dLSoft Newsletter – April 2006

Contents

1. New product versions

2. Product updates

3. Recent_announcements_(from March)

4. Current versions and prices

5. Contact addresses

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1. New product versions

 

1.1  dBarcode.NET version 2.5 components

dLSoft has released updated versions of its range of dBarcode.NET components. The new versions add ASP.NET capability to the existing Windows Forms components, and each component now includes a sample ASP.NET application.

 

These new version components include functions to permit the collection of in-memory barcode graphics images in BMP, GIF, PNG, JPG, WMF and EMF formats, along with a Save function to permit the saving of the image to a named file. Furthermore these functions permit the target resolution to be specified by the calling system.

 

The range consists of

 

dBarcode.NET – 1D Universal supports over 50 1D barcode types

dBarcode.NET – Code 128 supports Code 128, EAN/UCC 128, EAN/UCC14, SSCC

dBarcode.NET – Code 39 supports Code 39, Extended 39, Code 93 & Extended 93

dBarcode.NET – EAN/UPC supports EAN-13/8/14, UPC-A/-E (with supplementaries)

dBarcode.NET – ITF supports 2of5, Interleaved 2 of 5, Matrix 2of5 and IATA 2of5

dBarcode.NET – Aztec

dBarcode.NET – Code 49/Codablock-F

dBarcode.NET – DataMatrix

dBarcode.NET – MaxiCode

dBarcode.NET – PDF417 supports PDF417, Truncated PDF417 & MicroPDF

dBarcode.NET – QR supports QR Code (Numeric, Alpha & Byte modes - NOT Kanji)

dBarcode.NET – RSS

dBarcode.NET – 2D Universal supports  Aztec, DataMatrix, Maxicode, PDF417,Truncated PDF417, MicroPDF, QR Code (not Kanji) and RSS

 

Each product includes sample VB.NET, C# and J# applications (with source code) along with the component in both Framework 1.1 and Framework 2.0 (any CPU) form.

 

1.2  AnyLabels v 2.5

dLSoft has released a new version of its AnyLabels labelling application. The new version provides the storing of full printer setup information in the label templates and much improved compatibility with common label printers.

 

The new version requires the .NET Framework version 2.0. It will not run with version 1.1.

 

A current list of product version numbers is at http://downloads.dlsoft.com/testware/versions.htm

 

Testware versions are available from our web site. Users of the earlier versions may upgrade under our normal terms.

 

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2 Other product updates

 

2.1 Barcode Macros for Office

 

This product has been updated to allow for the automatic removal of a trailing space when a string in Word is selected by double-clicking the word. This trailing space is notoriously difficult to avoid with Office 2003, so the macros now provide the option of not including any trailing non-printing characters in the barcode data.

 

2.2 Font Kit updates

 

The following 2D barcode font kits have been updated to allow the symbol size and shape to be specified by the number of columns in the symbol (where relevant), and to make use of modern Microsoft libraries:

Aztec Font Kit

Datamatrix Font Kit

PDF417 Font Kit

QR Code Font Kit

 

2.3 dBarcode-2k and dLabel-2k

 

These product have been updated to allow automatic date and time stamping on record entry, and to permit the symbol size and shape to be specified by the number of columns in the 2D barcode symbols (where relevant).

 

Testware versions are available from our web site. Users of the earlier versions may upgrade under our normal terms.

 

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3 Recent announcements (from March issue)

dLSoft is pleased to announce the launch of a range of 64-bit barcode DLLs for Windows XP-64 bit Professional/Windows 2003 64 bit, and major new versions of its 32 bit DLL and Active-X product ranges.

 

3.1  dBarcode-64bit DLLs

dLSoft has released a range of 64 bit DLLs designed for use with Visual Studio 2005 and C/C++. The range consists of

 

dBarcode64 DLL – 1D Universal supports over 50 1D barcode types

dBarcode64 DLL – Code 128 supports Code 128, EAN/UCC 128, EAN/UCC14, SSCC

dBarcode64 DLL – Code 39 supports Code 39, Extended 39, Code 93 & Extended 93

dBarcode64 DLL – EAN/UPC supports EAN-13/8/14, UPC-A/-E (with supplementaries), ISBN, ISSN, ISMN

dBarcode64 DLL – ITF supports 2of5, Interleaved 2 of 5, ITF-6, ITF-14, Matrix 2of5 and IATA 2of5

dBarcode64 DLL – Aztec

dBarcode64 DLL – DataMatrix

dBarcode64 DLL – MaxiCode

dBarcode64 DLL – PDF417 supports PDF417, Truncated PDF417 & MicroPDF

dBarcode64 DLL – QR supports QR Code (Numeric, Alpha & Byte modes - NOT Kanji)

dBarcode64 DLL – RSS

dBarcode64 DLL – 2D Universal supports  Aztec, DataMatrix, Maxicode, PDF417,Truncated PDF417, MicroPDF, QR Code (not Kanji) and RSS

 

Each product includes a sample MFC application (with source code) compiled with Visual Studio 2005 in x64 mode.

The products may be downloaded and expanded on any Windows machine but will install only on an Intel or AMD processor machine running a 64 bit version of Windows.

 

3.2  New versions of dBarcode 32bit DLLs

dLSoft has released new versions of its 32 bit dBarcode DLLs. These new versions provide improved bitmap graphics (including 2 colour bitmaps for GIF and BMP images and black and white images for PNG files), user-definable Code 128 control codes, and fixed size barcode settings. These versions will also pemit metafile images to be created with an X value of 1 (as used in laser engraving systems).

The new version include updated samples for C/C++ (Visual Studio 6 thru Visual Studio 2005), Visual Basic 6 and Delphi 6.

The new versions are version 4.0 for the 1D barcodes, and 4.5 for the 2D barcode libraries.

While a high degree of backwards compatability has been maintained, the use of some members of the barcode2d structure has been modified (for the first time in 6 years) and some users will need to modify their programs to use the new versions. The final release of the previous version of each DLL will continue to be available on our archive site.

 

3.3  New versions of Active Barcode Components

dLSoft has released new versions of its Active Barcode Component range. The new versions (which have new class IDs) provide improved bitmap graphics (including 2 colour bitmaps for GIF and BMP images and black and white images for PNG files), user-definable Code 128 control codes, and fixed size barcode settings for some 2D type through the use of a Columns property.

The new versions are version 4.0 for the 1D barcodes, and 4.5 for the 2D barcode controls and are designed for VB6, VBA and Microsoft Access, and include samples for VB6 and Access 2002/3.

Users of existing versions will need to replace previous versions on their forms and reports to use the new versions. The final release of the previous version of each DLL will continue to be available on our archive site.

 

Testware versions are available from our web site. Users of the earlier versions may upgrade under our normal terms.

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4 Current versions and prices of dLSoft Products

A list of current versions and release dates is maintained at:

http://downloads.dlsoft.com/testware/versions.htm

and a pdf version at
http://downloads.dlsoft.com/testware/versions.pdf

 

The current retail price list is also available from:

http://downloads.dlsoft.com/testware/pplist.htm

and a pdf version at
http://downloads.dlsoft.com/testware/pplist.pdf

 

Please do not use any older links.

 

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5 Contact addresses and internet sites

e-mail: DLSOFT@DLSOFT.COM
Phone: 020 8559 0049  - International +44 20 8559 0049
Fax:   020 8559 0178  - International +44 20 8559 0178


Our main web site is at: www.dlsoft.com

and this contains links to our support site and international mirrors

Testware versions of any of our products can be obtained from any of these locations.

 

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Previous issues of the newsletter may be obtained from the link on the Newsletter page on our web site.

 

DL Technology
PO Box 9, Buckhurst Hill, Essex IG9 5BE, UK
Fax
: (44) (0) 20 8559 0178
E-mail:
DLSoft@DLSoft.com
Web site:
http://www.dlsoft.com/