Badge Generation¶

Badge generation produces print-ready attendee badges with QR codes for on-site check-in. Badges are rendered as PDF (via reportlab) or PNG (via Pillow) and can be generated individually or in bulk for an entire conference.

Models¶

Model	Purpose
`BadgeTemplate`	A reusable layout definition for a conference. Controls dimensions, colors, content toggles, and optional logo. One template per conference can be marked as the default.
`Badge`	A generated badge file linked to an attendee and template. Stores the rendered file (PDF or PNG) and tracks generation metadata.

Badge Templates¶

A badge template defines the visual layout and content of generated badges. Each template belongs to a single conference and can be marked as the default for that conference.

Dimensions¶

Templates use millimeter measurements matching standard badge/card sizes:

Field	Default	Description
`width_mm`	`102`	Badge width in millimeters
`height_mm`	`152`	Badge height in millimeters

The default 102x152mm matches a portrait 4x6 inch badge, which fits standard conference badge holders and lanyards.

Content Toggles¶

Boolean fields control which elements appear on the badge:

Field	Default	Description
`show_name`	`True`	Attendee’s full name
`show_email`	`False`	Attendee’s email address
`show_company`	`False`	Company or organization (from order billing info)
`show_ticket_type`	`True`	Ticket type label (e.g. “Individual”, “Speaker”)
`show_qr_code`	`True`	QR code for check-in scanning
`show_conference_name`	`True`	Conference name header

Color Customization¶

Three color fields accept hex color codes:

Field	Default	Description
`background_color`	`#FFFFFF`	Badge background
`text_color`	`#000000`	Primary text color
`accent_color`	`#4338CA`	Accent elements (header bar, ticket type label)

Conference Logo¶

The optional logo field accepts an image upload. When set, the logo is rendered on the badge alongside the conference name. The logo is scaled proportionally to fit within the badge layout.

Default Template¶

Each conference can have one default template, controlled by the is_default boolean field. A database constraint enforces at most one default template per conference. To change the default, first unset is_default on the current default, then set it on the new one. The default template is used when generating badges without explicitly specifying a template.

QR Code Generation¶

Each badge includes a QR code (unless show_qr_code is disabled on the template) that encodes a string in the format:

{conference_slug}:{access_code}

For example, a badge for an attendee with access code A3K9M2X1 at conference pycon-us-2027 encodes:

pycon-us-2027:A3K9M2X1

This format gives check-in scanners everything they need: the conference context and the unique attendee identifier. The access code maps directly to the Attendee model’s access_code field.

Output Formats¶

PDF¶

PDF output uses reportlab to produce vector-based badges suitable for professional print shops. PDF badges scale cleanly to any DPI and support CMYK workflows when needed. This is the recommended format for bulk printing.

PNG¶

PNG output uses Pillow to render raster badges at 300 DPI. PNG works well for on-site badge printing with thermal or inkjet printers, and for quick previews in the management dashboard.

Badge Service API¶

The BadgeGenerationService in django_program.registration.services.badge provides programmatic access to all badge operations.

Generating a QR Code¶

from django_program.registration.services.badge import BadgeGenerationService

# Returns PNG bytes of the QR code image
qr_bytes = BadgeGenerationService().generate_qr_code(
    data="pycon-us-2027:A3K9M2X1",
    size=200,  # pixels
)

Generating a Single Badge¶

from django_program.registration.services.badge import BadgeGenerationService

# PDF output
pdf_bytes = BadgeGenerationService().generate_badge_pdf(attendee, template)

# PNG output
png_bytes = BadgeGenerationService().generate_badge_png(attendee, template)

Both methods return raw bytes of the rendered badge file.

Get or Create¶

badge = BadgeGenerationService().generate_or_get_badge(
    attendee,
    template,
    badge_format="pdf",  # or "png"
)

Returns an existing Badge record if one already exists for this attendee/template/format combination. Otherwise generates a new badge, saves the file, and returns the new Badge instance. This prevents redundant re-generation when an attendee’s badge has already been created.

Bulk Generation¶

badges = BadgeGenerationService().bulk_generate_badges(
    conference,
    template,
    badge_format="pdf",
    ticket_type=None,  # optional: filter attendees by ticket type
)

Generates badges for all attendees of the conference (or a subset filtered by ticket type). Returns an iterator of Badge instances. Attendees who already have a badge for the given template and format receive their existing badge without regeneration.

Badge Management UI¶

Badge management is available in the organizer dashboard under Registration > Badges at /manage/<conference-slug>/badges/.

Template Management¶

List templates – View all badge templates for the conference with their dimensions, default status, and badge count.
Create template – Define a new template with dimensions, colors, content toggles, and optional logo.
Edit template – Update an existing template. Previously generated badges are not automatically regenerated.
Preview – Render a sample badge from the template before committing to a full generation run.

Badge Generation¶

Generate badges – Bulk generate badges for all attendees, optionally filtered by ticket type. Select the template and output format (PDF or PNG).
Download individual – Download a single attendee’s badge from the attendee list or badge list.
Bulk download – Download all generated badges as a ZIP archive, organized for print shop delivery.

Django Admin¶

Both BadgeTemplate and Badge are registered in the Django admin:

BadgeTemplate – Create and edit templates with all layout fields. The admin enforces one default template per conference.
Badge – Read-only view of generated badges with links to the attendee, template, and downloadable file.

Self-Service Badge Access¶

A future release will allow attendees to download their own badge using their access code, without needing to log in. This is planned but not yet implemented.

Workflow Example¶

A typical badge workflow for a conference:

Create a template in the management dashboard with your conference branding (colors, logo, dimensions).
Preview the template to verify the layout looks correct.
Bulk generate PDF badges for all attendees after registration closes.
Download the ZIP and send to your print shop.
Generate individual badges on-site for late registrations or replacements.
Scan QR codes at check-in using any standard QR scanner app – the {conference_slug}:{access_code} payload identifies the attendee.