Barcode software from TALtech - which bar code software programs
are right for me?
The first question to ask is "What do I need the software
for?"
Usually the answer will fall into one or more of the following
3 categories:
1) Bar Code Production Software.
I need to print bar codes on labels, documents, tickets, etc. or
generate bar codes in Windows applications or on the Internet. See
Bar Code Production Software below.
2) Bar Code Data Collection Software.
I need to collect data from bar code readers, magnetic stripe readers,
RF data collection equipment, scales and other devices into my PC
application programs and databases. See Bar
Code Data Collection Software below.
3) Database and Inventory Control Software.
I need to store data from my bar codes in my computer for inventory
and other purposes. I need to look up recorded data, add, remove
and change items, print recorded data and manipulate the saved data
in various ways. See Database and Inventory
Software below.
Bar Code Production Software
Two questions that we frequently receive are "What is the
difference between B-Coder, the Bar Code ActiveX Control and the
Bar Code DLLs" and "What product should be used
in which situations?"
B-Coder is a bar code generating program that easily generates
the highest quality graphic images of bar codes that you typically
import or paste directly into other applications such as Microsoft
Word, Adobe PageMaker, Quark, Microsoft Publisher, etc.
B-Coder Lite generates one bar code image at a time that
can be saved in any graphic format and imported or pasted into
other
applications. It supports the most popular linear bar code types.
B-Coder Lite does not support 2-D bar codes (PDF417, DataMatrix,
MaxiCode and Aztec). It also does not support Code 128.
B-Coder Pro has all the features of the Lite version but
it also adds options into your MS Word TOOLS menu to automate
bar
code production in MS Word. Easily convert text to bar codes in
MS Word, do "mail merges" of bar codes into documents
and labels, automatically convert existing data to bar codes,
automate
bar code labeling in Word and more. B-Coder Pro is the perfect
tool for bar coding in MS Word. It supports all the popular bar
code
types (symbologies) supported by B-Coder Lite but it also supports
several 2-D bar codes and additional linear symbologies.
The Bar Code ActiveX Control and the Bar Code DLLs
are designed as programmer tools. This means that you typically
incorporate either the ActiveX control or the DLLs into an application
that you are writing (using a programming language like Visual Basic,
Microsoft Access, C++, Delphi, PowerBuilder etc.) and you then compile
the application with the bar code functionality directly in your
application.
After you compile your application, you have a license to redistribute
or install the ActiveX control or the DLLs with your application
on up to 10,000 other workstations royalty free. For example, suppose
that you are writing a program in Visual Basic or Microsoft Access
and you want to incorporate bar code printing capabilities into
the application and you also want to be able to install the application
on multiple workstations or resell the application to others without
having to purchase a license for each copy of the application
that
you plan to distribute. The ActiveX control or the DLLs would be
ideal for this type of situation. The primary difference between
the ActiveX control and the bar code DLLs is in how you interface
your application to them. The ActiveX control uses the Microsoft
ActiveX control interface therefore it is much easier to use than
the bar code DLLs however it requires that the programming language
that you are using must support ActiveX Control technology.
All of Microsoft's programming languages including Visual Basic,
C++, VBA in Access, Excel, Word and PowerPoint all support ActiveX
controls therefore it is extremely easy to use ActiveX controls
in these environments. Most other programming languages also support
ActiveX controls as well including Delphi, PowerBuilder, etc.
The Bar Code DLLs (Dynamic Link Libraries) require more
complex program code in order to be used from within a programming
language like Visual Basic or C++ however they have a few small
advantages. DLLs use much less internal overhead because none of
the OLE or ActiveX control interface libraries are required. They
are also somewhat smaller in size. The ActiveX control will add
roughly 400Kb to the size of your application whereas the DLLs use
only about 30Kb for each different type of bar code that you use.
The DLLs also provide a little lower level control over how your
bar codes are created and where they are stored in memory or how
they are printed. The DLLs are also able to encode pure binary data
in a bar code symbol. Although most bar code applications normally
only encode text or numbers in bar codes, there are a few applications
for bar codes where it may be necessary to encode binary data in
a bar code symbol.
In general, you can determine which product to use based on
what you need to accomplish.
If you just need to create a few bar code graphic images that you
will be importing or pasting into some other program like Word,
Publisher, PageMaker, Illustrator, Quark, Adobe Acrobat or any other
desktop publishing or document creation program, B-Coder Lite or
B-Coder Pro easily create the highest quality bar codes for you.
If you want to automate bar coding in MS Word, B-Coder Pro is
the perfect tool for the job. If you want to print bar codes from
reports or
labels in Microsoft Access or if you are writing a Visual Basic,
C++ or Delphi application that you want to print bar codes from,
then the bar code ActiveX control would be the best choice.
If you are developing a complex application in C or C++ and you
require low level control over your bar codes or if you need to
encode binary data in your bar codes then the bar code DLLs would
be the best choice.
Visit the product pages for more information:
Bar Code Data Collection Software
The type of data collection software you need depends primarily
on your bar code scanner output. There are several popular types
of output:
1) Keyboard Wedge output or USB output
If your bar code scanner has Keyboard Wedge output or USB output
you will not need special data collection software. Both these outputs
will dump the data right into the foreground application on your
PC wherever the cursor is flashing, as if it were being typed in.
You do not usually get much control except for the addition of a
trailing keystroke, such as an ENTER key, to your data. But these
methods are very simple and work fine for many people.
2) RS232 output (includes some RFID scanners)
RS232 output is characterized by either a 9 or 25 pin rectangular
connector plug. It attaches to one of the COM ports on your PC.
If you have this type of output you will need additional software
in order to collect data from the bar code scanner directly into
most Windows applications. For this purpose we developed BC-Wedge
software (short for Bar Code Wedge). It inputs data directly into
your Windows or DOS applications as if the data were being typed
in - in many ways similar to a Keyboard or Keyboard Wedge. It is
extremely easy to use and the perfect solution for most RS232 bar
code users.
For those RS232 bar code users needing more options we have WinWedge
32 Std, WinWedge 32 Pro and DOS-Wedge Pro.
These advanced versions offer sophisticated data parsing, filtering
and
formatting, date and time stamps, 2-way I/O (for RFID), keystroke
macro insertion, data translation and much
more.
3) TCP/IP output (includes some RFID scanners)
TCP/IP compatible devices typically connect to an Ethernet network.
If you have this type of output you will need additional software
in order to collect data from the bar code scanner directly into
most Windows applications. TALtech developed TCP-Wedge to
collect data from TCP/IP ports (i.e. a device connected to a
TCP/IP
port) directly into any Windows application. It has all the advanced
data parsing, filtering, formatting, 2-way communications, etc.
of WinWedge Pro and ships as part of the WinWedge 32 Pro package.
Visit the product pages for more information
Database and Inventory Software
A database of some type is the most important part of any bar code
system. The whole purpose of the bar codes is to eliminate slow,
error-prone manual entry of data into a database - whether this
is a cash register database, an inventory database, a library database,
or any other database.
The database can be:
- A user configured general database such as Access, Oracle
or others.
- An "off-the-shelf" program designed for a specific
application such as Inventory control.
- A custom database that could be developed in any programming
language.
Microsoft Access comes with a sample Inventory database. For small,
simple inventories you can download a FREE inventory management
spreadsheet for Microsoft Excel from our Free
Software Page. This is very simple and adequate for many users.
However if you need a more sophisticated database, Excel is not
the right application. Access, or another true database application,
is much more powerful.
Many databases do not have support for RS232 scanners directly
(such as the FREE Excel example above). However BC-Wedge or WinWedge
provide powerful interfaces to RS232 scanners from any application.
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