PDF 417 Barcodes in Crystal Reports 8.5 or Older

The following tutorial shows how to create PDF 417 barcodes in older versions of Crystal Reports.
Crystal Reports 8.5 and older do not support fields and formula outputs longer than 254 characters.
To encode a PDF 417 barcode, we must split the formula into multiple parts.

Step 1. Add a new formula

In Field Explorer right-click on "Formula" and select "New".
Hint: If you do not see Field Explorer, choose it from Standard Toolbar (see screenshot).

Name the formula. Remember to add "...Part0" suffix at the end of the formula name (see the imge next to the text).

Step 2. Copy the formula text

  // Part number of the barcode. Always begins with 0.
numberVar partNumber := 0; 

  // barcodeInputArray is the text you wish to encode in PDF 417. It is an array of strings. 
  // By using an array instead of a single string, we are able to enter data that's longer than the limit of 254 characters.
  // You can use multiple strings (up to 254 characters each), which will be then joined together.
  // If your data is under 254 characters then simply use a single-item array, like this:
  // 
  // local stringVar array barcodeInputArray:= ["My Text"];
  //
  // or 
  //
  // local stringVar array barcodeInputArray:= [{my_data_table.item_name}];
  //
  // If your data is a number or date, it must be converted to string using the ToText() function. For example:
  // local stringVar array barcodeInputArray:= [ ToText({my_data_table.item_amount}, 0, "")];

local stringVar array barcodeInputArray := ["Hello"]; // Encodes: Hello


  // Set to true to create a smaller version of PDF417. Removes the right-most column.
booleanVar isCompact := false; 

 
//   Error correction level allows a partially damaged barcode to be scanned successfully.
//   Valid values are 0-9, Value of 0 means Auto.
numberVar errorCorrectionLevel := 0;

  // Number of daa columns to create. Use fewer columns for taller PDF 417 symbols.
  // Minimum: 1, Maximum: 30 columns.
numberVar numDataColumns := 2;


  // Height of each row, in relation to width of a dot.
  // Minimum 2, Maximum: 10.
numberVar rowHeight := 2;

  // Allows input of special characters in format ^000 where 000 is decimal ASCII code. 
  // For example, ABC^009123^013^010 encodes "ABC[TAB]123[CARRIAGE RETURN][LINE FEED]".
  // To encode the actual caret ^, enter it twice: ^^
booleanVar allowSpecialChars := true; 

           
  // Thickness of quiet zone (space around barcode), in number of modules.
  // Note: Minimum quiet zone is 1 module. If you add a border (borderWidth > 0), ensure quietZoneWidth is 1 or larger.
  // Default value is 0 (no quiet zone).
numberVar quietZoneWidth := 0;       

  // Thickness of border around barcode, in number of modules.
  // If using a border, ensure quietZoneWidth is 1 or larger.
numberVar borderWidth := 0; 

 // Character encoding of your data input.
 // For example: UTF-8 | UTF-16 | ISO-8859-1 | ISO-8859-3 | ISO-2022-JP-2 
 // This setting should be set to UTF-16 (Unicode) for Crystal Reports 9 and newer
 // Crystal Reports automatically converts all input (from database fields, strings, etc) into UTF-16.
local stringVar characterInputEncoding := "ISO-8859-1";

 // Character encoding for data encoded in the PDF 417 symbol. 
 // The recommended setting is UTF-8, which is the default for the majority of barcode scanners.
 // If you change the setting, be sure the scanner understands it.
local stringVar characterOutputEncoding := "UTF-8";


local stringVar hex := "";
local stringVar xvals := "0123456789ABCDEF";
local stringVar array hexStringsArray := [""];

local numberVar j;

for j := 1 to Count(barcodeInputArray) do
(
    local numberVar strLen := Length(barcodeInputArray[j]);

    local numberVar i;
    For i := 1 to strLen Do
    (
        local numberVar num := Asc(Mid(barcodeInputArray[j], i, 1));
        local numberVar first := Remainder( num,  256);
    
        hex := hex + Mid(xvals, Int(first/16) + 1, 1) + Mid(xvals, Remainder(first, 16) + 1, 1); 

        if Length(hex) >= 254 then
        ( 
            ReDim Preserve hexStringsArray[Count(hexStringsArray)+1];
            hexStringsArray[Count(hexStringsArray)] :=  hex;
            hex := "";
        );
    );
);

if Length(hex) > 0 then 
(
    ReDim Preserve hexStringsArray[Count(hexStringsArray)+1];
    hexStringsArray[Count(hexStringsArray)] := hex;
);

Pdf417EncodeFromHexArray(partNumber, hexStringsArray, isCompact, errorCorrectionLevel, numDataColumns, rowHeight, allowSpecialChars, 
                                            quietZoneWidth, borderWidth, characterInputEncoding, characterOutputEncoding);