Unicode Compatible Windows ActiveX COM DLL

The Unicode Compatible Windows ActiveX COM DLL is a Font Tool that is used to format text for IDAutomation Barcode Fonts in Microsoft ActiveX or COM compliant applications. This product supports standard barcode fonts, Intelligent Mail fonts and the Universal Barcode Font. This product is royalty-free with the purchase of a license to one of the IDAutomation Barcode Fonts.

INDEX:

• Download DLL
• Tutorial
• Function List
• Support

Similar Products:
IDAutomation also provides a Native Windows Barcode DLL that does not use ActiveX or COM. Additionally, IDAutomation offers the ActiveX Barcode Control, which creates barcodes as images without fonts.

This 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 fonts and components requires a Developer License.

Step1: Register the DLL by running the InstallFontEncoderDLL.exe file. To register the ActiveX DLL manually perform the following:: Make sure the VB 6.0 runtime files are installed on the destination machine, 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".

Step2: After registering the DLL, it may 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.Code128(StringToEncode)
'Show the Printable Barcode String
PrintableBarcodeString.Text = Output

A simple Visual Basic project example is 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™.

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™.)

Description of the parts of the functions:

• ApplyTilde - If the ApplyTilde option is set to True, characters following the tilde may be used to perform additional calculations or encode ASCII characters directly.
• DataToEncode - this string value 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.

Free product support may be obtained by reviewing articles that are documented at IDAutomation's support site and by searching the resolved public help desk issues. Priority phone, email and help desk support is 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 Issues:

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.)

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