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Barcode Integration Options for Visual C++

IDAutomation.com provides several products and options for implementing barcodes in Visual C++ with flexible license agreements to meet a variety of needs including single user licenses and royalty-free developer licenses. The following chart may be used to determine the best product needed:

Product(s):	Advantages and Disadvantages:
Code 39 Barcode Fonts	The easiest implementation option when the barcode type does not matter and the data is numbers and/or uppercase letters. Data is easily formatted to the barcode font by appending asterisks to the beginning and ending of the data being encoded; no other DLLs or source code is needed.
C++ Header File with Barcode Fonts	Easily integrates into the project, without the requirement for additional DLLs. Supports most linear barcode types. C++ source code is included. Methods in the header file and source code calculate the start, stop and check digits and return a character string, that when combined with IDAutomation Barcode Fonts, create a correct barcode.
Barcode ActiveX Control	Supports several linear barcode types as well as 2D symbologies including Intelligent Mail, PDF417, Data Matrix and MaxiCode. An implementation tutorial download is provided. Purchased version is fully functional and does not require any license keys or activation. IDAutomation's ActiveX Controls are compiled in C++ ATL for speed without runtime dependencies. All DLLs provided are signed and time-stamped with Verisign Authenticode Certificates. Source code for the graphic generation library and entire ActiveX project are provided with the purchase of the Unlimited Developer License and a signed Source Code License Agreement. ActiveX controls may also be used in Access, Excel, Infopath, VB and a few other applications.
Native Windows Barcode DLL with Barcode Fonts or the Universal Barcode Font	Supports most linear barcode types. Methods in the Barcode DLL calculate the start, stop and check digits and return a character string, that when combined with IDAutomation Barcode Fonts, create a correct barcode. Methods are also provided for the Universal Barcode Font in the same DLL. The Universal Barcode Font creates multiple barcodes as a single font on multiple operating systems and locales, including Double Byte versions of Windows such as those used in China and Japan as well as other Asian locale settings. C++ source code for the Universal Barcode Font DLL may be provided with the purchase of a Developer License and a signed Source Code License Agreement.
PDF417 Font and Encoder or the Data Matrix Font and Encoder	Many different 2D encoders are provided for a single symbology in the PDF417 Font and Encoder and the Data Matrix Font and Encoder packages, which are compatible with C++ and many other applications. Includes the applicable Barcode ActiveX Control.
Barcode ActiveX Control with Visual Studio .NET	IDAutomation's ActiveX controls may be used in Microsoft Visual C++ .NET. The integration process is slightly different than for Visual C++ 6. The sample download provided uses our PDF417 ActiveX control as the primary example, but may easily be converted to use any of our other ActiveX controls. Documentation for doing this is in the included file, readme3.txt. The example was created using Visual Studio.NET 2002, but may be opened and converted to Visual Studio.NET 2003 or later versions.

Related Support Links:

Can the CreatePointFont function be used to dynamically created instances of barcode fonts within a C++ application?
Can I encode the null character (ASCII 0) in a barcode?

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