Barcode Technology

Barcode History

Barcode Label Paper

Barcode Printer

Barcode Application

Inventory Management

AI Barcode QRCode

Barcode Scanner

Barcode Software

Barcode Software B

Barcode Software C

Barcode Software D

Barcode Software E

New Technology A

New Technology B

Robot Technology

Barcode Types

Barcode Types B

Barcode Types C

Barcode Types D

Barcode Types E

Barcode Types F

Electronic Technology

Psychology at Work

TEC-IT Barcode ActiveX Control

Part 1 Background, Context, and Architectural Foundations

1. Introduction to TEC-IT and Its Barcode Technology Ecosystem

1.1. TEC-IT is an Austrian software company specializing in automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) technologies, with a primary focus on barcode generation, barcode recognition, and enterprise labeling solutions.

1.2. Since its founding in the late 1990s, TEC-IT has built a reputation for producing highly reliable, standards-compliant, and cross-platform barcode software components, used in logistics, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, government, and financial systems worldwide.

1.3. TEC-IT product ecosystem includes:

* Software Development Kits (SDKs)

* Standalone barcode generation tools

* Barcode printing middleware

* Web services

* Enterprise labeling solutions

* Legacy integration components

1.4. One of the most widely known modern products from TEC-IT is the TBarCode SDK, a multi-platform barcode generation SDK supporting .NET, Java, C/C++, web environments, and mobile platforms.

1.5. However, long before .NET, Java, and REST APIs became dominant, a significant number of business-critical applications were built on COM, ActiveX, and Visual Basic 6, many of which are still actively used today.

1.6. The TEC-IT Barcode ActiveX Control exists specifically to serve these legacy but mission-critical systems, providing modern barcode symbology support within non-.NET, COM-based environments.

2. Why ActiveX Still Matters in Enterprise Environments

2.1. Despite being considered “legacytechnology, ActiveX and COM components remain deeply embedded in enterprise software stacks for several reasons:

* Stability

* Regulatory certification

* High migration cost

* Long-term vendor contracts

* Embedded workflows tied to business processes

2.2. Industries such as:

* Banking

* Insurance

* Healthcare

* Manufacturing

* Government administration

often rely on applications developed between 1998 and 2008 that are still operational.

2.3. These systems frequently use:

* Visual Basic 6 (VB6)

* Visual Basic for Applications (VBA)

* Microsoft Access

* Classic ASP

* Delphi

* PowerBuilder

* Custom COM-based applications

2.4. Rewriting these applications in modern frameworks is often:

* Cost-prohibitive

* Operationally risky

* Unnecessary when functionality is stable

2.5. As a result, barcode generation in such systems still requires:

* Native COM interfaces

* ActiveX controls

* Low-level GDI or printer access

* Compatibility with older Windows APIs

2.6. The TEC-IT Barcode ActiveX Control is explicitly designed to meet these requirements without forcing a full application rewrite.

3. Positioning of TEC-IT Barcode ActiveX Control Within TEC-IT Product Line

3.1. The Barcode ActiveX Control is not a simplified toy component; it is a professional-grade barcode engine packaged in an ActiveX/COM wrapper.

3.2. Functionally, it shares a common barcode core with TEC-IT other generation engines, ensuring:

* Consistent encoding logic

* Identical barcode geometry

* Standards compliance across platforms

3.3. Conceptually, the product sits between:

* Low-level barcode libraries (C/C++)

* High-level modern SDKs (.NET, Java)

3.4. Its primary goal is maximum compatibility, not cutting-edge UI integration.

3.5. The ActiveX control acts as:

* A drop-in visual control for form designers

* A programmable COM object for automation

* A rendering engine for printers and bitmaps

3.6. Unlike web-based or service-based solutions, it:

* Requires no network connectivity

* Runs entirely on the local system

* Can be embedded directly into desktop applications

4. Historical Context: Barcode Generation Before .NET

4.1. Before the widespread adoption of .NET (circa 2002004), Windows application development relied heavily on:

* Win32 APIs

* COM interfaces

* OLE automation

* ActiveX controls

4.2. Barcode generation in this era typically involved:

* Custom printer fonts

* GDI drawing routines

* Third-party OCX files

* Manual error-prone encoding

4.3. Common problems included:

* Incorrect checksum calculation

* Inconsistent bar widths

* Printer DPI mismatches

* Poor scanner readability

4.4. TEC-IT entered this space by offering pre-engineered, standards-compliant barcode components that eliminated these issues.

4.5. The Barcode ActiveX Control encapsulated:

* Barcode encoding logic

* Rendering algorithms

* Resolution scaling

* Human-readable text layout

4.6. This allowed developers to focus on business logic, not barcode mathematics.

5. Core Design Goals of the TEC-IT Barcode ActiveX Control

5.1. The design philosophy of the control is driven by five primary goals:

5.1.1. Compatibility

Support for older Windows versions, legacy development tools, and COM-based environments.

5.1.2. Simplicity

Easy drop-in usage within VB6 forms or VBA modules.

5.1.3. Standards Compliance

Full adherence to ISO/IEC, GS1, and industry-specific barcode standards.

5.1.4. Visual Accuracy

Precise bar/space ratios, quiet zones, and symbol dimensions.

5.1.5. Deployment Stability

Minimal runtime dependencies and predictable behavior across systems.

5.2. These goals directly influence the architecture, interface design, and rendering pipeline of the ActiveX control.

6. ActiveX Control Architecture Overview

6.1. At a high level, the TEC-IT Barcode ActiveX Control consists of three layers:

6.1.1. COM Interface Layer

Exposes properties, methods, and events to client applications.

6.1.2. Barcode Core Engine

Implements encoding, error checking, symbol layout, and optimization.

6.1.3. Rendering Engine

Handles drawing to:

* Screen

* Bitmap

* Printer device contexts

6.2. The COM interface is designed for:

* Late binding (VBA, scripting)

* Early binding (VB6, Delphi)

6.3. The rendering engine is tightly integrated with Windows GDI to ensure:

* DPI awareness

* Printer consistency

* Device-independent output

7. Supported Development Environments (Conceptual Overview)

7.1. The Barcode ActiveX Control is intended for use in environments such as:

* Visual Basic 6

* VBA (Excel, Word, Access)

* Classic ASP (server-side)

* Delphi

* PowerBuilder

* Any COM-aware language

7.2. It does not require:

* .NET runtime

* Java Virtual Machine

* Web browser engines

7.3. This makes it especially suitable for:

* Locked-down enterprise desktops

* Offline systems

* Embedded Windows installations

8. Typical Use Cases for the Barcode ActiveX Control

8.1. Printing shipping labels from legacy ERP systems

8.2. Generating invoices with embedded barcodes

8.3. Producing compliance labels in regulated industries

8.4. Creating serialized product labels

8.5. Embedding barcodes in Microsoft Office documents

8.6. Automating barcode output in batch processing systems

8.7. In many cases, the ActiveX control is the only viable solution without re-architecting the application.

9. Comparison with Barcode Fonts (Conceptual, Not Tabular)

9.1. Barcode fonts were historically popular but introduce multiple risks:

* Incorrect encoding

* No error correction

* Printer-dependent output

9.2. The ActiveX control:

* Calculates checksums automatically

* Enforces symbol rules

* Scales accurately for different resolutions

9.3. This makes it suitable for mission-critical scanning environments.

10. Longevity and Maintenance Philosophy

10.1. TEC-IT explicitly maintains the Barcode ActiveX Control for long-term usage.

10.2. This includes:

* Bug fixes

* Compatibility updates

* Symbology extensions

10.3. The product is designed to coexist with newer SDKs rather than being replaced outright.

11. Summary of Part 1

11.1. The TEC-IT Barcode ActiveX Control exists to bridge modern barcode standards with legacy Windows applications.

11.2. It is architected around:

* COM compatibility

* Standards compliance

* Visual and printing accuracy

11.3. It remains highly relevant in industries where:

* Stability outweighs modernization

* Regulatory compliance is mandatory

* Legacy systems are deeply embedded

EasierSoft Barcode Label Design & Bulk Printing Software

---- Use Excel Data to Batch Print Barcodes on Label Sheets or Roll Labels  

---- How to use this barcode software

Download:  Free Barcode Software + Barcode Label Designer Download Free Barcode Software at Softonic      Download at CNET

Once you obtain a GS1/UPC/EAN barcode, or other barcode type and QR code, you can use our free software to batch print barcode labels onto Roll label paper using a professional label printer, or to batch print barcodes onto Avery 5160 label sheets using a regular laser or inkjet printer. Our software has free and paid versions.

The free version fully meets your needs for batch printing GS1/UPC/EAN barcodes. The paid version can import data from Excel and databases to batch print barcode labels with different values.

How to Use & FAQ:

Highlights

Excel integration: Import data directly from Excel to generate and print barcodes in bulk.

Label designer: Create complex labels with multiple barcodes, text, logos, and shapes.

Batch printing: Print thousands of barcodes at once using standard inkjet/laser printers or professional barcode printers.

Flexible editions:

Standard Edition: Simple batch printing with Excel data.

Professional Edition: Adds command-line automation for workflow integration.

Label Designer Edition: Advanced design features for complex labels.

Why Choose Our Barcode Solutions?

Cost-effective: Free online generator and permanent free desktop version available.

Easy to use: No technical expertise required—just input data and print.

Versatile: Supports nearly all 1D and 2D barcode types, including QR codes.

Trusted: Recommended by CNET and widely downloaded by users worldwide.

Suitable Use Cases

Small businesses and startups needing quick barcode labels for products.

Retailers and online sellers managing inventory with batch barcode printing.

Manufacturers requiring sequential or custom barcode labels for packaging.

Educational and testing environments where barcodes are used for tracking.