Blank data generates a QR Code - Publisher 2.6 Win

[AdrianW]

Hi Folks
TL:DR
A blank data field either in CSV or Excel data source shows as a placeholder in preview, but as a printable QR Code once generated.

Example files attached.

My use case was a ticketing data merge with two QR data fields so that the QR Codes were laid in different positions based on the ticket type.
Think combined types in one print job to ease the sorting between print and mail.

Looks ok in preview with the blue QR placeholder for the null code, but on generate a printable QR is generated which scans with no payload.

Is this by design, and if so can we have an option where blank means blank

Cheers

A

qr_test_gen.afpub qr_test.afpub qr_test.csv

[lacerto]

Confirming that happens on macOS, as well.

[werfox]

Interestingly, a manually generated QR code with no [Text] payload looks exactly the same as the data merge generated ones, where the table column is empty.

In the screenshot below I created the magenta coloured one manually and placed it slightly shifted and half transparent so it is better recognisable:

.

 

I do not know if the QR code symbology definition allows generating one without content.
I tested this with an open source tool (Zint) that claims to be compliant with the  ISO/IEC 18004:2015 / ISO/IEC 18004:2024 standard, and it shows an error when no data is encoded. So possibly it is a bug.

 

Best regards

Edited March 9 by werfox
typos

[lacerto]

I think it is a bug. When the code is tried to be read e.g. with iPhone Code Reader, the generated QR code is either not read at all, or gets "decoded" but actually just showing the results of the last read valid QR code. The fact that the preview leaves blank data non-generated (as "Data Merge Placeholder") implies an error in the data merge operation. The mere idea of generating a QR code for blank data is strange, leaving people in a situation where their code readers either do not scan the code, at all (resulting in people wasting time trying and trying), or giving false decoding. At least there should be an option to just have blank space, instead of a generated QR code or placeholder (this is how this operates e.g. in InDesign).

[NathanC]

Apologies for the late response, I've logged this with the developers for further investigation and review on how these blank data QR codes should be handled.

[AdrianW]

Thanks @NathanC Happy to test