Migrating from Telerik RadBarcode to IronBarcode

The Fundamental Problem

The clearest expression of the Telerik reading limitation is that the component that generates a format cannot round-trip it through the reader:

// Telerik — generates a QR code, then cannot read it back
var qrBarcode = new RadBarcode();
qrBarcode.Value = "https://example.com/order/4821";
qrBarcode.Symbology = new QRCode { ErrorCorrectionLevel = ErrorCorrectionLevel.H };
// Save to file...

// Attempt to read the same QR code:
var reader = new RadBarcodeReader();
// DecodeType.QR does not exist — QR cannot be added to this list
reader.DecodeTypes = new[] { DecodeType.Code128, DecodeType.EAN13 };
var bitmap = new BitmapImage(new Uri("qr-output.png", UriKind.Absolute));
var result = reader.Decode(bitmap);
// result == null — always, for any QR code image

// Telerik — generates a QR code, then cannot read it back
var qrBarcode = new RadBarcode();
qrBarcode.Value = "https://example.com/order/4821";
qrBarcode.Symbology = new QRCode { ErrorCorrectionLevel = ErrorCorrectionLevel.H };
// Save to file...

// Attempt to read the same QR code:
var reader = new RadBarcodeReader();
// DecodeType.QR does not exist — QR cannot be added to this list
reader.DecodeTypes = new[] { DecodeType.Code128, DecodeType.EAN13 };
var bitmap = new BitmapImage(new Uri("qr-output.png", UriKind.Absolute));
var result = reader.Decode(bitmap);
// result == null — always, for any QR code image

' Telerik — generates a QR code, then cannot read it back
Dim qrBarcode As New RadBarcode()
qrBarcode.Value = "https://example.com/order/4821"
qrBarcode.Symbology = New QRCode With {.ErrorCorrectionLevel = ErrorCorrectionLevel.H}
' Save to file...

' Attempt to read the same QR code:
Dim reader As New RadBarcodeReader()
' DecodeType.QR does not exist — QR cannot be added to this list
reader.DecodeTypes = New DecodeType() {DecodeType.Code128, DecodeType.EAN13}
Dim bitmap As New BitmapImage(New Uri("qr-output.png", UriKind.Absolute))
Dim result = reader.Decode(bitmap)
' result == null — always, for any QR code image

IronBarcode closes this gap. Generation and reading use the same package, and the reading engine detects QR codes, DataMatrix, PDF417, and all other formats automatically:

// NuGet: dotnet add package IronBarcode
using IronBarCode;

IronBarCode.License.LicenseKey = "YOUR-KEY";

// Generate a QR code
BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode("https://example.com/order/4821", BarcodeEncoding.QRCode)
             .SaveAsPng("qr-output.png");

// Read that same QR code back — no format specification needed
var results = BarcodeReader.Read("qr-output.png");
Console.WriteLine(results.First().Value);
// Output: https://example.com/order/4821

// NuGet: dotnet add package IronBarcode
using IronBarCode;

IronBarCode.License.LicenseKey = "YOUR-KEY";

// Generate a QR code
BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode("https://example.com/order/4821", BarcodeEncoding.QRCode)
             .SaveAsPng("qr-output.png");

// Read that same QR code back — no format specification needed
var results = BarcodeReader.Read("qr-output.png");
Console.WriteLine(results.First().Value);
// Output: https://example.com/order/4821

Imports IronBarCode

IronBarCode.License.LicenseKey = "YOUR-KEY"

' Generate a QR code
BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode("https://example.com/order/4821", BarcodeEncoding.QRCode) _
             .SaveAsPng("qr-output.png")

' Read that same QR code back — no format specification needed
Dim results = BarcodeReader.Read("qr-output.png")
Console.WriteLine(results.First().Value)
' Output: https://example.com/order/4821

Step 1: Replace NuGet Package

Remove the Telerik UI package for the platform or platforms in your project:

# WPF
dotnet remove package Telerik.UI.for.Wpf.60.Xaml

# WinForms
dotnet remove package Telerik.UI.for.WinForms.Common
dotnet remove package Telerik.UI.for.WinForms.Barcode

# Blazor
dotnet remove package Telerik.UI.for.Blazor

# WPF
dotnet remove package Telerik.UI.for.Wpf.60.Xaml

# WinForms
dotnet remove package Telerik.UI.for.WinForms.Common
dotnet remove package Telerik.UI.for.WinForms.Barcode

# Blazor
dotnet remove package Telerik.UI.for.Blazor

If your project also uses other Telerik controls from the same package, leave the package in place and proceed to step 2. You will remove the barcode-specific API calls without removing the shared package.

Install IronBarcode:

dotnet add package IronBarcode

dotnet add package IronBarcode

One package covers WPF, WinForms, ASP.NET Core, Blazor Server, console applications, Docker, Azure Functions, and AWS Lambda. The full platform compatibility details document the exact .NET versions and operating system targets supported.

Step 2: Update Namespaces

Remove Telerik barcode namespace imports and replace them with the IronBarcode namespace:

// Remove these namespace imports:
// using Telerik.Windows.Controls.Barcode;      // WPF reader and generator
// using Telerik.Windows.Controls;              // WPF general
// using Telerik.WinControls.UI;               // WinForms
// using Telerik.WinControls.UI.Barcode;        // WinForms barcode reader

// Add this:
using IronBarCode;

// Remove these namespace imports:
// using Telerik.Windows.Controls.Barcode;      // WPF reader and generator
// using Telerik.Windows.Controls;              // WPF general
// using Telerik.WinControls.UI;               // WinForms
// using Telerik.WinControls.UI.Barcode;        // WinForms barcode reader

// Add this:
using IronBarCode;

Imports IronBarCode

Step 3: Initialize License

Replace the Telerik license initialization with the IronBarcode key assignment at application startup:

// Remove:
// Telerik.WinControls.TelerikLicenseManager.InstallLicense("key");

// Add at application startup (Program.cs, App.xaml.cs, or composition root):
IronBarCode.License.LicenseKey = "YOUR-KEY";

// Remove:
// Telerik.WinControls.TelerikLicenseManager.InstallLicense("key");

// Add at application startup (Program.cs, App.xaml.cs, or composition root):
IronBarCode.License.LicenseKey = "YOUR-KEY";

The key assignment goes once in the application entry point. There is no license file to deploy, no per-platform initialization path, and no separate configuration for WPF versus ASP.NET Core.

Generating a Barcode: XAML Control to Code-Based API

Telerik's generation in WPF is declarative — the RadBarcode XAML element renders directly in the UI tree. IronBarcode generates barcodes in code and returns a GeneratedBarcode object that can be saved as a file or converted to a BitmapSource for WPF display.

Telerik Approach:

<Window xmlns:telerik="http://schemas.telerik.com/2008/xaml/presentation">
    <telerik:RadBarcode Value="PROD-2026-00184" Symbology="Code128" />
</Window>

<Window xmlns:telerik="http://schemas.telerik.com/2008/xaml/presentation">
    <telerik:RadBarcode Value="PROD-2026-00184" Symbology="Code128" />
</Window>

@* Blazor — TelerikBarcode renders as a Razor component *@
<TelerikBarcode Value="PROD-2026-00184" Type="@BarcodeType.Code128" />

IronBarcode Approach:

// NuGet: dotnet add package IronBarcode
using IronBarCode;

// Save to file — replaces XAML generation + manual export
BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode("PROD-2026-00184", BarcodeEncoding.Code128)
             .ResizeTo(400, 100)
             .SaveAsPng("barcode.png");

// Display in WPF — assign to an Image control's Source property
var bitmapSource = BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode("PROD-2026-00184", BarcodeEncoding.Code128)
                                .ToBitmapSource();
barcodeImageControl.Source = bitmapSource;

// Serve in Blazor or ASP.NET Core — return as base64 src attribute
byte[] bytes = BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode("PROD-2026-00184", BarcodeEncoding.Code128)
                            .ResizeTo(400, 100)
                            .ToPngBinaryData();
string imgSrc = $"data:image/png;base64,{Convert.ToBase64String(bytes)}";

// NuGet: dotnet add package IronBarcode
using IronBarCode;

// Save to file — replaces XAML generation + manual export
BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode("PROD-2026-00184", BarcodeEncoding.Code128)
             .ResizeTo(400, 100)
             .SaveAsPng("barcode.png");

// Display in WPF — assign to an Image control's Source property
var bitmapSource = BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode("PROD-2026-00184", BarcodeEncoding.Code128)
                                .ToBitmapSource();
barcodeImageControl.Source = bitmapSource;

// Serve in Blazor or ASP.NET Core — return as base64 src attribute
byte[] bytes = BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode("PROD-2026-00184", BarcodeEncoding.Code128)
                            .ResizeTo(400, 100)
                            .ToPngBinaryData();
string imgSrc = $"data:image/png;base64,{Convert.ToBase64String(bytes)}";

Imports IronBarCode

' Save to file — replaces XAML generation + manual export
BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode("PROD-2026-00184", BarcodeEncoding.Code128) _
             .ResizeTo(400, 100) _
             .SaveAsPng("barcode.png")

' Display in WPF — assign to an Image control's Source property
Dim bitmapSource = BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode("PROD-2026-00184", BarcodeEncoding.Code128) _
                                .ToBitmapSource()
barcodeImageControl.Source = bitmapSource

' Serve in Blazor or ASP.NET Core — return as base64 src attribute
Dim bytes As Byte() = BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode("PROD-2026-00184", BarcodeEncoding.Code128) _
                                   .ResizeTo(400, 100) _
                                   .ToPngBinaryData()
Dim imgSrc As String = $"data:image/png;base64,{Convert.ToBase64String(bytes)}"

The BarcodeEncoding enum covers the same symbologies as Telerik's Symbology enum. Switching to QR code generation changes only the enum argument. For the full range of 2D barcode generation options, including QR error correction levels and DataMatrix dimensions, the IronBarcode documentation provides complete examples.

Reading Barcodes from Desktop Applications

Telerik provides two separate reader classes for desktop platforms — RadBarcodeReader for WPF and BarCodeReader for WinForms — with different class names, different property names, and different input types. IronBarcode replaces both with a single static call that works identically in either project type.

Telerik WPF Approach:

WPF reading requires a RadBarcodeReader instance, explicit DecodeType configuration, a BitmapImage object loaded from a URI, and a call to reader.Decode(). The result property is .Text.

using Telerik.Windows.Controls.Barcode;
using System.Windows.Media.Imaging;

public string ReadProductBarcode(string imagePath)
{
    var reader = new RadBarcodeReader();
    reader.DecodeTypes = new DecodeType[]
    {
        DecodeType.Code128,
        DecodeType.Code39,
        DecodeType.EAN13,
        DecodeType.EAN8,
        DecodeType.UPCA,
        DecodeType.UPCE,
        DecodeType.Codabar,
        DecodeType.ITF
    };

    var bitmap = new BitmapImage(new Uri(imagePath, UriKind.Absolute));
    var result = reader.Decode(bitmap);

    return result?.Text ?? "No barcode found";
}

using Telerik.Windows.Controls.Barcode;
using System.Windows.Media.Imaging;

public string ReadProductBarcode(string imagePath)
{
    var reader = new RadBarcodeReader();
    reader.DecodeTypes = new DecodeType[]
    {
        DecodeType.Code128,
        DecodeType.Code39,
        DecodeType.EAN13,
        DecodeType.EAN8,
        DecodeType.UPCA,
        DecodeType.UPCE,
        DecodeType.Codabar,
        DecodeType.ITF
    };

    var bitmap = new BitmapImage(new Uri(imagePath, UriKind.Absolute));
    var result = reader.Decode(bitmap);

    return result?.Text ?? "No barcode found";
}

Imports Telerik.Windows.Controls.Barcode
Imports System.Windows.Media.Imaging

Public Function ReadProductBarcode(imagePath As String) As String
    Dim reader = New RadBarcodeReader()
    reader.DecodeTypes = New DecodeType() {
        DecodeType.Code128,
        DecodeType.Code39,
        DecodeType.EAN13,
        DecodeType.EAN8,
        DecodeType.UPCA,
        DecodeType.UPCE,
        DecodeType.Codabar,
        DecodeType.ITF
    }

    Dim bitmap = New BitmapImage(New Uri(imagePath, UriKind.Absolute))
    Dim result = reader.Decode(bitmap)

    Return If(result?.Text, "No barcode found")
End Function

Telerik WinForms Approach:

The WinForms BarCodeReader class uses a different name, a different property name (DecodeType singular rather than DecodeTypes plural), and takes a System.Drawing.Image rather than a BitmapImage.

using Telerik.WinControls.UI.Barcode;
using System.Drawing;

public string ReadShippingLabel(string imagePath)
{
    var reader = new BarCodeReader();
    reader.DecodeType = new DecodeType[]
    {
        DecodeType.Code128,
        DecodeType.ITF,
        DecodeType.EAN13
    };

    using var image = Image.FromFile(imagePath);
    var result = reader.Read(image);

    return result?.Text ?? "No barcode found";
}

using Telerik.WinControls.UI.Barcode;
using System.Drawing;

public string ReadShippingLabel(string imagePath)
{
    var reader = new BarCodeReader();
    reader.DecodeType = new DecodeType[]
    {
        DecodeType.Code128,
        DecodeType.ITF,
        DecodeType.EAN13
    };

    using var image = Image.FromFile(imagePath);
    var result = reader.Read(image);

    return result?.Text ?? "No barcode found";
}

Imports Telerik.WinControls.UI.Barcode
Imports System.Drawing

Public Function ReadShippingLabel(imagePath As String) As String
    Dim reader = New BarCodeReader()
    reader.DecodeType = New DecodeType() {
        DecodeType.Code128,
        DecodeType.ITF,
        DecodeType.EAN13
    }

    Using image As Image = Image.FromFile(imagePath)
        Dim result = reader.Read(image)
        Return If(result?.Text, "No barcode found")
    End Using
End Function

IronBarcode Approach:

// NuGet: dotnet add package IronBarcode
using IronBarCode;

public string ReadProductBarcode(string imagePath)
{
    var results = BarcodeReader.Read(imagePath);
    return results.FirstOrDefault()?.Value ?? "No barcode found";
}

// NuGet: dotnet add package IronBarcode
using IronBarCode;

public string ReadProductBarcode(string imagePath)
{
    var results = BarcodeReader.Read(imagePath);
    return results.FirstOrDefault()?.Value ?? "No barcode found";
}

Imports IronBarCode

Public Function ReadProductBarcode(imagePath As String) As String
    Dim results = BarcodeReader.Read(imagePath)
    Return If(results.FirstOrDefault()?.Value, "No barcode found")
End Function

BarcodeReader.Read() is a static method — no reader instance is needed. It accepts a file path string directly without requiring a BitmapImage or System.Drawing.Image load. Format detection is automatic across all 50+ supported types. The result property is .Value rather than .Text. This same call works without modification in both WPF and WinForms applications — there is no platform-specific variant. It also reads QR codes, DataMatrix, and any other format present in the image, unlike the Telerik readers which are restricted to 1D formats.

Reading QR Codes: Previously Impossible with Telerik

If your codebase contains a comment or a NotSupportedException documenting that QR reading is unavailable, this is its replacement. No configuration path exists in Telerik that enables QR reading — this scenario has no Telerik equivalent.

Telerik Approach:

// RadBarcodeReader does not support QR codes.
// DecodeType.QR does not exist in the Telerik enum.
public string ReadQrCode(string imagePath)
{
    throw new NotSupportedException(
        "Telerik RadBarcodeReader cannot read QR codes. " +
        "DecodeType.QR is not a valid enum value.");
}

// RadBarcodeReader does not support QR codes.
// DecodeType.QR does not exist in the Telerik enum.
public string ReadQrCode(string imagePath)
{
    throw new NotSupportedException(
        "Telerik RadBarcodeReader cannot read QR codes. " +
        "DecodeType.QR is not a valid enum value.");
}

' RadBarcodeReader does not support QR codes.
' DecodeType.QR does not exist in the Telerik enum.
Public Function ReadQrCode(imagePath As String) As String
    Throw New NotSupportedException("Telerik RadBarcodeReader cannot read QR codes. " & _
                                    "DecodeType.QR is not a valid enum value.")
End Function

IronBarcode Approach:

// NuGet: dotnet add package IronBarcode
using IronBarCode;

public string ReadQrCode(string imagePath)
{
    // QR codes, DataMatrix, PDF417, and Aztec are all detected automatically
    var results = BarcodeReader.Read(imagePath);
    return results.FirstOrDefault()?.Value ?? "No QR code found";
}

// NuGet: dotnet add package IronBarcode
using IronBarCode;

public string ReadQrCode(string imagePath)
{
    // QR codes, DataMatrix, PDF417, and Aztec are all detected automatically
    var results = BarcodeReader.Read(imagePath);
    return results.FirstOrDefault()?.Value ?? "No QR code found";
}

Imports IronBarCode

Public Function ReadQrCode(imagePath As String) As String
    ' QR codes, DataMatrix, PDF417, and Aztec are all detected automatically
    Dim results = BarcodeReader.Read(imagePath)
    Return If(results.FirstOrDefault()?.Value, "No QR code found")
End Function

The same BarcodeReader.Read() call that reads EAN-13 barcodes reads QR codes. There is no separate configuration for 2D formats. For a complete list of supported barcode formats across reading and generation, the IronBarcode documentation covers all 50+ entries with format-specific notes.

Reading Barcodes in an ASP.NET Core Endpoint

Telerik provides no barcode reading component for ASP.NET Core or Blazor. If an existing application routes uploaded images to a desktop service for reading because the web layer had no Telerik reader, that workaround is replaced by direct reading in the web layer.

Telerik Approach:

// No Telerik reading API available in ASP.NET Core.
// Workaround: forward uploaded file to a WPF or WinForms service
// that can reference Telerik.Windows.Controls.Barcode.
[HttpPost("read")]
public async Task<IActionResult> ReadBarcode(IFormFile imageFile)
{
    // Must proxy to desktop service — no Telerik reader available here
    var bytes = await ReadAllBytesAsync(imageFile);
    var result = await _desktopBridgeService.ReadAsync(bytes);
    return Ok(result);
}

// No Telerik reading API available in ASP.NET Core.
// Workaround: forward uploaded file to a WPF or WinForms service
// that can reference Telerik.Windows.Controls.Barcode.
[HttpPost("read")]
public async Task<IActionResult> ReadBarcode(IFormFile imageFile)
{
    // Must proxy to desktop service — no Telerik reader available here
    var bytes = await ReadAllBytesAsync(imageFile);
    var result = await _desktopBridgeService.ReadAsync(bytes);
    return Ok(result);
}

Imports Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc

' No Telerik reading API available in ASP.NET Core.
' Workaround: forward uploaded file to a WPF or WinForms service
' that can reference Telerik.Windows.Controls.Barcode.
<HttpPost("read")>
Public Async Function ReadBarcode(imageFile As IFormFile) As Task(Of IActionResult)
    ' Must proxy to desktop service — no Telerik reader available here
    Dim bytes = Await ReadAllBytesAsync(imageFile)
    Dim result = Await _desktopBridgeService.ReadAsync(bytes)
    Return Ok(result)
End Function

IronBarcode Approach:

// NuGet: dotnet add package IronBarcode
using IronBarCode;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc;

[ApiController]
[Route("api/barcode")]
public class BarcodeController : ControllerBase
{
    [HttpPost("read")]
    public IActionResult ReadBarcode(IFormFile imageFile)
    {
        using var stream = imageFile.OpenReadStream();
        var results = BarcodeReader.Read(stream);
        return Ok(results.Select(r => new
        {
            Format = r.BarcodeType.ToString(),
            Value = r.Value
        }));
    }

    [HttpGet("generate")]
    public IActionResult GenerateBarcode([FromQuery] string data)
    {
        var bytes = BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode(data, BarcodeEncoding.Code128)
                                 .ResizeTo(400, 100)
                                 .ToPngBinaryData();
        return File(bytes, "image/png");
    }
}

// NuGet: dotnet add package IronBarcode
using IronBarCode;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc;

[ApiController]
[Route("api/barcode")]
public class BarcodeController : ControllerBase
{
    [HttpPost("read")]
    public IActionResult ReadBarcode(IFormFile imageFile)
    {
        using var stream = imageFile.OpenReadStream();
        var results = BarcodeReader.Read(stream);
        return Ok(results.Select(r => new
        {
            Format = r.BarcodeType.ToString(),
            Value = r.Value
        }));
    }

    [HttpGet("generate")]
    public IActionResult GenerateBarcode([FromQuery] string data)
    {
        var bytes = BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode(data, BarcodeEncoding.Code128)
                                 .ResizeTo(400, 100)
                                 .ToPngBinaryData();
        return File(bytes, "image/png");
    }
}

Imports IronBarCode
Imports Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc

<ApiController>
<Route("api/barcode")>
Public Class BarcodeController
    Inherits ControllerBase

    <HttpPost("read")>
    Public Function ReadBarcode(imageFile As IFormFile) As IActionResult
        Using stream = imageFile.OpenReadStream()
            Dim results = BarcodeReader.Read(stream)
            Return Ok(results.Select(Function(r) New With {
                .Format = r.BarcodeType.ToString(),
                .Value = r.Value
            }))
        End Using
    End Function

    <HttpGet("generate")>
    Public Function GenerateBarcode(<FromQuery> data As String) As IActionResult
        Dim bytes = BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode(data, BarcodeEncoding.Code128) _
                                 .ResizeTo(400, 100) _
                                 .ToPngBinaryData()
        Return File(bytes, "image/png")
    End Function
End Class

BarcodeReader.Read() accepts a Stream directly, so the uploaded file stream is passed without writing to disk. This controller deploys to Linux, Docker, or Azure App Service without modification.

Reading Barcodes from PDF Files

Telerik has no PDF barcode reading capability. Adding PDF reading to an existing Telerik-based codebase requires a PDF rendering library to convert pages to images before passing them to RadBarcodeReader. IronBarcode reads PDF files directly.

Telerik Approach:

// No direct PDF reading support in RadBarcodeReader.
// Workaround: use a separate PDF library to extract page images
using SomePdfLibrary; // third-party dependency
using Telerik.Windows.Controls.Barcode;

public List<string> ReadBarcodesFromPdf(string pdfPath)
{
    var results = new List<string>();
    var pages = PdfRenderer.ExtractPages(pdfPath); // third-party call

    foreach (var pageImage in pages)
    {
        var reader = new RadBarcodeReader();
        reader.DecodeTypes = new[] { DecodeType.Code128, DecodeType.EAN13 };
        var bitmap = ConvertToBitmapImage(pageImage); // conversion required
        var result = reader.Decode(bitmap);
        if (result != null)
            results.Add(result.Text); // 1D only — QR codes on PDF pages are missed
    }
    return results;
}

// No direct PDF reading support in RadBarcodeReader.
// Workaround: use a separate PDF library to extract page images
using SomePdfLibrary; // third-party dependency
using Telerik.Windows.Controls.Barcode;

public List<string> ReadBarcodesFromPdf(string pdfPath)
{
    var results = new List<string>();
    var pages = PdfRenderer.ExtractPages(pdfPath); // third-party call

    foreach (var pageImage in pages)
    {
        var reader = new RadBarcodeReader();
        reader.DecodeTypes = new[] { DecodeType.Code128, DecodeType.EAN13 };
        var bitmap = ConvertToBitmapImage(pageImage); // conversion required
        var result = reader.Decode(bitmap);
        if (result != null)
            results.Add(result.Text); // 1D only — QR codes on PDF pages are missed
    }
    return results;
}

Imports SomePdfLibrary ' third-party dependency
Imports Telerik.Windows.Controls.Barcode

Public Function ReadBarcodesFromPdf(pdfPath As String) As List(Of String)
    Dim results As New List(Of String)()
    Dim pages = PdfRenderer.ExtractPages(pdfPath) ' third-party call

    For Each pageImage In pages
        Dim reader As New RadBarcodeReader()
        reader.DecodeTypes = New DecodeType() {DecodeType.Code128, DecodeType.EAN13}
        Dim bitmap = ConvertToBitmapImage(pageImage) ' conversion required
        Dim result = reader.Decode(bitmap)
        If result IsNot Nothing Then
            results.Add(result.Text) ' 1D only — QR codes on PDF pages are missed
        End If
    Next

    Return results
End Function

IronBarcode Approach:

// NuGet: dotnet add package IronBarcode
using IronBarCode;

public List<string> ReadBarcodesFromPdf(string pdfPath)
{
    var results = BarcodeReader.Read(pdfPath);
    return results.Select(r =>
        $"Page {r.PageNumber}: {r.BarcodeType} — {r.Value}").ToList();
}

// NuGet: dotnet add package IronBarcode
using IronBarCode;

public List<string> ReadBarcodesFromPdf(string pdfPath)
{
    var results = BarcodeReader.Read(pdfPath);
    return results.Select(r =>
        $"Page {r.PageNumber}: {r.BarcodeType} — {r.Value}").ToList();
}

Imports IronBarCode

Public Function ReadBarcodesFromPdf(pdfPath As String) As List(Of String)
    Dim results = BarcodeReader.Read(pdfPath)
    Return results.Select(Function(r) $"Page {r.PageNumber}: {r.BarcodeType} — {r.Value}").ToList()
End Function

No separate PDF library is needed. No page extraction step. No image conversion. Pass the PDF path and IronBarcode processes all pages, returning all barcodes with page number tracking. Both 1D and 2D barcodes on PDF pages are detected.

Issue 1: XAML Barcode Control Replacement

Telerik: <telerik:RadBarcode> is a visual control that renders directly in the WPF UI element tree. It cannot be replaced with an Image element without code-behind changes.

Solution: Replace the <telerik:RadBarcode> element with an <Image> control and generate the barcode in code-behind. Bind the Image.Source to a BitmapSource generated by IronBarcode:

// In code-behind or ViewModel
using IronBarCode;

var generated = BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode(barcodeValue, BarcodeEncoding.Code128)
                             .ResizeTo(400, 100);
BarcodeImage.Source = generated.ToBitmapSource();

// In code-behind or ViewModel
using IronBarCode;

var generated = BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode(barcodeValue, BarcodeEncoding.Code128)
                             .ResizeTo(400, 100);
BarcodeImage.Source = generated.ToBitmapSource();

Imports IronBarCode

' In code-behind or ViewModel
Dim generated = BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode(barcodeValue, BarcodeEncoding.Code128) _
                             .ResizeTo(400, 100)
BarcodeImage.Source = generated.ToBitmapSource()

For Blazor, replace <TelerikBarcode> with an <img> element whose src attribute receives a base64-encoded PNG generated server-side.

Issue 2: DecodeType Removal Side Effects

Telerik: The DecodeTypes (WPF) or DecodeType (WinForms) property filters which formats the reader attempts to detect. Removing this filter in an IronBarcode migration means IronBarcode will now return results for all formats present in the image, including formats that were previously excluded by the filter.

Solution: Remove the DecodeType assignment block entirely. If the additional detected formats cause unexpected results in downstream logic — for example, if code assumed only one barcode format would ever be returned — add optional filtering using BarcodeReaderOptions:

using IronBarCode;

var options = new BarcodeReaderOptions
{
    ExpectedBarcodeTypes = BarcodeEncoding.Code128 | BarcodeEncoding.EAN13
};
var results = BarcodeReader.Read(imagePath, options);

using IronBarCode;

var options = new BarcodeReaderOptions
{
    ExpectedBarcodeTypes = BarcodeEncoding.Code128 | BarcodeEncoding.EAN13
};
var results = BarcodeReader.Read(imagePath, options);

Imports IronBarCode

Dim options As New BarcodeReaderOptions With {
    .ExpectedBarcodeTypes = BarcodeEncoding.Code128 Or BarcodeEncoding.EAN13
}
Dim results = BarcodeReader.Read(imagePath, options)

This is optional. The default behavior (detect all formats) is correct for most use cases and produces results that the previous Telerik implementation could not.

Issue 3: TelerikLicenseManager Cleanup

Telerik: Telerik.WinControls.TelerikLicenseManager.InstallLicense(key) calls appear at application startup, typically in Program.cs (WinForms) or App.xaml.cs (WPF). The key is often stored in app settings, a configuration file, or hardcoded in the startup method.

Solution: Remove the TelerikLicenseManager.InstallLicense() call. Replace it with the IronBarcode key assignment at the same startup location:

// Remove:
// Telerik.WinControls.TelerikLicenseManager.InstallLicense("TELERIK-KEY");

// Add:
IronBarCode.License.LicenseKey = "YOUR-IRONBARCODE-KEY";

// Remove:
// Telerik.WinControls.TelerikLicenseManager.InstallLicense("TELERIK-KEY");

// Add:
IronBarCode.License.LicenseKey = "YOUR-IRONBARCODE-KEY";

If the Telerik package remains installed (because other non-barcode Telerik controls are still in use), the TelerikLicenseManager call for those controls should be preserved. Only remove the call if the Telerik packages themselves are being fully removed.

Pre-Migration Tasks

Audit the codebase for all Telerik barcode usage before making code changes:

# License initialization
grep -r "TelerikLicenseManager.InstallLicense" --include="*.cs" .

# XAML generation controls
grep -r "RadBarcode" --include="*.xaml" .
grep -r "TelerikBarcode" --include="*.razor" .

# Code-behind generation references
grep -r "RadBarcode" --include="*.cs" .
grep -r "Symbology\." --include="*.cs" .

# Reading API — WPF
grep -r "RadBarcodeReader" --include="*.cs" .
grep -r "DecodeTypes\." --include="*.cs" .
grep -r "reader\.Decode(" --include="*.cs" .

# Reading API — WinForms
grep -r "BarCodeReader" --include="*.cs" .
grep -r "DecodeType\." --include="*.cs" .
grep -r "reader\.Read(" --include="*.cs" .

# Result property access
grep -r "result\.Text" --include="*.cs" .
grep -r "result\.Symbology" --include="*.cs" .

# License initialization
grep -r "TelerikLicenseManager.InstallLicense" --include="*.cs" .

# XAML generation controls
grep -r "RadBarcode" --include="*.xaml" .
grep -r "TelerikBarcode" --include="*.razor" .

# Code-behind generation references
grep -r "RadBarcode" --include="*.cs" .
grep -r "Symbology\." --include="*.cs" .

# Reading API — WPF
grep -r "RadBarcodeReader" --include="*.cs" .
grep -r "DecodeTypes\." --include="*.cs" .
grep -r "reader\.Decode(" --include="*.cs" .

# Reading API — WinForms
grep -r "BarCodeReader" --include="*.cs" .
grep -r "DecodeType\." --include="*.cs" .
grep -r "reader\.Read(" --include="*.cs" .

# Result property access
grep -r "result\.Text" --include="*.cs" .
grep -r "result\.Symbology" --include="*.cs" .

Document each match. Note which files contain XAML controls, which contain reading code, and which platform each file belongs to.

Code Update Tasks

1. Remove Telerik barcode NuGet packages (or retain if needed for other controls)
2. Install IronBarcode NuGet package in each project that requires barcode functionality
3. Add IronBarCode.License.LicenseKey = "YOUR-KEY" at each application startup entry point
4. Remove Telerik namespace imports and add using IronBarCode
5. Replace <telerik:RadBarcode> XAML elements with <Image> controls
6. Generate barcode images in code-behind using BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode(...).ToBitmapSource()
7. Replace <TelerikBarcode> Razor components with base64 <img> sources generated server-side
8. Replace new RadBarcodeReader() instances with BarcodeReader.Read(path) static calls
9. Replace new BarCodeReader() instances with BarcodeReader.Read(path) static calls
10. Delete all reader.DecodeTypes = new DecodeType[] { ... } and reader.DecodeType = new DecodeType[] { ... } blocks
11. Replace reader.Decode(bitmapImage) calls with BarcodeReader.Read(imagePath)
12. Replace reader.Read(drawingImage) calls with BarcodeReader.Read(imagePath)
13. Rename result.Text to result.Value at all reading result access points
14. Rename result.Symbology to result.BarcodeType at all format check points
15. Replace Symbology.Code128 and similar generation enum values with BarcodeEncoding.Code128
16. Remove TelerikLicenseManager.InstallLicense() calls where Telerik packages are fully removed

Post-Migration Testing

• Verify that all previously-read 1D barcodes (Code128, EAN13, etc.) continue to return correct values
• Confirm that QR codes in test images are now read successfully where they previously returned null
• Test that generated barcodes (saved as PNG or served as bytes) render visibly and scan correctly
• Verify that ASP.NET Core or Blazor endpoints that previously could not perform reading now function correctly
• If PDF reading was added, confirm that barcodes on each PDF page are detected with correct page numbers
• Run the grep audit commands from the Pre-Migration section to confirm no remaining Telerik barcode API references
• Confirm that IronBarCode.License.LicenseKey is set before the first BarcodeReader.Read() or BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode() call