barcode active-X

[Lutz]

Hello,

I'm setting up a barcode system for a storage-database. Now I'm looking
for a free (cheap) solution to print barcodes using reports.

I'll have to show the barcode to the screen before printing (wasn't my
decision). I found two possibilities

- using tt-fonts
- using an active-x-control

Do you have experience with that? As the database is for commercial use,
I can't use one of those "for-private-use-free"-solutions. And as it is
too small I can't afford to pay much.

thank you,

Lutz

[Lutz]

Hi David an Tim,

you may be right, if you say that an active-x control is oversized, but:

- that was, what I wanted you to get ensured (even if I didn't ask for
it clearly)
- I do the programming and I don't ever know who'll be the maintainer of
my code and they (clientside) are normaly familar with active-x but with
using not installed fonts
- they proposed me to use an active-x control as it seems to be easier
to validate the proper functionality

Hey I surrender and I'll use a font, maybe I'll find an active-x to
generate a fine one :-)

greets,

Lutz

[David W. Fenton]

Dodo <dodo2u@-takethisNOSPAMo ut-freemail.nl> wrote in
news:Xn******** *************** *******@130.133 .1.4:

"David W. Fenton" <dX********@bwa y.net.invalid> wrote in
news:Xn******** *************** ***********@24. 168.128.86:

Keep in mind that if the barcode data is going to someone else,
you need to round-trip test it to make sure that everybody is
happy. I once had a disastrous situation with a client whose
mailing house was run by phenomenally stupid people who couldn't
handle the barcoded data we were sending them, because we were
doing a custom checksum. Their printing software generated its
own checksums (in a format I didn't know how to calculate), and
so was screwing up the data I provided them. They couldn't quite
grasp the idea that they should just ignore their barcoding
software and simply print out my barcode field like any other
data field, and just choose an appropriate font.

Gad, those people were stupid -- and they were IN THE BUSINESS.

If no outsiders are involved, though, you don't have to worry
about that kind of thing.
Outsiders? Where the hell do you live?

In a place where there is no defined standard for Code39 barcodes.
Each and every barcode knows its own standardization .
Except for Code39, which has no standards for the encoding of
checksums.
For e.g. EAN-13 barcodes (never heard of?) the control digit is
calculated through a quite complicated formula. I know because I
implemented it for checking purposes in an Excel worksheet.
There is no such standard for Code39.
Probably such control digit calculations apply to other formats as
well, even your UPC codes?
Not with Code39.
So, if you accuse certain people of being stupid you just express
your failure to understand different barcoding principles around
the world.

Talking about stupid . . .

I'll leave that up to you, since you seem to have it down pat.

--
David W. Fenton http://www.bway.net/~dfenton
dfenton at bway dot net http://www.bway.net/~dfassoc