> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://support.taltech.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Saving barcodes for use on a Mac

> Choose the right file format for B-Coder Pro barcodes you'll use on a Mac or in Windows programs that can't open WMF files.

If you are going to be using the barcodes you generate in B-Coder Pro on a Mac, we recommend that you save them as TIFF graphics. TIFF files open in almost every Mac application and show correctly on screen. If your Windows application supports WMF graphics, such as PageMaker, Word, Access, and Quark, then you should use the WMF option.

## Saving as TIFF format

Select “File/SaveAs” in B-Coder Pro and you will be prompted for a file name and type. Select the TIFF file type. TIFF is a raster (bitmap) format, so choose a resolution that matches the printer you will use, as explained in [Raster vs vector images and how they relate to barcodes](https://support.taltech.com/b-coder/raster-vs-vector-images-and-how-they-relate-to-barcodes.md).

## Saving as EPS format

If your Mac application needs a vector graphic, you can save the barcode in EPS format instead. WMF and EPS are the only true vector graphics formats. This means they will print to the highest resolution of any printer, they are device independent and they create very clean, sharp and readable barcodes.

Select “File/SaveAs” in B-Coder Pro and you will be prompted for a file name and type. Select the EPS file and check the “Preferences” box.

## Setting the EPS preferences

These are our suggestions for the EPS preferences:

* COLOR translations – normal
* Line Cap Mode – device
* Select – BACKGROUND RECTANGLE
* Select – INCLUDE TIFF PREVIEW
* 256 COLOR
* NO DATA COMPRESSION
* 400 X 400 PELS/IN

## Understanding TIFF preview settings

1. If you want a TIFF preview, select one with a 400×400 dpi resolution. If you select a lower resolution TIFF, the preview will appear as a black box as the bars in a barcode are so close together that they cannot be rendered with a low resolution TIFF. The TIFF preview does not affect the quality of the output, just how it is viewed on screen. The EPS output will be a perfect barcode.
2. If you select “transparent” as the background color, the TIFF preview will be rendered as a black box. There is nothing you can do about this (except select “white” as the background color). As mentioned above, the TIFF preview does not affect the quality of the output. The barcode will be perfect but it just appears as a black box.

## Using EPS files in Mac and Windows applications

Once you save the barcode as an EPS file, you can import that graphic into any Mac or Windows applications that support EPS. EPS graphics do not always render well on screen and may show as a black box in your application. However, they should print perfectly, and you should test this.


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