Barcodes in PDFs can facilitate quicker data retrieval and processing. You can add barcodes to PDF files that contain detailed information such as the document's unique identifier, version number, creator, or even the entire document content. When scanned, all information is decoded immediately. This instant access is invaluable for businesses dealing with large volumes of documents, as it minimizes the time and effort required for manual searching and data entry. In this article, you will learn how to add barcodes to PDF in Python using Spire.PDF for Python and Spire.Barcode for Python.

• Add Barcodes to PDF in Python
• Add QR Codes to PDF in Python

Install Spire.PDF for Python

This scenario requires Spire.PDF for Python and Spire.Barcode for Python. They can be easily installed in your Windows through the following pip command.

pip install Spire.PDF
pip install Spire.Barcode

If you are unsure how to install, please refer to this tutorial: How to Install Spire.PDF for Python on Windows

Add Barcodes to PDF in Python

Spire.PDF for Python support several 1D barcode types represented by different classes, such as PdfCodabarBarcode, PdfCode11Barcode, PdfCode32Barcode, PdfCode39Barcode, PdfCode93Barcode.

Each class provides corresponding properties for setting the barcode text, size, color, etc. The following are the steps to draw the common Codabar, Code39 and Code93 barcodes at the specified locations on a PDF page.

• Create a PdfDocument object.
• Add a PDF page using PdfDocument.Pages.Add() method.
• Create a PdfTextWidget object and draw text on the page using PdfTextWidget.Draw() method.
• Create PdfCodabarBarcode, PdfCode39Barcode, PdfCode93Barcode objects.
• Set the gap between the barcode and the displayed text through the BarcodeToTextGapHeight property of the corresponding classes.
• Sets the barcode text display location through the TextDisplayLocation property of the corresponding classes.
• Set the barcode text color through the TextColor property of the corresponding classes.
• Draw the barcodes at specified locations on the PDF page using the Draw(page: PdfPageBase, location: PointF) method of the corresponding classes.
• Save the result PDF file using PdfDocument.SaveToFile() method.

from spire.pdf.common import *
from spire.pdf import *

# Create a PDF document
pdf = PdfDocument()

# Add a page
page = pdf.Pages.Add(PdfPageSize.A4())

# Initialize y-coordinate
y = 20.0

# Create a true type font
font = PdfTrueTypeFont("Arial", 12.0, PdfFontStyle.Bold, True)

# Draw text on the page
text = PdfTextWidget()
text.Font = font
text.Text = "Codabar:"
result = text.Draw(page, 0.0, y)
page = result.Page
y = result.Bounds.Bottom + 2

# Draw Codabar barcode on the page
Codabar = PdfCodabarBarcode("00:12-3456/7890")
Codabar.BarcodeToTextGapHeight = 1.0
Codabar.EnableCheckDigit = True
Codabar.ShowCheckDigit = True
Codabar.TextDisplayLocation = TextLocation.Bottom
Codabar.TextColor = PdfRGBColor(Color.get_Blue())
Codabar.Draw(page, PointF(0.0, y))
y = Codabar.Bounds.Bottom + 6

# Draw text on the page
text.Text = "Code39:"
result = text.Draw(page, 0.0, y)
page = result.Page
y = result.Bounds.Bottom + 2

# Draw Code39 barcode on the page
Code39 = PdfCode39Barcode("16-273849")
Code39.BarcodeToTextGapHeight = 1.0
Code39.TextDisplayLocation = TextLocation.Bottom
Code39.TextColor = PdfRGBColor(Color.get_Blue())
Code39.Draw(page, PointF(0.0, y))
y = Code39.Bounds.Bottom + 6

# Draw text on the page
text.Text = "Code93:"
result = text.Draw(page, 0.0, y)
page = result.Page
y = result.Bounds.Bottom + 2

# Draw Code93 barcode on the page
Code93 = PdfCode93Barcode("16-273849")
Code93.BarcodeToTextGapHeight = 1.0
Code93.TextDisplayLocation = TextLocation.Bottom
Code93.TextColor = PdfRGBColor(Color.get_Blue())
Code93.QuietZone.Bottom = 5.0
Code93.Draw(page, PointF(0.0, y))

# Save the document
pdf.SaveToFile("AddBarcodes.pdf")
pdf.Close()

Add QR Codes to PDF in Python

To add 2D barcodes to a PDF file, the Spire.Barcode for Python library is required to generate QR code first, and then you can add the QR code image to the PDF file with the Spire.PDF for Python library. The following are the detailed steps.

• Create a PdfDocument object.
• Add a PDF page using PdfDocument.Pages.Add() method.
• Create a BarcodeSettings object.
• Call the corresponding properties of the BarcodeSettings class to set the barcode type, data, error correction level and width, etc.
• Create a BarCodeGenerator object based on the settings.
• Generate QR code image using BarCodeGenerator.GenerateImage() method.
• Save the QR code image to a PNG file.
• Draw the QR code image at a specified location on the PDF page using PdfPageBase.Canvas.DrawImage() method.
• Save the result PDF file using PdfDocument.SaveToFile() method.

from spire.pdf.common import *
from spire.pdf import *
from spire.barcode import *

# Create a PdfDocument instance
pdf = PdfDocument()
# Add a page
page = pdf.Pages.Add()

# Create a BarcodeSettings object
settings = BarcodeSettings()

# Set the barcode type to QR code
settings.Type = BarCodeType.QRCode
# Set the data of the QR code 
settings.Data = "E-iceblue"
settings.Data2D = "E-iceblue"
# Set the width of the QR code
settings.X = 2
# Set the error correction level of the QR code
settings.QRCodeECL = QRCodeECL.M
# Set to show QR code text at the bottom
settings.ShowTextOnBottom = True

# Generate QR code image based on the settings
barCodeGenerator = BarCodeGenerator(settings)
QRimage = barCodeGenerator.GenerateImage()

# Save the QR code image to a .png file
with open("QRCode.png", "wb") as file:
    file.write(QRimage)

# Initialize y-coordinate
y = 20.0

# Create a true type font
font = PdfTrueTypeFont("Arial", 12.0, PdfFontStyle.Bold, True)

# Draw text on the PDF page
text = PdfTextWidget()
text.Font = font
text.Text = "QRCode:"
result = text.Draw(page, 0.0, y)
page = result.Page
y = result.Bounds.Bottom + 2

# Draw QR code image on the PDF page
pdfImage = PdfImage.FromFile("QRCode.png")
page.Canvas.DrawImage(pdfImage, 0.0, y)

# Save the document
pdf.SaveToFile("PdfQRCode.pdf")
pdf.Close()

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