QR Code and vCard

[Bryce]

I've been using the QR code function in Affinity and it's great. The vCard function people like too, adding it to their business cards.

Can the options be changed in the vCard box? Right now there is only one option for a phone number and many people would like to have an office number first and a cell number second.

thanks!

[PaulEC]

I don't know if there are technical reasons for the fields that are used, but it would certainly be useful if they were editable. For example, adding extra phone numbers, or extra lines in an address, in place of fields that are not needed.

[Bound by Beans]

On 4/19/2025 at 4:03 PM, Bryce said:

I've been using the QR code function in Affinity and it's great. The vCard function people like too, adding it to their business cards.

Can the options be changed in the vCard box? Right now there is only one option for a phone number and many people would like to have an office number first and a cell number second.

You can actually get a bit of control over the QR code by using text mode.
To add more, switch the QR type to Text and paste a full custom vCard like this:

BEGIN:VCARD
VERSION:3.0
N:Doe;John;;;
FN:John Doe
TEL;TYPE=WORK:+4511122233
TEL;TYPE=CELL:+4522233344
EMAIL:john@example.com
END:VCARD

Always test the output on your phone before serious use! I've only used the text field this way a few times — online QR code generators are usually much better, easier, and safer. But I didn’t want to keep this trick from you. 🙂

[Bryce]

that is very interesting. I was able to develop quite a bit - you can even include a picture or a logo for it to grab.

[Bound by Beans]

Show us what you did 🙂

[Bryce]

Here is a sample of how you can add/change the vCard QR code:

You can take this code and put it into the text setting of the QR code:

BEGIN:VCARD
VERSION:3.0
N:Workman;Joe
FN:Joe Workman
ORG:The Best Company
TITLE:President
ADR;type=work;;:PO Box 100;101 N. Main St.;Anytown;OH;54321;USA
ADR;type=home;;:310 N. Main St.;Anytown;OH;54321;USA
TEL;type=WORK;VOICE:9876543211
TEL;type=CELL:285555GZMO
TEL;type=FAX:9876541231
EMAIL;WORK;INTERNET:info@thebestcompany.com
EMAIL;WORK;INTERNET:info@theworstcompany.com
EMAIL;HOME;INTERNET:home@yahoo.com
URL;type=Printing:http://www.couldbebetter.com
URL;type=Newspaper:http://www.thebestcompany.com
NOTE:High Quality Printing
END:VCARD

 

It would look like this:

What this would allow you to do is add more than one address, web, email, phone, etc. It will also define what each is for such as home, work, 2nd work, church, etc. I think this could also be used in a spreadsheet that would allow this to be data merged easier. Though I have not tried.

I tried adding the center image, but I don't think Serif has that ability encoded, because it didn't work.

 

[Bound by Beans]

Thanks! Ah, I thought you had discovered the trick with graphics, but now I’ve looked into graphics in QR codes, and it really is a trick made possible because QR codes can be set to high error tolerance, allowing room for a "mistake" like a logo. It seems to be far beyond what the current model in Affinity supports, and maybe a bit too creative — I hope it becomes part of the standard someday instead.

But now we have a bit of creative space in the text field — unfortunately only available to a microscopic group of customers who are in the know and a bit nerdy.