NiceLabel Programming Guide

www.nicelabel.com, info@nicelabel.comNiceLabelProgramming GuideEnglish EditionVersion 20110830-27 2011 Euro Plus d.o.o.All rights reserved.www.nicelabel.comHead OfficeEuro Plus d.o.o.Poslovna cona A 2SI-4208 ŠenčurSloveniaTel: 386 4 280 50 00Fax: 386 4 233 11 48sales@nicelabel.comhttp://www.nicelabel.com

NiceLabel Programming GuideAugust 2011Index1.Introduction . 1—51.1Overview of software integration . 1—51.2Introduction to DDE and ActiveX . 1—61.2.1 What is Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE)? . 1—61.2.2 What is COM / ActiveX? . 1—61.2.3 What is a Type Library? . 1—71.2.4 The OLE/COM Object Viewer . 1—82.1.3What is Visual Basic . 1—81.4What is Visual Studio .NET . 1—81.5What is ASP? . 1—9ActiveX interface . 2—102.1Introduction . 2—102.2How to use NiceLabel ActiveX interface . 2—102.2.1 Basic Method . 2—102.2.2 Advanced Method . 2—112.2.3 Differences between early and late binding . 2—112.3NiceLabel Wrapper . 2—142.3.1 What is NiceLabel Wrapper? . 2—142.3.2 NiceLabel Wrapper Features: . 2—142.3.3 NiceLabel Wrapper Functionality . 2—142.3.4 Usage of NiceLabel Wrapper . 2—142.3.5 Where to get NiceLabel Wrapper? . 2—152.4NiceLabel Engine Wrapper . 2—152.4.1 What is NiceLabel Engine Wrapper? . 2—152.4.2 NiceLabel Engine Wrapper Features: . 2—152.4.3 NiceLabel Engine Wrapper Functionality . 2—152.4.4 Usage of NiceLabel Engine Wrapper . 2—162.4.5 Where to get NiceLabel Engine Wrapper? . 2—162.5Create instance of the installed NiceLabel . 2—162.6Functional comparison between NiceLabel Engine version 5 andNiceLabel Pro version 5 . 2—172.7Logging support for NiceLabel SDK version 5 . 2—172.8NiceLabel SDK Unit Based licensing . 2—172.8.1 Sofware key licensing . 2—172.9NiceLabel ActiveX common interfaces . 2—212.9.1 Class Application . 2—212.9.2 Hierarchy diagram . 2—372.9.3 Class IBarcode (Advanced only) . 2—38www.nicelabel.comPage 1—2 of 299

NiceLabel Programming GuideAugust 2.9.212.9.222.9.232.9.242.9.252.9.26Class IDatabase (Advanced Only) . 2—52Class IDatabaseList (Advanced Only) . 2—59Class IDBDef. 2—61Class IDBField . 2—62Class IDBParameter (Advanced Only) . 2—64Class IEXTFunction (Advanced Only) . 2—66Class IFieldList (Advanced Only) . 2—69Class IFunction (Advanced Only) . 2—70Class IFunctionList (Advanced Only) . 2—73Class IGraphics (Advanced Only) . 2—74Class ILabel (Advanced Only) . 2—85Class INiceLabel (Advanced Only) . 2—104Class IObject (Advanced Only) . 2—128Class IObjectList (Advanced Only) . 2—137Class IOleObject (Advanced Only) . 2—137Class IParagraph (Advanced Only) . 2—146Class IParameterList (Advanced Only) . 2—162Class IRectangle (Advanced Only) . 2—162Class IRTFText (Advanced Only) . 2—174Class IText (Advanced Only) . 2—189Class IVar (Advanced Only) . 2—206Class IVariableList (Advanced Only) . 2—224Class ILabelSettings (Advanced Only) . 0.72.10.8NiceLabel ActiveX interfaces for advanced users. 2—244Class Application . 2—244Class IDatabase . 2—247Class IEXTFunction (Advanced Only) . 2—248Class IFunction . 2—249Class ILabel . 2—251Class IParagraph . 2—252Class IRTFText . 2—252Class IVar. 2—2532.11 Advanced printing via ActiveX interface . 2—2542.11.1 How to use Nlog5 Interface. 2—2542.11.2 Class IPrintJobFactory . 2—2552.122.12.12.12.22.12.33.NiceForm ActiveX Interfaces . 2—256Introduction . 2—256NiceForm ActiveX Interface - Design mode. 2—257NiceForm ActiveX Interface - Run mode . 2—258LabelServices Interface . 3—2603.1Introduction . 3—2603.2Class TPQPrinter . 3—2603.3Class TPQPrinterList . 3—2633.4Class TPQPrinterJob . 3—2633.5Class TPQPrinterJobList . 3—2673.6Types . 3—267www.nicelabel.comPage 1—3 of 299

NiceLabel Programming Guide3.74.August 2011Methods . 3—269DDE Communication . 4—2784.1Introduction . 4—2784.2DDE Commands . 4—2784.2.1 DDEInitiate . 4—2784.2.2 DDEExecute. 4—2784.2.3 DDETerminate . 4—2784.3NiceCommands . 4—2794.3.1 COMMON . 4—2794.3.2 FILE . 4—2824.3.3 PRINTING . 4—2834.3.4 DATABASE . 4—2865.6.Programming Samples . 5—2885.1DDE . 5—2885.2ActiveX interface . 5—2885.3ActiveX Hints . 5—2885.4Active Server Pages . 5—2915.5ASP.NET. 5—2935.6Visual Basic Script (VBScript) . 5—294FAQ . 6—2956.1How to choose different printer for label printing not the one than isselected in the label? . 6—2956.2How to close the label, if you do not have Label ID? . 6—2956.3How to print label, if you do not have Label ID?. 6—2956.4How to save the label with NiceLabel API? . 6—2956.5How can I put NiceLabel in the foreground when I control it withActiveX interface? . 6—2966.6How can I use NiceLabel API in .NET environment? . 6—2966.7Where can I get programming samples for different environments? . 6—2966.8Can I Control NiceForm through the ActiveX Interface? . 6—2967.Glossary . 7—2978.Contacts . 8—299www.nicelabel.comPage 1—4 of 299

NiceLabel Programming GuideAugust 20111. Introduction1.1 Overview of software integrationThe most common method of label print is directly from NiceLabel software using its GUI(graphic user interface). But sometimes there might be other requirements for labelproduction. NiceLabel has a wide variety of connectivity and integration options so you donot need to use NiceLabel interactively, but through an ActiveX interface or Dynamic DataExchange connectivity.NiceLabel can be used as a "print-engine" totally integrated to your custom applicationand invisible to the end-user eyes.Visible to the End UserPrintedlabelsYour ApplicationActiveXDatabaseinterfaceLabel productionNiceLabelNot Visible to the End UserBasically, the end user sees only your custom application that connects to NiceLabel anduses NiceLabel label printing power in the background.The purpose of this manual is to show you how you can control the NiceLabel softwarefrom your own application that will be deployed to the end-user. Everything you mustknow about integration of NiceLabel into your application is described in this manual.The information in this manual is for advanced users and application developers only. Ifyou do not plan to write applications that use integrated NiceLabel to print labels, you canskip reading this manual entirely. If you are interested in NiceLabel connectivity andintegration options in general, please refer to the White Paper covering these options. Youcan download the White Paper from NiceLabel website at www.nicelabel.com.All methods and properties of NiceLabel ActiveX object described in this document areavailable in NiceLabel Pro application. NiceLabel Pro application is available in manyNiceLabel editions, like NiceLabel Pro, NiceLabel Pro Print-Only, NiceLabel Suite,NiceLabel Suite Print-Only, NiceLabel Suite Network, NiceLabel SDK and other.NiceLabel Express and NiceLabel SE editions do not have the ActiveX interface.www.nicelabel.comPage 1—5 of 299

NiceLabel Programming GuideAugust 2011This manual contains a FAQ section where most frequently asked questions areanswered.1.2 Introduction to DDE and ActiveX1.2.1 What is Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE)?Microsoft Windows allows multiple programs to run at the same time. Part of power of theWindows environment lies in the ability of these programs to communicate with eachother. Various methods of inter-process communication are available in Windows,including the "clipboard," Object Linking and Embedding (OLE), and Dynamic DataExchange (DDE).The Dynamic Data Exchange mechanism is one way for software applications tocommunicate with each other. This communication has two forms: data and commands.Data are identified by the application name and by individual topic and item names withinthat application. It is also possible to create hot links, so that one application can notifyanother when information has changed. Applications can also execute commands in otherapplications.From the user's perspective, establishing a DDE link is often no different from cutting andpasting non-dynamic data between applications. The user can often establish a DDE linkby "copying" the data from one application, and then, in a second application choosing acommand like "Paste Link." from a menu. The DDE link then continues to exist withoutfurther action on the user's part.The developer's view of DDE is quite different. At its most basic level, DDE is simply amessage-based protocol, which applications can use to share data in global memory.Applications can share data on a one-time basis or on an ongoing basis in which newdata is automatically sent from one application to another when it becomes available.Dynamic Data Exchange or DDE is a Windows feature that allows Windows applicationsto communicate with each other. DDE is based on the messaging system built intoWindows. Two Windows programs can carry on a DDE "conversation" by postingmessages to each other. These two programs are known as the "server" and the "client".A DDE server is the program that has access to data that may be useful to other Windowsprograms. A DDE client is the program that obtains this data from the server.1.2.2 What is COM / ActiveX?The Component Object Model (COM) is a binary standard designed to support reusable,language-independent and multi-platform components. With COM, it is possible for onecomponent to communicate with another component. These components can be ondifferent threads, processes, or even machines.ActiveX is Microsoft’s implementation of COM. COM and ActiveX are often usedinterchangeably in different technical documentation. An ActiveX control is just a specialuser interface ActiveX (COM) object designed for use on forms.COM objects define interfaces that expose methods and properties by which clients (userapplications) can manipulate the object. In fact, objects can only be manipulated via aninterface. Interfaces are immutable, which means that once an interface has beenpublished, it can never change. In other words, methods should never be added,removed, or have their signatures changed. A new version of the object could be providedby a new interface to expose any new functionality while keeping the original interfacewww.nicelabel.comPage 1—6 of 299

NiceLabel Programming GuideAugust 2011intact. Objects typically have many interfaces. A method of one interface may access,use, or return another interface.1.2.3 What is a Type Library?A Type Library is a file that contains descriptions of a component’s classes, interfaces,data types, and methods. The type library may be a stand-alone file (usually with an .OLBextension) or may be embedded within the runtime file (DLL or executable). The contentsof a type library may be inspected with a type library browser such as OLEVIEW.EXE thatcan be downloaded from the Microsoft web site.The type library supplied by the NiceLabel labeling software is a file called Nlabel5.OLBthat describes the type of all of the ActiveX objects. For NiceLabel version 4 suitable fileis NICE4.OLB , for NiceLabel version 3 suitable file is NI

NiceLabel Programming Guide August 2011 www.nicelabel.com Page 1—5 of 299 1. Introduction 1.1 Overview of software integration The most common method of labe