How To: Create a scannable vCard for BBM5

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10-11-09, 06:52 PM
FineWolf

How To: Create a BBM5 barcode to add your information into contacts.
BBM5 now introduces the possibility to scan QR Code barcodes. They did so in a way that allows URL codes to be scanned and opened in the browser.

This tutorial will show you how to create a QR code to include on business cards or other to easily share contact information.
1. Create your vCard file using Outlook, using an online service such as vCardMaker (Note, vCardMaker gives you text at the end, simply paste in a text file and save to a file with the .vcf extension) or use the following template below to create your own file (copy and paste in a text file using notepad, and save the file with the .vcf extension. Editable files are delimited by < >. Some fields repeat themselves, they do for a reason. If they have the same name, they should hold the same value. If you do not want to use a field, leave it empty and delete the line.).
  
  Code:
  
  BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:2.1 FN:<BBIgnored, FriendlyName> N:<Last>;<First>;;<Title>; X-SALUTATION:<Title> ORG:<Company> TITLE:<Job Title> TEL;TYPE=WORK:<Work Phone> TEL;TYPE=WORK:<Work Phone 2> TEL;TYPE=HOME:<Home Phone> TEL;TYPE=HOME:<Home Phone 2> TEL;TYPE=CELL:<Mobile> TEL;TYPE=PAGER:<Pager> TEL;TYPE=FAX:<Work Fax> TEL;TYPE=X-RIMPIN:<BB Pin> X-Other #:<Other Phone> EMAIL;TYPE=PREF;TYPE=INTERNET:<First Email> EMAIL;TYPE=INTERNET:<Second Email> EMAIL;TYPE=INTERNET:<Third Email> ADR;TYPE=WORK:;<Work Address 2>;<Work Address 1>;<Work City>;<Work State>;<Work Zip>;<Work Country> ADR;TYPE=HOME:;<Home Address 2>;<Home Address 1>;<Home City>;<Home State>;<Home Zip>;<Home Country> X-Home Address1:<Home Address 1> X-Home Address2:<Home Address 2> X-Home City:<Home City> X-Home State/Prov:<Home State> X-Home ZIP/Postal Code:<Home Zip> X-Home Country:<Home Country> X-URL:<Web Page> URL:<Web Page> URL;TYPE=HOME:<Web Page> URL;TYPE=WORK:<Web Page> X-User1:<User 1> X-User2:<User 2> X-User3:<User 3> X-User4:<User 4> NOTE:<Notes> END:VCARD
2. Upload it on your website (use drop.io service or similar if you don't have one).
3. Use a QR Code generator in URL mode, paste in your URL, generate the code.
4. Scan and test away!
There is also a free service which allows to do that. Viscards.com will generate and host your vCard, as well as create your QR Code. But I rather have control over my information.

The end result looks like that. Go ahead and scan it using BBM!

http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?c...sign%20Ltd.vcf

Disclamer: The vCard Barcode above is one randomly found on the end and is not me.
10-11-09, 10:23 PM
FineWolf

I updated the post with more information.
10-12-09, 09:31 AM
CrackdBanqer

Added the vcf file to my website. But BB Browser just opens it like it's a text file :confused:

Any idea how to fix this?
10-12-09, 09:40 AM
FineWolf
Originally Posted by CrackdBanqer

Added the vcf file to my website. But BB Browser just opens it like it's a text file :confused:

Any idea how to fix this?

Two things to check:
1. Does your webserver returns Content-type: text/x-vcard when downloading the file?
2. If the file correct?
Post a striped version of your vcf (strip personal info, replace with random stuff) and a link to that striped version and I'll check it for you.
10-12-09, 09:51 AM
CrackdBanqer

Actually, figured it out. Thanks for the quick reply though!

I was using free hosting with GoDaddy and they were applying an ad on top of the VCF file, although the BB Browser wasn't showing the ad. I don't really have use for fulltime hosting, so I am looking for another solution. Just tried fileden.com and it doesn't work.
10-12-09, 09:54 AM
FineWolf

Originally Posted by CrackdBanqer

Actually, figured it out. Thanks for the quick reply though!

I was using free hosting with GoDaddy and they were applying an ad on top of the VCF file, although the BB Browser wasn't showing the ad. I don't really have use for fulltime hosting, so I am looking for another solution. Just tried fileden.com and it doesn't work.

Try Simple private real-time sharing and collaboration by drop.io as suggested in my first post. It's 100 MB for free, and allows you to easily update a file while still keeping the same link. That way, if ever your contact info changes, you can change it while keeping the same barcode.
10-12-09, 10:04 AM
CrackdBanqer

Doesn't work... brings my BB to a download page and when I try to download it says the returned page had no content type and therefore cannot be processed.

This is a file directly exported from MS Mail.
10-12-09, 10:06 AM
FineWolf

Try using VISCARDS. Finding proper hosting can be a pain in the ***... Sorry I can't help you further... I have my own server, therefore I don't have those problems. If you do find a hosting that works, let me know, so I can update the post.
10-12-09, 10:10 AM
CrackdBanqer

Tried that first thing :( Get a bad gateway error in BB Browser.
10-12-09, 10:13 AM
FineWolf

Uploader- Boxstr 5GB Free File Hosting and Online Data Storage allows hotlinking... Last try.
10-12-09, 10:51 AM
CrackdBanqer

Now it asks me if I want to save the item! lol

Oh well, thanks for your help! If I stumble across a suitable file host I'll post in here so everyone knows!
10-12-09, 11:59 PM
CrackdBanqer

Okay,

Got it to work. What I did on my free godaddy hosting was create a new subfolder and place the vcf file in there. Alone with that I created a new file in that subfolder called ".htaccess". Inside that file I place:
AddType text/x-vcard .vcf

Saved the file in the same directory as my vcf file, pointed the barcode to there and voila, worked!!!

I am looking at setting up a vcard service that will work for everyone so they don't need to go through the pain I went through. Is there anyone interested?
10-13-09, 09:35 AM
CrackdBanqer

Hey All,

After all the trouble I went through to get my vcard hosted properly I am offering, for a limited time, free vcard hosting at mycontact.me

So if you're interested in having your vcard hosted properly at an easy to remember domain name send me a PM!
10-13-09, 11:44 AM
karlac

Good job, FineWolf!

Thanks for taking the time ...
10-15-09, 07:28 PM
mhopkins79

I've been trying to get this to work with no success. I have a website hosted by Yahoo. I created a page with a link to my .vcf file and then created the bar code to link to the page. My BlackBerry reads the bar code and goes to the correct page, but when I click the link to the file my bb gives me an error code. It says "A problem occurred while trying to render the page." It loads from my computer just fine. Any thoughts? What am I doing wrong? This would be a really great feature if I could get it to work! Thanks in advance!
Matt
03-30-10, 11:57 AM
chefe

hi there,
it really is a nice feature.. but still, the fact that you have to upload your vcf file somewhere, is a deal breaker..

why not just make a "text qr code" which incorporates your information with the syntax of a vcf file?

in this way it should be recognised as contact info and you should be prompted to add it to your contacts. this procedure is more efficient and it eliminates the need to host the file somewhere, essentially giving up your control over your personal info..

but i guess, due to the fact that the tutorial above is as it is, my method won't be feasible atm, am i right?

cheers
05-26-12, 09:16 AM
Justam

It is possible to have the contact information embedded within a qr code for offline use...however the more data which is embedded into a qr code the longer/harder it is to read that code. It can be very annoying and heavily impact the consumer experience with a qr code that takes a long time/is finicky to scan.

Factor in lighting and angle of scan all of these things heavily contribute to the experience.

Now another issue with embedded contact info is the fact you need special qr scanners in order to extract the info and create the contact. These features are not part of the OS5/6/7 operating system functions. Thus limiting the usability of such embedded info.

I have been creating vcards for a while for distribution however I have never been able to get the PIN to work properly. Every time I add it in a vcard it gets added under the Phone Numbers Section and is listed as a number...not the BB PIN...I have even tried a decimal pin in place of the traditional hexadecimal pin....any thoughts anyone?