DataMatrix ActiveX Properties

DataMatrix BarCode ActiveX Properties

Returns or sets the data that is to be encoded in the barcode.

Syntax

object.DataToEncode [ = sDataToEncode ]

Possible Values

DataToEncode String that specifies or receives the barcode data.

The property is read/write.

Control characters and use of the tilde

To insert special characters, the "~" character is used. Below you can see available values of special characters.

~1: Represents the character FNC1. When FNC1 appears in the first position (or in the fifth position of the first symbol of a Structured Append), it will indicate that the data conforms to the UCC/EAN Application Identifier standard format.

~2: Not allowed.

~3: This character are only allowed in the first position of the symbol. It indicates that the data contains commands for the barcode reader.

~4: Not allowed.

~5 and ~6: These characters are only allowed in the first position of the symbol. If ~5 is used the header [)> ascii30 ascii05 ascii29 will be transmitted by the barcode reader before the data in the symbol and the trailer ascii30 ascii04 will be transmitted after the data. If a ~6 is used , the header [)> ascii30 ascii05 ascii29 will be transmitted by the reader before the data and the trailer ascii30 ascii04 will be transmitted afterwards.

~7NNNNNN: Specifies the Extended Channel to be used, where NNNNNN is a value between and 000000 - 999999. For example: ~7000010 means Extended Channel 10. An Extended Channel Interpretation (ECI) is used to change from the default interpretation used to encode data. This mechanism enables characters from other character sets (e.g. Arabic, Cyrillic, Greek, Hebrew) and other data interpretations or industry-specific requirements to be represented. The ECI can only be used with readers enabled to transmit the symbology identifiers.

~xNN: Represents the hexadecimal value of NN, for example, if there is a combination of "~xA7", it will be replaced with the hexadecimal value of A7.

~~: Represents the "~" character. This combination can be used to assign its usual value to the "~" character, thus, "~~1" does not mean FNC1, but two characters "~" and "1".

~R: Represents the carriage return character.

~N: Represents the new line character.

PreferredFormat Property

Returns or sets the the preferred format of the DataMatrix barcode. See for more detail here.

Syntax

object.PreferredFormat [ = ePreferredFormat ]

Possible Values

ePreferredFormat Value that specifies or receives the preferred format.

Value Constant Description

0 fAuto The format is selected automatically, i.e. the minimal available matrix allowing to encode the data is selected.

1 f10x10 10x10

2 f12x12 12x12

3 f14x14 14x14

4 f16x16 16x16

5 f18x18 18x18

6 f20x20 20x20

7 f22x22 22x22

8 f24x24 24x24

9 f26x26 26x26

10 f32x32 32x32

11 f36x36 36x36

12 f40x40 40x40

13 f44x44 44x44

14 f48x48 48x48

15 f52x52 52x52

16 f64x64 64x64

17 f72x72 72x72

18 f80x80 80x80

19 f88x88 88x88

20 f96x96 96x96

21 f104x104 104x104

22 f120x120 120x120

23 f132x132 132x132

24 f144x144 144x144

25 f8x18 8x18

26 f8x32 8x32

27 f12x26 12x26

28 f12x36 12x36

29 f16x36 16x36

30 f16x48 16x48

The property is read/write.

EncodingMode Property

Returns or sets the encoding mode of the DataMatrix barcode. See for more detail here.

Syntax

object.EncodingMode [ = eEncodingMode ]

Possible Values

eEncodingMode Value that specifies or receives the encoding mode of the DataMatrix barcode

Value Constant Description

0 eAuto Auto

1 eASCII ASCII

2 eC40 C40

3 eTEXT TEXT

4 eBASE256 BASE256

5 eEDIFACT EDIFACT

6 eANSIX12 ANSI X12

The property is read/write.

Orientation Property

Returns or sets the orientation of the barcode.

Syntax

object.Orientation [ = eOrientation ]

Possible Values

Orientation Value that specifies or receives the orientation of the barcode.
Valid values are 0, 90, 180 and 270

The property is read/write.

Transparent Property

Returns or sets a value indicating whether the background of a DataMtrix control is transparent or opaque.

Syntax

object.Transparent [ = bTransparent ]

Possible Values

bTransparent Boolean that specifies or receives the Transparent property
If the value is False then the the control's BackColor property setting fills the control and obscures any color or graphics behind it.

The property is read/write.

BackColor Property

Returns or sets the background color of a bar code.

Syntax

object.BackColor [ = sColor ]

Possible Values

sColor Value that specifies or receives the background color

The property is read/write.

Remarks

The BackColor property is ignored if the Transparent property setting is true.
The valid range for a normal RGB color is 0 to 16,777,215 (&HFFFFFF). The high byte of a number in this range equals 0; the lower 3 bytes, from least to most significant byte, determine the amount of red, green, and blue, respectively. The red, green, and blue components are each represented by a number between 0 and 255 (&HFF).

ForeColor Property

Returns or sets the foreground color of all bars in a bar code object.

Syntax

object.ForeColor [ = sColor ]

Possible Values

sColor Value that specifies or receives the background color

The property is read/write.

QuietZone Property

Returns or sets a value that determines whether to include quiet zones at either end of all linear bar code symbols.

Syntax

object.QuietZone [ = bQuietZone ]

Possible Values

bShowQuietZone Boolean that specifies or receives the ShowQuietZone property

The property is read/write.

Remarks

Quiet Zones are small areas of blank space at either end of a bar code image. This space helps to insure that a bar code reader will be able to correctly determine the true beginning and end of a bar code symbol. Most bar code symbology specifications require quiet zones therefore it is highly recommended that you enable this option.

AlignH Property

Returns or sets a horizontal barcode alignment.

Syntax

object.AlignH [ = eAlignH ]

Possible Values

eAlignH Value that specifies or receives the horizontal barcode alignment

Value Constant Description

0 hLeft left

1 hCenter center

2 hRight right

The property is read/write.

AlignV Property

Returns or sets a vertical barcode alignment.

Syntax

object.AlignV [ = eAlignV ]

Possible Values

eAlignV Value that specifies or receives the vertical barcode alignment

Value Constant Description

0 vTop top

1 vCenter center

2 vBottom bottom

The property is read/write.

Picture Property

Returns or sets a barcode picture object.

Syntax

object.Picture [ = Picture ]

Possible Values

picture specifies or receives the barcode picture object

The property is read/write.

StructuredAppend Property

Returns or sets a value that determines whether to enable the structured append.

Syntax

object.StructuredAppend [ = bStructuredAppend ]

Possible Values

bStructuredAppend Boolean that specifies or receives the StructuredAppend property

The property is read/write.

Remarks

Structured append allows files of data to be represented in up to 16 Data Matrix symbols. The original data can be correctly reconstructed regardless of the order in which the symbols are scanned.

StructuredAppendPos Property

Returns or sets a value that determines the matrix position in the structured append.

Syntax

object.StructuredAppendPos [ = iStructuredAppendPos ]

Possible Values

iStructuredAppendPos Integer that specifies or receives the StructuredAppendPos property

The property is read/write.

Remarks

This value indicates the position of the datamatrix symbol within the set (up to 16) of ECC 200 symbols in the Structured Append format.

StructuredAppendTotal Property

Returns or sets a value that determines the total number of the symbols to be concatenated in the Structured Append format.

Syntax

object.StructuredAppendTotal [ = iStructuredAppendTotal ]

Possible Values

iStructuredAppendTotal Integer that specifies or receives the StructuredAppendTotal property

The property is read/write.

StructuredAppendID Property

Returns or sets a value that determines the Structured Append identification.

Syntax

object.StructuredAppendID [ = iStructuredAppendID ]

Possible Values

iStructuredAppendID Integer that specifies or receives the StructuredAppendID property

The property is read/write.

Remarks

The purpose of the Structured Append identification is to increase the probability that only logically linked symbols are processed as part of the same message.

QuietZoneSize Property

Returns or sets a value that determines the quiet zone size. QuietZoneSize is measured in modules. Module is a single cell in a matrix symbology used to encode one bit of data.

Syntax

object.QuietZoneSize [ = iQuietZoneSize ]

Possible Values

iQuietZoneSize Integer that specifies or receives the QuietZoneSize property

The property is read/write.

Remarks

This property does not make sense if the QuietZone property is equal to False. The minimum size of a quiet zone set by the standard ISO/IEC 16022:2000 is one module.

IsDataToEncodeOk Property

Returns the value indicating whether the DataToEncode property is set correctly.

Syntax

object.IsDataToEncodeOk

Possible Values

bIsDataToEncodeOk Boolean that receives the IsDataToEncodeOk property

The property is read only.

IsMatrixSizeOk Property

Returns the value indicating whether the matrix size is specified correctly.

Syntax

object.IsMatrixSizeOk

Possible Values

bIsMatrixSizeOk Boolean that receives the IsMatrixSizeOk property

The property is read only.

MatrixFormat Property

Returns the actual format in which the matrix is encoded. This property can be useful if PreferredFormat=Auto. In this case, only the MatrixFormat property can give you the actual format of the matrix that was used in the Auto mode.

Syntax

object.MatrixFormat [ = eMatrixFormat ]

Possible Values

eMatrixFormat Integer that specifies or receives the MatrixFormat property

The property is read only.