Mentor Graphics Pads Version History -

Generating PDF-417 Bar Code in Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7

This PDF417 barcode generator software is a popular and time-tested which can easily & quickly generate a high-quality PDF417 barcode images in Windows 2000, XP, Windows 7 & Vista.

Generate one & multiple PDF417 barcodes in Windows

Create PDF417 barcodes in different orientations

Offer various options to adjust the size of PDF417

Provide special settings for PDF417, like row & column count

Able to copy created PDF417 barcode to clipboard

Mature Barcode Generator Software since 2003

Distinguishing Features of PDF417 Barcode Generator Software

Flexible sizing options	Free to select ECL & data mode
Different colors for bar and image	Copy-to-clipboard function
Generate multiple barcodes	Support several image format
Easy to set row & column numbers	Save barcode image to system
Memorize current image settings	Flexible user licenses

Installation of PDF417 Barcode Image Generator

Install

Please double click the exe file "Linear Barcode Generator".

Uninstall

Please close the window or click button "Exit".

Generatation of Single PDF417 Barcode

Enter data at Data to Encode.

Note: PDF 417 can encode all 128 characters of ASCII.

Click button Previewto see created PDF417 barcode.
Click button Preview and Copy to Clipboard to copy PDF417 barcode to clipboard.
Click button Generate Image File to draw generated PDF417 image to Windows system.

Generatation of Multiple PDF417 Barcodes

Click button Generate Multi-Barcode and import a text file with data.

Each data line from text file will be instantly converted to corresponding PDF417 barcode.

Customizing PDF 417 Barcode Settings

Barcode Settings

Apply Tilde
(Default: True)

This property helps user use tilde to encode some special characters.

For example:

1-byte character: ~0dd/~1dd/~2dd (character value from 000 ~ 255); ASCII character '~' is presented by ~126 Strings from "~256" to "~299" are unused.
2-byte character (Unicode): ~6ddddd (character value from 00000 ~ 65535) Strings from "~665536" to "~699999" are unused.
Programming for reader initialisation: ~rp. This should be located at the beginning of the encoding data, e.g. data = "~rpABCD1234".
ECI: ~7dddddd (valid value of dddddd from 000000 to 999999).

Compact
(Default: False)

If this function is activated, the right row indicators of generated PDF417will be removed and the stop pattern will be one-module-width bar.

Users are recommended to set it to true when space considerations are quite important and symbol damage is less possible.

Encoding
(Default: Text)

Four encoding data mode are offered by this PDF417 barcode generator.

Auto: the software will find the most suitable mode for users automatically.
Text: users can encode all the printable ASCII characters (i.e. values from 32 to 126) and three ASCII control characters: HT or tab (ASCII value 9), LF or line feed (ASCII value 10), and CR or carriage return(ASCII value 13) and various latch and shift characters.
Byte: users can encode byte data defined in ISO/IEC 8859-1.
Numeric: users can encode digits 0-9.

Error Correction Level
( Default: 2)

PDF417 has nine error correction levels (0-8) and each level has different data recovery capacity.

Row Count
( Default: 4)

ISO/IEC 24728 specifies that the row number of a PDF417 barcode can range from 3 to 90.

Column Count
( Default: 5)

As is defined in ISO/IEC 24728, the column number of a PDF417 barcode should be in the range of 1 to 30.

Barcode Size

Unit of Measure
(Default: Pixel)

Three measure units are offered here: Pixel, CM & Inch.

Image Width
Image Height
(Default: 0)

The width & height of whole PDF417 image can be defined by users.

Bar Width
(Default: 2)

The width of bar is also adjustable.

Bar Ratio
(Default: 0.3333333)

It refers to the ratio of bar width to row height. It is recommended that the value of this property should be equal or less than 0.5.

Left Margin
Right Margin
Top Margin
Bottom Margin
(Default: 0)

According to ISO/IEC 18004, the quiet zone of PDF417 should be bigger than one module. But the quiet zone area of 2-module width is recommended.

Image Settings

Resolution
(Default: 96)

Users are free to set the values of dots per inch.

Barcode Image Format
(Default: Png)

Users can generate PDF417 barcode an image format of Png, Jpeg, Gif or Bmp image file.

Color Settings

(Background Color
(Default: White)
&
Foreground Color
(Default: Black)

Foreground color refers to module color.

Notice: Although users are able to combine the colors themselves, there are also some restrictions to follow.

Linear (1D) Barcodes:

Matrix(2D) Barcodes:

Mentor Graphics Pads Version History -

Direct integration with live component supply chain databases, allowing designers to pull symbols, footprints, and real-time pricing/availability data with one click.

Enhanced copper pour engines solved long-standing issues with thermal relief generation on complex plane layers. PADS 9.0, 9.1, & 9.2 (2009–2010)

Faster and more efficient layout techniques.

After this significant restructuring, the release cycle continued with regular updates. mentor graphics pads version history

Starting with VX 2.2 in 2019, the product line officially separated into Standard, Standard Plus, and Professional editions. The VX 2.x series saw regular quarterly updates, with VX 2.10 (2021) being notable as the first version rebranded under Siemens ownership.

The Evolution of Mentor Graphics PADS: A Complete Version History

: PADS was first released by Gene Marsh and his son as a DOS-based operating system tool, originally priced at approximately $495 per seat. The Evolution of Mentor Graphics PADS: A Complete

: Modernized the installation process and updated database/ASCII formats for Layout and Router The VX Release and Siemens Acquisition (2014–Present) What’s new in PADS VX.2.12 - Siemens

PADS 9.5 became arguably the most widely used version in the product's history. Many engineers still use this version today due to its proven reliability and stability. It included improvements to PADS Logic and PADS Layout with enhanced simulation capabilities.

PADS 9.0 introduced a scalable multi-tier packaging model (PADS LS, PADS DS, and PADS Professional environments). and over the next few years

Before it became a Mentor Graphics product, the PADS software family was developed by PADS Software Inc. The company released its first product, , in 1986 for the DOS operating system. Over the following years, the toolkit rapidly expanded to include PADS Logic in 1989 and PADS 2000 in 1990, establishing a complete circuit board design flow. In 1993, PADS Perform launched for both DOS and Windows, marking the software's initial step toward a graphical interface that would define its future.

In 2017, Mentor Graphics itself was acquired by for $4.5 billion. The acquisition fully closed in 2018, and over the next few years, the product branding was migrated to "Siemens EDA." The VX naming convention continued on this path into the early 2020s:

Provides High Quality PDF-417 Barcode Generator, PDF-417 Generator.