Positioning bar codes

When first drawn, bar codes are nontransparent. They can be exported as drawn in all non-vector file formats.

To position a bar code

1. On the Objects toolbar, click Bar Code .

A contextual edit bar appears above the graphical area.

2. In Data, enter the numerals for the bar code that you want to create.

3. In Standards, select the bar code format that you need.
4. To position the bar code, do any of the following:

• In the graphical area, go to where you want to position the bar code, and then begin drawing to create a rectangular area.

5. Using the mouse, draw a rectangle in which to place the bar code.
6. In the contextual edit bar, in Angle type the angle at which the bar code will be positioned -- usually zero degrees or 90 degrees. Then, in Width and Height, type the type the values for the dimensions of the bar code area.
7. After you have defined the area that the bar code will take up, click. This fixes the bar code.

The bar code takes up the space of the drawn rectangle.

NOTE: Different bar code standards support different types of data and the program indicates these standard/data discrepancies. If, after you have entered your bar code data and have drawn the area for it, you see the message INVALID INPUT, this means that the bar code you have selected does not support the typed data. In this case, select a different standard (to do this, see below).

Editing bar codes

1. To begin editing a bar code, do any of the following:

• Double click the bar code.
• Right-click the bar code, and then click Object Properties on the context menu.

The Object Properties dialog box appears.

Standards Click the down arrow to view and select the list of available bar codes standards.

Front color (this is the color of the bars) Click the down arrow and select the color that you want the bars to have. In Opacity, enter a value for the intensity of the color — 100% means solid color; 0% means no color (transparent).

Back color (this is the color of the background on which the bars stand) Click the down arrow and select the color in which you want the background. In Opacity, enter a value for the intensity of the color — 100% means solid color; 0% means no color (transparent).

2. Edit the numerals, the standard and the front and back colors, and then click OK to make the bar code adopt the edited properties.