zbarcam

1

zbarcam

scan and decode bar codes from a video device

          zbarcam
          -qv
          --quiet
          --nodisplay
          --xml
          --verbose=n
          --prescale=WxH
          -Ssymbology.config=value
          --set symbology.config=value
          device

          zbarcam

            -h
            --help
            --version

## Description

`zbarcam` scans a video4linux video source (eg, a webcam) for bar codes and prints any decoded data to the standard output. The video stream is also displayed to the screen.

`device` is the path to the video4linux (version 1 or 2) character device special file (major number 81 and minor number 0 thru 63). It defaults to `/dev/video0`

The underlying library currently supports EAN-13 (including UPC and ISBN subsets), EAN-8, Code 128, Code 39, and Interleaved 2 of 5 symbologies. The specific type of each detected symbol is printed with the decoded data.

## Options

This program follows the usual GNU command line syntax. Single letter options may be bundled, long options start with two dashes (`-').

&refcommonoptions;

`-q`

`--quiet`

- Quiet operation; disable the audible beep otherwise emitted when a symbol is decoded

`--nodisplay`

- Disable output video window. Video input will be scanned until the program is interrupted or otherwise signaled

`--xml`

- Stream results using an XML output format. This format wraps the raw data from the symbol with information about the scan in an easy to parse format. The latest schema is available from

`--raw`

- Use raw symbol data output format. This format prints symbol data separated by newlines without the additional symbology type information that is printed by default

`--prescale=`W`x`H``

- Request video input scaling from the camera driver. Possibly useful for reducing huge frames to achieve a higher frame rate. Note that the driver may adjust or completely ignore the scaling request

## Examples

Scan for barcodes using the second video device and pipe the resulting data through a script that searches for each code in a database and does something useful with them:

    zbarcam /dev/video1 | upcrpc.py

The `upcrpc.py` example script included in the `examples/` subdirectory of the distribution will make an XMLRPC call to a popular internet UPC database and print the product description if found.

Scan for barcodes using the default video device and stream results to stdout in XML format, also disable recognition of Interleaved 2 of 5 codes to prevent confusion with other symbologies or background noise:

    zbarcam --xml -Si25.disable

Scan only for Code 39, without using the preview window - maybe for a fixed installation. To enable only Code 39, first all symbologies are disabled, then Code 39 is re-enabled:

    zbarcam --nodisplay -Sdisable -Scode39.enable

## See Also

zbarimg

## Bugs

See