Data List

Overview

The Data List enables you to create and manage multiple data records for exporting a series of code images or printing labels. First, configure the barcode on the Codes tab (see Barcode Studio User Interface). Then add the records on the Data List tab.

Add records by:

Importing from a file
Generating serial numbers
Entering them manually

Data List View

The data list contains the records used to create barcode images or labels. Select a row to show its barcode in the Code View above the list.

Records with errors are shown in red. Select an affected row to view its error message in the Code View. To check all records and open the complete error list, click the N Issue(s) link in the status information. The status bar at the bottom of the window shows the total number of data rows and the number of rows with issues. Correct affected records before exporting codes or printing labels.

Use Operations to add, delete, or refresh records. Use Bulk to import records, export the list as a CSV file with Export Data..., or generate serial numbers. Edit individual values directly in the table. To create barcode image files, select Export > Export Codes....

Data List Columns

Column	Editable	Description
(row number)	No	Row number and navigation aid. Click the column header to reset the original order.
Data	Yes	Data encoded in the barcode (required). Enter it manually, import it from a file, or generate it as a serial number.
Composite Data	Yes	Data encoded in the 2D component of a composite barcode. Visible only for supported composite codes.
Caption Above, Caption Above 2, Caption Below, Caption Below 2	Yes	Optional text displayed above or below the barcode. The columns appear only when the corresponding captions are enabled in Settings Pages.
Filename	Yes	Name of the exported image file. Barcode Studio can generate it during export, or you can enter or import it in advance.
Label Count	Yes	Number of label copies to print for the record. Does not affect image export.
Exported	No	Read-only timestamp of the last image export.
Comment	Yes	Optional comment for the record. Does not affect the encoded data.

Data List Column Reference

Module Width / Symbol Size

Choose which dimension remains constant across all records:

Fixed Module Width (default): Keeps the module width from the current code settings. The overall symbol dimensions may vary with the encoded data.
Fixed Symbol Width: Keeps the overall symbol width constant. The module width and resulting code quality may vary between records.

Sort Order

Click a column header to sort the list:

First click: ascending
Second click: descending
Third click: original order

Click the row-number column to restore the original order. The current sort order is also used for label printing. See Labels.

Editing

Add: Click Add to insert a new row. Columns are pre-filled from the current Codes page settings.

Edit: Double-click a cell or press F2 to edit Data, Composite Data, captions, Filename, Label Count, or Comment. Data is required; all other columns are optional.

Delete: Select one or more rows and click Delete.... Confirm the dialog to proceed.

Refresh: Click Refresh to check all records again and update their error status.

Populate Column: Enter a value in a cell, press Enter, right-click the cell, and select Populate Column to copy the value to every row in that column.

File Import

Import records from a delimited text file, such as CSV or TSV.

To import data:

In the Data List, select Bulk > Import Data....
Select the import file, adjust its format settings, and check the preview.
Select Next >.
Choose an application type if required, assign the source columns, and select Import.

Import Settings

Field	Description
File	Select the file to import. Each data row becomes one record, and the field separator divides the row into columns.
File Encoding	Select Default to use ANSI on Windows and UTF-8 on macOS and Linux. You can also explicitly select ANSI, UTF-8, or UTF-16.
Field Separator	Select comma, semicolon, or tab, or enter another character that separates the columns.
Text Qualifier	Select a character such as `'` or `"` when a field can contain the field separator. Text between matching qualifiers is treated as one field.
Escape Method	Specify whether a text qualifier within a qualified field is doubled (`""`) or preceded by a backslash (`\"`). This setting is available only when a text qualifier is selected.
Date Format	Select the format used for date values in the file. One date format can be used per file.
First Row Contains Column Names	Use the first row as source column names for data mapping instead of importing it as a record.
Skip Empty Rows	Ignore blank rows in the import file.
Preview	Review the first rows of the file using the selected import settings.

File Import Settings

Data Mapping

For a direct import, leave Application Type set to Encode Data Directly. For structured data such as vCard or GS1 data, select the corresponding application type and assign the individual source columns. Barcode Studio then assembles the formatted application data. The available application types depend on the selected code. For more information, see Data Assistant.

Assign source columns to Data, Composite Data, Filename, Label Count, Caption Above, Caption Above 2, Caption Below, Caption Below 2, or Comment. A source column must be assigned to Data; all other assignments are optional.

Keep Check the Imported Data enabled to verify that imported values match the selected application format. Disable it only if validation causes performance problems with very large files.

Serial Numbers

The Serial Numbers Generator populates the Data column with formatted serial numbers.

Range

Start Value: Sets the first numeric value in the sequence.
End Value: Sets the upper limit. The last generated value never exceeds it.

Increment By: Sets the difference between consecutive numeric values.

Mask

The Mask defines the output pattern using placeholder characters:

Character	Behavior
`#`	Inserts digits from the numeric value and fills unused positions with leading spaces.
`$`	Inserts digits from the numeric value and fills unused positions with leading zeros.
`*`	Inserts digits from the numeric value and fills unused positions with leading asterisks.
`?`	Inserts a random character from Allowed Characters.
Other characters	Copies the character unchanged into every generated value.

Serial Number Mask Characters

Examples:

Mask	Sample output	Description
`$$`	`01`, `02`, ..., `10`, `11`	Leading zeros
`##`	`1`, `2`, ..., `10`, `11`	Leading spaces
`**`	`1`, `2`, ..., `10`, `11`	Leading asterisks
`00$$`	`0001`, `0002`, ...	`00` as a constant prefix
`A$$`	`A01`, `A02`, ...	`A` as a constant prefix

Serial Number Mask Examples

Select Info beside Mask to display a brief description of the mask characters.

Options

Restrict to length of mask: Limits generated values to the mask length. If a numeric value contains more digits than the numeric placeholders, its leading digits are removed. Clear this option to retain the complete numeric value.

With Restrict to length of mask enabled, a mask of $$$ formats the value 1000 as 000. Use enough numeric placeholders to prevent required digits from being removed.

Random Values: Becomes available when the mask contains at least one ?.
Allowed Characters: Specifies the characters that can replace each ? in the mask.

Generate unique values: Checks the generated sequence for duplicate final values. If a duplicate occurs, Barcode Studio stops and displays an error. Generate the sequence again or adjust the mask, range, or allowed characters.

Preview: Generates a preview without changing the Data List. Select OK to append the sequence to the list.

Export Codes

In the Data List view, select Export > Export Codes... in the Code View, or select Export directly. Choose the destination folder and file format, configure the filenames, check the preview, and select OK. Barcode Studio creates one image file for each record in the Data List.

Settings

Field	Description
Destination Folder	Folder in which the exported image files are saved.
File Format	Image format used for all exported codes. See Appendix C: Image Types.
Check Codes Before Export	Checks all Data List records before creating files. If a record is invalid, the export does not start and Barcode Studio opens an error list.
Insert TIFF Preview	Adds a TIFF preview to EPS files for applications that cannot display EPS content directly. Available only for EPS formats.
Generate CSV File	Creates a CSV file after the image files have been exported successfully. See Export Data.
CSV File	Shows the selected CSV output file. Use the button beside the field to open the Export Data settings.

Export Codes Settings

Naming

Field	Description
Filename Prefix	Text added before every generated filename. It is not added to an existing value from the Filename column.
Filename	Determines how missing filenames are generated. See the methods below.
Format	Sets the minimum number of digits for serial-number filenames. Shorter numbers are padded with leading zeros; No Format uses numbers without padding. Available only for serial-number methods.
URL-Encode Filenames	Replaces affected filename characters with percent-encoded values.

Export Codes Naming Options

Filename generation methods:

Method	Description
Same as Data	Generates the filename from the barcode data. For example, data `12345` produces `bcs_12345.png` when `bcs_` is the prefix and PNG is selected.
Serial Number	Generates sequential filenames starting with 1. The Format setting can add leading zeros, for example `bcs_001.png`.
Same as Data, but Prefer Existing	Uses the value in the Data List Filename column when present. If the value is empty, the filename is generated from the barcode data.
Serial Number, but Prefer Existing	Uses the value in the Data List Filename column when present. If the value is empty, a serial-number filename is generated.

Export Codes Filename Generation Methods

Prefer Existing refers to values in the Data List Filename column, not to files that already exist in the destination folder.

If a generated or imported filename contains characters that cannot be used in filenames, or if the filename is intended for use in a URL, enable URL-Encode Filenames. The following table shows the affected characters:

Char	Encoded	Char	Encoded	Char	Encoded
`\`	`%5C`	`/`	`%2F`	`:`	`%3A`
`*`	`%2A`	`?`	`%3F`	`"`	`%22`
`<`	`%3C`	`>`	`%3E`	`\\|`	`%7C`
`%`	`%25`

URL Encoding Reference

Preview shows the row number, barcode data, and resulting filename before the files are written.

Errors

If an issue occurs, Barcode Studio opens an error list that identifies the affected records. Common causes include:

Data that cannot be encoded with the selected symbology (for example, letters in a digits-only code type).
Invalid filenames because the generated name contains unsupported characters and URL encoding is not enabled.

Exporting many Data List records can require considerable time and disk space.

Export Data

Use Export Data to save the Data List records to a CSV file. Select Bulk > Export Data... in the Data List. Alternatively, select Export > Export Data... in the Code View, or enable Generate CSV File in the Export Codes dialog and use the button beside CSV File.

Field	Description
Export File	CSV file to create.
File Encoding	Character encoding of the CSV file. Default uses ANSI on Windows and UTF-8 on macOS and Linux; ANSI, UTF-8, and UTF-16 can also be selected explicitly.
Field Separator	Character that separates fields into columns, such as a comma, semicolon, or tab. You can also enter another character.
Text Qualifier	Optional character that encloses a complete field, for example when the field contains the selected separator.
Escape Method	Determines how occurrences of the text qualifier inside a field are written. Available only when a text qualifier is selected.
First Row Contains Column Names	Writes the Data List column names to the first row of the CSV file.
Save Check Digits in Extra Column	Adds the calculated check digits as an additional CSV column.
Save Folder Information for Image Files	Writes complete image paths instead of relative filenames to the CSV Filename column.
Image Folder	Base folder added to relative image filenames. When opened from Export Codes, the destination folder is used and cannot be changed here; when opened directly, you can select the folder.

Export Data Settings

Select OK to write the CSV file.