ASP.NET Server Control User Manual
 
Once installed, the server control may be easily utilized in an ASP.NET
Web Solution and used in the same manner as any other control in the Visual Studio development
toolbox. In addition to ease of use, this method also allows the resolution
to be changed, which may be necessary when printing barcodes at very precise
X dimensions or if it is necessary to print to low-resolution thermal printers.
The server control displays images in the web solution and browser from
automatically generated temp files, which are deleted from the server after
a specified amount of time. Permanent files in many formats may also be
created for specific needs.
The following tutorial illustrates the installation process with the
Linear Server Control. When using other Server Controls, the difference
in file names must be considered accordingly.
- Download and extract the files from the package. Copy the
IDAutomation.LinearServerControl.dll server
control DLL file to the bin project directory of the web application
the barcodes are needed for.
- Create a subdirectory named
"IDAutomation" directly under the virtual
directory that will be used to hold the temporary barcode images that
are generated. For example, an application named WebApplication1,
needs the subdirectory of WebApplication1\IDAutomation
to be created:
NOTE: Certain IIS configurations on operating systems including
Windows Vista and Windows Server 2003 require the IDAutomation.LinearServerControl.dll
to be placed in the global assembly cache (GAC). On most systems,
the GAC is located at C:\windows\assembly. For more information
on this issue, please see the article
Using
the IDAutomation.com Server Controls on Windows Vista.
- Grant the ASPNET user Read, Modify
and Write rights to the IDAutomation
sub directory created. Failure to grant these rights will produce a
"specified image could not be found" error.
Note: For Windows Server 2008 and above, the "Network service" user rights need
to be changed instead of ASPNET.
- Open the solution or application and display the form where the
barcode is needed. Choose View - Toolbox to display the
Toolbox. Right-click on the Toolbox and choose Customize Toolbox.
Choose the .NET Framework Components folder. Choose Browse
and select the IDAutomation.linearservercontrol.dll
server control DLL file.
- After the control appears in the Toolbox, it may be added to the
web form. The control cannot be manually sized; this is by design to
eliminate scanning errors and to ensure dimensions are accurate.
- Once the control is placed on the form, it will appear in the web
application and browser when it is compiled. To update the barcode with
data, or change other properties,
use the code-behind window. For example:
LinearBarcode1.DataToEncode = TextBox1.Text
Sizing the Server Control:
- The control cannot be sized manually because it must meet specific requirements
such as a precise X dimensions (narrow bar width) and barcode heights specified
in the properties of the control. To increase the width, increase the X
dimensionCM property. To increase the height, increase the bar height property.
Because the control defaults to a 96 DPI image (which is the resolution
of the web browser), the X dimension can only be adjusted in increments
of .03cm or 12mils. To allow other settings such as .045 CM, the image
ImageResolution must be increased to 203 or 300.
Using the Control as a
DLL to Create Graphic Files on the Server:
- IDAutomation's server control uses the .NET framework to perform image
conversions, therefore a barcode image may be created in any format that
.NET supports. The Visual Studio .NET C# example below creates the control
in memory for this purpose, without placing it on a form:
{
//Create an instance of the Linear barcode server
control
IDAutomation.LinearServerControl.LinearBarcode MyBarCode
= new IDAutomation.LinearServerControl.LinearBarcode();
//Set the symbology
MyBarCode.SymbologyID = IDAutomation.LinearServerControl.
LinearBarcode.Symbologies.Code39;
//Set the DataToEncode
MyBarCode.DataToEncode = "123456789012";
//Save the image. The first parameter is the full
path and file name of the image. The @ sign preceding the parameter
allows
//the slash characters in the file name. The second
parameter is the type of file to save; specify .bmp, gif, .jpeg, .png,
etc.
MyBarCode.SaveImageAs(@"C:\Temp\Images\Test39.jpg",
System.Drawing.Imaging.ImageFormat.Jpeg);
}
IDAutomation recommends using default values for all properties, unless requirements dictate otherwise.
General Barcode Properties for all Symbologies
|
This section explains the main configuration properties and methods of the
server control. The "Parameters" column specifies the parameters used in
Streaming Mode. Parameters used in the
Java Barcode Package,
Dynamic Barcode Generator Service and the
Barcode Server for IIS are also compatible with this product. All true and
false parameter values should be specified as "T" or "F" and all parameters are
uppercase. |
|
Property Name |
Default |
Description |
| ApplyTilde |
False |
When ApplyTilde is 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~009Component"
would encode "Web <TAB> Component". |
| BackgroundColor |
White |
The color of the canvas background. |
| BarColor |
Black |
The color of the barcode. |
| BarHeightCM |
1 |
The height of the barcode in
centimeters (CM). |
| BearerBarHorizontal |
0 |
The width of the horizontal bearer
bars as a multiple of the XDimension; valid options are 0-10. |
| BearerBarVertical |
0 |
The width of the vertical bearer
bars as a multiple of the XDimension; valid options are 0-10. |
| CaptionAbove |
Null |
When text appears in this property,
it is displayed in the margin above the symbol. |
| CaptionBelow |
Null |
When text appears in this property,
it is displayed in the margin below the symbol. |
| CaptionTopFont |
Arial |
The font type used for top caption. |
| CaptionBottomFont |
Arial |
The font type used for bottom
caption. |
| CaptionFontColor |
Black |
The font color used for captions. |
| CaptionTopColor |
Black |
The font color used for top caption. |
| CaptionBottomColor |
Black |
The font color used for bottom
caption. |
| CaptionFontSize |
10 |
The font size used for captions. |
| CaptionTopSize |
10 |
The font size used for top caption. |
| CaptionBottomSize |
10 |
The font size used for bottom
caption. |
| CaptionTopAlignment |
Center |
The alignment of the top caption.
Valid values are: Near, Center and Far. |
| CaptionBottomAlignment |
Center |
The alignment of
the bottom caption. Valid values are: Near, Center and Far. |
| CharacterGrouping |
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. |
| CheckCharacter |
True |
When True, automatically
adds the check digit. 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. |
| CheckCharacterInText |
False |
When True, automatically adds
the check digit that is encoded in the barcode to the human readable
text that is displayed. |
| Code128CharSet |
Auto |
The set of characters to be used
in Code128.
Valid values are: Auto, A, B or C. |
| DataToEncode |
123456789012 |
The data that is to be encoded
in the barcode symbol. To update the barcode with data, use the
code-behind window. For example:ServerControlBarcode1.DataToEncode = TextBox1.Text |
| FitControlToBarcode |
True |
Automatically sizes the control
canvas and generated image. In streaming mode, the parameters H
and W may be used to specify the height and width in pixels. |
| Font |
Sans Serif
10 Points |
Used to change the font or font
point size of the text interpretation or human readable text. In
VB, this property may be changed in code, for example: BarCode1.Font.Size
= 10 BarCode1.Font.Name = "Times New Roman" |
| ImageAutoDelete |
True |
If set to True, automatically
deletes image files after the amount of minutes specified in ImageTimeToLive.
|
| ImageConcurrentDeletions |
10 |
The number of files that may
be concurrently deleted by a single user session. A new user session
is required to delete existing images that have been created after
ImageTimeToLive expires. |
| ImageFileName |
na |
A read-only method that returns
the name of the current file in the IDAutomation sub folder.
|
| ImageTimeToLive |
10 |
The number in minutes to keep
generated images on the server. |
|
ImageResolution |
96 |
The resolution of the image measured
in dots per inch (DPI). This should be changed to 203 when using
203 dpi thermal
barcode printers. |
| ImageType |
GIF |
The type of image to be created;
JPEG, GIF, and BMP (One Bit Per Pixel)
are supported. |
| LeftMargin |
0.2 |
The space of the left margin
in
centimeters. |
| NarrowToWideRatio |
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. |
| OneBitPerPixel |
True |
When BMP is selected, a One Bit
Per Pixel Image is created. |
| Rotation |
Zero_Degrees |
Orientation indicates the orientation
of the barcode. Valid values are 0, 90, 180 and 270. |
| ShowText |
Yes |
If ShowText is Yes or True, the
human readable text will be displayed with the barcode. |
| ShowTextLocation |
Below |
Determines if the human-readable
text is placed above or below the barcode. |
| StreamImage |
False |
Set this property to True if
the barcode image should be streamed to the browser. This property
is no longer supported in this component and is provided for backwards
compatibility only. Streaming functionality is now only provided
in the ASP Barcode
Server for IIS. |
| SymbologyID |
Code128 |
Selects the symbology
or
barcode type. To obtain more information about barcode types,
visit
the bar-coding for beginners site. |
| TextAbove |
False |
When TextAbove and ShowText are
both true, the human-readable text is placed above the barcode. |
| TextMarginCM |
0.10 |
Sets the distance between the
symbol and the text in
centimeters. |
| TopMarginCM |
0.2 |
The top margin in
centimeters. |
| WhiteBarIncrease* |
0 |
A percentage value to increase
the white space between the bars to improve readability. Common
values are 10, 15, 20 and 25.
* |
| XDimensionCM |
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 the
ImageResolution
is increased. |
| XDimensionMILS |
11.8 |
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. |
Advanced Server Control Properties and Methods
|
IDAutomation recommends using default
values for all properties, unless requirements dictate otherwise. |
|
Name |
Default
|
Description |
| AllowCustomPaths |
False |
By default all
of the images are created in the IDAutomation subdirectory of the
directory where the page is being served. When set to true, custom
paths may be used for the generated image files. For example:
LinearBarcode1.AllowCustomPaths =
true;
LinearBarcode1.ImageLocalPath=@
"C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\WebApplication\Images\Barcode";
LinearBarcode1.ImageRelativePath=@"Images/Barcode";
Note: "WebApplication" is the virtual directory used in
the above code. |
| ImageLocalPath |
IDAutomation |
The local path
used to save images. The ASPNET user must have Read, Modify
and Write rights in this directory. Additionally, this directory
must reside below the virtual directory. |
| ImageRelativePath |
IDAutomation |
The Image Relative
Path to the generated images. The relative path is based off the
virtual directory of the website. If it is necessary to use a slash
for the relative path, make sure it is the forward slash ( / ).
This will allow the control to work properly on all web browsers.
|
| SaveImageAs
(filename, format) |
This method allows
the barcode object to be saved in image file formats, which include
JPEG, GIF and PNG. It also allows for conversion to any image type
that the framework supports. For example:
Barcode1.SaveImageAs(@"C:\Temp\Images\bar-code-image.gif",
System.Drawing.Imaging.ImageFormat.Gif) |
PDF417
Specific Properties
|
IDAutomation recommends using default values
for all properties, unless requirements dictate otherwise.
For a complete list of properties,
see the
PDF417 API. PDF417 FAQ |
|
Name |
Default |
Description |
| ApplyTilde |
True |
When set to 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 |
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
|
False |
When true, indicates
that this barcode is part of a
MacroPDF
sequence. |
| MacroPDFFileID
|
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
|
False |
The index number
of each
MacroPDF
symbol must have a unique segment index, starting at zero and incrementing
thereafter by one. |
| MacroPDFLastSegment
|
0 |
When set to True, indicates that
this is the final barcode in the MacroPDF sequence. |
| PDFColumns |
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 |
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 U.S. keyboard plus returns and tabs. |
| PDFRows
|
0 |
Sets
the number of rows. It is recommended to leave this property at
0, the default. |
| Truncated |
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 |
3 |
The X multiple height of individual
cells; default = 3, usually 2 to 4 times the NarrowBarCM (X). |
Data Matrix
Specific Properties
|
IDAutomation recommends using default values
for all properties, unless requirements dictate otherwise. For a
complete list of properties, see the
DataMatrix API. DataMatrix FAQ |
|
Name |
Default |
Description |
| ApplyTilde |
True |
When set to True, the tilde (~)
will be processed as explained in the
DataMatrix Barcode 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". |
| EncodingMode |
E_BASE256 (3) |
Valid
Encoding Mode values are E_ASCII, E_C40, E_TEXT and E_BASE256.
|
| PreferredFormat
|
Auto |
Sets the
preferred format; valid selections are from (10X10) to (144X144)
and from (8X18) to (16X48); the default value of "Auto" is recommended.
If the component needs more space to create the symbol, this selection
will be ignored. |
| XDimensionCM |
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.
|
MaxiCode
Specific Properties
Aztec Specific Properties
|
IDAutomation recommends using default values
for all properties, unless requirements dictate otherwise.
For a complete list of properties,
see the
Aztec API. Aztec FAQ |
|
Name |
Default |
Description |
| ApplyTilde |
False |
When set to True, the format
~d??? may be used to specify the
ASCII code
of the character to be encoded. Commonly used ASCII codes are ~d009
which is a tab function and ~d013 which is a return function. |
| MessageAppend
|
na |
Specifies the message appended
across multiple symbols. Only valid if NumberOfSymbols is greater
than 1. |
| NumberOfSymbols |
1 |
Invokes MessageAppend across # symbols. |
| XDimensionCM |
0.06cm |
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.
|
QRCode Specific Properties
|
IDAutomation recommends using default values
for all properties, unless requirements dictate otherwise.
For a complete list of properties,
see the
QRCode
API. QR-Code FAQ |
|
Name |
Default |
Description |
| ApplyTilde |
True |
When set to "True," the format ~d???
may be used to specify the
ASCII code
of the character to be encoded. Commonly used ASCII codes are ~d009
which is a tab function and ~d013 which is a return function. |
| EncodingMode |
Byte |
The
mode of compaction used to encode data in the symbol. Valid
values are Byte, Alphanumeric, and Numeric mode. |
| Version |
AUTO |
Sets the
size of the symbol; valid values are from 01 (21X21) to 40 (177X177);
the default value of "Auto" is used for automatic formatting. |
| ErrorCorrection |
M |
The
error correction level encoded in the symbol. Valid values are
L, M, Q, H. Higher error correction creates a larger symbol that
can withstand more damage. |
| XDimensionCM |
0.06cm |
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.
|
GS1 DataBar (RSS), Composite
&
MicroPDF417
Properties
|
IDAutomation recommends using default values
for all properties, unless requirements dictate otherwise.
API Link - Composite FAQ - MicroPDF417 FAQ |
|
Name |
Default |
Description |
| ApplyTilde |
False |
When true, the format
~??? may be used to specify the
ASCII code
of the character to be encoded. |
| CompositeData
|
Null |
The composite data to be encoded
above the linear barcode; however, not applicable when using PDF417
or MicroPDF417. |
| ExpandedStackedSegments |
22 |
Number of segments in a
DataBar Expanded symbol. A low, even number such as 4 or 6 creates
a
stacked symbol. |
| IncludeAIinHRText
|
True |
When true, the implied AI is
displayed in the human-readable text. DataBar-14 contains an implied
AI of (01). |
InludeLinkageFlagin
HRText |
False |
When true, the Linkage
Flag for the barcode is displayed in the human readable text. The
linkage flag determines if there is a 2D composite barcode to go
along with the linear DataBar barcode. |
| IsComposite |
False |
True or false value that determines
the linkage flag. The linkage flag informs the scanner whether or
not there is a 2D composite barcode associated with the linear barcode. |
| PDFErrorCorrectionLevel |
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. |
| PDFColumns |
3 |
The number of data columns in
the PDF417 barcode. The default is 3 and the maximum is 30. |
| PDFMode |
Text |
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 U.S. keyboard, plus returns and tabs. |
| SymbologyID |
Code128 |
This is the type of symbology
to be used. When using
DataBar (RSS), the data must be formatted according to the
IDAutomation GS1 DataBar & Composite FAQ. |
| XtoYRatio |
2 |
The X multiple height of individual
cells; the acceptable range is 2 to 5. |
If a scanner is needed to verify barcodes, consider IDAutomation's
hand-held USB Barcode Scanners.
Technical
Issues and Support
Free product support may be obtained by reviewing the knowledgebase articles
that are documented below and by searching resolved
public forum threads.
Priority phone, e-mail and forum
support
is provided up to 30 days after purchase. Additional priority phone, e-mail
and forum
support
may be obtained if a
Priority Support
and Upgrade Subscription is active.
The following ASP.NET issues do not apply to the barcode product directly
but may be of assistance:
- Error "Cannot Debug ASP.NET Web Application" - Microsoft® KB
Article 318465 (At the prompt, type aspnet_regiis -i from C:\Windows
Directory\Microsoft.Net\Framework\v1.0.3705 to configure the application
mappings correctly.)
- Error "Error while trying to run project" - Microsoft® KB
Article 306165 (Type iisreset at the prompt)
Common Issues and Solutions:
IDAutomation Subdirectory Files:
- The barcode images generated are high quality GIF, JPEG or PNG images
that should display in all web browsers. The files that are generated
are stored in the IDAutomation subdirectory. By default, the control
will automatically delete the image files after the amount of minutes
specified in ImageTimeToLive. Each call to the web page produces a new
image, which are then deleted by FIFO, first in and first out. If ImageAutoDelete
is set to false, make sure a method is in place to delete the files
occasionally.
Processor and Memory Benchmarks:
- IDAutomation's Server Controls are fast and efficient managed-code
components, compiled in C# .NET. IDAutomation has not conducted any
benchmarks to measure server delay when files are generated or being
deleted, because of the many variables that change results such as the
data being encoded, symbology used, server's memory, disk speed and
available bandwidth.
IDAutomation Subdirectory Rights:
- The ASPNET user must have Modify and Write rights
to the IDAutomation subdirectory. Failure to grant rights will produce
a "specified image could not be found" error.
Error - "Specified image could not be found":
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.
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 by changing the
ImageResolution property.
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