TBarCode: Version History V1-V3

• Temporary licensing in memory for Developer licenses ("Mem" key), no static Microsoft Windows Registry entry.

Bug Fix in Macro PDF: a reading problem - occurring if multiple Macro-PDF symbols are chained together - was corrected.

Bug Fix in PDF417: a problem that occurred when encoding bytes (especially for values 0x00 and 0x85) was corrected. The error in detail: a value of zero terminated the data string and 0x85 produced additional bytes.

Bug Fix: memory leak in method "CheckDigits" corrected.

• Now supporting the two dimensional symbology: "Data Matrix"
• New property for 2D-symbols: CountRows
• Enhanced functionality for "MaxiCode" in Structured Append Mode: by using of predefined Esc-sequences the values of Date, Preamble, Service Class, Postal- and Country- Code can be inserted in the bar code data (text property).

• A problem within Access reports was corrected: document was not savable ("OLE error"). The error always occurred when the bar code contained wrong data per default - e. g. alphanumerical data ("Adjust properties") when only numerical data is allowed (e. g. when bar code type EAN13 has been selected).

• Now supporting the linear bar code types: "Australian Post Office Code" and "Royal Mail 4 State Customer Code"
• License data can be saved now into the windows registry keys HKLM (per default) or HKCU. Previous version stored license data only in HKLM - this caused problems if there were no HKLM access rights available.

• The Property "CountModules" is now calculated each time (in previous versions it was calculated only when a redraw of the barcode was performed).
• The calculation of the property "CountModules" for code PDF417 was corrected.

Fixed: a problem when using FormPrint in Visual Basic was fixed.
Fixed: a problem printing multiple bar codes in Microsoft Access97 was fixed (first bar code invisible).

• ATL based control (instead of MFC): less resources, no MFC-dependencies. Only the OCX has to be distributed and registered.
• New: from now on the MaxiCode (2D bar code symbology) is supported in all modes. Also new: LOGMARS complying to Mil-Std. (based upon Code39, check digit optional, but recommended)
• New: possibility for licensing via INI-file (instead of manual input or licensing via program code), this feature can be used optional e.g. for licensing & corrections after distribution.
• Performance enhancements when producing multiple bar codes (e.g. in serial letters). Enhancements when refreshing the content of the bar code at screen previews or immediate before printing (Microsoft Excel^®, Word...).
• Bug-Fix for EAN128 in connection with FNC1. Format of the human readable text complies to EAN128 (Application Identifiers now put in parentheses).
• New properties: Notchheight (EAN/UPC), Textdistance, MustFit (size check), BCHeightAct/Hdc and BCWidthAct/Hdc (size actually / approximated), ModWidthAct/Hdc (module width actually / approximated), DrawStatus (control of drawing process), CheckDigits (as string), CountCheckDigits, CountModules, SuppressErrorMsg
• New event model: the properties (e.g.. module width) of the bar code can be changed immediately before drawing or printing. The draw process can be controlled within the event code.
• The bar code can be saved as image file (method SaveImage and new: SaveImageEx).
• The bar code can be converted into a HTTP-conform data stream (JPG, PNG, BMP): New method ConvertToStream and ConvertToStreamEx.
• The format of the documentation file was switched to HTML and has been extended.
• Facilitated programming model for the DLL
• Creation of the bar code in best resolution (Optimizing Pixel Technology).

• PDF417: numeric compression mode was implemented.
• PDF417: The check for the maximal input data length was corrected.
• New bar code type: "Code 93 Extended" is supported now.
• New bar code type: UCC128
• Check digit computation: Corrected check digit methods for "Code 11" (Modulo 11 - one & two digits) for "Code 39 Extended" (Modulo 43) and for "Code 93 Extended" (Modulo 47).
• Correction: "Translate escape sequences" now works correctly - Escape sequences are limited to 3 digits following the "\".
• The new version supports all printers. There was a rare problem printing barcodes with some printers under Win95/98.
• New ActiveX^® Feature: SaveImage method () allows you to save the barcode as image file.

• PDF417: full support (even the "truncated" - version)
• Code128: direct selection of Code128A, Code128B or Code128C (without specification of format/subset strings)
• Escape-Sequences: Use control codes (such as carriage return) within the bar-code by utilization of so called escape sequences (e.g. \x0d) (new property EscapeSequences).
• Clipboard: The barcode image can now be copied to the clipboard (new method CopyToClipboard)
• Auxiliary: The width of the generated bar-code can be retrieved (supported units: pixels or mm) (new methods GetMinWidth, GetWidth and GetModuleWidth)
• Licensing: we have implemented a new licensing method (changed parameters for method LicenseMe)
• ActiveX^® property dialog: a new dialog for the PDF417-properties was added. Some "cosmetic" changes.
• MFC: Improved print-previewing when using the TBarCode OCX control within MFC applications (new method PaintMFC)
• Memory: optimized memory usage
• Sample applications: more (and better) applications are available now
• Setup: beside the ActiveX^® Control the setup program now installs sample applications and a start menu entry
• Help: depending on the active page of the TBarCode property dialog the corresponding help section is displayed
• Compatibility: V2.0 is not compatible with V1.4 (the licensing keys are incompatible too!)- V2.0 may be installed additional to V1.4!

• Check-Digit calculation: automatically computed check-digits can be retrieved from the control (use method GetCheckDigit() and property CheckDigits)
• Sample Applications: Microsoft Excel^®-sample improved
• Barcode-Type "Code 93": correction of code for character '.'
• Barcode-Type "Code 128": Improved human readable text if using user-specified subsets
• Compatibility: fully compatible with V1.3.

Changes since V1.2:

• Error Messages: now in human readable form
• Check-Digit Calculation: improved "Standard" method (see below)
• Redistribution: a dependency-File (.DEP) usable by Visual Basic Setup Wizard is shipped with the control.
• Sample Applications: Better documented
• If you select Barcode-Type "None" nothing is drawn
• Compatibility: fully compatible with V1.2. If you are using V1.0 or V1.1 you have to re-license the control (using the same license-key).

In this version the check-digit calculation method "Standard" computes check digits only if required. Example: If EAN13 is filled with 12 digits the control computes the check digit automatically. If you supply 13 digits for EAN13 the control assumes your application have already computed the check digit - no automatic (re-)calculation is performed. TBarCode does not check the correctness of check digits supplied by your application!

Start of the version history.