For reasons known only to the designers of Corel Draw version 4.0, when you paste MetaFile graphics into a Corel document from the clipboard, Corel will automatically scale the MetaFile so that it fills the entire page with the MetaFile graphic image instead of retaining the original size of the image as specified in the MetaFile. Although Corel Draw provides sizing handles so that you can easily scale the image back down to a reasonable size, it may be difficult to scale the image exactly to the same size as originally specified in B-Coder.

Fortunately, Corel Draw provides another way to import MetaFiles such that the original size of the MetaFile image is preserved. This method involves importing the MetaFile from a disk file. To use this method, first create a bar code in B-Coder and then save the bar code to a disk file in Windows MetaFile format (.WMF). Next, switch to Corel Draw and select "Import" from the Corel "File" menu. When the "Import" dialog appears, select "Windows MetaFile, *.WMF" as the file type and then enter or select the file name and directory path for the file that you saved your bar code to in B-Coder. Finally, click on the button marked "OK" to import the bar code graphic. Using this method, Corel Draw will import your bar code (or any other MetaFile graphic) correctly using the originally specified size parameters.

Another peculiar thing that Corel Draw does on occasion when importing MetaFiles is to substitute different fonts or font sizes for text that is embedded within a MetaFile. Although the result of this behavior may be perfectly acceptable, you can exercise a much greater degree of control over any text in a bar code symbol by entering the text directly in Corel Draw. For example you can turn off the human readable text in a bar code in B-Coder by disabling the "Include Text" option in B-Coder’s Preferences menu. After importing the bar code into a Corel document you can simply replace the text using the text tool in Corel Draw. Although this method is rather clumsy, it does offer more control of the final output.

If you are a heavy Corel Draw user and you find these problems to be unnecessarily inconvenient, you can call Corel Corp. directly at Tel:(613)-728-8200 or Fax:(613)-728-9790. Perhaps if they get enough complaints about the problems in their software, they will consider fixing them in the next release of their product.