Frequently Asked Questions

B-Coder quickly and easily generates high quality barcodes that can be pasted into other Windows applications or saved locally in popular image file formats. Barcodes are always completely accurate and readable. B-Coder also comes with Add-Ins for Microsoft Word that allow you to create your barcodes directly from your document, including automically merging data into labels with unqiue barcodes.

The main difference lies in the more open and accessible nature of B-Coder. Instead of requiring you to learn how to design and edit in an entirely new environment, B-Coder allows you to stick with the programs you are already familiar with: Microsoft Word, Illustrator, and any other Windows applications you use. This gives you full barcoding capabilities in a familiar setting, reducing headaches and training time.

B-Coder also allows you to print accurate and readable barcodes to any printer. Many dedicated label programs are only designed to work with specialized (and expensive) barcode label printers. Barcodes generated with B-Coder can be printed via standard laser or ink-jet printers on "Avery" or similar labels. B-Coder can also be used when you want to print barcodes on documents, business cards and forms in addition to labels.

While both programs allow you to generate high quality barcodes, B-Coder Pro allows the user to automate barcode production in programs such as Microsoft Word and Access. This is because it supports the DDE command language not supported in the Lite version. In addition B-Coder Pro supports all the major barcode symbologies, including the 2-D symbologies (such as PDF417). Also, B-Coder Lite is NOT currently compatible with Windows 7 or Windows 8.

Yes, barcodes generated in B-Coder can be pasted into any Windows application that accepts graphics, including Word, Access, PageMaker, Illustrator, Photoshop, Corel Draw and more. Because some programs convert the barcode into a raster image, you may wish to resize the barcode in B-Coder to ensure readability. Barcodes can also be saved in popular graphic formats like Windows Metafile (WMF), EPS, TIFF, bitmap, GIF, and more.

While it is possible to use B-Coder with Access, it is much easier and more efficient to use our ActiveX Control. B-Coder uses macros to copy and paste barcode images into an OLE field in your table. This means that your database grows in size and that if you modify the data in your table you must rerun the macros to update the images. Furthermore, since the VBA macros must be modified to work with the fields in your database, many novice users have trouble setting it up. The ActiveX control does not require any code and can be added to a form or report in Access just like a textbox control, simply set the Control Source Property of the control to a field in a table or query, then run your form or report. Thats all there is to it! The ActiveX control even comes with its own sample Access database.

No. One of B-Coder's advantages is the ability to print accurate and readable barcodes to any Windows printer, includeing laser, inkjet, dot matrix and thermal printers. In fact, barcodes generated by B-Coder (in the default WMF format) will print to the highest possible resolution of any printer – even 2500+ dpi image setters!

Yes. In short, barcodes generated by TALtech software are much better than barcode fonts. In fact, GS1 (formally the Uniform Code Council) does not recommend the use of fonts.

" Barcode fonts have been known to create EAN/UPC symbols with serious design defects. The problems may be caused by the design of the font, an operator input, or a combination of both."

"Extreme caution should be used when producing EAN/UPC symbols with barcode fonts."

- UCC Guidelines for Providers of EAN/UPC Symbol Design Software.

Fonts have limited ability to manipulate the size of individual characters (distortion), spacing between the characters (kerning) and the possibility of font or resolution substitution at the output stage. However there are many other problems with barcode fonts. The user cannot specify the module (bar) width exactly in printer dots. Fonts do not support Bar Width Reduction. Nor do they support many of the features specific to bar code symbols such as Bearer Bars, Quiet Zones, independent symbol height and module (bar) width specification, symbol rotation and support for binary data (including ACSII nulls in Code 128, Code 39, Code 93 and PDF 417).

In addition, most fonts do not automatically calculate and add check digits and other security features to barcodes. To add check digits you would need a separate application that calculates the check digits first before you create the barcodes.

All of our barcode software products create the highest quality barcodes possible in Windows. We use Windows Metafile as the default file format. Since the barcodes are stored in this vector based format, they can print to the highest resolution of any printer, have a very small file-size, and are printed and generated very quickly. Our software will also add the correct check digits automatically if your barcode symbology (type) requires them.

Minor Update
Occasionally we will update a product to fix a problem or we will add a new feature. For all minor releases - you can simply download the latest version of your software, uninstall the existing copy and then install the new version. You should not need to reenter the unlock key and there is no cost for the update.

Major Update
TALtech may charge an upgrade fee for major upgrades. Once you've paid the upgrade fee you are entitled to free minor upgrades for that release stream. For example, if you pay the upgrade fee for B-Coder 4.0 (from B-Coder 3.x), you will be entitled to all minor upgrades in the 4.x release stream.

Yes. Not only is the software extremely easy to use, it also comes with unlimited FREE technical support by phone, fax and email, a clearly written manual and on-line help. To ensure your satisfaction, all TAL software products are covered by a 90-day unconditional money-back guarantee.