Handlebar

A Basic Barcode Handler

Handlebar is a web based sample inventory manager, originally designed to meet the needs of researchers in the NERC PG&P research projects, it is now available for wider use. It is simple to use, allows a central database to serve users over multiple sites and permits the administrator to easily define new item templates for different types of sample. Linking between related samples is supported. The system is designed to work with printed barcode labels and functions are provided to print labels with Zebra brand barcode printers using the EPL protocol.

 

The Handlebar software is hosted on SourceForge.net
and the entire system is available for free download
from the Sourceforge release page. 

Packages for Debian/Ubuntu are available from the Bio-Linux package repository, and instructions for installation onto Mac OS-X are included within the standard download.

If you would like to try a demo version of Handlebar, it is available on the Bio-Linux Live DVD, and a live demonstration database is also available online.

A User Guide and Deployer Guide can be found here in PDF format. You can also find help via the online help link on the demo database, or in the files supplied with the package.

You can browse, or make submissions to, our public repository of type templates suitable for use with the Handlebar database.

If you are interested in using the software or have any questions please contact the author via helpdesk@nebc.nox.ac.uk

Handlebar was designed and written by Tim Booth in collaboration with the NEBC Barcoding Working group. Excel import and export was added by Milo Thurston.