Pegasus Imaging's SmartScan Xpress Barcode v4 FAQ's

Please refer to the descriptions below:

Smartscan Xpress Basic is designed for developers deploying a low speed scanning solution, such as a flat bed TWAIN scanner, or a lighter volume sheet fed scan solution. Smartscan Xpress Basic reads approximately 6 barcodes per second, or no more than 50% of the fastest speed possible on the CPU, whichever is slower. This version should only be used for low volume barcode applications. Please note: Only the Professional edition will read 2D PDF417 and DataMatrix. All editions will read and write 1D barcodes. The primary difference between Basic and Standard is recognition speed.

Smartscan Xpress Standard is designed for developers deploying a moderate speed scanning solution with up to a few barcodes per page. Smartscan Xpress Standard reads approximately 20 barcodes per second, or no more than 80% of the fastest speed possible on the CPU, whichever is slower. This version is intended for most document imaging barcode applications. Please note: Only the Professional edition will read 2D PDF417 and DataMatrix. All editions will read and write 1D barcodes. The primary difference between Basic and Standard is recognition speed.

Smartscan Xpress Professional is the unlimited speed barcode engine. It will read as fast as the processor can handle. It is engineered for high-end, high-volume imaging applications where speed is critical for the success of the application. Smartscan Xpress Professional reads and writes common 1D barcodes and reads 2D barcodes PDF417 and DataMatrix. It creates all three reading speeds, allowing integrators to sell various speed and price options.

Q3: What are the new features of SmartScan Xpress Barcode v4?

Please refer to the information on the following page:

http://www.pegasusimaging.com/barcode4newfeatures.htm

Q4: What barcode formats does the control read and write?

Please refer to the information on the following page:

http://www.pegasusimaging.com/ssbarcodefeatures.htm

Q5: What are runtimes? How do I pay for them?

SmartScan Xpress toolkit installations are licensed per copy, which we refer to as a runtime. A license fee is owed for each runtime installation made. Licensing requirements for Smartscan Xpress Barcode are documented here: http://www.pegasusimaging.com/ssbarcodepricing.htm

SmartScan Xpress runtime licensing is available in two methods.

1) If runtime installation is an irregular event (fewer than ten events annually) then licenses are purchased from Pegasus Imaging as needed. Pegasus Imaging provides a signed license for each runtime purchased. To purchase runtime licenses, go to the pricing page here: http://www.pegasusimaging.com/ssbarcodepricing.htm to be presented with a list of license purchase options. Contact Sales if you need additional assistance.

2) If runtime installation is a regular event(more than ten events annually) then you are classified as a SmartScan Xpress Reseller, or sub-licensor. The total numbers of SmartScan Xpress runtime installations are reported to Pegasus quarterly. License fees are paid at that time, in arrears. This method allows for quantities to be grouped for discounts as well.

Q6: Does the ImagXpress control come with the Smartscan Xpress Barcode control?

Yes, ImagXpress Standard v7 is included in the SmartScan Xpress Barcode v4 purchase. Please refer to the link below for more information on the latest version of ImagXpress, Version 8. To get ImagXpress v8 you will need to upgrade from v7.

http://www.pegasusimaging.com/imagxpress.htm

A discount is offered if the ImagXpress control is purchased at the same time as the SmartScan Xpress Barcode control. It may also be purchased on the Upgrade page, and is offered at a special price.

Q7: What format does the image need to be in for the Smartscan Xpress Barcode control to process?

The image needs to be in 1 bit per pixel format (a black and white image). Color depth conversion of images is trivial when using the ImagXpress control in your application. Please refer to the link listed below for more information on ImagXpress:

http://www.pegasusimaging.com/imagxpress.htm

Q8: How can an image be loaded into the Smartscan Xpress Barcode control?

The Smartscan Xpress Barcode control can accept images via a Picture, ClipBoard or hDIB. If using the ActiveX version of the control the ImageSource property is set based on how the image is being passed to the barcode control. If using the .NET control the Analyze method of the reader class accepts either an hDib or System.Drawing.Bitmap.

Q9: I am trying to analyze a non 1 bit per pixel image and am getting an error that says, "Invalid Bitmap". Why?

The reason is that the image needs to be in 1 bit per pixel format (a black and white image). Color depth conversion of images is trivial when using the ImagXpress control in your application. Please refer to the link listed below for more information on ImagXpress:

http://www.pegasusimaging.com/imagxpress.htm

Q10: How do I distribute my application (in .NET, Delphi, VB, C++ etc.)?

PLEASE NOTE: You must have received unlock codes in order to distribute applications. These are received when the runtimes are purchased as mentioned in #3 above. If you have not received them you may purchase them online by clicking on the Upgrade button at the link listed below or Contact Sales.

http://www.pegasusimaging.com/smartscanbarcode.htm

1) Add a declaration to the UnlockRuntime method where your program starts up and pass the 4 unlock codes as the parameters to the method.

2) If you are using .NET as your development tool you must do # 1 AND call the UnlockControl function and pass as the parameters the same 4 unlock codes that are passed as the parameters to the UnlockRuntime method as mentioned in #1. Please refer to the code samples below for the specific .NET development environments:

For C# Developers:
Call the static PS_Unlock function in the class constructor BEFORE the generated call to InitializeComponent () as follows:

Public FormMain()
{
PegasusImaging.WinForms.SSXBarcode4.Licensing.UnlockControl(1234,1234,1234,1234);
InitializeComponent();
}

For Visual Basic. NET Developers:
Call the static PS_Unlock function in the class constructor (i.e. New function) BEFORE the generated call to InitializeComponent () as follows:

Public Sub New ()
MyBase.New ()

PegasusImaging.WinForms.SSXBarcode4.Licensing.UnlockControl(1234,1234,1234,1234)
IntializeComponent ()
End Sub

3) If you are using the SmartScan Xpress Barcode control as a COM object in VB you must do#1 AND declare the UnlockControl function as outlined below:

a) Add a reference to the SmartScan Xpress Barcode v4 control via Project|References.

b) Declare the UnlockControl function as follows:

Private Declare Sub BC_UnlockControl Lib "PegasusImaging.ActiveX.SSXBC4.dll" Alias "UnlockControl" _ (ByVal pw1 As Long, ByVal pw2 As Long, ByVal pw3 As Long, ByVal pw4 As Long)

c) Dim the SmartScan Xpress Barcode control object:

Dim ss As PegasusImagingActiveXSSXBarcode4.SSXBarcode

d) Call the unlock method:

BC_UnlockControl 12345, 12345, 12345, 12345

Set ss = New PegasusImagingActiveXSSXBarcode4.SSXBarcode

5) If you are using the control within HTML you must obtain a web license string. This web license string is received from our sales department when the web license is purchased. The web license string is passed as the parameter to the UnlockWeb method. Please refer to http://www.pegasusimaging.com/weblicfaq.htm for more information on using the control within a web environment.

6) If you are using the SmartScan Xpress Barcode ActiveX control open your project with your development tool (Visual Basic or Delphi) and rebuild the EXE. The new registration information will be automatically incorporated in the new executable.

7)If you are using the SmartScan Xpress Barcode COM control in C++ you must do #1 and edit the lpfnDllFunc1 function in the SSXBC4_Open.cpp file by adding the 4 unlock codes. The C++ project just needs to be rebuilt.

Q11: What DLL's do I need to distribute with my application?

For .NET Windows Forms Applications:
PegasusImaging.WinForms.SSXBC4.dll - SmartScan Xpress Barcode .NET Windows Forms Control
PegasusImaging.WinForms.ScanFix5.dll - ScanFix .NET Windows Forms Control (Only required if ScanFix 5.0 is used for image processing in your application)

For All Other Applications:
PegasusImaging.ActiveX.SSXBC4.dll - ActiveX Control
PegasusImaging.ActiveX.ScanFix5.dll - ActiveX Control (Only required if ScanFix 5.0 is used for image processing in your application)

If you are using the Smartscan Xpress Barcode COM component or the ScanFix 5.0 COM component, they need to be registered after installation.

Q12: The data is not being correctly recognized by the SmartScan control. How can I resolve this?

If an image is being scanned with the SmartScan Xpress Barcode control and the results aren't satisfactory, please scan the image with the demo application that is shipped with the product. If the product was installed to the default location, the SmartScan Xpress demo can be found at:

C:\Program Files\Pegasus Imaging\SmartScan Xpress Barcode\V4.0\Samples\ActiveX-COM\VB6\ReadBarcodeDemo

If the results improve, please review the code for the demo and note any differences between the original project and the demo application.

If the results of the scan are still unsatisfactory, please submit a support request to Contact Support and attach the image in a Zip file.

Q13: I am using the ImagXpress 8 .NET control. How do I load the image data into the SmartScan Xpress Barcode control?

To copy an image from the ImagXpress 8 .NET control, you can use the ToHdib method of the ImageX class as outlined in the code samples below. The sample code assumes the image data is in 1 bit per pixel format.

For C# Developers:
PegasusImaging.WinForms.ImagXpress8.ImagXpress ix = new PegasusImaging.WinForms.ImagXpress8.ImagXpress();
PegasusImaging.WinForms.ImagXpress8.ImageX theImageX = PegasusImaging.WinForms.ImagXpress8.ImageX.FromFile("c:\\Pegasus.tif");
ssxBarcode1.reader.Analyze(theImageX.ToHdib(false).ToInt32());

For Visual Basic. NET Developers:
Dim ix As New PegasusImaging.WinForms.ImagXpress8.ImagXpress()
Dim theImageX As PegasusImaging.WinForms.ImagXpress8.ImageX
theImageX = PegasusImaging.WinForms.ImagXpress8.ImageX.FromFile("c:\sample_file.tif")
SsxBarcode1.reader.Analyze(theImageX.ToHdib(False).ToInt32())

Q14: I am trying to read an IATA 2 of 5 barcode and am not seeing the proper value being returned. Why is this and how can the value be read correctly?

The BarcodeAppendCheckSum property must be set to True when reading an IATA 2 of 5 barcode. This allows the additional checksum value to be added at the end of the barcode value.