QR Codes and DOIs
Inspired by Google's recent promotion of QR Codes, I thought it might be fun to experiment with encoding a CrossRef DOI and a bit of metadata into one of the critters. I've put a short write-up of the experiment on the CrossRef Labs site, which includes a demonstration of how you can generate a QR Code for any given CrossRef DOI.
Put them on postcards and send them to your friends for the holidays. Tattoo them on your pets. The possibilities are endless.
Comments
Hi Geoff,
I thought I'd let you know that I just tried this out, using
http://qrcode.labs.crossref.org/10.1088/1751-8113/43/1/012002
On scanning the QR code, I got the right link, but the title displayed was from a different article ("Topological phase transitions and holonomies in the dimer model", from http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1751-8113/42/1/012002).
I've checked the metadata and the title pulled through is not what is stored in CrossRef, so it seems as though the API isn't getting the right metadata at the moment.
Nice work, though, really easy to use. Thanks.
Mike
Posted by: Mike Roberts | December 9, 2009 4:42 AM
Turns out that DOI does not yet seem to be registered. See the following:
http://api.labs.crossref.org/10.1088/1751-8113/43/1/012002.xml
Still, I realised I wasn't handling this error correctly. It is fixed now and should return you a "not found" error until the DOI gets registered.
Cheers and thanks for testing it.
Posted by: Geoffrey Bilder | December 9, 2009 6:38 AM