Barcode Generator

This skill helps you work with a barcode generation system that creates Code 128 barcodes from CSV data and compiles them into organized PDF documents.

What This Skill Does

The system reads CSV data, generates individual barcode PNG images using the `zint` library, and compiles them into a professionally formatted PDF using Typst. It includes automatic archiving with git versioning to track generation history.

Prerequisites

Before using this skill, ensure these dependencies are installed:

Instructions

Understanding the Project Structure

1. **Main Script**: `barcode_gen_pdf.sh` contains the complete end-to-end workflow

2. **CSV Data Source**: `~/Laser-pou.csv` should contain your source data with:

- Column 1: Key/ID for grouping barcodes

- Columns 2-4: Data fields encoded in the barcode (tab-separated)

- Header row (automatically skipped during processing)

3. **Output Files**:

- `all_barcodes.pdf` - Latest compiled PDF (always in root directory)

- `arch/YYYY-MM-DD_HH-MM-SS/` - Timestamped archives of each generation run

4. **Barcode Naming**: Generated files follow pattern `barcode_{key}_{sequence}.png`

Working with the Barcode Generation System

When modifying or troubleshooting the barcode generation:

1. **Review the workflow in `barcode_gen_pdf.sh`**:

- CSV processing with awk (reads `~/Laser-pou.csv`, skips header with `NR > 1`)

- Barcode generation with `zint -b 20` (Code 128 format)

- Dynamic Typst document generation with proper grouping

- PDF compilation

- Auto-archiving to timestamped directories

- Git versioning with descriptive commit messages

2. **CSV Format Requirements**:

- First column: Key for grouping related barcodes

- Columns 2-4: Data fields that get encoded

- Header row is automatically skipped

- Data is tab-separated when encoded into barcode

3. **PDF Layout Specifications**:

- US Letter format

- Margins: 0.75" horizontal, 1" vertical

- 14pt body text, 20pt bold headings

- Centered alignment throughout

- Page breaks between key groups

- 0.5cm spacing after headings

- 0.25cm spacing between barcode images

4. **Archive Structure**:

- Archives stored in `arch/` directory

- Each run creates timestamped subdirectory (YYYY-MM-DD_HH-MM-SS)

- Contains all PNG files and PDF copy from that generation

- Automatically committed to git with barcode count in message

Common Operations

**Generate barcodes and create PDF (primary workflow)**:

```bash

./barcode_gen_pdf.sh

```

**Manually compile PDF from existing Typst template**:

```bash

typst compile barcodes_example.typ all_barcodes.pdf

```

**Verify zint barcode generation format**:

```bash

Code 128 format (-b 20) is used throughout

zint -b 20 --data="test" -o test_barcode.png

```

Modifying the System

When making changes to the barcode generation:

1. **Changing barcode format**: Modify the `-b` flag in zint command (currently `-b 20` for Code 128)

2. **Adjusting PDF layout**: Edit the Typst document generation section in `barcode_gen_pdf.sh`:

- Page setup: `#set page()` block

- Text formatting: `#set text()` block

- Spacing: `#v()` commands between elements

3. **Modifying data encoding**: Update the awk command that processes CSV columns

4. **Archive behavior**: Modify the archiving section (currently moves PNGs, copies PDF, and commits to git)

Troubleshooting

**If barcodes aren't generating**:

**If PDF compilation fails**:

**If archiving fails**:

Constraints

Example Usage

```bash

Typical workflow - generate barcodes from updated CSV

./barcode_gen_pdf.sh

The script will:

1. Read ~/Laser-pou.csv

2. Generate barcode_*.png files

3. Create dynamically generated Typst document

4. Compile to all_barcodes.pdf

5. Move PNGs to arch/YYYY-MM-DD_HH-MM-SS/

6. Copy PDF to archive directory

7. Commit archive to git with message like "Archive barcodes - 42 barcodes generated"

```