Learn how to Construct a Barcode Generator Utilizing SwiftUI

I just lately acquired a query from a good friend concerning barcode era utilizing Swift. The CoreImage framework supplies handy built-in APIs for creating numerous forms of barcodes, together with QR codes. On this tutorial, we’ll discover how one can leverage SwiftUI and these highly effective APIs to develop your very personal barcode generator.

Let’s first check out the ultimate outcome. It’s a really elementary barcode era app with easy UIs. Whenever you enter textual content into the designated area, the app immediately generates the corresponding barcode utilizing the Code 128 format, which is used for alphanumeric or numeric-only barcodes.

Creating the Barcode Generator

Assuming you could have created a brand new SwiftUI undertaking in Xcode, open the ContentView.swift file. Begin by importing the required package deal for utilizing the filters:

import CoreImage.CIFilterBuiltins

Subsequent, we create a BarcodeGenerator struct for producing the barcode:

struct BarcodeGenerator {
    let context = CIContext()
    let generator = CIFilter.code128BarcodeGenerator()

    func generateBarcode(textual content: String) -> Picture {
        let generator = CIFilter.code128BarcodeGenerator()
        generator.message = Knowledge(textual content.utf8)

        if let outputImage = generator.outputImage,
           let cgImage = context.createCGImage(outputImage, from: outputImage.extent) {

            let uiImage = UIImage(cgImage: cgImage)

            return Picture(uiImage: uiImage)
        }

        return Picture(systemName: "barcode")

    }
}

To create the barcode, we declare two variables: the context and the Code 128 generator. If you happen to discover the CIFilter class, you’ll uncover different code mills such because the QR code generator and the Aztec code generator. Nevertheless, for this demonstration, we are going to deal with utilizing the Code 128 barcode generator.

The generateBarcode technique accepts a string enter and returns the generated barcode picture. Inside the technique, we first initialize the code128BarcodeGenerator and assign the enter textual content to its message property. Because the message property expects Knowledge, we convert the enter textual content to Knowledge. Subsequently, we retrieve the generated barcode picture from the outputImage property of the generator.

Because the ensuing picture is of kind CIImage, we make the most of the createCGImage technique of the context to transform it to a CGImage. We then proceed with extra steps to transform it into an Picture.

Constructing the Consumer Interface

Now that we’ve completed constructing the barcode generator, let’s transfer on to creating the consumer interface for displaying the barcode picture.

First, declare the next properties in ContentView for the enter textual content and the barcode generator:

@State personal var inputText = ""
var barcodeGenerator = BarcodeGenerator()

For the consumer interface, let’s maintain it easy and lay out all of the views in a VStack like this:

VStack(alignment: .main) {

    Textual content("Barcode Generator")
        .font(.system(dimension: 60, weight: .black, design: .rounded))

    Textual content("Please key in your barcode knowledge within the textual content area")
        .font(.headline)
        .padding(.backside, 20)

    TextField("", textual content: $inputText)
        .padding()
        .font(.title)
        .background(Coloration(.systemGray6))

    Spacer()

    VStack(spacing: 0) {
        barcodeGenerator.generateBarcode(textual content: inputText)
            .resizable()
            .scaledToFit()

        Textual content(inputText.isEmpty ? "Unknown knowledge" : inputText)
    }

}
.padding()

On the display, we’ve a textual content area that captures consumer enter. In the direction of the underside of the display, the app shows the generated barcode. In case there is no such thing as a consumer enter, we present a default picture with the caption “Unknown knowledge.”

That’s it! You must now be capable to check the app within the preview pane. Merely enter any textual content within the textual content area, and the app will robotically generate the barcode on the fly.

Abstract

This tutorial supplies a complete information on constructing a barcode generator utilizing the CoreImage framework and SwiftUI. Whereas the main focus is on making a Code 128 barcode, you’ll be able to simply modify the code to help a number of forms of barcodes together with QR codes.