Do you know that in 2016, the number of
online or digital shoppers globally was around 1.66 billion and is expected to
reach 2.14 billion in 2021? These numbers are significantly increasing year
after year. Businesses have taken note of these statistics. They have realized
the importance of making the payment functionality simpler for the users. The
introduction of the Barcode and QR scanners was one such effort. It has made
shopping experience much flexible and hassle-free. Even giants like Amazon and
Walmart have embraced this amazing feature in their apps.
So, if you too want to ensure that your
users get rid of typing the long activation codes, save from the frustration of
fidgeting with mini keyboards or cross-checking the codes for errors multiple
times, and also make the payments instantly consider integrating the barcode
reader functionality in your mobile app development services. Let’s get started
with the procedure.
Employing QR Code Scanning Feature in Your
Mobile Website
Firstly, create a QR code reader of your
own by running a bit of JavaScript code on your website on the smartphone that
has a camera. If not possible, get a sample QR code temporarily for this
assignment.
Developing a QR Code Reader
Creating this
QR code reader needs HTML, JavaScript along with a JavaScript library that
comes with capabilities to interpret the QR code. We will create this from
freely available libraries and not create it ourselves.
Now, first, create an index.html file.
Adding the Required HTML tag and some
Styles
Add the appropriate HTML code to the body
tag. You will see a wrapper container with some title, a canvas, a QR icon
image in ‘a’ tag, and a “div” where the results of the scan will be visible.
Now for adding styles, add the designed
style-sheet in the heading section of the HTML code. Next, add the CSS file for
creating the style.css file in the “src” folder. There will be a big QR button
present in the middle with a simple design of the app.
Adding the Dependent JS Libraries
Here we will be using an open-source
JavaScript library for reading QR codes. Written by ZXing, it is a
Java-based image processing library. This library comprises 17 files which we
need to merge into one file. For preventing the pollution of the global
namespace, we need to wrap the code in an anonymous function. And then, for
making the file size smaller put the file through Google Closure’s minifier.
Minor Modifications in the JS Library
We need to do some modifications to the
output function of the library to make it more adaptable. This helps to
differentiate between an error response and a success response. For this, make
the appropriate changes in the “qrcode.js” with the right code, so that the
strings will be replaced by “error” objects.
Now, the mobile
app developer scan check and understand if the call-back payload from the
callback function is the instance of the Error or not and thus, find out if an
error occurred.
Employing the Script Tag
For using this library in the QR code
reader, first, the mobile app developers need to consider it in the HTML code by implementing a regular script tag.
Treating It as a Mobile Application
The developers will have to make some
modifications for telling the mobile browsers that there isn’t a need to scale
this website in portrait mode. For this, they should add the apt meta-tag in
the head element.
Writing the JavaScript Code
In the src folder, we need to develop the
“qrCodeReader.js” file which should be at the level of HTML file. So, add the
required code to the new file. Above this code, the “qrcode” object is
available from window, which we need to assign to a constant. Then, build a
video element that will be required for handling images from the camera.
After this, we use the canvas element for
assigning the 2d context to a constant; it will be required for drawing images
that come from the camera.
Next, we have some relevant elements for
interacting with the app and specifying the results. So, for keeping the scanner’s
status, declare scanning variable.
Then add the right code to the file’s
bottom to set the callback for the QR code reader.
There are a few more things we need to
ensure to handle the scanner response. Firstly, set the scanning variable to
false, then, ensure that the streaming from the user’s camera is stopped. Then
ensure that results are visible to users and they can trigger further scans.
Next, access the camera feed for setting up
a loop and drawing the required images in the canvas.
We need to handle scanning the frames in a
different loop altogether. This can be done in the “onclick” handler present in
the element- “btnScanQR”.
For playing the videos, draw the steam for
each frame and call the tick function using the right code.
Lastly, we should define the scan function.
Now let’s test the app.
QR Code Reader Functioning in the
Website Mobile App
Now, you are done with the complete
procedure and it’s time to see the QR Reader in action. Tap on the QR button
and place some QR code in front of the camera for scanning. Hold it there for
some time and done. Your QR code scanner is ready to be used.
Final Words:
So this was the detailed procedure to get a
QR code scanner embedded in your app. It is a dynamic functionality that can be
used from any platform and helps to make your mobile app greatly useful to the
targeted users.
So, if you are willing to get this amazing
feature of QR code reader integrated into your mobile app, hire expert mobile
app developers from Biz4Solutions. Biz4Solutions is an eminent mobile
app development company delivering cutting-edge software solutions to its
global client base for more than 9 years. For any further assistance, drop us
the details at sales.enquiry@biz4solutions.com.
To know more about our other core
technologies, refer to links below:
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Native App Development Company
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