Qr code idea

QR codes are just quick links to a website.

You can make a microsite and then link to that from the QR code.

You can put whatever you like on your microsite/website.

Your website can have QR codes, but they aren't much good to you as far as I can see. With what would you scan them? QR codes are for the real world.

QR codes are for printed items, either to direct the user to a URL (which could be a gallery or a Facebook page) or to add a contact to their phone. Once you're in the digital realm, they're of no use. Even when used as intended, they're a gimmick that not many people actually use. I expect they'll look rather quaint a few years from now.

Not necessarily. I’ve seen them on websites, as well, usually to give readers a quick way to download an app or make a phone call.

QR codes don't have to be for print or web or epubs, it can be for most mediums.

I often test the QR code directly on the screen from InDesign by simply holding the camera in front of it.

That's for testing, but in most cases the camera people might use is the camera they are viewing the web site on. People with two smartphones might benefit, I suppose.

QR apps allow the user to save a QR code and run it through the app - so it doesn't necessarily have to be for camera only.

Also, if it's the case you can your QR code into a button and hyperlink it where you want it to go.

Instruct users to click, scan or touch the QR code to access.

And another thing.

For a PDF you could set up the QR Code as this.

<QR CODE IMAGE>

Individual Text Frames for

"Scan with QR App" | "Click" | "Touch"

Then for the PDF - you can set each up as Button and this will allow you to specify which buttons appear in PDF and which ones print (so you can mark the "Click" and "Touch" to be non-printable).

That may be true, but would you bother? Surely it's putting a huge obstacle in the way of the user who just wants to _follow a link_. What is possible may not be sensible.

How is it an obstacle?

If it's a live link, it isn't much of an obstacle - except that I wouldn't necessarily expect a QR code to be a live link, I'd think it was some kind of excess of design over common sense...which I believe this is. If you want a link, make a link. This is solving a nonexistent problem.

Bob Levine wrote:

 

Not necessarily. I’ve seen them on websites, as well, usually to give readers a quick way to download an app or make a phone call.

Point conceded. My QR-phobia got the better of me!

I still think they're impractical gimmick in the vast majority of cases, and in the case of the OP's idea, I think they would hinder navigation and annoy users.

Maybe some music could be added to the galleries, to really send them packing.

I'm not a huge fan of them either. I have used them in the past. In fact I set up a redirect page for the QR code so I could track how many people scanned it - and it was a big fat 0 amount of people that used it.

They are cumbersome to use too, if you don't have an app to scan them then you have to download and app, then scan then QR code, wait for it to load etc.

I don't see what the big fuss is with them - but if a client wants one to be used, then I use them.

Upload the image, get the URL of the image and make the QR code link to it.

How do you expect people are actually going to use that image of a business card?