V Badge Lite 4.1

Introduction
V Badge Lite is a 32-bit application for Windows 95/98 and Windows NT4 application.
This software is very helpful for printing ID cards, business cards and greeting cards, you can also use it to print labels. It will arrange cards for you on the paper automatically. It supports scanners, digital cameras, video capture cards, and OLE object. This version is free to individual users, no need to register.
Since this version is free, I will not provide neither technical supports nor any other warranties (however, I would like to see suggestions and bug reports).

Installation

Run Windows

V Badge Lite is a 32-bit application software, thus, must be installed on Windows 95/98 or Windows NT4. It cannot be install from DOS or Windows 3.x.

System Requirement

Installing V Badge Lite Software

Note:

Remarks & Recommendation

Capturing by video device


Tips for quick running

  • Click the right button of the mouse on any empty area of design, a popup insert menu will let you select a new item which you like to create;
  • You can move and resize item by mouse;
  • An item stays in it's own layer, One click on the item will bring it to the top layer when items are overlapped.
  • Click the right button of the mouse on the item, a popup menu will let you edit it;
  • Left alignment: Hold on to left button of mouse, drag across left side of items you would like to align, release button.
  • Right alignment: Hold on to left button of mouse, drag across right side of items you would like to align, release button.
  • Use 'Files-Copies', if you want to print multi cards on one sheet.

    • Primary menu items
  • File
  • View
  • Edit
  • Item
  • Insert
  • Options
  • Help
    • File

    The commands on the File menu let you: Handle files (the New, Open, Save, Save As, Badge Password, Connect Database, Import Database commands); Define Card Design (Size, Portrait); Print Cards (Print Setup, Copies, Print); Edit Record (Badge Production); Exit CFM (Exit).

    New Create a new document.
    You are free to design and input any information on the badge design as long as they do not violate the software limitation. Design files created using V Badge ends with extension of 'cfm'.

    Open Open an existing document.
    When selected, the OPEN dialog box will be called. You may open file in V Badge format.

    Save Save the active document.
    To save a new design, there is no difference whether you choose SAVE or Save As. The Save As dialog box will be called. You may specify the designated disk drive, directory, filename, and extension 'cfm' to save the BADGE you have designed.

    Save As Save the active document with a new name.
    When you choose Save As, the Save As dialog box appears. Key in a new filename and the extension 'cfm' for the design. You may specify to save the design in any valid directory. If you are saving a file to a new filename, the new file shares the same database with the old file. To create a new database for the new file, set the current database to default by selecting the 'Default' button from 'Connect Database' under 'File' menu.

    Badge Password Set password for a badge file.
    Protect your badge file with a password. Click Badge Password, type a password and its verification when prompt. When you or your co-workers attempt to open the badge file, the software will ask for the password. However, this Badge Password only prevents unauthorised user to open the CFM file. Badge Password does not protect the database. If you are using MS Access to store confidential information, you may set a password in MS Access for opening the database to prevent unauthorised users from opening it. (Please find out more information from Microsoft Office User Manual / Online Help.) However, if you forget the password, there is no way that the database can be access again.

    Card Size To define the size of the badge.
    Every printer has its own margin setting. Applying Card Size with reference to the selected printer will re-position the card placement to give the best output. It is recommended that you set the card size before sending the record to printer.

    * The default card size is credit card size, 86 mm x 54 mm.

    Portrait To define the orientation of the badge.
    You have to define the orientation of the badge before designing the badge. This option allows you to define the orientation of the badge to be in either landscape (horizontal) or portrait (vertical). To create a badge design in Portrait, mark 'Portrait'. Otherwise, the badge will be in Landscape.

    Printer Setup Allows you to change the printing setup of the current printer.
    This option allows you to select the desired printer and define the properties for printouts. Please refer to your printer manual for more information.

    Card Copies Set the number of copies to be printed.
    You may define the number of copies of the same card to be printed. Unlike copies setting inside printer setup dialog box, this setting will allow you to print more than one copy on same sheet of paper when you're using laser or ink jet printer.

    Print Send image to the selected printer.
    This option allows you to print the format of the badge image to the selected printer.

    Exit Quit Application and returns to Windows.
    A dialog box will prompt to ask if the user want to save the modified design before exit the program. Click the Yes button to save the changes, No button to ignore or Cancel button to remain in CFM without saving the design.

    View

    The commands on the Layer menu let you: Show or hide Tool Bar / Status Bar / Grid (Tool Bar, Status Bar, Grid commands); Design on front or back of the badge (Front, Back commands);

    Tool Bar Show / Hide tool bar.
    When marked, tool bar will be displayed immediately below the menu.

    Status Bar Show / Hide status tool Bar.
    When marked, status bar will be displayed at the bottom of the main widow.

    Front Switch to first side of badge.

    Back Switch to second side of badge.
    For dual sides printing.

    Show Grid Show / Hide Grid.
    These grids help you with the alignment when placing objects, especially when you move a item by keyboard. The density of the grid will depend on the grid size selected under Option menu.

    Edit

    The commands on the Edit menu let you: Edit selected caption (Cut, Copy, Paste, Paste Special, and Paste Link); Define properties of a selected link item (Properties, Change Source, and Links); Define properties of caption.

    Cut Delete the selected caption.
    The highlighted field or text caption will be deleted. However, this caption is temporary stored in the clipboard. If you click paste before cutting or copying another caption, the deleted caption will be pasted back to the design.

    Copy Copy the selected caption.
    Copy the highlighted field or text caption to clipboard.

    Paste Paste the caption from clipboard.
    Paste the caption from clipboard.

    Paste Special Paste the caption from clipboard.
    Paste the caption from clipboard with different format selection when pasting bitmap, text or OLE object.

    Paste Link Link the pasted caption to the original file.
    When the content of the original file is changed, then the caption in the design will also change accordingly. Example, a caption from clipboard, which was copied from MS Words. The linked object in the destination file is automatically updated when the source file is updated.
    Paste link is used when:
  • want changes to the original information to be reflected in your file.
  • Want to share information among many files, or among files contained within an Office binder.
  • Want to minimize file size or save hard disk space.

    Properties Property information of the caption pasted.
    • Properties will display the object types available. You may convert the property of a caption to one of the suitable object type.

    Change Source Change object source.
    You may change the document source linked. This is useful when the source document is being saved to another location.

    Links List the objects and their source links.
    Form the list, you may select to edit or change the object, or break the link between the pasted object and its source.

    Nothing Selected / Text / Drawing / Picture / Logo / Object /List the functions available for the selected object.
    Provides a list of functions available for editing the selected object.
    Hot key:
  • right button click on the item will bring a popup menu.
  • double click right button will perform Edit function on the item.


    • Item

    The commands on the Item menu let you:

    When no input is selected, Font, Orientation or Color defined under Object menu will be set as default for the current badge design unless there are further changes. To change the color for each input, you can use the options in the EDIT menu after inputting the drawing objects, text or field captions.

    Font Define the DEFAULT FONT type, style, color, effect and size for text or field captions for current badge design.
    To define the default font, select Font when no caption is selected. "Text" or "Field" will use this Font by default. Subject to printer used, if printing using black wax ribbon is available in your card printer and you wish to print the text in resin black, then select true type font in black for your text or field. For more detail, please refer to your printer manual.

    Color Define the DEFAULT COLOR to the objects drawn for current badge design.
    To define the default color, select Color when no caption is selected. "Text", "Field" or "Drawing" will use this color by default.

    Rotation Set DEFAULT ORIENTATION for text or field caption in vertical or horizontal mode for current badge design.
    To define the default orientation, select Orientation when no caption is selected. "Text" or "Field" will use this orientation by default.

    Sink Send the selected caption one level back.
    Objects automatically stack in individual layers as you add them to a design template. You see the stacking order when objects overlap— the top object covers a portion of objects beneath it. You can move individual objects in a stack. For example, you can move objects up or down within a stack one layer at a time. You can overlap objects when you draw to create different effects. You don't have to draw the bottom object first— you can always move it later. Hot Key: 'F2'
    Note: One simple click on the item will bring it to the top layer when items are overlapped.

    Next Select the next caption.
    Objects automatically stack in individual layers as you add them to the design. You see the stacking order when objects overlap— the top object covers a portion of objects beneath it. If you "lose" an object in a stack, you can press F3 to cycle forward through the objects until it's selected. Hot Key: 'F3'

    Insert

    The commands on the Insert menu let you:
  • Input items to your design (No Printing, Field, Text, Photo, Signature, Drawing, Picture, Logo, Object and Background). Besides background, all other object layer may be change.
    • Shortcut
  • When you click the right button of the mouse on any blank space on your design, Input Menu functions — Text, Draw, Picture, Logo and Background are available for selection.


    • No Printing Define no-print areas in the design.
    You can define captions with no printing. No Printing is always on top layer, therefore any area covered by the No Printing caption defined will not be printed. This feature is usually required when printing on IC chip card. Also remember to set the OVERLAY WINDOW in the Printer Setup so that nothing will be printed on the IC. Partial printing of overlay is a function of the card printer driver, and not all printer drivers have this function. Different printer driver interprets image or partial overlay differently. Please refer to Appendix 2 on Partial Overlay for SIS printers. For other printers, refer to the respective printer manual for more detail.

    Text Add text to your design.
    You can add as many lines of text as possible to the design. Defining the orientation can place text horizontally or vertically. To resize the text line by mouse, drag the handle of the caption. For a horizontal text string, to change the spacing but retain the font size, resize caption border by mouse horizontally with releasing mouse button while holding down the <Ctrl> key; to change it to a multi-line format, resize caption border by mouse vertically with releasing mouse button while holding down the <Ctrl> key.

    To print barcode as text, you must have barcode fonts loaded to your Windows Operating System. The text must be enclosed with asterisk "*". That is, to print the word "Welcome" in barcode font, you should key *Welcome* in the TEXT input dialog box, place the text within the badge area, highlight the text, then change the font of the text to barcode font. Similar to barcode, fonts may be printed in composite or resin black depending on your printer's feature and the color you have defined.

    You may perform Edit, Color, Font and Rotate on it.


    Drawing Drawing tools that allow you to draw rectangle, ellipse or circle.

    You can make use of these drawing tools in your design. Select the relevant choice (rectangle, ellipse, or circle) and size the area of the caption within the frame. The first shape drawn will be placed at the bottom and the last one place on top. You may change the placement level of the shape drawn by pointing the shape you wish to bring to the top and clicking the left mouse. There is no option for drawing straight lines. Therefore, the Draw Rectangle function is also used to draw straight line.You may change it's Color.


    Picture Allow you to paste / scan images.
    There is no limit to the number of pictures you can put to the design. If you have a printed image and wish to place it in the design, you may input the image using a twain supported scanner or video camera via Video for Windows and place it as a picture. If the background of the image is pure white, you may set the picture background as transparent. At such, the card background will be shown.
    You may perform Input, Load From Clipboard, Copy To Clipboard, Saturation, RGB, Auto Adjustment, Sharpness, Background and Edit(Photo Processor) on it. Refer to Appendix on Picture Properties.
    3 options for it:
    Note:
    It is better to resize it before capturing.
    This software saves RGB, CMY, contrast and saturation values as parameters, without affecting bitmap, so you can make color adjustment as many times as you want without losing image quality.

    Logo Allow you to import logo designed or scanned.
    There is no limit to the number of logos. If you have a logo and a slogan, the slogan can be treated as a logo. It is similar to Picture, except that logo has to be loaded from image file. Each time when you want to load a logo, you will be prompt the Open dialog box. Search through the directories until the file containing the logo image is found. Logo can be imported from any of the following format— Bitmap, JPEG, Tiff and Targa.
    You may edit it to change the bitmap file.
    2 options for it:
    Noto:

    Object Allow you to insert object recognised by Microsoft Office.
    This function is the same as Insert Object in Microsoft Office. With this function, you may insert object like clipart, Microsoft Word Picture, Microsoft Word Document, etc. recognised by Microsoft Office.

    Background Define a background for your design.
    You can fill the background with white, i.e. no background, basic color available from the color chart, defined color, or import a image / graphic file designed using photo design & production tool like PhotoStyler, PhotoShop, or CorelDraw in format which Microsoft Windows recognise, such as Bitmap, Jpeg, Tiff, Tagar, and PCX. There is also an option to scan the image from hardcopy.


    Options

    The commands on the Option menu let you:
  • Select a inputting option;
  • Select whether to compress the captured image, compression rate;
  • Select the step of movement for each object.

    • Capture Device Type of Capturing Device for scanning Picture and Background.
    There are three options for capturing image, namely Twain, Twain32, and Video for Windows. Twain and Twain32 supports Twain compatible devices, whereas Video for Windows is for Video Capture card installed in the PC. Please note that Twain does not work on Windows NT.

    Compress Option to compress image pasted on the design.
    If marked, Compress, the software will compress the images according to the rate you have set under Compression Rate.

    Compression Rate To set the rate in which you want the images to be compressed.
    The default compression rate is set at 80. If you want to compress the image more, reduce the compression rate. When compression rate is set at 100, then compression will be at minimum. The smaller the parameter, the file size will be smaller, at the same time the quality is poorer.

    Grid Define the movement of the pointer by setting the grid size.
    This option enables you to define the movement step when you move a item by keyboard. This selection will also affect the grid display on the background if Show Grid under View menu is selected. You can move the selected object by using keyborad kyes: arrows, Home, End, PgUp and PgDn. If you move the item by mouse, movement will not follow the grids.


    Help

    About… This reflects the version of V Badge Lite application.






    Appendix
  • Picture Properties
  • Twain Device
  • Twain32 Device
  • Video For Windows Device
  • Cards.ini

    • Picture Properties

    Note:

    This software saves RGB, CMY, contrast and saturation values as parameters, without affecting bitmap, so you can make color adjustment as many times as you want without losing image quality.
    Shortcut
    1. Brightness and Saturation, RGB, or CMY screen will appear when you click the right mouse with the mouse pointer pointing at the photo. Screen output depends on the previous selection.
    2. You can activate photo editor software like MS Paint, or Corel Photo Paint by pointing the mouse pointer at the photo and double click the left mouse. * The Photo Processor references to the default bitmap editor of Windows.

    Note:
    This software saves RGB, CMY, contrast and saturation values as parameters, without affecting bitmap, so you can make color adjustment as many times as you want without losing image quality.

    Input Captures image and place it in the panel.
    Depending on the selection in Option menu, this function can use Twain or Video For Windows compatible device to capture image.
    When using Twain, device such as scanner or digital camera and Twain driver are used to scan photos or take pictures for inputting to the record. Before you can capture a photo, you have to select the correct capture device under the Option menu. When you activate Input, it will call the appropriate device window for your application. You can move and resize the clipping rectangle by mouse or keyboard, click OK to transfer the image to the record and display it on screen.Refer to Appendix Twain Device or Twain32 Device for more information.
    When using Video For Windows, video capture card and Video For Windows driver are required in order to capture image. You can move the clipping rectangle by mouse or keyboard, click OK to transfer the image to the record and display it on screen. Refer to Appendix — Video For Windows Device for more information.

    Load From Clipboard Input image from clipboard.
    You may load an image copied to the clipboard from any other application software to a record.

    Copy To Clipboard Copy photo image to clipboard.
    You may copy the photo image of a record to the clipboard for usage in any other application software.

    Saturation Brightness and Saturation control.
    This is a simple way for you to fine-tune the photograph taken. Adjusts the brightness, contrast and color intensity of the photo for current record. Brightness is the relative brightness or darkness of the color. Contrast is the tonal gradation between the highlights, midtones, and shadows in an image. Saturation is the strength or purity of the color. Remember to save the work done before going to the next record.

    RGB RGB Control.
    This is a more advance way to adjust the photograph taken. Contrast, Red, Green and Blue adjustment to photo for current record. In RGB mode, various brightness values of red, green and blue light combine to form the colors on the screen. Controlling the intensities of the individual RGB components represents the range of colors in the visible spectrum. When the box indicating Show Map is checked, the RGB map will be shown. The x-axis of the graph represent the original brightness values of the pixels (input levels); the y-axis represents the new brightness values (output levels). The diagonal line that appears by default shows the current relationship between the input and output values. No pixels have been mapped to new values, so all pixels have the identical input and output values. You can adjust the intensities of the individual RGB components of the photo for current record by controlling RGB color value. Unchecked the Show Map box to preview photo output. When you check the box indicating First Color Draft, you can control all RGB components correspondingly by adjusting the Red component. Remember to save the work done before going to the next record.

    Auto Adjustment Automatically adjust the brightness and saturation of the photo based on RGB channel.
    Auto adjustment function automatically define the lightest and darkest pixels in each channel as white and black and then redistribute the intermediate pixel values proportionately. In general, the Auto feature gives good results when a simple contrast adjustment is needed to an image with an average distribution of pixel values; however, this feature does not provide the more precise control that can be achieved by adjusting the Levels or Curves controls manually. Remember to save the work done before going to the next record.

    Sharpness Adjust the sharpness of the photo.
    This option allows you to sharpen the soft edges to increase clarity or focus of the photo for the current record. Remember to save the work done before going to the next record.

    Background Simple application to drop photo background.
    This background function is designed for dropping photo background for Photo Transparence. Color in the Pour bucket is default as pure white. The color picker picks a background color for auto replacement using Auto key, the background color of the photo will be filled with white. After 'Auto' or 'Pour', you may see some small area(s) — stain, on the background which is not white. Set a value for stain, the application program will remove the stains inside the background. The stain is directly proportional with the stain value, i.e. the higher the stain value, the larger the stain area. If the background color is very close to the flesh color, you may find certain area of the face replaced with white. To rectify this problem, use patch. Remember to save the work done before going to the next record.

    Photo Processor Edit the current image using all the functions available in photo processing software.
    When you double click the right mouse on the photo, the default Windows bitmap editor will be loaded. However, this software 4 needs the editor to be fully compatible to the OLE standard. MS Paint and Corel Photo Paint are recommended. Photoshop (up to version 5.0), PaintShopPro (up to version 3.0), and Ulead ImagePal (up to version 2.0) are not compatible.



    Twain Device and Twain32 Device

    Primary menu items

    Image

    Refresh If you are using scanner, Refresh bypasses the dialog box of the scanner driver. You are able to place multiple photos on the flat-bed scanner and scan them in one goal. Then you may select the photo to input to a record. If you are using digital camera, selecting Refresh will prompt you a screen that does nothing but display the image captured by the camera.
    Shortcut <Spacebar> or <F5>

    Acquire Every time when you activate Acquire, the device dialog box will appear. Scan or capture as per instructions given in your device's user guides. When you exit from the device window after capturing the photo, the photo captured will be display in the Twain Device Window with the photo frame. The photo frame displayed is in aspect ratio with the frame you have drawn . Click OK to exit Twain Device Window and transfer the photo to the current record. If the frame is smaller than the photo you have captured, start Acquire again, reduce the photo output size, and then repeat scanning procedure. If you are using digital camera, zoom out the photo image. You may scan multiple photo images in a single operation. If 3 photos are scanned, all 3 photo images will be display in the Twain Device window. You may move the photo-frame to the first photo, adjust the frame to contain only the selected photo, then select OK, double click on the frame, or click left and right button of mouse at the same time to add the photo to the current record. Save the record, go to the next record, then select Photo, Input, repeat the above procedure to the second photo. To keep the image in the Twain Device Window for later use, you have to select Keep Image under the Setup menu of Twain Device Window.

    Rotate Rotate the scanned or capture image 90 degrees clockwise on each execution.

    Quit To quit out of Twain Device Window.
    The function is to exit from Twain Device Window without transfer image to the badge.
    Shortcut Press <ESC> to cancel work done.

    OK

    OK The function is to exit from Twain Device Window and transfer image to the badge.
    Shortcut
    1. Press <Enter> to confirm work done.
    2. Double click mouse button in clip rectangle.
    3. Click both Left and Right mouse button together.

    Setup

    Select Source Select twain device.
    If you have more than one Twain Device, you can select the device you are going to use in the operation.

    Keep Image Keep image frame when leaving capturing interface for next capturing.
    If you would like to keep the image captured in the previous operation, mark this option. Keeping the images in the Twain Device Window allows you to retrieve the images for the next few records before another acquire operation is carry out. If you have 3 photo images captured in a single operation, all 3 photo images will be display in the Twain Device window. Use the photo FRAME to select the photo image you want to put in the current record and confirm the operation by clicking OK. If you Keep Image option is not marked, the buffer will be erased after transferring the image to the record.

    Auto Rotation Perform an automatic rotation (90 degrees clockwise) right after each image grab from scanner or camera.
    This function is helpful when you use a digital camera to capture a portrait(hold camera vertically).

    Automatic Feeding (Twain 32 only) Auto Feeding option for scanner.
    This option is only available to scanner with automatic feeder. When this option is enabled, scan performs an automatic feeding on each Acquire operation.

    Reset Reset the Twain Device Driver when encountered error with Twain Device.

    Cancel

    Cancel To quit out of Twain Device Window.
    The function is to exit from Twain Device Window without transfer image to the badge.
    Shortcut Press <ESC> to cancel work done.

    Video For Windows Device

    Primary menu items

  • Video
  • OK
  • Setup
  • Cancel

    Video
    • Freeze Freeze the Video Monitor frame.
    Shortcut Press <Spacebar> to toggle between Freeze and Unfreeze options.

    Unfreeze Unfreeze the Video Monitor frame to display the live image.
    Shortcut Press <Spacebar> to toggle between Freeze and Unfreeze options.

    OK
    OK Exit from capturing window and transfer image to the badge.
    Shortcut
    1. Press <Enter> to confirm work done.
    2. Double click mouse button in clip rectangle.
    3. Click both Left and Right mouse button together.

    Setup
    Video Source Displays a dialog box in which the user can control the video source.
    The Video Source dialog box might contain controls that select input sources; alter the hue, contrast, brightness of the image; and modify the video quality before digitizing the images into the frame buffer.

    Video Format Displays a dialog box in which the user can select the video format.
    The Video Format dialog box might be used to select image dimensions and bit depth.

    Video Display Displays a dialog box in which the user can set or adjust the video output.
    This dialog box might contain controls that affect the hue, contrast, and brightness of the displayed image, as well as key color alignment. Some capture drivers might not support a Video Display dialog box.

    Video Mirrow Enables or disables live video mirroring.
    Can not active when overlay mode is enabled.

    Overlay Enables or disables overlay mode.
    In overlay mode, video is displayed using hardware overlay.

    Clipping Mode Sets the frame for clipping the image you want to capture.

    White Balance Purpose of white balance is to enhance the image with white background. To obtain the best result, it requires at least 5/1000 portion of white and 5/1000 portion of black. The darkest color nearest to black will be taken as black if black is not available. If your camera comes with white balance setting, then, you should use the white balance setting on your camera as first priority. You can not see the effect on live video. To see the effect before transfering image to badge, freeze video.

    Diver List Menu(s) Select(if you have installed 2 or more Video For Windows devices) or reconnect the driver.

    Cancel

    Cancel Exit from capturing window without transferring image to the badge.
    Shortcut Press <ESC> to cancel work done.

    Cards.ini

    [COMMON]

    FAR EAST=1

    /* When FAR EAST=1, the software will not separate 2 bytes which may construct one oriental character in a test string. Will probably encounter problem if use with other language system beyond english and far east language. */

    Professional Edition

    By professional edition, you can input dynamic objects, such as data fields and photo, then the software will create database (MDB format) for you automatically, or connect to your data sources by ODBC, thus you can scroll page by page which related to database records. ID card printing size printers are only supported by professional version. Professional edition is not free.

    To inquire about professional edition, send your email to ace_sg@pacific.net.sg

    To report bugs or to give suggestions for V Badge Lite, send to vbadgelite@hotmail.com