C#

Install Inlite.BarcodeReader.IP NuGet packages

This package installs ClearImageNet.70.dll assembly, which contains two namespaces.

Inlite.ClearImageNet namespace implements high-level functions recommended to use in new applications. Code examples use only this namespace.
Inlite.ClearImage namespace is substantially compatible with the COM API and is specifically designed to ease the migration from ClearImage COM API applications to .NET. It also supports a few low-level functions.

ClearImage Project Development

Use Visual Studio C# ClearImage example project or follow the code examples below.

Extend functionality

Combine code examples on this page with methods described in ClearImage API documentation in developing your project. Contact [email protected] if you have questions.

Exception handling

ClearImage .NET API reports errors as an Exception object.

try {
    //  Call ClearImage .NET API
    }
catch(Exception ex) {
    Console.WriteLine("ERROR: " + ex.Message);
    }

Barcode Reading

Read 1D barcodes from a page

This example reads code 39 and code 128 barcodes. Set barcode types used in your application. Setting reader.Auto1D=true; automatically finds barcode type, but it is slower and is not recommended for production.

using Inlite.ClearImageNet;

void ReadBarcode1D_page(string fileName, int page) {
    try {
        using(BarcodeReader reader = new BarcodeReader()) {
            reader.Code39 = true; reader.Code128 = true;  
            // reader.Auto1D = true;
            Barcode[] barcodes = reader.Read(fileName, page);
            foreach(Barcode barcode in barcodes)
                Console.WriteLine($"Barcode type: {barcode.Type}   Text: {barcode.Text}");
            }
        }
    catch(Exception ex) { Console.WriteLine("Exception: " + ex.ToString()); }
    }

Read 2D Barcode from a page

This example reads PDF417, DataMatrix, and QR code. 2D barcodes might contain binary data available in Barcode.Data property.

using Inlite.ClearImageNet;

void ReadBarcode2D_page(string fileName, int page) {
    try {
        using(BarcodeReader reader = new BarcodeReader()) {
            reader.Pdf417 = true; 
            // reader.DataMatrix = true;
            // reader.QR = true;
            Barcode[] barcodes = reader.Read(fileName, page);
            foreach(Barcode barcode in barcodes) 
                Console.WriteLine($"Barcode type: {barcode.Type}   Text: {barcode.Text}");
            }
        }
    catch(Exception ex) { Console.WriteLine("Exception: " + ex.ToString()); }
    }

Read Postal Barcodes from a page

This example reads Postal Barcodes from an image file page.

using Inlite.ClearImageNet;

void ReadPostal_page(string fileName, int page) {
    try {
        using(BarcodeReader reader = new BarcodeReader()) {
            reader.FourState = true;  //  <= Read postal barcodes
            Barcode[] barcodes = reader.Read(fileName, page);
            foreach(Barcode barcode in barcodes) {
                switch(barcode.Type) {
                    case BarcodeType.UspsIntelligentMail:
                        Console.Write(" US Intelligent Mail"); break;
                    case BarcodeType.BpoPostcode:
                        Console.Write("UK Royal Mail"); break;
                    case BarcodeType.AustralianPost:
                        Console.Write("Australian Mail"); break;
                    case BarcodeType.SingaporePost:
                        Console.Write("Singapore Mail"); break;
                    case BarcodeType.FourState:
                        Console.Write("ForState "); break;
                    }
                Console.WriteLine("   Text: " + barcode.Text);
                }
            }
        }
    catch(Exception ex) { Console.WriteLine("Exception: " + ex.ToString()); }
    }

Read Driver's License barcode

This example reads the Driver's License barcode from an image file page.

using Inlite.ClearImageNet;

void ReadDriverLicBarcode_page(string fileName, int page) {
    try {
        using(BarcodeReader reader = new BarcodeReader()) {
            reader.DrvLicID = true;  
            Barcode[] barcodes = reader.Read(fileName, page);
            foreach(Barcode barcode in barcodes) {
                Inlite.Data.DLDecoder decoder = new Inlite.Data.DLDecoder();
                if(decoder.Decode(text) != "") {
                    Console.WriteLine("last: " + decoder.last);
                    Console.WriteLine("first: " + decoder.first);
                    Console.WriteLine("middle: " + decoder.middle);
                    Console.WriteLine("dob: " + decoder.dob);
                    Console.WriteLine("eyes: " + decoder.eyes);
                    Console.WriteLine("hair: " + decoder.hair);
                    Console.WriteLine("sex: " + decoder.sex);
                    Console.WriteLine("height: " + decoder.height);
                    Console.WriteLine("street: " + decoder.street);
                    Console.WriteLine("city: " + decoder.city);
                    Console.WriteLine("state: " + decoder.state);
                    Console.WriteLine("postal: " + decoder.postal);
                    Console.WriteLine("country: " + decoder.country);
                    Console.WriteLine("id: " + decoder.id);
                    Console.WriteLine("issued: " + decoder.issued);
                    Console.WriteLine("expires: " + decoder.expires);
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    catch(Exception ex) { Console.WriteLine("Exception: " + ex.ToString()); }
    }

Read from a multi-page image file

This example reads barcodes from a single-page file or all pages of a multi-page image file.

using Inlite.ClearImageNet;

void ReadBarcode1D_file(string fileName) {
    try {
        using(BarcodeReader reader = new BarcodeReader()) {
            reader.Code39 = true; reader.Code128 = true;
            Barcode[] barcodes = reader.Read(fileName); // <== Read from all pages
            foreach(Barcode barcode in barcodes) 
                Console.WriteLine($"Barcode type: {barcode.Type}  Barcode page: {barcode.Page}  Text: {barcode.Text}");
            }
        }
    catch(Exception ex) { Console.WriteLine("Exception: " + ex.ToString()); }
    }

Read from a stream

This example reads barcodes from a stream. The stream contains the content of a single image file. For example, if a file is stored in a database.

using Inlite.ClearImageNet;

void ReadBarcode1D_stream(Stream stream) {
    try {
        using(BarcodeReader reader = new BarcodeReader()) {
            reader.Code39 = true; reader.Code128 = true;
            Barcode[] barcodes = reader.Read(stream); // <== read from a stream
            foreach(Barcode barcode in barcodes) 
                Console.WriteLine($"Barcode type: {barcode.Type}  Barcode page: {barcode.Page}  Text: {barcode.Text}");
            }
        }
    catch(Exception ex) { Console.WriteLine("Exception: " + ex.ToString()); }
    }

Optimize barcode reading

This page describes methods for improving the recognition rate and/or speed

Image Processing

Repair image page

This example uses some of the most popular image-processing functions. In a production application, the specific sequence of functions should be selected based on specific application needs.

using Inlite.ClearImageNet;

static void RepairPage(ImageEditor editor) {
    editor.AutoDeskew();
    editor.AutoRotate();
    editor.AutoCrop(10, 10, 10, 10);     // Crop to 10 pixels on each side
    // editor.AdvancedBinarize();        // Convert to bi-tonal an image with complex background patterns
    editor.ToBitonal();
    editor.BorderExtract(BorderExtractMode.deskewCrop); // Deskew and crop based on black border
    editor.RemovePunchHoles();
    editor.SmoothCharacters();
    editor.CleanNoise(3);               // Clean black noise of 3 pixels
    // editor.CleanNoise    // Clean black and white noise            
    //    (CleanNoiseFlags.black | CleanNoiseFlags.white, 3, 3, 10); 
    editor.ReconstructLines(LineDirection.horzAndVert);
    }

void Repair_page(string fileName, int page, string fileOut) {
    try {
        using(ImageEditor editor = new ImageEditor()) {
            editor.Image.Open(fileName, page);
            // Do image repair
            RepairPage(editor);
            // Save results
            editor.Image.SaveAs(fileOut, Inlite.ClearImage.EFileFormat.ciEXT);
            }
        }
    catch(Exception ex) { Console.WriteLine("Exception: " + ex.ToString()); }
    }

Repair all images in a multi-page file

This example repairs all images in a multi-page file and saves the result in the fileOut file.

using Inlite.ClearImageNet;

private static void _OnEditPage(object sender, EditPageEventArgs e) {
    // e.cancel = true;    // Abort file processing 
    // e.skipPage = true;  // Remove this page from the output
    RepairPage(e.Editor);  // See this method in a single page example
    }

void Repair_file(string fileName, string fileOut) {
    try {
        using(ImageEditor editor = new ImageEditor()) {
            bool ret = editor.Edit(fileName, _OnEditPage, fileOut, ImageFileFormat.outputFileExtension, true);
            }
        }
    catch(Exception ex) { Console.WriteLine("Exception: " + ex.ToString()); }
    }

Repair all images in a stream

This example repairs all images in an input stream and saves the output stream using a specified file format. Streams contain the content of a single image file. For example, if a file is stored in a database.

using Inlite.ClearImageNet;

private static void _OnEditPage(object sender, EditPageEventArgs e) {
    RepairPage(e.Editor);  // See this method in a single page example
    }

Stream Repair_stream(Stream stream, ImageFileFormat output_format) {
    try {
        using(ImageEditor editor = new ImageEditor()) {
            MemoryStream msOut = editor.Edit(stream, _OnEditPage, output_format);
            return msOut;
            }
        }
    catch(Exception ex) { Console.WriteLine("Exception: " + ex.ToString()); return null; }
    }