How to Generate a QR Code

How to generate a QR Code

QR Codes (Quick Response Codes) allow a phone to scan a code and take them directly to a website, without having to type the URL address.  The code can store other types of text data, including coupons, contact information, phone numbers, etc. These act as a convenience for your users.

http://www.keyliner.blogspot.com

QR Codes only store textual information and most commonly take you to a webaddress, youtube video, or an email.  These codes only store text and as such, they cannot run programs or scripts - in other words, it is not executable.  But be aware that the site you arrive at may do its own tracking or run scripts -- but this is no different than arriving at any webpage.

To the right is a QR code generated free by kaywa.com and it takes you to this blog, keyliner.blogspot.com.  

To read the code, aim a phone-camera at the image and note the displayed address.  This can be scanned from a computer's monitor. 

Steps to Generate a Code:

I have used kaywa.com and VistaPrint (Business Card printing) to generate QR codes.  This document shows kaywa.com.  Although Kaywa now charges for some QR codes, follow these instructions for a no-cost option.  The no-cost option does not require registration or logging-in.

See the bottom of this article for other vendors. 

1.  Open a browser session to   qrcode.kaywa.com

Choose "URL" 
Chose the "Static" slider  (the free version)
Click the now-grey "Generate" button

2.  At the prompt, chose the small link, "I want to continue to work with a static QR code"

3.  The QR Code is generated.

Note: With the free version, Kaywa disabled the download option for the free static codes, but there are easy workarounds.

Right-click the image, chose "Save Image As"
Or screen-snip

Illustrated Save-As for "keyliner.com"

4.  Add a cosmetic text-link

The downloaded image does not contain a text version of the link.  

Use a photo-editor to add the text to the image (steps not shown here).  See the QR illustration at the top of this article for an example (e.g.  www.keyliner.com).  Although meaningless to the scanner, the text gives humans some confidence on the link they are about to scan. 


TEST

Use Windows Explorer and find the downloaded/saved image.

On a computer, double-click the file to preview.
Scan the image with your smartphone or tablet to confirm the address.

Now, reprint all of your business cards and marketing literature to include this code.

*If your portable device does not read bar-codes and QR Codes (rare), use the app-store to download a bar-code reading app.  Research carefully as nefarious stuff can happen with this type of app.

Mobile vs Desktop Sites:

If you are using a QR code to arrive at a URL, choose a URL designed for a mobile app, because likely only mobile devices will be scanning the code.

For example, arriving at http://www.keyliner.blogspot.com  (this blogging tool), it automatically routes to a mobile site -- thank you Google.  The same address, scanned from a larger tablet, arrives at the desktop site.  Your website may work differently.

Commercial Use:

For a monthly fee, Kaywa.com can generate something they call a "Dynamic" code. With this, the vendor can track your code, how often clicked, etc. and can re-direct the visitor to a different address of your choosing -- all without reprinting the code or marketing literature.  In other words, you could, in August, direct everyone to your August Sales campaign and then in September, change to a different address, with its own tracking. 

With their other commercial products, you can have the same QR route iphone users to a different site than an Android user - for example, you could route them directly to the App Store, depending on their device.

QR Code Differences:

I used VistaPrint (a business card and marketing printing company - keyliner reviewed) to build new business cards and noticed their generated QR Code was different.  I do not know why; it may be different versions of the QR standard or different error corrections.  Both go directly to my address and do not pass-through either of these companies.  Here are the two codes:

Article updated on 2023.10 with new screenshots and instructions.

Related links:
qrcode.kaywa.com (as described this article)
delivr.com/qr-code-generator Untested by keyliner
qurify.com/en Untested by keyliner
VistaPrint Business Cards

Wikipedia article on QR Codes
Structure
Layout

Build your own https: webserver using these keyliner steps.  This is what I did.
https://keyliner.blogspot.com/2023/09/install-raspberry-pi-webserver-step-by.html