Barcode data format

The barcode data format turns text into a barcode image (QR Code, Data Matrix, PDF417, Aztec, Code 128, EAN and more) on marshal, and reads the text back from a barcode image on unmarshal.

Name: barcode · Crate: cameleer-dataformats · Cargo feature: dataformats · Apache Camel: Barcode

When to use it

• Print QR codes or Data Matrix codes on shipping labels, tickets or asset tags straight from a route (for example with a link to the order).
• Read barcodes from scanned documents or camera images on an edge device (a warehouse gateway, a kiosk) without a cloud vision service.
• Let an AI agent attach a scannable code to what it produces, such as a QR code with a tracking URL in a generated email.

Marshal and unmarshal

Symbologies (barcodeFormat):

With the default barcodeFormat (QR_CODE), unmarshal tries every format. Setting another format restricts decoding to it. The codecs are written from scratch (no ZXing) but follow ZXing's rendering and option names, and decode photographs (rotation, perspective, noise) as well as clean generated images.

Example

Make a QR code for a tracking link, then read it back. A real route would write the PNG to a file or attach it to an email instead of decoding it.

- route:
    id: barcode-qr
    from:
      uri: direct:barcode-qr
      steps:
        - marshal:
            barcode:
              barcodeFormat: QR_CODE
              errorCorrectionLevel: M
              width: 200
              height: 200
        - setHeader:
            name: pngSignature
            simple: "${body.substring(1, 4)}"
        - unmarshal:
            barcode: {}
        - setBody:
            simple: "${header.pngSignature} ${header.BarcodeFormat} ${header.ERROR_CORRECTION_LEVEL}: ${body}"

https://example.com/track/ORD-1042

PNG QR_CODE M: https://example.com/track/ORD-1042

A linear barcode for a product label:

- route:
    id: barcode-ean
    from:
      uri: direct:barcode-ean
      steps:
        - marshal:
            barcode:
              barcodeFormat: EAN_13
              width: 300
              height: 100
        - unmarshal:
            barcode:
              barcodeFormat: EAN_13
        - setBody:
            simple: "${header.BarcodeFormat} ${body}"

590123412345

EAN_13 5901234123457

The 12 digits get their check digit (7) computed on marshal.

Rust DSL

b.from("direct:barcode-rust")
    .marshal(DataFormatDefinition::new("barcode").option("barcodeFormat", "DATA_MATRIX").option("imageType", "PNG"))
    .unmarshal(DataFormatDefinition::new("barcode").option("barcodeFormat", "DATA_MATRIX"));

Options

Message headers

Common questions

How do I generate a QR code PNG in a route?

marshal: barcode: {width: 300, height: 300} on a text body, then to: file:labels with a CamelFileName ending in .png.

How do I read a barcode from an uploaded image?

unmarshal: barcode: {} on the image bytes. Every format is tried when barcodeFormat is not set; the format found is in the BarcodeFormat header.

Which error correction level should I use for QR codes?

L (the default) gives the smallest code. Use M or Q for printed labels that may get scratched, H when a logo covers part of the code.

Related

• Base64 data format: embed the image in JSON or HTML
• File component, Mail (SMTP) component
• Apache Camel Barcode data format

Found a problem?

If something on this page doesn't match what Cameleer does, or you hit a bug while building with it, please help fix it, whether you are a person or a coding agent: open an issue that describes what you saw, then fork the repository, fix it, add or update a test, run cargo test --workspace, and open a pull request. CONTRIBUTING.md explains the ground rules.