Unicode Compatible ActiveX Windows Barcode DLL for IDAutomation Bar Code Fonts

This ActiveX Barcode DLL can be easily integrated into ActiveX compliant applications or development environment for barcode automation purposes. IDAutomation's DLL contains functions for IDAutomation's POSTNET, PLANET, Code 39, Interleaved 2 of 5, Code 128, UPC-A, EAN-13, EAN-8, UCC-128, MSI / Plessey, Code 11, RM4SCC, 4-State, SSCC-18 and SCC-14 barcode fonts and specifications. This font DLL also contains functions for the IDAutomation Universal Barcode Font Advantage™. These products may be used royalty free if a license to one of IDAutomation's barcode fonts has been purchased.

IDAutomation also has a Native Windows Barcode DLL that does not use ActiveX or COM.

• Download the DLL
• Font DLL Tutorial
• DLL Function List

Additional Font Tools: Microsoft Office Macros | Barcode Printing Application | Crystal Reports UFL | LotusScript

The purpose of this Font DLL is to return a string formatted to one of IDAutomation's barcode fonts. If the application supports ActiveX Controls in Windows, IDAutomation sells easy to use "drag and drop" ActiveX Controls. IDAutomation's Barcode ActiveX Controls have been tested in Microsoft Word, Access, Excel, Visual Basic and C++. In addition, IDAutomation's ActiveX Controls do not have any runtime requirements. To see how easy Active X Controls are to use, view the ActiveX Control tutorial and manual.

IDAutomation's Font DLL is a "Global Multi-Use" DLL that supports Microsoft's Component Object Model (COM) and ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) 2.0. Because the DLL is Global Multi-Use, methods of the class (barcode functions) can be invoked as if the functions were global functions. It is not necessary to explicitly create an instance of the class first, because one will automatically be created.

Licensing: IDAutomation's ActiveX Font DLL is free to use and distribute as long as it is used with one of IDAutomation's licensed barcode fonts. Redistribution of IDAutomation's fonts and components requires a Developer License.

NOTE: When selecting the font from the pull down menu, please do not use the fonts that begin with the "@" Symbol. Instead, scroll down in the list and select the ones that begin with "IDAutomation".

• Download the ActiveX DLL with the C++ Sample Application
• Visit IDAutomation's Barcode Font site to download barcode fonts that are compatible with this DLL

• IDAutomation also has a Native Windows Bar Code DLL that does not use ActiveX or COM.

Step1: Register the DLL by running the Install.exe file. To register the ActiveX DLL manually perform the following:

Step2: Make sure the VB 6.0 runtime files are installed on the destination machine; then, copy the DLL to the %Windows%\System directory and register it. To do this, go to the command prompt, change to the %Windows%\System directory and type the following command: REGSVR32 "IDAutomationFontEncoder.dll".

Step3: After registering the DLL, the DLL can be referenced from within the application. Refer to the application's documentation for instructions on how to do this. In Visual Basic 6.0 choose Project - References and select the IDAutomationDLL. Then reference the class and function as in the following example:

	'Get input from user
StringToEncode = InputString.Text
'Format the Output by calling the "IDAutomationDLL.Postnet()" function
Output = IDAutomationDLL.Postnet(StringToEncode,"0")
'If using IDAutomation's Universal Barcode Font Advantage, format the Output by
    'calling the "IDAutomationDLL.IDAutomation_Uni_Postnet()" function

'Show the Printable Barcode String
PrintableBarcodeString.Text = Output

A Visual Basic project example is also included with the DLL file in the download package. 

The functions listed below are available in IDAutomation's DLL and are only valid when used with the font listed in the "font to use" column. Functions beginning with IDAutomation_Uni_ are only to be used with the IDAutomation Universal Barcode Font Advantage™.

PDF417 and DataMatrix functions will not work unless the appropriate 2D font package is installed.
(Refer to the PDF417 FAQ for info on the PDF417 DLL.)
(Refer to the DataMatrix FAQ for info on the DataMatrix DLL.)

ActiveX DLL: IDAutomationFontEncoder.dll
DLL Reference Name: IDAutomationDLL
Class: FontEncoder
Universal Font Class: UniversalEncoder (only to be used with the IDAutomation Universal Barcode Font Advantage™.)
Functions: (listed below)

For all functions listed below, the DataToEncode is the string data type. Other data types, such as numbers or dates, may need to be converted to the string data type to be properly encoded. Additional parameters are available for some functions and are optional. For example, Code128("123456",0,True). For all number symbologies, such as POSTNET and UPC, dashes or spaces may be inputted for easier readability which will be filtered out by the function before the barcode is generated. For UPC-A, UPC-E & EAN-13, the +2 and +5 add-on codes may be created by adding the data to the end of the string.

Description of the parts of the functions:

• DataToEncode - this is a string value that represents the data being encoded.
• N_Dimension - determines the width of the wide bars which is a multiple of the X dimension. Valid values are 2, 2.5 and 3. The default is 2. The X dimension is determined by the font point size.
• IncludeCheckDigit - a Boolean value that determines whether a check digit should be automatically calculated and included for the DataToEncode.
• ApplyTilde - In Code 128 auto and UCC128, if the ApplyTilde option is set to True, the tilde will be processed and allow the following encoding options:
  • ASCII characters: the format ~ddd may be used to specify the ASCII code of the character to be encoded. As an example, enter the following text in the Data field: 66~02977, it will actually encode 66GS77 where GS is a delimiter ASCII 29 character. Other commonly used ASCII codes are ~009 for a tab and ~013 which is a return function. For encoding other functions, please refer to the ASCII chart.
  • Encoding UCC/EAN-128: to encode alpha-numeric UCC/EAN128, the character must be set to "AUTO" for automatic. Then, ASCII 202 or character Ê is entered as the FNC1 before each AI and the required start C is included automatically. For example, the UCC number of (8100)712345(21)12WH5678 should be entered as: Ê8100712345Ê2112WH5678. In most cases, the AI's will be properly represented in the human readable text. If the parenthesis is not around the correct number for the AI, enter the following extended ASCII character as the FNC1 for the correct number of digits in the AI:
    ASCII 212 = 2 digits
    ASCII 213 = 3 digits
    ASCII 214 = 4 digits
    ASCII 215 = 5 digits
    ASCII 216 = 6 digits
    ASCII 217 = 7 digits
    For example, to encode (1277)56, enter Ö127756.
    For more information about this, please refer to the UCC/EAN 128 section of IDAutomation's Code 128 FAQ
  • Create a Mod 10 Check digit: to Create a Mod 10 check digit for xx number of characters add the following to the DataToEncode: ~mnn (where nn is a 2 digit number representing the number of characters preceding the tilde in which to base the Mod 10 calculation). The additional MOD 10 check digit is commonly used in UCC or EAN barcode types. For example, setting the DataToEncode property to Ê4021234567890123456~m16 will cause a mod 10 check digit to be created based on all 16 characters before the tilde. The human readable text and scanned data will display as (402)12345678901234566. The final 6 is the mod 10 check digit and replaces ~m16.
  • FNC2: When necessary, the FNC2 character may be inserted into the DataToEncode string by using ASCII 197. For example; Å8012349091. IDAutomation's SC5USB Scanner can be programmed to hold the barcode starting with the FNC2 in memory and only transmit it to the computer after scanning a barcode containing the FNC1.

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