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Home:  Products:  Barcode Components:  Barcode Server for IIS:  User Manual & Tutorial

ASP Barcode Server Component for IIS
User Manual and Tutorial

INDEX:

It is important to have the ability to test printed barcodes with a barcode scanner.
If a scanner is not available for testing purposes, IDAutomation also provides hand-held barcode scanner kits.

Product Overview, Installation and Implementation

Overview

The IDAutomation Barcode Server for IIS adds barcode generation capability to Microsoft Windows Server 2000 and greater. The resulting barcodes are "streamed" to the browser without saving any temp images on the server. The barcode is created in an application as a dynamic IMG tag and is modified from parameters passed. After installation, the barcode server can generate barcodes over the web in any application on any operating system as a dynamic IMG tag.

Installation

The following tutorial illustrates the installation process with the Linear version of this product. When using other versions, the difference in file names need to be considered accordingly.

  1. On the web server, determine which Virtual Directory the streaming barcode application will generate images from. The Virtual Directory is mapped to a physical directory that will be part of the URL used to obtain the barcode. If it is desired to create a separate Virtual Directory to generate barcodes, use "idautomation".
  2. Extract all files from IDAutomation_LinearASPSetup.zip in the package. IDAutomation_LinearASPSetup.zip will contain the following files:
    File Virtual Directory Copy to GAC
    IDAutomationStreamingLinear.aspx idautomation\  
    LinearStreamVB.dll idautomation\bin\  
    IDAutomation.LinearServerControl.dll idautomation\bin\ Yes
  3. Copy the files ending in aspx to the root of the Virtual Directory. This is the page that will be accessed to generate barcodes.
  4. Create a folder named "bin" in the Virtual Directory if it does not already exist and copy the files ending in dll to the bin directory.
  5. Many configurations of IIS on Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2008 and Vista require the barcode generation files to reside in the Global Assembly Cache (GAC). Open two instances of Windows Explorer. In one, choose the file(s) ending in ServerControl.dll (for example IDAutomationLinearServerControl.dll). In the other, navigate to c:\[SystemRoot]\Assembly and copy the file(s) to c:\[SystemRoot]\Assembly. The files must be copied from one explorer window to the other.
  6. To verify the project is working correctly, view the streaming page in the browser from the local machine; for example:
    http://localhost/idautomation/IDAutomationStreamingLinear.aspx
    If the barcode does not appear, repeat the steps above carefully.
  7. The barcode may now be created in another application as an IMG tag from parameters passed; for example:
    <img src="http://yourserver.com/idautomation/IDAutomationStreamingLinear.aspx?barcode=123456789012&H=1.7"/>

Streaming Barcode Implementation

After installation, the barcode server efficiently generates streaming barcodes over the web for any application and any operating system as a dynamic IMG tag. Parameters in the URL determine the data that is encoded and other properties. To transition from the examples provided, replace http://www.bcgen.com/demo/linear-dbgs.aspx with the unique URL used to generate streaming barcodes. Examples of implementation the following:

ASP:
<HTML><P>This web page uses ASP code to create a barcode.</P>
<% @ LANGUAGE = VBScript %>
<% BarcodeData = "123456789012" %>
<img src="<%="http://www.bcgen.com/demo/linear-dbgs.aspx?D=" & BarcodeData %>"
</P></body></HTML>

HTML:
The following creates a Code 39 barcode in HTML as an IMG tag that is 2 CM tall with the check character disabled:
<img src="http://www.bcgen.com/demo/linear-dbgs.aspx?D=123456789012&H=2&S=0&CC=F"/>

Reporting Applications:
Barcodes may be streamed into reports that support dynamic image objects, including Crystal Reports and FileMaker.

JavaScript and Web Applications:
Barcodes may be dynamically generated and displayed as demonstrated in IDAutomation's Software Return Form, which uses JavaScript to create a printable page displaying barcodes used to automate data entry. Within the JavaScript function, the order number is encoded in the symbol with the following code:
message += "<img src='http://www.bcgen.com/demo/linear-dbgs.aspx?D="
message += document.form1.orderNum.value;

Common Properties
IDAutomation recommends using default values for all properties, unless requirements dictate otherwise. Parameters used in the Java Barcode Package, Dynamic Barcode Generator Service and the Barcode Server for IIS are also compatible with this product. All parameters are uppercase; true and false parameter values should be specified as either "T" or "F".
Property Parameter Default Description
Apply Tilde PT F When True in Code 128 with the Auto character set, the format ~??? may be used to specify the ASCII code of the character to be encoded and several other tilde options are enabled. For example, the data of "Web~009Barcode" would encode "Web <TAB> Barcode".
Bar Height BH 1 The height of the barcode in centimeters (CM). 2.54 CM equals one inch.
Check Character CC T Automatically adds the check digit to the barcode when true. The check digit is required for all symbologies except Code 39, Industrial 2 of 5 and Codabar. When using symbologies that do not require the check digit, the check digit may be disabled.
Check Character in Text CT F Check Character in Text automatically adds the check digit that is encoded in the barcode to the human readable text that is displayed when true.
DataToEncode D 123456789012 The data that is to be encoded in the barcode symbol.
Image Height H Auto When specified, adjusts the height of the resulting barcode image in pixels.
Image Width W Auto When specified, adjusts the height of the resulting barcode image in pixels.
Image Type I GIF The type of image to be created; JPEG, GIF and PNG are supported.
Left Margin LM 0.2 The space of the left margin in centimeters.
Narrow to Wide Ratio N 2.0 The narrow to wide ratio of symbologies that only contain narrow and wide bars such as Code 39, Interleaved 2 of 5 and MSI. Common values are 2, 2.5 and 3.
Orientation O 0 Orientation indicates the orientation of the barcode. Valid values are 0, 90, 180 and 270.
Resolution IR 96 The resolution of the image measured in dots per inch (DPI).
ShowText ST T When true, the human readable text will be displayed with the barcode.
Text Above TA F When TA and ST are both true, the human-readable text is placed above the barcode.
Top Margin TM 0.2 The top margin in centimeters.
XDimension in CM X 0.03 The width in centimeters of the narrow bars. The X dimension should be increased if the barcode scanner being used does not dependably decode the symbol. The X dimension may only be adjusted in increments of .03cm (12mils) unless ImageResolution is increased.
XDimension in MILS M 12 The width in mils (1/1000 of an inch) of the narrow bars. The X dimension should be increased if the barcode scanner being used does not dependably decode the symbol.
Linear Specific Properties:
IDAutomation recommends using default values for all properties, unless requirements dictate otherwise.
Name Parameter Default Description
BearerBar Horizontal BBH 0 The width of the horizontal bearer bars as a multiple of the XDimension; valid options are 0-10.
BearerBar Vertical BBV 0 The width of the vertical bearer bars as a multiple of the XDimension; valid options are 0-10.
Caption Above CA Null When text appears in this property, it is displayed in the margin above the symbol.
Caption Below CB Null When text appears in this property, it is displayed in the margin below the symbol.
Caption Font CF Ariel The font type used for captions.
Caption Font Color CFC Black The font color used for captions.
Caption Font Size CFS 10 The size of the font used in captions.
Character Grouping CG 0 Determines the number of characters between spaces in the text interpretation of the data encoded in the barcode. Supported values are 0 (which disables grouping), 3, 4 and 5.
Code 128 Set CS 0 The set of characters to be used in Code128. Valid values are: Auto, A, B or C. Valid streaming parameter values are: Auto=0, A=1, B=2 or C=3.
Font F Ariel The font type used for human readable text.
Font Color FC Black The font color used for human readable text.
Font Size FS 10 The font size used for human readable text.
SymbologyID S Code128 A number that selects the symbology or barcode type. To obtain more information about barcode types, visit the bar-coding for beginners site. When using parameters,
0=Code 39
1=Code 39 ASCII
2=Interleaved 2 of 5
3=Code 11
4=Codabar
5=MSI		 6=UPC-A
7=Industrial 2 of 5
8=Matrix 2 of 5
9=Code 93
10=EAN-13
11=EAN-8		 12=UPC-E
13=Code 128
14=Planet
15=Postnet
16=Telepen

17=IntelligentMail
Text Margin EM 0.10 Sets the distance between the symbol and the text in centimeters.
White Bar Increase WI 0 A percentage value to increase the white space between the bars to improve readability. Common values are 10, 15, 20 and 25. *
Data Matrix Specific Properties:
IDAutomation recommends using default values for all properties, unless requirements dictate otherwise.
Name Parameter Default Description
Process Tilde PT T When set to "Yes," the tilde (~) will be processed as explained in the DataMatrix FAQ and the format ~d??? may be used to specify the ASCII code of the character to be encoded. For example, "ECC-200~d009Data-Matrix" encodes "ECC-200 <TAB> Data-Matrix."
Encoding Mode MODE 3 The Encoding Mode for data being encoded. Valid parameters are 0=E_ASCII, 1=E_C40, 2=E_TEXT and 3=E_BASE256.
Preferred Format PFMT 0 Sets the preferred format represented by a number; valid values are from 1 (10X10) to 24 (144X144) and from 25 (8X18) to 30 (16X48); the default value of '0' is used for automatic formatting. If the component needs more space to create the symbol, this property will be ignored.
X Dimension X 0.06 The width in centimeters of the squares that make up the symbol. This value may need to be increased if the scanner cannot read symbols with small X dimensions. When working with a high-quality 2D imager, this value may be decreased to create a smaller symbol.
PDF417 Specific Properties:
IDAutomation recommends using default values for all properties, unless requirements dictate otherwise.
Name Parameter Default Description
ApplyTilde PT T When true, the format ~??? may be used to specify the ASCII code of the character to be encoded. Commonly used ASCII codes are ~009 which is a tab function and ~013 which is a return function.
PDFErrorCorrectionLevel ECL 0 The Reed Solomon error correction level encoded in the symbol. More error correction creates a larger symbol that can withstand more damage. The default setting of 0 performs automatic selection.
MacroPDFEnable MAE F When true, indicates that this barcode is part of a MacroPDF sequence.
MacroPDFFileID MAF 0 Assigns a file ID to the MacroPDF barcode. Each barcode in the MacroPDF sequence must have the same file id assigned to it. Valid options are 0-899.
MacroPDFSegmentIndex MAS F The index number of each MacroPDF symbol must have a unique segment index, starting at zero and incrementing thereafter by one.
MacroPDFLastSegment MAL F When true, indicates that this is the final barcode in the MacroPDF sequence.
PDFColumns COL 0 The number of data columns in the PDF417 barcode. When this is left at zero "0," the control will automatically adjust this parameter internally.
PDFMode MODE Binary The mode of compaction used to encode data in the symbol. When set to "Text," a smaller symbol may be created. Text mode encodes all characters on the US keyboard plus returns and tabs.
PDFRows ROWS 0 Sets the number of rows. It is recommended to leave this property at 0, the default.
Truncated TRN 0 A truncated PDF417 symbol is more area efficient than normal PDF417. When true, the right hand side of the PDF417 is removed or truncated.
XtoYRatio XYR 3 The X multiple height of individual cells; default = 3.
MaxiCode Specific Properties:
IDAutomation recommends using default values for all properties, unless requirements dictate otherwise.
Name Parameter Default Description
When using Maxicode in modes 2 or 3 for UPS and other transportation applications, the Service Class, Country Code and Zip Code must be included in the DataToEncode (D Parameter) as defined in the MaxiCode FAQ.
ApplyTilde PT T When true, the format ~ddd may be used to specify the ASCII code of the character to be encoded as explained in the Maxicode FAQ. A setting of "False" will disable ApplyTilde.
EncodingMode M Mode2 The mode of compression and encoding used in the symbol. Modes 2 and 3 are designed for use in the transport industry. Mode 4 encodes up to 93 characters or 138 digits. Mode 5 encodes up to 77 characters and provides more error correction capabilities than mode 4. Mode 6 indicates that the symbol encodes a message used to program a reader system (scanner).
Aztec Specific Properties:
IDAutomation recommends using default values for all properties, unless requirements dictate otherwise.
Name Parameter Default Description
Process Tilde PT F When true, the tilde (~) will be processed and the format ~d??? may be used to specify the ASCII code of the character to be encoded. For example, "AZTEC~d009CODE" encodes "AZTEC  <TAB>  CODE."
Error Correction Level ECL 0 The Reed Solomon error correction level encoded in the symbol, specified as a value from 1 to 99. More error correction creates a larger symbol that can withstand more damage. The default setting of 0 performs automatic selection, which is usually a value of 23.
MessageAppend MA na Specifies the message appended across multiple symbols. Only valid if NumberOfSymbols is greater than 1.
NumberOfSymbols NS 1 Invokes MessageAppend across symbols
ReaderInitialization RI F Adds the reader initialization symbol to the barcode for older scanners which require it.
X Dimension X 0.06 The width in centimeters of the squares that make up the symbol. This value may need to be increased if the scanner cannot read symbols with small X dimensions. When working with a high quality 2D imager, this value may be decreased to create a smaller symbol.

Additional properties may be changed in code if necessary when implementing Streaming Mode for ASP.NET Project Integration.

Image Resolution

The default resolution of the generated images is 96 DPI, which allows the image to be displayed properly in the web browser. At times, it may be necessary to increase the resolution of the image for printing purposes. This can be easily accomplished in Server Control Mode by changing the ImageResolution property. Increasing the resolution in Streaming Mode usually causes the image to display proportionally larger in the browser. To compensate for this problem in Streaming Mode, the size of the image may be reduced or expanded using HTML.

Technical Issues and Support

Free product support may be obtained by reviewing articles that are documented at the Barcode Server for IIS Support Site and by searching resolved public help desk issues. Priority phone, email and help desk support is also provided up to 30 days after purchase. Additional priority phone, email and help desk support may be obtained if the Priority Support and Upgrade Subscription is active.

Common Support Issues:

ASP.NET Project Integration

When a Developer License is purchased with a signed Source Code Agreement, the ASP.NET solution of the streaming DLLs can be provided for custom integration, modification and code-behind in ASP.NET. When using products other than the linear version in this example, the difference in file names should be considered accordingly.

  1. Extract all files from the package.
  2. After the files are extracted, additional ZIP files will be found in the destination directory. Extract all files from the zip ending in VB if the project is in Visual Basic or from CS for a C# project. In this example, IDAutomation_StreamingLinear_VB.zip is used for a Visual Basic project.
  3. Locate the image generating web page aspx file from the extracted files. Copy this file and all associated files to the ASP.NET project directory. The image generating ASP.NET page for the linear control is IDAutomationStreamingLinear.aspx and its associated files are IDAutomationStreamingLinear.aspx.resx and IDAutomationStreamingLinear.aspx.vb.
  4. Copy the appropriate Server Control DLL file to the ASP.NET project directory. In this example, IDAutomation.linearservercontrol.dll is copied.
  5. Add a reference to the IDAutomation Server Control in the project. For example: Right-Click on References, choose Browse and select the server control DLL.
  6. Add the IDAutomationStreamingLinear.aspx file to the ASP.NET project by right-clicking the name of the project in Solution Explorer and selecting Add Existing Item. The following graphic illustrates the reference to the DLL and the image generating web page aspx file in a solution.
    Streaming the barcode image for ASP.NET project integration.
  7. Rebuild the solution or project.
  8. To verify the project is working correctly, view the actual streaming aspx page in the browser; for example:
    http://localhost/WebApplication1/IDAutomationStreamingLinear.aspx
  9. Choose the method that will update properties of the barcode:

 

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