PDF417 Barcode Toolkits Released!
Black Ice Software
is proud to announce the release of both a PDF417
Read and PDF417
Write module for the
Black Ice Barcode SDK/ActiveX. The PDF417
Barcode modules are
imaging toolkit independent, and as such can be used
with any Black Ice or third party imaging toolkit.
The Black Ice PDF417 Barcode Reading SDK/ActiveX
toolkit is a robust and efficient 2D PDF417 library
of reading/decoding, searching barcodes, and
detecting barcode orientation functions.
PDF417, or
Portable Data File 417, is a two-dimensional stacked
bar code capable of encoding over a kilobyte of data
per label. This is useful for situations when a bar
code will be used to store a substantial amount of
data about an item, allowing developers to avoid
database interaction.
PDF417
also offers the ability to encode binary data (not
just ASCII or alphanumeric characters); this makes
it possible to encode photographs, fingerprints and
any other type of data structure.
Since a PDF417 barcode symbol can
store a substantial amount of information, item
specific data, such as the content of a shipping
manifest or equipment maintenance history, can be
stored directly on the item without requiring access
to a database. PDF417 is used today in a wide
variety of industries and applications, such as
healthcare, transportation, retailing, government,
and manufacturing.
PDF417 is an
error-correcting symbology designed for real-world
applications where portions of labels can get
destroyed in handling. The Black Ice PDF417
reading decoding performs error correction by making
calculations to reconstruct corrupted or undecoded
portions of the symbol, providing reliable decoding
even with imperfect barcode symbols.
Developers can read
PDF417 barcodes regardless of orientation, skewing
or flipping. PDF417 barcodes can be detected and
read from specific areas of interest from an image.
When combined with additional Black Ice Imaging
toolkits, barcodes can be read from a variety of
supported image file formats and can be acquired
from scanners or digital cameras.
Encoding data into a
PDF417 bar code is a two-step process. First, data
is converted into codeword values of 0 - 928, which
represent the data. This is “high-level encoding."
Then the values are physically represented by
particular bar/space patterns, which is “low-level
encoding." Decoding is the reverse process.
Some common uses for
PDF417 Barcodes include:
Transportation:
-
Distribution
-
Shipping logs
-
Automated Data Entry
-
ID Cards
-
Passenger ID Verification
-
Baggage Claim
-
Asset Tracking
Military and Government:
-
Identification Cards
-
Hazardous Material Marking
-
Product Tracking
-
Equipment Service Histories
-
Small Item Marking
-
Automated Data Entry
-
Document Tracking
Product Distribution:
-
Shipping/Receiving
-
Manufacturer to Retailer
-
Carton/Pallet Identification
-
Automated Receiving
Services and Utilities:
-
Automatic Data Entry
-
Drivers License Registration
-
Work Order Processing
-
Asset Tracking
-
PC Hardware Marking
-
Inspection Tags
-
Medical ID Cards
Developers can
download a fully functional evaluation version of
the Black Ice Barcode SDK/ActiveX demo from the
Black Ice Website at
http://www.blackice.com/barcode.htm.
The Barcode SDK/ActiveX demo includes support for
PDF417 Reading, PDF417 Writing, Data Matrix Reading
and Writing, and Linear 1D barcode Reading and
Writing.