QR Code or Barcode to access file on NAS

HomeLab
1

Hello everyone! I have an interesting use case and I would like your advice. Here’s what I want to do:
A) Walk into my shed in my backyard.
B) I have 150 black plastic boxes. I’ll print a label for each box with a QR code.
C) When I open my iPhone and point the camera app to the QR code, I want it to open a PDF file from my NAS.
So here are my questions:

  1. I’m sure this is possible. Right?
  2. Any suggestions on how to generate the QR code so that it knows the location of the PDF file on my NAS? For example, I have a mapped drive on my Windows machine to my NAS and when I scan box 1, I want the QR code to open the file which would be located at J:\Shed\Box001.pdf

I think this would be a great way to link directly to files. For example, you could create a QR code for your owner’s manual PDF and stick it to the side of your microwave. Boom!
Any help is appreciated!

2022-01-03_16-44-22_578
2022-01-03_16-44-22_5781920×1440 225 KB

2 Likes
2

(I am throwing this in the homelab section as it seems pretty homelabby)

This is an awesome project! I see it as two options:

  1. [web server] you could install web station on your NAS, then place each of the PDF’s you want in the /web shared folder, then link to that actual http address.
    • Pro: You could have it work anywhere in the world (or just on your local LAN) without requiring auth / software on the actual phone hooked up to it
    • Con: Anyone with access to the NAS on 80/443 (your lan, or the world if you port forwarded 80 / 443) would have access to it. Also you have to copy it twice
  1. Would just be taking that file:/// address and creating a QR code on it. Biggest problem would be having to have your phone always have the drive letter mapped

Seems like a really cool project!

1 Like