create your own barcode to a meal

jeppe_volander
jeppe_volander Posts: 6 Member
edited November 27 in Recipes
Hello,

Is it possible to create a barcode using something like https://barcode.tec-it.com/en, and when people scan it, they will be directed to my meal i created in myfitnesspal?

Cant get it to work. Everytime i scan the code it says: "sorry couldn't find a match" and it closes. It doesn't let me add/create anything.

Or isn't it possible?

Replies

  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    Could you just add you recipe, or create a "new food" in the database and make it public?
  • DoubleUbea
    DoubleUbea Posts: 1,115 Member
    edited July 2018
    There are many different types of bar codes and scannable images, each uses its own unique formulas and information to extract the data. The link you listed is not the same thing as a UPC and wouldn't work.

    To follow a link to a web page you need to use a QR code. It will not import the nutritional information for use in the diary,
  • jeppe_volander
    jeppe_volander Posts: 6 Member
    edited July 2018
    livingleanlivingclean: I want to make a barcode i can embed on a recipe on a website. When a user did the recipe and need to add it to myfitnesspal they can just scan my barcode.

    DoubleUbea: Is it possible to find and create UPC barcodes for private use?
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    Giefdonut wrote: »
    livingleanlivingclean: I want to make a barcode i can embed on a recipe on a website. When a user did the recipe and need to add it to myfitnesspal they can just scan my barcode.

    DoubleUbea: Is it possible to find and create UPC barcodes for private use?

    Or they could just type "giefdonut X" (for example) into the search? I don't think barcodes are associated with a specific product, which is why people sometimes get random entries when scanning - can you get around that somehow?
  • DoubleUbea
    DoubleUbea Posts: 1,115 Member
    Giefdonut wrote: »
    DoubleUbea: Is it possible to find and create UPC barcodes for private use?
    No, UPC codes are regulated and assigned. UPCs have a unique manufacture ID section and a unique product ID section.

    The two smaller numbers on each side of the code are check sum characters to make sure the code was scanned properly.
    The only gray area with UPC is with store brands, the code for Wegman's rye bread might be the same as Harris Teeter's rye bread. The stores probably use the same manufacture for the in-house labeled brand.
  • jeppe_volander
    jeppe_volander Posts: 6 Member
    Thanks livingleanlivingclean, that would work it's Just as easy <3
  • DoubleUbea
    DoubleUbea Posts: 1,115 Member
    If you make your recipe public people can search the database for it. Call it something unique, "Giefdonut's protein muffins", when people search and find it in the database it will pull up the recipe and the nutritional info. There isn't a need to scan it. You can copy the URL for your recipe and post it in a message.
  • psigna
    psigna Posts: 1 Member
    How do you make the recipes public?
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,097 Member
    psigna wrote: »
    How do you make the recipes public?

    You can't. This was a feature MFP apparently has contemplated, as it used to ask you if you wanted to make a new recipe public, and then it asked for all kinds of additional information, including directions, but nothing has ever come of it.

    You can make new foods that you add public, or keep them private. Your recipes are all private. But if you log a recipe in your diary, anyone who has access to your diary can copy that meal, and then your recipe would show up in their recent foods until it ages out.
  • DoubleUbea
    DoubleUbea Posts: 1,115 Member
    When you create a recipe it asks at the bottom of the page:
    cn1y65kgnghs.jpg
  • jeppe_volander
    jeppe_volander Posts: 6 Member
    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    psigna wrote: »
    How do you make the recipes public?

    You can't. This was a feature MFP apparently has contemplated, as it used to ask you if you wanted to make a new recipe public, and then it asked for all kinds of additional information, including directions, but nothing has ever come of it.

    You can make new foods that you add public, or keep them private. Your recipes are all private. But if you log a recipe in your diary, anyone who has access to your diary can copy that meal, and then your recipe would show up in their recent foods until it ages out.

    I really dont want people to look in my diary. So just to be clear, there isn't a way for me to make a recipe and easily share it with the world?

  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    jeppe_volander wrote: »
    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    psigna wrote: »
    How do you make the recipes public?

    You can't. This was a feature MFP apparently has contemplated, as it used to ask you if you wanted to make a new recipe public, and then it asked for all kinds of additional information, including directions, but nothing has ever come of it.

    You can make new foods that you add public, or keep them private. Your recipes are all private. But if you log a recipe in your diary, anyone who has access to your diary can copy that meal, and then your recipe would show up in their recent foods until it ages out.

    I really dont want people to look in my diary. So just to be clear, there isn't a way for me to make a recipe and easily share it with the world?

    You could just make a database entry and then put a link on whatever blog/website you're putting the recipe on.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    edited July 2018
    Sadly, MFP database doesn't allow easy access (that I know of) to food codes that link directly to add food unless you are approved for API use (I think? May not even be an option there). You could do a clunky workaround using the "copy address link", but it would only allow to view information, not add them to your diary.

    Example: https://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/update_nutrition_facts/436494565?date=2018-07-14&show_controls=true
    which can be made into a neater format by URL manipulation:
    https://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/calories/436494565

    If that doesn't appeal to you, you could either take a screenshot of your recipe nutrition info and post it on the website recipe page, or create a public food and give it a name your readers can easily distinguish (For example, [website name] [food name]) and give them the search word to search the database for it manually.

    ETA: just tested the non-linear barcodes on the website you linked to (EAN and UPC) and they do work, but they already link to existing database entries. You could theoretically click "find a better match" and create a new food for it, but I'm not sure the new linking would stick globally. I don't think it would.
  • jeppe_volander
    jeppe_volander Posts: 6 Member
    amusedmonkey wrote: »
    If that doesn't appeal to you, you could either take a screenshot of your recipe nutrition info and post it on the website recipe page, or create a public food and give it a name your readers can easily distinguish (For example, [website name] [food name]) and give them the search word to search the database for it manually.

    This one would be great, but sadly it doesn't work. I created a "Meal" and made it public, but none of my friends can find it! Can you try search for it? Name is: JV-OP1

  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    jeppe_volander wrote: »
    amusedmonkey wrote: »
    If that doesn't appeal to you, you could either take a screenshot of your recipe nutrition info and post it on the website recipe page, or create a public food and give it a name your readers can easily distinguish (For example, [website name] [food name]) and give them the search word to search the database for it manually.

    This one would be great, but sadly it doesn't work. I created a "Meal" and made it public, but none of my friends can find it! Can you try search for it? Name is: JV-OP1

    Doesn't appear - I don't think the database shows meals though, they're a list of ingredients. Doing a search shows database entries
  • jeppe_volander
    jeppe_volander Posts: 6 Member
    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
    Doesn't appear - I don't think the database shows meals though, they're a list of ingredients. Doing a search shows database entries

    How would I make an entry then? Im abit confused.

  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    jeppe_volander wrote: »
    amusedmonkey wrote: »
    If that doesn't appeal to you, you could either take a screenshot of your recipe nutrition info and post it on the website recipe page, or create a public food and give it a name your readers can easily distinguish (For example, [website name] [food name]) and give them the search word to search the database for it manually.

    This one would be great, but sadly it doesn't work. I created a "Meal" and made it public, but none of my friends can find it! Can you try search for it? Name is: JV-OP1

    Don't use the meal option, use the "food" option and add your meal info there. Instead of using characters, it's easier to use actual words with your full username as the brand name

    I just created a public food called "test food" for the purpose of troubleshooting with you. It has the brand name "amusedmonkey". Try searching for "test food amusedmonkey" to see if that naming system works better.

    If this works it would be even better because searching for your username as a brand would show all the foods you created.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    jeppe_volander wrote: »
    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
    Doesn't appear - I don't think the database shows meals though, they're a list of ingredients. Doing a search shows database entries

    How would I make an entry then? Im abit confused.

    Calculate the nutrition info for your recipe - you could enter all ingredients into the mfp recipe builder and determine calories for the whole amount (please use weights of solid ingredients to be accurate).

    If you go to the database and search for something it will give you the option to "add food to the database". Do that, using your own name or "brand" to identify your food

    For example: banana bread. When I search for JV Banana Bread, there isn't an exact match. I can make one

  • DoubleUbea
    DoubleUbea Posts: 1,115 Member
    jeppe_volander wrote: »
    This one would be great, but sadly it doesn't work. I created a "Meal" and made it public, but none of my friends can find it! Can you try search for it? Name is: JV-OP1
    Is this it? "Jv-op1 - Test Food" four calories? Then yes I can find it.
    It isn't instant, it takes a while to re-index the database.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    DoubleUbea wrote: »
    jeppe_volander wrote: »
    This one would be great, but sadly it doesn't work. I created a "Meal" and made it public, but none of my friends can find it! Can you try search for it? Name is: JV-OP1
    Is this it? "Jv-op1 - Test Food" four calories? Then yes I can find it.
    It isn't instant, it takes a while to re-index the database.

    Nope, I created that one for comparison, and now I can't delete it for some reason.
  • WilmaValley
    WilmaValley Posts: 1,092 Member
    Interesting!!!!
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