Hello All,
I generate barcodes in a virtual column set as Image type using “https://barcode.tec-it.com/barcode.ashx?data=”&[Report #] expression.
Sometimes instead of a barcode I get this
Also the weird thing is some users will actually get a proper barcode in the SAME FORM! Anybody have a clue where is this coming from and how to fix this?
I had a similar problem and found an alternative generator
https://www.barcodesinc.com/generator/index.php
Below is what you need to put into appsheet. You may need to fiddle with the sizes. It’s not quite as easy to scan as TEC-IT ones from a screen.
https://www.webarcode.com/barcode/image.php?code=[Report #]&type=C128B&xres=1&height=100&width=200&font=3&output=png&style=190
if you can use a QR code this QR code generator works well
“https://quickchart.io/qr?text=”&[Report #]
Just take a look at their ToS
If you mean Terms of Service, I see your point but it works 99% of the time. So I dont think I am violating their term of service otherwise it would not work at all.
That is both logically and empirically incorrect. They are literally telling you you’ve reached your ToS limit.
Whatever the case, this is most definitely not an AppSheet issue.
Hi Steve,
Would you be able to elaborate? I am just trying to understand the process to see where the error might be coming from. I create 5 barcodes a day on average between 20 users. Every few months I am getting this error. Last one was a couple days ago and only 3 barcodes were created that day. Once the error happens I can create another form with a new barcode no problem. Also what really stumps me is that this last error in the same form my phone displays the error and my laptop displays a proper barcode. How is this possible? both are recently synced. They should display the same information on the same form…
I guess what I am wondering is:
The barcode column being virtual, does it mean barcode generate request is sent every time the form is opened or app synced? Thats the only way I can see it go over the limit but then barcodes that were previously there would pop up as errors once in a while…
Any thoughts?
I got some more clues of the bug. I would appreciate any thoughts on this matter.
The error seems to be specific to the number being generated (769560002) and the device it being generated from. For example. I have a smartphone with a mobile app and a laptop. I can try 2 different google accounts on the laptop.
I create a new form on my laptop google acount1 the barcode number is randomly generated
and I get a nice barcode.
As soon as I change the number to 769560002 I get an error.
Changing the number to anything else gives me a barcode.
The expression I am using is
Putting the expression with the “Ghost” number in the browser directly gives me a barcode:
If I use google account2 on my laptop and create a form with a “Ghost” number I get barcode
If I use mobile with the same google account2 i get error
This looks, tastes and smells like a big stinky bug!
My guess is that, since this is an URL, it doesn’t matter if you are saving a new record or accesing another one, everytime it’s displayed the tec-it service has to be fetched which, if you consider that the number of codes + instances of the app is growing, you will for sure be granted with the limit in front of your face.
This would be different if you use the service just to make the barcode and then you save the actual .png/.jpg on your backend or other service, but you are making them on the go
In order to do what I suggested, you would need some API integration or similar
Not at all, this just seem like a limit of queries per minute or similar. You open the form, the code is generated, you won’t be able to generate another one after X amount of time
Yes.
Virtual column or regular column, if the content of the column is a URL, the content of the image (the barcode) referenced by the URL is fetched each and every time the app syncs.
Hmm the fact that tec-it service is fetched every time the app is synced is concerning since i have 1000+ entries by now. And if tec-it ever suspends the service I will loose all my barcodes. But I am still not convinced that I am actually reaching tec-it limit. This could be due to my ignorance of how the process actually works. But for me reaching the limit would mean that on some days or some syncs i would see no barcodes just errors stating that I have reached the limit on some of the forms. That doesn’t happen. All barcodes that have appeared are always there and odd ones that did not appear never do. And since its Appsheet process/server that is making a request I must somehow be uniquely identified for tec-it to block that single “ghost” number request every single time. And the “reaching the limit” doesn’t explain why 2 devices looking at the same form would see the barcode and the error simultaniously. Moreover as previously mentioned I can open a new form and get a barcode. I can then without saving the form change the number to a ‘ghost’ number and get an error. I can change that number every second and for many many times without saving the form. The barcode will instantaneously update and as soon as I enter a ‘gost’ number I get error.
If I had to venture a guess the error msg from tec-it is most likely kinda like 404 page not found. When their server is overwhelmed at that instance by multiple request it produces that error. That error is then stored in the virtual column and never gets updated to proper barcode later. What I can’t explain is why making a new form with that “failed/ghost” number will produce the error consistently. That would mean Appsheet is looking in the virtual column if a number was ever created and produce a corresponding image if it exists or goes to URL if it doesn’t exist. But that doesn’t make any sense.
Interesting… I have added a barcode column in a completely different prototype app just to see what happens and guess what the “ghost” number persists
just to prove that barcode actually works
Anybody want to try and get that number appear in a barcode through the appsheet app? It works in a browser no problem.
The parameters and expression I am using
“https://barcode.tec-it.com/barcode.ashx?data=”&[Report Number]
or you can set the URL to the ghost number directly
“https://barcode.tec-it.com/barcode.ashx?data=”&“769560002”
Thanks for trying. I would expect it to work. It would be too weird if it didn’t. I also tried your app and it worked for me too. Nice app by the way. I will keep this thread updated if anything changes but for now this doesn’t look like its getting resolved.
It is a sample app I made some time ago:
Solved: Sample App: Barcode Generator - Google Cloud Community
