QR Code Settings

QR Code (Quick Response Code) is a 2D Barcode format that supports alphanumeric, numeric, byte/binary, and Kanji (Japanese-Chinese character) data.

Note: To create dynamic barcodes, Metadata options must first have been set (see Meta Data options).
Metadata fields are required to create the association between the dynamic data used in the print run and the barcode.


Use the following options to configure the output Barcode settings:

  • General group:

    • Include in output checkbox: This determines whether of not this Additional Content entry should be included in the output or not.
      It is checked by default for all new entries.
      This option allow for "libraries" of Additional Content to be created in Presets, libraries from which you can pick and choose what entries you wish to have included, at time of printing.

    • Description edit box: An edit box for adding an optional Description to the Additional Content entry.

  • Position group:

    • Orientation: Use the drop-down to select the orientation of the Barcode added to the page.

    • Output once per sheet: This option relates to Imposition printing (see Imposition), also known as N-Up printing. Select this box to have the Barcode printed once per sheet rather than once per document page.

      Note: If Imposition options such as auto-positioning and scaling were selected, these options won't apply to the Additional Content added to the physical N-Up sheet.

    • Left: Enter the distance between the left margin of the page and the Barcode, in either metric (cm/mm), inch (in) or point (pt) values.

    • Bottom: Enter the distance between the bottom margin of the page and the Barcode, in either metric (cm/mm), inch (in) or point (pt) values.

QRCode Properties group:

  • Size by: Select size from the two options available:

    • By area: Connect will try to size the Barcode to fit the specified area by dynamically changing the module width to the Size selection. The lower module width limit is governed by the Minimum module width selection.
      Enter the sizes in either metric (cm/mm), inch (in), pixel (px) or point (pt) values.
    • By module width: Connect will try to size the Barcode to the module width of the characters. Large Barcode values will result in larger Barcode and vice versa.
      Enter the Module widthin either metric (cm/mm), inch (in), pixel (px) or point (pt) values.

  • Encoding: Define the encoding of the Barcode:

    • Auto: Automatically detect the data content and encodes using the most appropriate method. This is the default option.
    • Numeric: 7089 numerical characters.
    • Alphanumeric: 4296 alphanumerical characters.
    • Byte: 2953 characters.
    • Kanji: 1817 Japanese/Chinese characters.

  • Version: Select the preferred QR code version (which sets the data length field) from the 40 available.

    Note: The Encoding and Version fields work together to determine how many characters are encoded within a length field. The following table shows the number of bits in a length field, based upon the selections made:

    EncodingVer. 1-9Ver. 10-23Ver. 27-40
    Numeric 101214
    Alphanumeric 91113
    Byte 81616
    Kanji 81012

  • Error Correction Level: Part of the robustness of QR codes is their ability to sustain “damage” and continue to function even when a part of the QR code image is obscured, defaced or removed. A higher correction level duplicates data within the QR Code to allow for damaged areas. The higher the Error Correction Level, the larger the Barcode will be. The choices are (in order from lowest to highest): Low, Medium, Quartile and High.

  • Use ECI for encoding messages as bytes: Selecting Extended Channel Interpretations (ECI) allows encoding multiple character sets (e.g. Arabic, Cyrillic, Greek, Hebrew) and other data interpretations, into one QR Code symbol.

  • Multi-part QR Code (structured append): Select to append a QR Code symbol in a structured format.

    • Part: indicates the position of the QR Code symbol within the group of Structured Append symbols.

    • of: indicates how many Structured Append symbols exist.

      • Note: The Structured Append symbols Part number can never exceed the sum total of Structured Append symbols available (the "of" value). Thus selecting a Part number beyond the existing sum total will increase the sum total to the same value.

  • Use FNC1: Check to enable Application Identifiers. These are often used to encode links to websites, or to encode production/batch details.

    • Position: Select between the two methods for encoding FNC1 characters within QR Codes:

      • First Position - uses the GS1 QR Code standard.

      • Second Position - uses the AIM QR Code standard. If this option is chosen then the appropriate Application Indicator will also need to be set.

        • Application ID: Enter the appropriate QR-Code Application Indicator in accordance with the specific industry or application specifications (as provided by AIM International).

  • Process Tilde:
    Check this option to process tilde characters in the data as special characters.

    With this option checked, any tilde that needs to be included in the output must be escaped by adding another tilde: ~~.

  • Text: Enter the text used to generate the Barcode.

    • Add button: Click to display a list of variable data that could be used for generating the Barcode.
      This includes metadata fields which must previously have been added in the Metadata options, likely at the Document Tags level (see Metadata Options), as well as some information fields.

  • Condition: Enter the condition which determines whether or not the Barcode will be added to the document at print time. For details on how to create a conditional, see How to Set Conditionals.

    • Add button: Click to display a list of metadata fields, information fields to add, or common expressions to the condition.