What is the "QR Code Reader" add-on and how can I use it?

This QR code scanning utility works on both desktop and mobile devices. It utilizes the rear camera for scanning QR codes from the video stream, but if no rear camera is available, it will use the front camera instead. The user can select the proper camera if multiple are available. This utility can scan both QR codes and barcodes, so there is no need to have multiple extensions. Additionally, unlike other extensions, it can detect all QR codes in a single image or video frame. Most detectors require only one code per frame, but this extension combines the results from the native barcode scanner and the well-known ZBar library (compiled into JS) and displays them in the results tab. Note that this extension only works locally and does not involve any server-side interaction for detection or data storage.

What's new in this version?

Please check the Logs section.

Is it possible to turn off the automatic activation of the camera when the user interface opens? I usually use the extension to scan local image files only.

You can disable the automatic scanning from the video stream in the "Scanning" tab. By disabling the automatic scanning, you can use the image detection feature, or manually activate the camera only when necessary.

Is it possible to change the way that the extension opens?

You can choose from three modes for displaying the user interface on desktop computers. To change the mode, right-click on the action button and select one of the "window", "tab", or "pop-up" options. The "popup" mode will open the UI in a browser popup, the "window" mode will open the UI in a separate browser window, and the "tab" mode will open the UI in the current browser window.

Is there a way to quickly switch back to the "Scan" section after the extension has detected a QR code and automatically switched to the results section?

Yes, when the extension window is in focus, you can use the following keyboard shortcuts to switch between tabs:

• Ctrl + 1 (Windows) or Command + 1 (Mac) to switch to the "Scan" tab
• Ctrl + 2 or Command + 2 to switch to the "Results" tab.

You can swipe left or right to move between tabs on mobile devices.

Is it possible to use this extension to scan codes from local images?

Yes, you can use the extension to scan codes from local images by dragging and dropping the image containing the QR code or barcode onto the extension's user interface. The extension will then detect the code and switch to the results tab. The extension also marks detected codes with a dashed line around them. You can also drop images onto the "Results" tab, and the extension will append any new detected codes to the list. This is useful if you have multiple scans and you don't want to switch between two tabs to load new image files.

How can I stop receiving the "Loading Failed" error when I try to send QR code images to the extension's interface using the right-click context menu?

To fix this issue, you can try one of the following options:

• Download the image and drag it into the extension interface.
• Grant permission to read remote image files. To do this, right-click on the action button for the extension and go to the "Options" menu. Enable the "Allow Cross-Origin Image Rendering" permission. This will allow the extension to load and extract codes from cross-origin images.

What are the differences of QR code and barcode?

QR codes (short for Quick Response codes) and barcodes are both types of machine-readable codes that are used to store and encode information. However, there are some key differences between the two:

• Visual appearance: QR codes are two-dimensional codes that are made up of a grid of black and white squares. Barcodes, on the other hand, are one-dimensional codes that consist of a series of lines of varying widths.
• Capacity: QR codes have a much higher capacity for storing data than barcodes. While barcodes can typically store a few dozen characters of data, QR codes can hold hundreds or even thousands of characters.
• Use cases: QR codes are primarily used for marketing and advertising, as well as for storing data such as website URLs and contact information. Barcodes, on the other hand, are primarily used for identifying and tracking products in retail and supply chain management.
• Reading technology: QR codes are usually read using a smartphone camera and a QR code reader app, while barcodes are typically read using a specialized barcode scanner.

What is ZBar?

ZBar is an open-source software library allowing developers to create applications that can read and interpret barcodes and QR codes. It is written in C. The library provides support for several different types of barcodes and QR codes, including EAN-13, UPC-A, and Code 128. It also includes support for reading multiple codes from a single image, as well as for detecting and decoding damaged or partially obscured codes.