Issue
I would like to change the size of the QR code on my labels. Or, I would like the QR code size to remain consistent from one label to another when I use the same label template.
Environment
Label Printing, Inventory, Registry
Cause
QR Code size cannot be hardcoded in ZPL (Zebra Programming Language); it always corresponds with the data contained in the QR Code (more data will result in a larger QR code). This is not a Benchling limitation, this is a ZPL limitation.
Resolution steps
It is possible to change the magnification of the barcode via ZPL if your QR codes are generally too small or too large, but this will not ensure that every QR code printed from a certain label template is the exact same size. To change magnification:
1. Go to your Label Template in Benchling (Avatar --> Feature Settings, then, in Feature Settings, go to 'Label Printing', and in the 'Label Templates' tab, click on the applicable label template.)
2. Find the ^BQ (Create QR Barcode) command associated with the relevant QR code in your ZPL code. This will look like "^BQN,2,3" (the numbers may vary).
3. The second number in this command (the '3' in the above example) controls the magnification. Update it with a larger or smaller integer value to achieve the desired magnification, such as "BQN,2,2" or "BQN,2,4". Larger numbers indicate greater magnification, thus larger QR codes. (The first number is the QR code model type. Zebra currently requires this to always be set to '2', please do not set this to anything other than '2'.)
Additional note on ZPL QR code behavior: If no field data is provided to a ^BQ command, a random value will be filled in to generate the QR code. This value can be very long and can cause unexpectedly large barcodes (this is a ZPL behavior, not a Benchling behavior). If you are seeing unexpectedly large QR codes, please ensure that these QR codes have a value - In other words, please ensure that the object you are printing a label for has a value in the field specified in the ^BQ command in the label template. Please be advised that printing labels with a Container QR code from an Entity page/column will result in an empty Container QR code value - see this article for details.