Reception entry log database

[phill86]

Hi,

I have an entry log database that I am developing it basically logs people in/out as they enter/leave the building.

Basically how it works.. as a member of staff enters the building they swipe their entry card across a card reader the database logs whether they are entering or leaving the building

I want to be able to run the database in the "background " while the user/receptionist is working in other applications but still enabling the database to log entries into the building.

I can only get it to work if the database is open and the field with the barcode information that links to a staff members record has the focus.

Is this possible in Access or any other applications?

I have seen other door entry logging systems work in this way but I have not been able to get this to work in access

Any help is much appreciated

Regards Phill

[Stewart Ross]

Hi Phill. I doubt that this can be achieved in Access.

I think that you need a dedicated card-swipe system with an aynchronous client-side application which responds to a 'card scanned' event but otherwise stays quiet in the background.

If you are currently using a standard bar-code type scanner linked to the PC keyboard this has no way to select a specific application - it is just a form of keyboard entry and is as non-specific as typing any normal key at the keyboard would be.

Scanning an ID card using a keyboard-linked scanner can only fill your data field if Access is the active application and that field has the focus, as you said. I can see no way to circumvent this using Access as the application.

Sorry.

-Stewart

[phill86]

Hi Stewart,

Thats what I thought

Any idea what programming language would be able to handle this type of application.

Thanks for your time

Regards Phill

[Stewart Ross]

Hi Phill, Any of the event-aware programming languages available for Windows applications should handle this fine (VB, Visual C++ etc). Although its not my area of expertise, the MS Visual Studio product gives you considerable choice for application development. You would need to have an event-generating swipe card system or scanner, though. Your application simply has to wait and listen for a suitable event, then respond accordingly by inserting a row in a table for checkin or updating an existing row for checkout.

-Stewart

[phill86]

Hi Stewart,

I will have a look into the visual studio stuff

Thanks for your time its very much appreciated

Redards Phill

[Grizzz]

Try using a scanner that plugs into the serial port. We have two systems here at work that use serial and they are running in a seperate window in the background