Barcode Scanning with Ionic and Capacitor

Barcode Scanning with Ionic and Capacitor

Implementing barcode scanning functionality into your Ionic Capacitor app is a straightforward process that involves installing a plugin and utilizing its methods to scan and decode barcodes. Here's a step-by-step guide:

Install the Barcode Scanner Plugin:

Begin by installing the barcode scanner plugin using Capacitor's CLI tool:

```
npm install @capacitor-community/barcode-scanner
```

Register the Plugin in App:

Open your app's `app.module.ts` file and import the plugin:



```
import { BarcodeScanner } from '@capacitor-community/barcode-scanner';
```


Then, add the plugin to the `providers` array:

```
@NgModule({
  providers: [
    ...
    BarcodeScanner,
  ],
  ...
})
export class AppModule { }
```

Request Camera Permission:

Since barcode scanning requires camera access, you need to request permission from the user. Add the following code to your app's `app.component.ts` file:


```
import { BarcodeScanner } from '@capacitor-community/barcode-scanner';

@Component({
  selector: 'app-root',
  templateUrl: './app.html',
  styleUrls: ['./app.scss'],
})
export class AppComponent {
  constructor(private barcodeScanner: BarcodeScanner) {}

  async checkPermission() {
    const hasPermission = await this.barcodeScanner.checkPermissions();
    if (!hasPermission) {
      await this.barcodeScanner.requestPermissions();
    }
  }
}
```

Initiate Barcode Scan:

To start scanning barcodes, use the `scan` method of the plugin:


```
async scanBarcode() {
  const result = await this.barcodeScanner.scan();
  if (result.cancelled) {
    console.log('Scan cancelled');
  } else {
    console.log('Scanned barcode:', result.code);
  }
}
```

Display Scanned Barcode:

You can display the scanned barcode information in your app's UI, such as a label or toast message.


```
<ion-label>Scanned Barcode: </ion-label>
```

And update the `scannedBarcode` property with the barcode data from the `scan` method:

```
scannedBarcode: string = '';

async scanBarcode() {
  const result = await this.barcodeScanner.scan();
  if (!result.cancelled) {
    this.scannedBarcode = result.code;
  }
}
```

This basic implementation demonstrates the fundamentals of barcode scanning with Ionic and Capacitor. You can further customize the scanning process, add error handling, and integrate the scanned barcode data into your app's functionality.