--- title: "Add PDF functionality with Visual Basic" canonical_url: "https://www.nutrient.io/sdk/dotnet/getting-started/com-activex-visual-basic/" md_url: "https://www.nutrient.io/sdk/dotnet/getting-started/com-activex-visual-basic.md" last_updated: "2026-05-21T17:12:02.379Z" description: "Learn how to integrate Nutrient .NET SDK into your application. Step-by-step guide for document processing, PDF conversion, and manipulation." --- # Add PDF functionality with Visual Basic This guide explains how to integrate Nutrient.NET SDK (formerly known as GdPicture.NET SDK) into your application. ## About Nutrient.NET SDK Nutrient.NET SDK is a cross-platform developer solution for building intelligent PDF and document processing applications. This toolkit enables you to compose, display, capture, edit, and print documents. You can build applications using Nutrient.NET SDK with numerous development environments and deploy these applications to different platforms. ## Prerequisites Before proceeding with this guide, ensure your development environment meets the following requirements. ###.NET 8.0 or higher (cross-platform) -.NET SDK 8.0 or higher — Install the latest stable version from the [Microsoft website](https://dotnet.microsoft.com). - Supported operating systems — Windows, macOS, and Linux. - Development tools — Visual Studio 2022 (17.6+) or Visual Studio Code with C# extension. - Command-line tools — Ensure the.NET CLI is available and configured in your system path. ###.NET Framework 4.6.2 or higher (Windows) -.NET Framework 4.6.2+ — Preinstalled on Windows or available from the official Microsoft Download Center. - Supported operating systems — Windows 10 or later. - Development tools — Visual Studio 2019 (or newer) with the **.NET framework development** workload installed. For more information on the supported frameworks and operating systems, refer to our [system compatibility](https://www.nutrient.io/guides/dotnet/about/system-compatibility.md) guide. ## Installing Nutrient.NET SDK The best way to install Nutrient.NET SDK is through NuGet repositories. To view a list of available packages, refer to the [download Nutrient.NET](https://www.nutrient.io/guides/dotnet/downloads.md) guide. Alternatively, use our ready-made bootstrap project for new setups. [Download example project](https://www.nutrient.io/downloads/GdPictureBootstrap.zip) ## Activating the trial license To activate a trial license, follow the steps below: 1. In Visual Studio, create a `LicenseManager` object in the code file where the application loads before using any of the methods of Nutrient.NET SDK. 2. Pass the license key to the `RegisterKEY` method of the `LicenseManager` object. > Set the license using the `LicenseManager` once before making any calls to the SDK. This activates the license for the entire assembly. Make sure your application initializes and sets the license only once. ### C# ```csharp LicenseManager licenseManager = new LicenseManager(); licenseManager.RegisterKEY(""); ``` ### VBNET ```vbnet Dim licenseManager As New LicenseManager licenseManager.RegisterKEY("") ``` ### CPPMFC ```cppmfc CLicenseManager licenseManager; licenseManager.CreateDispatch(L"GdPicture14.LicenseManager"); licenseManager.RegisterKEY(L""); ``` ### UNMANAGEDCPP ```unmanagedcpp BSTR bstrLicense = ::SysAllocString(L""); if (bstrLicense!= NULL) { _LicenseManagerPtr licenseManager(__uuidof(LicenseManager)); VARIANT_BOOL result = licenseManager->RegisterKEY(bstrLicense); ::SysFreeString(bstrLicense); } ``` ### CPPBUILDER ```cppbuilder BSTR bstrLicense = ::SysAllocString(L""); if (bstrLicense!= NULL) { _LicenseManagerPtr licenseManager; licenseManager = (_LicenseManagerPtr)CreateComObject(CLSID_LicenseManager); licenseManager->RegisterKEY(bstrLicense); ::SysFreeString(bstrLicense); bstrLicense = NULL; } ``` ### DELPHI ```delphi var LicenseManager1: Variant; begin LicenseManager1 := CreateOleObject('GdPicture14.LicenseManager'); LicenseManager1.RegisterKey(''); ``` ### JAVASCRIPT ```js var licenseManager; licenseManager = new ActiveXObject("GdPicture14.LicenseManager"); licenseManager.RegisterKey(""); ``` ### POWERBUILDER ```powerbuilder long ll_result OLEObject licenseManager licenseManager = CREATE OLEObject ll_result = licenseManager.ConnectToNewObject("GdPicture14.LicenseManager") licenseManager.RegisterKey("") ``` ### VB6 ```vb6 Dim licenseManager As New LicenseManager Call licenseManager.RegisterKEY("") ``` ### VBA ```vba Dim licenseManager As New GdPicture_NET_14.LicenseManager licenseManager.RegisterKey ("") ``` Leaving the license key as an empty string activates the SDK in trial mode. After purchasing a commercial license, replace the empty string with your license key. > Starting from version 14.2.94, a trial key is no longer required. As shown in the examples above, setting the key to an empty string ("") enables trial mode. ## Your first application using COM Nutrient.NET SDK includes a COM edition that can be used like a COM/ActiveX component with IntelliSense support in environments supporting this technology (for example, Visual Basic 6, Visual C++ with MFC, HTML pages, Delphi, Visual FoxPro, and more). This edition is automatically registered on your computer when installing the Nutrient.NET SDK package. The DLL is located in `[INSTALLATION FOLDER]\Redist\COM Interop\`, and it can be registered on other computers using the `regasm` command with admin privileges as demonstrated below: - `%SystemRoot%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\ **regasm.exe** GdPicture.NET.14.dll /codebase /tlb` The DLL can be unregistered using `regasm.exe /u,` as demonstrated below: - `%SystemRoot%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\ **regasm.exe /u** GdPicture.NET.14.dll /codebase /tlb` ## Visual Basic 6 This section provides you with a step-by-step guide to getting started using Nutrient.NET SDK with Microsoft Visual Basic 6. You can find three sample projects demonstrating the use of several Nutrient.NET SDK features using COM Interop in the `[INSTALLATION FOLDER]\Samples\WinForm\vb6` folder. > IntelliSense is fully supported in Visual Basic 6. 1. Start with a new project (or open an existing project) and click **OK**. 2. Click **Project** in the application menu, and then select **References...** 3. Scroll through the list of available references, check the **GdPicture.NET 14 - Document Imaging SDK** entry, and click **OK**. 4. Using the **Object Browser** (accessed with the F2 shortcut), you’ll see all the classes, enumerations, methods, properties, etc. 5. Now you can use Nutrient.NET SDK like any other object in your code. --- ## Related pages - [Add PDF functionality with Delphi and C++ Builder](/sdk/dotnet/getting-started/com-activex-delphi-cplus-builder.md) - [Add PDF functionality with Microsoft Access](/sdk/dotnet/getting-started/com-activex-microsoft-access.md) - [Add PDF functionality with Visual FoxPro](/sdk/dotnet/getting-started/com-activex-visual-foxpro.md) - [Getting started with Nutrient .NET SDK](/sdk/dotnet/getting-started.md) - [Add PDF functionality with WPF](/sdk/dotnet/getting-started/wpf.md) - [Add PDF functionality with WinForms](/sdk/dotnet/getting-started/winforms.md) - [Add PDF functionality with .NET](/sdk/dotnet/getting-started/integrate.md) - [Add PDF functionality with Visual C++ with MFC](/sdk/dotnet/getting-started/com-activex-visual-cplus-with-mfc.md)