minimizes the program to your task bar. Main Help Menu     Problem Solving Bar Codes are not printing as Bar Codes. - The Bar Code support is not installed or has become corupt. You must reinstall it from the installation disk. Bar Code Utility does not work. - A bug in MS Access and MS Office prevent a runtime version to be installed if a full version is detected. You must uninstall your MS Access and MS Office, Install the MS Access runtime included with this software and then reinstall your MS Office. Bar Codes do not scan. - Your printer may not be set to the highest resolution, the labels you are using are not suited for your type of printer or your toner / ink is low. Scanner does not recognize Bar Code. - Your scanner may not be configured to read 3of9 type Bar Code (See your scanners manual for programing your scanner.) or your Bar Code scanner is dirty or malfuntioning. Software is in demo mode or says it is not registered. - You must repeat installation steps 4 to 7 from the installation disk. Problem installing software. - Uninstall any MS Access or MS Office software you may have installed on your computer. You must click on the words "Do It Now" during each step of the installation process. Double clciking image causes computer to hang and / or tries to open a program other than Windows Paint - A program you have previously installed has associated the .bmp file format to it instead of what it should be, Windows Paint. To fix this open "My Computer" select "Tools" and then "Folder Options" and finally select the "File Types" tab. Scroll through the list and remove any file associations to .bmp files other then to Windows Paint. Main Help Menu