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glabels: Ready For Prime Time
Joe Barr writes "NewsForge is running a review of glabels. It's still in beta status, but it's ready for prime time now. It knows hundreds of predefined label formats and allows you to design your own templates for custom work. Barcodes, images, just about anything but MP3 tracks can be printed on them. glabels is destined to become one of the most popular native apps for Linux." If you need harder-core barcode support, the excellent kbarcode would probably make a good complement. (NewsForge and Slashdot are both part of OSDN.)
..back in The Day we'd just "cat >
Trolling is a art,
glabels is destined to become one of the most popular native apps for Linux
Oh yes, because I can't make it through the day without printing labels.
Either this is a statement about the status of Linux apps, or a comment on the poster's anal retentivness.
This is newsworthy?
That's what Bart's aunt Selma got him for his birthday. It caused nothing but trouble.
I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
wouldnt it make more sense to package a label printing facility as part of Open Office as apposed to a standalone application ?
great idea that *nix has this now but these sorts of things have been standard in MSWord for a long time, do i really need to open a specific application (and all the hassle of saving/re-opening) just to print a label or envelope ?
This seems like a nice little application, but I don't think you do it any favours by hyping it up so much. Great label-making program, check; most popular native application for Linux? That might be a bit of a stretch
Here's what Clinton economics could mean to your cat...
ResidntGeek
Now I can just print out my own!
+1, Insightful!
-2, Cut and Paste Troll
+3, Agrees with My Post
-10, Thinks Bush is doing Great Things
+1.3, Made an original Joke about Soviet Russia
-4, Rants about the RIAA but still buys CDs
+42, Post by me, explaining the Meaning of Life.
As a geek girl and former clerk I can say that it's really awesome to have software that gives me time to do things other than work. Labels are the most obnoxious thing to make, too. To quote Homer (guess which one): I hate them SO MUCH!
However, I can't really see anybody using it on a daily basis. You can just print out large volumes of generic lables and be set for a long time.
its not kbarcode.org, but kbarcode.net
Since a barcode is merely a specialized format for binary data (similar to a hard drive's RLL, in fact), I'm sure it's a matter of time until someone figures out how to transfer audio data to a print medium, for later retrieval via barcode scanner.
I know a hobbyist magazine back in the '80s used to print entire programs in barcode format. I think it was for the old Radio Shack Model 100 laptop.
That's great. I've been using an inexpensive program that's called Labels Unlimited 2 that did a great job handeling graphics, bar codes, database, and serial number functions. That's one less reason to keep a Win box. Now if only they can get National Geographic Back Roads Explorer and the state series TOPO maps ported...
The truth shall set you free!
If that's true, I think I see the problem with Linux on the Desktop.
It's a friggin label maker. Jesus. Why is this on NewsForge, much less the front page of Slashdot. Wasn't there a dupe you could have posted instead?
it says anything but mp3s ;)
Yeah, i can proclaim my OS suppiriority by... printing up a label.
And, what's more, the label can mention just how unfeasable it would have been to have it's self created had it's creator not been using everyones favorite GTK based desktop
Or... you know... maybe the whole linux labeling community is a dead idea before it starts...
The Neo-Bohemian Techno-Socialist
I was so looking forward to dusting off the old CueCat and listening to some tracks with it.
Sorry, you can't have it both ways. Nope.
In Soviet Washington the swamp drains you.
How well is Linux support for Barcode Readers? I've been thinking of getting one.
I sense great hostility in the crowd...
Quick! Someone post some SCO news.
"Kittens give Morbo gas!"
now just add support for text-file databases and it will be as powerful as the throw-away software that came with my dymo label printer!
So where's the native Mac OS X version? Or will it run natively within the Mac OS X compile of GNOME?
I don't think it does those 3D labels that shippers use though.
yeah alright you caught me. so i tell you what; when teh revolution comes and they get up against the wall, i'll join them. I'll step into the strike zone and take one for the home team.
I recently used it to mass-print a bunch of name badges on name badge stock in my laser printer.
I have also used it for labels; you can print just a few labels from a sheet, by specifying which label to start printing upon. So, if you have a sheet of labels, and you have used up the first 11, you can tell gLabels to start printing labels on the 12th label on the sheet. It's slick.
Finally, this is just the thing for address labels on a dedicated mini-label printer. I don't have that set up yet, but I intend to soon.
Someone asked why you can't just use OpenOffice for your labels; I want to have OpenOffice print by default to my laser printer, and gLabels by default print to the mini labels-only printer. I wouldn't object to OpenOffice knowing how to pass labels off to the mini-label printer too, of course.
steveha
lf(1): it's like ls(1) but sorts filenames by extension, tersely
1) emerge glabels ...
2)
3) Wooo! Cool!
There's two main parts.
Each card is printed sideways with album cover art, artist, title and track listing. A barcode on both sides of the card uniquely identifies it. When inserted the PC analyzes the image to pick out the barcode. The barcode is linked to a playlist, which is played when the card is inserted.
i have a hard enough time getting my Open Office.org documents to print, how the hell am i going to get these awe inspiring, life saveing, cancer curing, all dinging, all dacing lables to print?
just about anything but MP3 tracks can be printed on them
So it prints OGG & AVI files then?
I must admit, I never had the itch to make labels in linux. Not that big of a fan, really, but I do see the need for it. (labels, that is)
People will dismiss this project as a pointless waste of time, but I do believe it has its merits. If nothing else, think of it as something shiny to attract new users...or at least give them more of a cushion when they switch OS. (you don't usually switch because of apps as much as you DON'T switch because of a lack of apps)
We've seen lots of craptastic freeware/shareware stuff for Windows. Heck, back when I watched TechTV more, they had free files featured to do anything you didn't want to do to begin with. All I'm saying here is that it's a Good Thing(TM) to have apps created for linux.
Give us a GUI that does a batch mogrify on a folder of images. Give us more cute little penguins dancing on the screen. Give us something that does random "at" jobs to play random soundbytes to annoy others. Give us Elf Bowling. Give us whatever you fancy to write.
In the end, hack away to your heart's content. Write code, give code, learn from code. I can't look any of you coders in the eyes and say "you're wasting your time." Instead I say keep up the good work and keep churning good code.
I'm sure it's a matter of time until someone figures out how to transfer audio data to a print medium, for later retrieval via barcode scanner.
There was some promising work early on, but the labels kept catching fire, unfortunately.
[ducks, runs for cover]
Please help metamoderate.
"OOo has label support, it even has more templates than Word... "
Were? StarOffice is the one with the templates, and the clip art, and the fonts, and the drivers...
This should be good news for retail stores that currently are forced to run Winblows for their check-out systems. I've worked on such a computer before, and it wasn't fun by any stretch of the imagination.
On the other hand, why don't they allow for MP3 files to be labled this way? It'd be quite useful for people who keep archives on CDs or DVDs. That's what I'd use it for, myself.
Haec merda tauri est. Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.
I see lots of jokes about barcodes software and how ground breaking it is being made here. It's obvious that the people making those jokes don't work in retail software.
I write Point of sale and inventory management software and good easy handling of barcodes is a huge thing with customers, even if it is relatively boring software wise. Programs like this may seem like nothing but they will go a long way towards linux acceptance in key non server locations.
RFID may be the new hotness but barcodes still rule the retail world.
Printing labels is the easy part. Reading them is another story. In a perfect world, I'd be able to use a run-of-the-mill webcam to read barcodes put in front of it in any direction. While there are a few commercial apps which do this, they're expensive and (after playing with a couple demos) not all that accurate.
If anyone has any leads on a good OSS (or even just cheap -- this is for personal use) solution, please post!
Do I use glabels? Yes. Do I like glabels? Do I mention glabels as a Premier Application when I talk about Linux? No.
I made my own template for oodraw for Meritline Matte CD/DVD Labels. They work.
Sigh. I guess I'm going to have to sit down and make my own templates for these as well. Does glabels support vertical retangular stickers as well as round CD stickers on the same sheet?
Problem is that Linux support of those specialized barcode printers is poor. It's not much better for the readers either.
Yes, I do like glabels.
We're over-using letter "g"! I thought it had something to do with gmail---got all happy and fuzzy and sweaty...
What a disapointment....
Why not just leave them blank?
-- Fighting mediocrity one bad post at a time.
I'm going to install Linux right now so I can print some labels. Oh wait... You can already do this on Window's... Never mind...
The problem seemed to be two-fold:
- Image scaling seemed to be done using linear interpolation. Sorry, but that doesn't cut it for anything that should have presentation. All the lines come out with jaggies. Use bi-cubic please.
- Printing was done at 72dpi. Hello, my printer is 1200 dpi, can you please take advantage of it?
In my experience, it did a great job of easily producing poor quality labels. Anybody know if these issues have been resolved in the current version?An easy way to print out those "Powered by Linux" Stickers!
$cat
I think the most recent time I used labels (or mass-produced) them was close to yearbook/annual signing time for my last two years in high school. I created a label that had my name on it, my website URL, and a logo that I made for myself. I don't remember if it had a barcode or not. Anyway, I ended up using Microsoft Word to make it (through mail merge), and I copied/pasted the label in all of the little cells. Tedious work, but it worked. Maybe this will make my life easier. I will most definitely give it a try. Maybe I'll also start labeling CDs now, instead of remembering what they look like and where they are in relation to everything else. Or maybe I'll waste my time crafting and printing labels instead of pulling out the extra-fine Sharpie. =)
just about anything but MP3 tracks can be printed on them
:-)
Just as well. I wouldn't use it if it supported MP3 and not Ogg Vorbis...
All interpreted languages are abstractions over Lisp
It's probably quite possible to put mp3 tracks on them. If not them, then definately midi tracks.
I guess if they are looking for MS standards it is ready for primetime :)
No but really, I did try it to do a business card. It works pretty good. It is a nice simple interface with not to much garbage. Everytime I would unselect grid under the view menu it would crash though. Did it everytime.
Have you ever dealt with (non-IT) businesspeople? I've been in offices where every person in sales/accounting/billing had a dedicated label printer on their desk, for shipping labels / packaging / general mail / whatever. Think about what "most popular" means: not "earthshaking", not "technically brilliant"; try reading it as "most commonly used" or "widespread". Yes, some people print labels every 5-10 minutes as part of their job. It's a handy niche to fill.
After I recently finished my Ph.D., I put together over 70 job market packets. For both appearances and efficiency, I needed to generate labels by the dozen.
Much to my surprise, there was an ebuild of gLabels for Gentoo. Even more to my surprise, even though it's in beta, it worked flawlessly. The interface was so well done that I never even needed to look for help files.
Kudos to the gLabels team!
-- My choice of computing platform is a symbol of my individuality and belief in personal freedom.
To my knowledge there are no Linux apps that print postage (like Stamps.com or Indicia).
Printing the labels seems like the easy part...
for a store. You give out the cards various places with various tracks you want to promote, to get folks to check out your store. The store has a kiosk setup with the reader. The customer puts in the card, it's playing the song back to them and simultaneously burning the track to disk as the freebie give away, or if they like the one song they can buy the whole album custom burned right then on the spot.
maybe, I dunno. Bound to be some other spiffy things you could do with it.
Listen, nobody cares about gentoo.
Barcodes, images, just about anything but MP3 tracks can be printed on them.
Tonight, a thousand pizzas will be delivered, a thousand neighbor's TV sets will be reduced to a single tricolor dot, and a thousand RIAA lawyers will be mobilized as, in all corners of the globe, a thousand geeks simultaneously rise to this supreme challenge.
Journey onward.
Good timing as I needed to lay out some new business cards, so I gave it a download and a try.
The package itself seems pretty much flawless, with no crashes or instability detected (prebuilt RPM on SuSE 8.1 with Ximian enhancements.) The only glitch I encountered is that trying to print to a .pdf fails. Print to a postscript file or to a printer and it works fine.
Much easier to work with than a word processor and label templates. It's not a daily use utility for 99% of the population, but it does it's one job rather well. The epitomy of a "utility program."
I do not fail; I succeed at finding out what does not work.
Listen, you didn't get the joke.
I use linux on a 486 i dug out of the dumpster at food lion! I can't afford a printer you insensitve clod!
For some reasons the title makes me think of the good professor.
"Linux and the printing of the barcodes and the GLABELS!"
OpenOffice (nor Corel Wordperfect or MS Word) are acceptable substitues for a real label making program -- have many Slashdotters ever bothered to try and print out CD labels or covers/trays to pre-scored stock (like the Avery media available)? Futzing around with templates in Word Processors sucks -- they are designed for linear text. Publishing apps are a little better, but there is nothing like the right tool for the job.
A program like Avery DesignPro or Surething CD Labeller for Windows makes producing such things very quick and painless.. it is good that this sort of thing is now available under Linux.
The reason (well, one of them at least), that Linux lacks as a desktop is BECAUSE of the lack of useful tools like this; answers like "You don't really need a (label-making program, greeting card maker, etc.), just use OOo" or "You don't need a WYSIWYG HTML editor, just use vi" completely miss the point.
BTW, I, for one, could really use a good greeting card program, like Sierra Print Artist. Does any such thing exist?
Drats.. Just when i printed my labels in openoffice. ;)
wouldnt it make more sense to package a label printing facility as part of Open Office as apposed to a standalone application ?
Absolutely NOT!!! The last thing we want to do is install a massive bloatware suite when all we need is one specific and well-defined function.
Open Office has its good points, for those with needs that mirror the many things that it offers. For everyone else, it's a throwback to the integrated packages of the past, and a major pain.
"The question of whether machines can think is no more interesting than [] whether submarines can swim" - Dijkstra
... It rocks! I've used it for the christmas card list for the last two years and address stickers (from me and to someone else) etc.
;-)
;-)
Its small and neat and does just enough - perfectly in tune with the Unix philosophy IMHO. I hope the developers resist the urge to bloat it up into openoffice
The developers have added all the features I wanted without me even asking too! (Images, sideways text etc).
The only hiccup I've had with it during an upgrade (forgotten the version numbers) when all the fonts changed in my saved labels. That was slightly annoying but easy to fix.
It sure beats doing this the manual way (with very carefully lined up pages in a WP/DTP)!
Top program - 5 stars
Every man for himself, all in favour say "I"
So, what you say is: "Please make Linux nice as I like it! I will go to sleep and you do the hacking. Once in a while I will wake up, whine and curse, and then go back to sleep!"
Linux is not free as in "comes out of a tap". Some people make these things. You don't pay them money, but you should pay some homage and respect; or please go away!
(As a child I was a cap scout. When we went on field camps we made all sorts of cool things out of wood and stones and some rope. We were all thrilled by the things we could do ourselves. But there was this guy who basically missed his TV and his comfort zone. He didn't help and he critized everything. I guess he didn't get why all the jokes were on him. He should never have been a scout anyway...)
:-) = I am happy
:^) = I am happy with my big nose
C:\> = I am happy with my OS
trapped in a sticker factory.
... and I thought this would have something to do with Mersenne primes (Hmm, primes...). Speaking of disappointment.
"...glabels is destined to become one of the most popular native apps for Linux..."
"Win treats sysadmins better than users. Mac treats users better than sysadmins. Linux treats everyone like sysadmins."
"glabels is destined to become one of the most popular native apps for Linux" What? no, wait, what?
-- No Sig is a Good Sig
I'd really have to agree with the parent (an all the others saying this). A simple application that does one thing well, makes my life easier, and can (eventually) interface to my other simple applications. Isn't that the Unix Way?
I've been trying to orgainize my personal files at home (it boggles the mind how much paper we tend to collect), and gLabels makes this *very* easy to do.
$0.02
I seem to remember a website that offered the ability to type in a price for a given item at a specific store and the website would then generate a barcode for that item. The idea was that you could then take the fraudilent barcode, stick it on top of the true label and when you take it to the checkout lane you pay a fraction of the real cost.
What's stopping people from using this program for such purposes? Is this yet another dual use program that will come under fire?
gLabels, a GNOME program that makes and prints all sorts of labels and business cards
From that, I think you can assume that it is an application, written for GNOME, that is somehow able to make and print labels and business cards. You know, labels, those sticky things you put on boxes and envelopes. LABELS.
And they'll look like those moving paintings in the Harry Potter movies.
> I don't think it does those 3D labels that shippers use though.
3D labels??? Utter craziness! I think you mean 2D, as while they technically ARE 3D, the 3rd dimension is only about 1/3 of one millimeter and not measured by the reader (ie, the paper thickness).
I hope no one actually thought this was flamebait, I said "utter craziness" to be silly, not to call anyone stupid.