OpenOffice User's Guide: Now With Bar Code Information for Envelopes

The User's Guide from the OpenOffice.org community now has information for putting bar codes on envelopes! It's all about getting the right POSTNET font, I understand.

Comments

[Scott Brawner]

Wow, what a hassle! In MS Word it is simply a checkbox. I hope the OOo developers do something to get this function natively implemented. The user guide also says nothing about where on the envelope the code is supposed to go, which is above the addressee's name.

[Solveig]

It does seem to be a hassle -- that's part of why I hadn't gotten around to doing a blog on it myself yet. ;>

[Scott Brawner]

Its the little things like this that sometimes frustrate me about OOo. (The lack of a split view in Writer is another.) Using MS Office at work and then OOo at home, I am constantly reminded of some of the shortcuting of OOo. However, considering the price difference I don't mind too much ;)

[Eric Wilson]

I gotta say this is not likely a reasonable process for a regular Joe or Jane.

It is easily error prone. And I'm not sure the formula even works.

Consider the zip+4 65802+1747
It looks like it adds up to 33, making the check digit 7, right? Wrong, if you read the USPS site the check digit is 6.

What gives???

[Eric Wilson]

typo, sorry... the +4 was 65102+1747, which adds up to 33, making the check digit 7, right? But again, if you read the USPS site the check digit is 6.

[Paul Lepkowski]

The delivery point bar code qualifies you for automation mail where the postage is between $.07 and $.14 per letter for charities.

There are three distinct problems here.

The first is the fact that USPS has changed the standards for the bar code itself. You can buy a barcode font from www.postagesaver.com for $50 and Scott promises to keep it up to date.

The second is that the zip+4 and delivery point code changes frequently and it must be certified by the USPS CASS program. The cheap way to do this is to send your data file to www.listcleanup.com. They will add the zip+4, the delivery point, and the check digit from a recently updated USPS data file and give you a certification that the USPS will accept. They charge a $10 minimum or $.65 per thounsand records.

The third problem is that you now have a string something like "/12345678901234/" which you have to print using the barcode font. I haven't figured out how to do that yet.

[Chuck]

Has anyone figured out doing postal bar codes in Open Office? This is a requirement we have because of the postal discounts.
Chuck

[Chuck Daye]

Sorry, forgot to add "SIMPLE for the average user". This is something Word has had for years.
Chuck

[Solveig]

The short answer is no. I keep suggesting a nice extension from Sun or Novell....

Solveig