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QR Code using new v10.5 feature

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    QR Code using new v10.5 feature

    Hi,

    Not sure if this is useful to anyone, but just downloaded the new v10.5 patch and one of the new functions available is printHTML which allows you to generate calculated fields based on HTML code.

    I just realised you could use this for creating QR Codes (2d Barcodes) which is quite neat!

    The method takes advantage of the google charts API.

    Have attached and example db with a simple report.
    The basic method is as follows.

    HTML Code:
    QRCode = printHTML("<img src=\"http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=qr&chlf=L|0&choe=UTF-8&chs=150x150&margin=0&chl="+ltrim(forename)+" "+ltrim(surname)+"|"+ltrim(Email)+"|Instant1\">")

    </img>
    Chris Tanti
    Technical Support

    Nuance & Fathom Ltd - The data-driven marketing agency

    #2
    Re: QR Code using new v10.5 feature

    Hi Chris,

    That is indeed neat.

    Have you been able to do anything with the other API Charts?
    Regards
    Keith Hubert
    Alpha Guild Member
    London.
    KHDB Management Systems
    Skype = keith.hubert


    For your day-to-day Needs, you Need an Alpha Database!

    Comment


      #3
      Re: QR Code using new v10.5 feature

      Hi Keith,

      Not produced anything "chart" related, but I presume the method would be similar.

      The readme of 10.5 includes a specific section for generating ping files from the api (a pie chart in the example) with this:

      Code:
      po = *url_object("http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=p3&chd=t:60,20,20&chs=500x200&chl=Alpha Five|ASP.Net|PHP")
      Not tried it yet though, theres quite a bit of potential here!
      Chris Tanti
      Technical Support

      Nuance & Fathom Ltd - The data-driven marketing agency

      Comment


        #4
        Re: QR Code using new v10.5 feature

        Hi Chris,
        Code:
        po = *url_object("http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=p3&chd=t:60,20,20&chs=500x200&chl=Alpha Five|ASP.Net|PHP")
        
        ui_bitmap_png_load("tmp",po.content)
         
        ui_dlg_box("Google Charts","{image=tmp}")
        Saw this too. Works very nicely in the Interactive window.

        Would be interested how this would be used on a form or report or even a web page.
        Regards
        Keith Hubert
        Alpha Guild Member
        London.
        KHDB Management Systems
        Skype = keith.hubert


        For your day-to-day Needs, you Need an Alpha Database!

        Comment


          #5
          Re: QR Code using new v10.5 feature

          Hi Keith,

          I don't think this is a very flexible way of producing a chart in a report using the google api, but it atleast proves it can be done (inelegantly admittedly).

          The reason its not ideal is because you need to know the variety in the field to create a pre calculated total to pass to the api line. I am sure someone else could devise a more flexible method.

          Calculated fields in the report look like this

          ctype_alpha = if(Type="ALPHA",Units,0)
          ctype_beta = if(Type="BETA",Units,0)
          ctype_gamma = if(Type="GAMMA",Units,0)
          ctype_alpha_total = total(calc->ctype_alpha,grp->Grand,grp->detail)
          ctype_beta_total = total(calc->ctype_beta,grp->Grand,grp->detail)
          ctype_gamma_total = total(calc->ctype_gamma,grp->Grand,grp->detail)
          gchart = printHTML("<img src=\"http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=p3&chd=t:"+ltrim(str(calc->ctype_alpha_total))+","+ltrim(str(calc->ctype_beta_total))+","+ltrim(str(calc->ctype_gamma_total))+"&chs=500x200&chl=Alpha|Beta|Gamma\">")
          Assuming you have a field called TYPE and you know the contents contains ALPHA,BETA,GAMMA and you wish to summarise the UNITS field.

          Example DB attached
          Chris Tanti
          Technical Support

          Nuance & Fathom Ltd - The data-driven marketing agency

          Comment


            #6
            Re: QR Code using new v10.5 feature

            Originally posted by Chris.Tanti View Post
            Hi Keith,

            I don't think this is a very flexible way of producing a chart in a report using the google api, but it atleast proves it can be done (inelegantly admittedly).

            The reason its not ideal is because you need to know the variety in the field to create a pre calculated total to pass to the api line. I am sure someone else could devise a more flexible method.

            Calculated fields in the report look like this



            Assuming you have a field called TYPE and you know the contents contains ALPHA,BETA,GAMMA and you wish to summarise the UNITS field.

            Example DB attached
            Not sure why you would say that this is not very flexible. In fact, we think that it is extremely flexible. A URL is easy to understand, easy to read, and easy to generate. This new feature has some profound implications.

            Comment


              #7
              Re: QR Code using new v10.5 feature

              Hi Selwyn,

              Apologies, I never meant to imply the HTML rendering method was not flexible, its a fantastic feature with a HUGE potential.

              I was trying to imply the method I used to summarize the table data could probably be replaced with something a bit more sophisticated. Having to precalc the fields is fine when you know you have a limited number of potential values, but it would be more "flexible" if I could work out a way plugging the labels and counts in regardless of any pre knowledge of the label values.

              Hope that makes sense! and once again, sorry for any confusion.
              Chris Tanti
              Technical Support

              Nuance & Fathom Ltd - The data-driven marketing agency

              Comment


                #8
                Re: QR Code using new v10.5 feature

                Originally posted by Chris.Tanti View Post
                Hi Selwyn,

                Apologies, I never meant to imply the HTML rendering method was not flexible, its a fantastic feature with a HUGE potential.

                I was trying to imply the method I used to summarize the table data could probably be replaced with something a bit more sophisticated. Having to precalc the fields is fine when you know you have a limited number of potential values, but it would be more "flexible" if I could work out a way plugging the labels and counts in regardless of any pre knowledge of the label values.

                Hope that makes sense! and once again, sorry for any confusion.
                OK, I understand now what you were saying. Thanks for clearing that up.

                We are planning a very extensive set of genies to help users generate the URLs. We will likely make this available as a Feature Pack. There is a LOT that can be done with the Google Charts API and an genie can make it trivial to tap into all of the power that is available here.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: QR Code using new v10.5 feature

                  Thanks Selwyn,

                  Not sure if this is on your list of Google API integration, but something that could handle Geo Mapping with Google Maps would be amazing.

                  EG.
                  Pushpins based on the contents of a table (mapped using zip,address detail, or at worse Long/Lat data) with labels taken from the table.

                  Maps showing Areas (Sales Areas) based on Postcode Areas (Zips!)

                  Heat Maps would be great as well, based on address data and frequency counts or sums (OK, this may be pushing it, but if you don't ask, you dont get!)
                  Chris Tanti
                  Technical Support

                  Nuance & Fathom Ltd - The data-driven marketing agency

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: QR Code using new v10.5 feature

                    Originally posted by Chris.Tanti View Post
                    Thanks Selwyn,

                    Not sure if this is on your list of Google API integration, but something that could handle Geo Mapping with Google Maps would be amazing.

                    EG.
                    Pushpins based on the contents of a table (mapped using zip,address detail, or at worse Long/Lat data) with labels taken from the table.

                    Maps showing Areas (Sales Areas) based on Postcode Areas (Zips!)

                    Heat Maps would be great as well, based on address data and frequency counts or sums (OK, this may be pushing it, but if you don't ask, you dont get!)
                    all of that should be possible. the genie just has to generate the appropriate URL.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: QR Code using new v10.5 feature

                      Sounds very interesting, look forward to taking a look.

                      If you do it, you will be overlapping with a few of the services offered by Microsoft MapPoint (and to some extent MapInfo/Maptitude).

                      We manage a call centre and having the ability to visualise the closest X to the respondents address would be useful (at the moment this can be done with a variety of Google Mashups).

                      If I can suggest, it would be useful to load a geo list to initially create a set of base pushpins, but also if you are capturing a record it would be good to be able to also focus on the location being captured (otherwise you could end up with a map zoomed out to accommodate the full spread of the entire pushpin set).

                      Any way, I am sure whatever is created will be of use.
                      Chris Tanti
                      Technical Support

                      Nuance & Fathom Ltd - The data-driven marketing agency

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Re: QR Code using new v10.5 feature

                        Originally posted by Chris.Tanti View Post
                        Hi,

                        Not sure if this is useful to anyone, but just downloaded the new v10.5 patch and one of the new functions available is printHTML which allows you to generate calculated fields based on HTML code.

                        I just realised you could use this for creating QR Codes (2d Barcodes) which is quite neat!

                        The method takes advantage of the google charts API.

                        Have attached and example db with a simple report.
                        The basic method is as follows.

                        HTML Code:
                        QRCode = printHTML("<img src=\"http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=qr&chlf=L|0&choe=UTF-8&chs=150x150&margin=0&chl="+ltrim(forename)+" "+ltrim(surname)+"|"+ltrim(Email)+"|Instant1\">")

                        </img>

                        I just took a look at your demo. It is very cool. A great demo of the power of the new printHTML() function. Thanks for sharing this with us!

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Re: QR Code using new v10.5 feature

                          Yes...thanks for sharing Chris. Your example(s) certainly shows some interesting posibilities for charts in reports (and pretty easy) with the Google Charts API and the new PrintHTML function.

                          Regards,

                          Jeff

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Re: QR Code using new v10.5 feature

                            No Probs, hope its of some use.

                            You can customise them quite easily.

                            Heres the Pie Chart documentation for example.

                            Genies will take a lot of the strain on this, but its good to know the underlying methodology as well.
                            Chris Tanti
                            Technical Support

                            Nuance & Fathom Ltd - The data-driven marketing agency

                            Comment

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