QR Code / Bar Code Scanner

During the development of an android application, sometimes it is required to provide a functionality that scans a QR code or barcode. Scanning the QR code can be done programmatically by using many ways:

Using a web-based API solution, where the QR code or barcode is uploaded to the server, and the server returns the results.
Using a web-based application that accesses your camera and scans the QR code or barcode and returns the results.
By Integrating the Mobile Vision API of Google Play Service.

Android QR Code Scanner Example

In this example, we will scan the QR code of a web URL and Email address, and act on it. Here we will use the Mobile Vision API of Google Play Service to scan the QR code. The Mobile Vision API supports the following formats of the barcode.

1D barcodes: EAN-8, UPC-A, EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-E, Code-93, Code-128, Code-39, Codabar, ITF.
2D barcodes: QR Code, Data Matrix, AZTEC, PDF-417.

Create an activity_main.xml and add the following code.

activity_main.xml

Create an activity_scanned_barcode.xml layout and add the following code. The SurfaceView widget is used for camera source.

activity_scanned_barcode.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:padding="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin">

<SurfaceView
android:id="@+id/surfaceView"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_above="@+id/btnAction"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
android:layout_alignParentStart="true"
android:layout_centerVertical="true" />

<TextView
android:id="@+id/txtBarcodeValue"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
android:layout_marginLeft="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:text="No Barcode Detected"
android:textColor="@android:color/white"
android:textSize="20sp" />


<Button
android:id="@+id/btnAction"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
android:text="ADD CONTENT IN THE MAIL" />
</RelativeLayout>

Create an activity_email.xml layout to perform email action.

activity_email.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<android.support.constraint.ConstraintLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
tools:context="example.javatpoint.com.qrcodebarcodescanner.EmailActivity">

<Button
android:id="@+id/btnSendEmail"
android:layout_width="300dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_below="@+id/inBody"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:layout_marginBottom="64dp"
android:layout_marginEnd="8dp"
android:layout_marginStart="8dp"
android:text="@string/send_email"
app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent"
app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent" />


<TextView
android:id="@+id/txtEmailAddress"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
android:layout_marginBottom="8dp"
android:layout_marginEnd="8dp"
android:layout_marginStart="8dp"
android:layout_marginTop="8dp"
android:text="Email Address: "
android:textSize="16dp"
android:textStyle="bold"
app:layout_constraintBottom_toTopOf="@+id/inSubject"
app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent" />

<EditText
android:id="@+id/inSubject"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_below="@+id/txtEmailAddress"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:layout_marginEnd="8dp"
android:layout_marginStart="8dp"
android:layout_marginTop="88dp"
android:ems="10"
android:hint="Subject"
app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent" />

<EditText
android:id="@+id/inBody"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_below="@+id/inSubject"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:layout_marginEnd="8dp"
android:layout_marginStart="8dp"
android:layout_marginTop="164dp"
android:ems="10"
android:hint="Body"
app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
app:layout_constraintHorizontal_bias="1.0"
app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent" />
</android.support.constraint.ConstraintLayout>

Add the Google Mobile Vision API in build.gradle file.

build.gradle

implementation of 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-vision:11.8.0'

In the MainActivity.java file, add the following code. By clicking the button btnScanBarcode it call the ScannedBarcodeActivity.java class.

MainActivity.java

package example.javatpoint.com.qrcodebarcodescanner;

import android.content.Intent;
import android.support.v7.app.AppCompatActivity;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.view.View;
import android.widget.Button;

public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
Button btnScanBarcode;
@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
btnScanBarcode = findViewById(R.id.btnScanBarcode);

btnScanBarcode.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
@Override
public void onClick(View view) {
startActivity(new Intent(MainActivity.this, ScannedBarcodeActivity.class));
}
});
}
}

In the ScannedBarcodeActivity.java activity class, add the following code. This class scans the QR code through the camera. In this class, we will generate two QR code, one for web URL and another is for an email address. A QR code can be generated from any of QR code generator website.

ScannedBarcodeActivity.java

package example.javatpoint.com.qrcodebarcodescanner;

import android.Manifest;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.content.pm.PackageManager;
import android.net.Uri;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.support.v4.app.ActivityCompat;
import android.support.v7.app.AppCompatActivity;
import android.util.SparseArray;
import android.view.SurfaceHolder;
import android.view.SurfaceView;
import android.view.View;
import android.widget.Button;
import android.widget.TextView;
import android.widget.Toast;
import com.google.android.gms.vision.CameraSource;
import com.google.android.gms.vision.Detector;
import com.google.android.gms.vision.barcode.Barcode;
import com.google.android.gms.vision.barcode.BarcodeDetector;
import java.io.IOException;

public class ScannedBarcodeActivity extends AppCompatActivity {


SurfaceView surfaceView;
TextView txtBarcodeValue;
private BarcodeDetector barcodeDetector;
private CameraSource cameraSource;
private static final int REQUEST_CAMERA_PERMISSION = 201;
Button btnAction;
String intentData = "";
boolean isEmail = false;

@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.activity_scanned_barcode);
initViews();
}

private void initViews() {
txtBarcodeValue = findViewById(R.id.txtBarcodeValue);
surfaceView = findViewById(R.id.surfaceView);
btnAction = findViewById(R.id.btnAction);
btnAction.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
@Override
public void onClick(View v) {
if (intentData.length() > 0) {
if (isEmail)
startActivity(new Intent(ScannedBarcodeActivity.this, EmailActivity.class).putExtra("email_address", intentData));
else {
startActivity(new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW, Uri.parse(intentData)));
}
}
}
});
}

private void initialiseDetectorsAndSources() {

Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "Barcode scanner started", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
barcodeDetector = new BarcodeDetector.Builder(this)
.setBarcodeFormats(Barcode.ALL_FORMATS)
.build();

cameraSource = new CameraSource.Builder(this, barcodeDetector)
.setRequestedPreviewSize(1920, 1080)
.setAutoFocusEnabled(true) //you should add this feature
.build();

surfaceView.getHolder().addCallback(new SurfaceHolder.Callback() {
@Override
public void surfaceCreated(SurfaceHolder holder) {
try {
if (ActivityCompat.checkSelfPermission(ScannedBarcodeActivity.this, Manifest.permission.CAMERA) == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {
cameraSource.start(surfaceView.getHolder());
} else {
ActivityCompat.requestPermissions(ScannedBarcodeActivity.this, new
String[]{Manifest.permission.CAMERA}, REQUEST_CAMERA_PERMISSION);
}

} catch (IOException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}

@Override
public void surfaceChanged(SurfaceHolder holder, int format, int width, int height) {
}

@Override
public void surfaceDestroyed(SurfaceHolder holder) {
cameraSource.stop();
}
});


barcodeDetector.setProcessor(new Detector.Processor<Barcode>() {
@Override
public void release() {
Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "To prevent memory leaks barcode scanner has been stopped", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
}

@Override
public void receiveDetections(Detector.Detections<Barcode> detections) {
final SparseArray<Barcode> barcodes = detections.getDetectedItems();
if (barcodes.size() != 0) {
txtBarcodeValue.post(new Runnable() {
@Override
public void run() {

if (barcodes.valueAt(0).email != null) {
txtBarcodeValue.removeCallbacks(null);
intentData = barcodes.valueAt(0).email.address;
txtBarcodeValue.setText(intentData);
isEmail = true;
btnAction.setText("ADD CONTENT TO THE MAIL");
} else {
isEmail = false;
btnAction.setText("LAUNCH URL");
intentData = barcodes.valueAt(0).displayValue;
txtBarcodeValue.setText(intentData);
}
}
});
}
}
});
}


@Override
protected void onPause() {
super.onPause();
cameraSource.release();
}

@Override
protected void onResume() {
super.onResume();
initialiseDetectorsAndSources();
}
}

In the EmailActivity.java class, add the following code. This class performs the email sending task to the address mention in the QR code.

EmailActivity.java

package example.javatpoint.com.qrcodebarcodescanner;

import android.content.Intent;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.support.v7.app.AppCompatActivity;
import android.view.View;
import android.widget.Button;
import android.widget.EditText;
import android.widget.TextView;

public class EmailActivity extends AppCompatActivity implements View.OnClickListener {

EditText inSubject, inBody;
TextView txtEmailAddress;
Button btnSendEmail;

@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.activity_email);
initViews();
}

private void initViews() {
inSubject = findViewById(R.id.inSubject);
inBody = findViewById(R.id.inBody);
txtEmailAddress = findViewById(R.id.txtEmailAddress);
btnSendEmail = findViewById(R.id.btnSendEmail);

if (getIntent().getStringExtra("email_address") != null) {
txtEmailAddress.setText("Recipient : " + getIntent().getStringExtra("email_address"));
}

btnSendEmail.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
@Override
public void onClick(View v) {
Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_SEND);
intent.setType("text/plain");
intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_EMAIL, new String[]{txtEmailAddress.getText().toString()});
intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SUBJECT, inSubject.getText().toString().trim());
intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_TEXT, inBody.getText().toString().trim());

startActivity(Intent.createChooser(intent, "Send Email"));
}
});
}

@Override
public void onClick(View v) {

switch (v.getId()) {
case R.id.btnScanBarcode:
startActivity(new Intent(EmailActivity.this, ScannedBarcodeActivity.class));
break;
}
}
}

Add the following code in AndroidMenifest.xml file.

AndroidMenifest.java

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
package="example.javatpoint.com.qrcodebarcodescanner">

<uses-feature
android:name="android.hardware.camera"
android:required="true" />

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA" />
<uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.autofocus" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />

<application
android:allowBackup="true"
android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
android:label="@string/app_name"
android:roundIcon="@mipmap/ic_launcher_round"
android:supportsRtl="true"
android:theme="@style/AppTheme">
<activity android:name=".MainActivity">
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

<category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
</intent-filter>
</activity>

<activity android:name=".ScannedBarcodeActivity" />
<activity
android:name=".EmailActivity"
android:windowSoftInputMode="adjustPan" />
</application>

</manifest>

Output:

Android QR Code or Bar Code Scanner

Android Tutorial

Android Widgets

Activity and Intents

Android Fragments

Android Menu

Android Service

Android AlarmManager

Android Storage

Android SQLite

XML and JSON

Android Multimedia

Android Speech

Android Telephony

Android Device

Camera Tutorial

Sensor Tutorial

Android Graphics

Android Animation

Android Web Service

Google Map

Adding Ads

Android Examples

Android Social

Android Versions

Android Misc

Android MCQ

Android Interview

Android Quiz