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The TAL ActiveX component has the ability to save bar codes in all
major graphic file formats including the GIF file format that is used
extensively in web pages. By default, when you save a GIF file using the
TAL ActiveX component, it will save the file as an "uncompressed" GIF. GIF files can also use
a special data compression algorithm called LZW compression that up until
July of 2004 was protected by a Patent held by Unisys Corporation.
The size difference between uncompressed and compressed GIF files is
typically ten to one therefore you can greatly reduce the size of any bar
code image saved as a GIF file by enabling GIF compression in the TAL ActiveX component.
Because of the patent protection of the LZW compression techniques,
the TAL ActiveX component would normally not allow you to create LZW compressed GIF files
without you first purchasing a special license directly from Unisys. To enforce
this, the TAL ActiveX component has two properties that are used to first enable LZW compression in
GIF files as well as specify a special "unlock code" that would unlock the LZW
compression feature in the TAL Active X component after you purchase the license from Unisys.
Now that the Unisys patent has expired, you are now legally allowed to use LZW
compression in GIF files without having to pay a license fee to Unisys however in
order to do so, you will need to configure two properties in the TAL ActiveX component that will both
enable LZW compression as well as unlock it.
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