Barcode scanning help desperately needed!

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  • jim

    Barcode scanning help desperately needed!

    I need to have 2 simple barcode reader applications finished by midnight
    tonight. I have never written any barcode reader software and need any help
    that you may be able to offer.

    I do not know what type of barcode the user will have, so I need to be able
    to accept input from any industry standard barcode reader.

    I need to check the barcodes scanned to see if they are in a database of
    acceptable barcodes and simply show ACCEPT or REJECT on the screen. I can
    handle the database stuff just fine, but I am wondering if there is any
    barcode reader code or components that I may need to make this thing work -
    or does the barcode reader simply send in the read data in a standard
    numerical format.

    If it sends in the data in a standard numerical format, what might that be
    or would it depend on the scanner?

    Also, is it just as simple to build the barcode reader app as a webpage that
    automatically displays a result for every barcode scanned? (I really don;t
    want them to have to "press enter" for each scan. It would really slow
    things down.)

    Thanks so much for your help. I'll be building and populating the database,
    but I'll check here periodically throughout the day.

    Thanks so much for your help in this crunch!

    jim


  • Mohamed Mansour

    #2
    Re: Barcode scanning help desperately needed!

    Hi,

    Take a look at this:




    Of course, since it is LGPL, you have to include the author somewhere in
    your app.

    --
    Regards,
    Mohamed Mansour
    Microsoft Student Partner

    "jim" <jim@home.netwr ote in message
    news:LW87j.1175 7$k27.9404@bign ews2.bellsouth. net...
    I need to have 2 simple barcode reader applications finished by midnight
    tonight. I have never written any barcode reader software and need any
    help that you may be able to offer.
    >
    I do not know what type of barcode the user will have, so I need to be
    able to accept input from any industry standard barcode reader.
    >
    I need to check the barcodes scanned to see if they are in a database of
    acceptable barcodes and simply show ACCEPT or REJECT on the screen. I can
    handle the database stuff just fine, but I am wondering if there is any
    barcode reader code or components that I may need to make this thing
    work - or does the barcode reader simply send in the read data in a
    standard numerical format.
    >
    If it sends in the data in a standard numerical format, what might that be
    or would it depend on the scanner?
    >
    Also, is it just as simple to build the barcode reader app as a webpage
    that automatically displays a result for every barcode scanned? (I really
    don;t want them to have to "press enter" for each scan. It would really
    slow things down.)
    >
    Thanks so much for your help. I'll be building and populating the
    database, but I'll check here periodically throughout the day.
    >
    Thanks so much for your help in this crunch!
    >
    jim
    >

    Comment

    • Jack Jackson

      #3
      Re: Barcode scanning help desperately needed!

      On Mon, 10 Dec 2007 05:55:45 -0500, "jim" <jim@home.netwr ote:
      >I need to have 2 simple barcode reader applications finished by midnight
      >tonight. I have never written any barcode reader software and need any help
      >that you may be able to offer.
      >
      >I do not know what type of barcode the user will have, so I need to be able
      >to accept input from any industry standard barcode reader.
      >
      >I need to check the barcodes scanned to see if they are in a database of
      >acceptable barcodes and simply show ACCEPT or REJECT on the screen. I can
      >handle the database stuff just fine, but I am wondering if there is any
      >barcode reader code or components that I may need to make this thing work -
      >or does the barcode reader simply send in the read data in a standard
      >numerical format.
      >
      >If it sends in the data in a standard numerical format, what might that be
      >or would it depend on the scanner?
      The barcode readers that I have dealt with simply generate keyboard
      input, and most will optionally append Enter at the end of the
      barcode.

      Usually the reader will be configured not to return any synch
      characters that are part of the barcode, so you will get only the data
      you need.

      Comment

      • jim

        #4
        Re: Barcode scanning help desperately needed!

        "Jack Jackson" <jacknospam@peb bleridge.comwro te in message
        news:mdpql31gm2 99gs9fj8ejh87l9 ltq782vto@4ax.c om...
        On Mon, 10 Dec 2007 05:55:45 -0500, "jim" <jim@home.netwr ote:
        >
        >>I need to have 2 simple barcode reader applications finished by midnight
        >>tonight. I have never written any barcode reader software and need any
        >>help
        >>that you may be able to offer.
        >>
        >>I do not know what type of barcode the user will have, so I need to be
        >>able
        >>to accept input from any industry standard barcode reader.
        >>
        >>I need to check the barcodes scanned to see if they are in a database of
        >>acceptable barcodes and simply show ACCEPT or REJECT on the screen. I can
        >>handle the database stuff just fine, but I am wondering if there is any
        >>barcode reader code or components that I may need to make this thing
        >>work -
        >>or does the barcode reader simply send in the read data in a standard
        >>numerical format.
        >>
        >>If it sends in the data in a standard numerical format, what might that be
        >>or would it depend on the scanner?
        >
        The barcode readers that I have dealt with simply generate keyboard
        input, and most will optionally append Enter at the end of the
        barcode.
        >
        Usually the reader will be configured not to return any synch
        characters that are part of the barcode, so you will get only the data
        you need.
        Thanks so much for the info!

        jim


        Comment

        • jim

          #5
          Re: Barcode scanning help desperately needed!

          These links seem to be pointing to how to make/print barcodes instead of how
          to read them, but I appreciate the links. They should come in handy.

          jim


          "Mohamed Mansour" <m0@community.n ospamwrote in message
          news:3A6F2BB3-CA4D-497E-B0C1-73ED1DAC1E20@mi crosoft.com...
          Hi,
          >
          Take a look at this:



          >
          Of course, since it is LGPL, you have to include the author somewhere in
          your app.
          >
          --
          Regards,
          Mohamed Mansour
          Microsoft Student Partner
          >
          "jim" <jim@home.netwr ote in message
          news:LW87j.1175 7$k27.9404@bign ews2.bellsouth. net...
          >I need to have 2 simple barcode reader applications finished by midnight
          >tonight. I have never written any barcode reader software and need any
          >help that you may be able to offer.
          >>
          >I do not know what type of barcode the user will have, so I need to be
          >able to accept input from any industry standard barcode reader.
          >>
          >I need to check the barcodes scanned to see if they are in a database of
          >acceptable barcodes and simply show ACCEPT or REJECT on the screen. I
          >can handle the database stuff just fine, but I am wondering if there is
          >any barcode reader code or components that I may need to make this thing
          >work - or does the barcode reader simply send in the read data in a
          >standard numerical format.
          >>
          >If it sends in the data in a standard numerical format, what might that
          >be or would it depend on the scanner?
          >>
          >Also, is it just as simple to build the barcode reader app as a webpage
          >that automatically displays a result for every barcode scanned? (I really
          >don;t want them to have to "press enter" for each scan. It would really
          >slow things down.)
          >>
          >Thanks so much for your help. I'll be building and populating the
          >database, but I'll check here periodically throughout the day.
          >>
          >Thanks so much for your help in this crunch!
          >>
          >jim
          >>

          Comment

          • JDS

            #6
            Re: Barcode scanning help desperately needed!

            On Dec 10, 10:55 am, "jim" <j...@home.netw rote:
            I need to have 2 simple barcode reader applications finished by midnight
            tonight. I have never written any barcode reader software and need any help
            that you may be able to offer.
            >
            I do not know what type of barcode the user will have, so I need to be able
            to accept input from any industry standard barcode reader.
            >
            I need to check the barcodes scanned to see if they are in a database of
            acceptable barcodes and simply show ACCEPT or REJECT on the screen. I can
            handle the database stuff just fine, but I am wondering if there is any
            barcode reader code or components that I may need to make this thing work -
            or does the barcode reader simply send in the read data in a standard
            numerical format.
            >
            If it sends in the data in a standard numerical format, what might that be
            or would it depend on the scanner?
            >
            Also, is it just as simple to build the barcode reader app as a webpage that
            automatically displays a result for every barcode scanned? (I really don;t
            want them to have to "press enter" for each scan. It would really slow
            things down.)
            >
            Thanks so much for your help. I'll be building and populating the database,
            but I'll check here periodically throughout the day.
            >
            Thanks so much for your help in this crunch!
            >
            jim
            The data allowed within the barcode will depend on the barcode type;
            e.g. EAN barcodes will only allow numeric values, other barcodes allow
            alpha characters. Terminating characters depend on the barcode scanner
            and how it is configured; typically they allow you to specify whether
            CR or CR/LF and I think the Enter key is represented by an extended
            ASCII code (don't quote me on that last one!) - I'd suggest you allow
            in code for different terminating characters and provide an easy way
            of changing from one to another.

            The physical connection will also depend on the barcode type. Typical
            is a Wedge cable that allows the barcode data to be merged with the
            keyboard input; this makes it easy in developing the application
            because you just treat the incoming data as if it was input from the
            keyboard. However, other interfaces are also available, for example
            RS232, USB and Bluetooth and these would require a lot more effort to
            handle.

            HTH!

            Comment

            • JDS

              #7
              Re: Barcode scanning help desperately needed!

              On Dec 10, 10:07 pm, JDS <ad...@jeremysa ge.comwrote:
              On Dec 10, 10:55 am, "jim" <j...@home.netw rote:
              >
              >
              >
              >
              >
              I need to have 2 simple barcode reader applications finished by midnight
              tonight. I have never written any barcode reader software and need any help
              that you may be able to offer.
              >
              I do not know what type of barcode the user will have, so I need to be able
              to accept input from any industry standard barcode reader.
              >
              I need to check the barcodes scanned to see if they are in a database of
              acceptable barcodes and simply show ACCEPT or REJECT on the screen. I can
              handle the database stuff just fine, but I am wondering if there is any
              barcode reader code or components that I may need to make this thing work -
              or does the barcode reader simply send in the read data in a standard
              numerical format.
              >
              If it sends in the data in a standard numerical format, what might that be
              or would it depend on the scanner?
              >
              Also, is it just as simple to build the barcode reader app as a webpage that
              automatically displays a result for every barcode scanned? (I really don;t
              want them to have to "press enter" for each scan. It would really slow
              things down.)
              >
              Thanks so much for your help. I'll be building and populating the database,
              but I'll check here periodically throughout the day.
              >
              Thanks so much for your help in this crunch!
              >
              jim
              >
              The data allowed within the barcode will depend on the barcode type;
              e.g. EAN barcodes will only allow numeric values, other barcodes allow
              alpha characters. Terminating characters depend on the barcode scanner
              and how it is configured; typically they allow you to specify whether
              CR or CR/LF and I think the Enter key is represented by an extended
              ASCII code (don't quote me on that last one!) - I'd suggest you allow
              in code for different terminating characters and provide an easy way
              of changing from one to another.
              >
              The physical connection will also depend on the barcode type. Typical
              is a Wedge cable that allows the barcode data to be merged with the
              keyboard input; this makes it easy in developing the application
              because you just treat the incoming data as if it was input from the
              keyboard. However, other interfaces are also available, for example
              RS232, USB and Bluetooth and these would require a lot more effort to
              handle.
              >
              HTH!- Hide quoted text -
              >
              - Show quoted text -
              EDIT: sorry, correction to the above: the physical connection will
              depend on what has been specified for the scanner and is independent
              of the barcode type.

              Comment

              • Jack Jackson

                #8
                Re: Barcode scanning help desperately needed!

                On Mon, 10 Dec 2007 14:07:27 -0800 (PST), JDS <admin@jeremysa ge.com>
                wrote:
                >On Dec 10, 10:55 am, "jim" <j...@home.netw rote:
                >I need to have 2 simple barcode reader applications finished by midnight
                >tonight. I have never written any barcode reader software and need any help
                >that you may be able to offer.
                >>
                >I do not know what type of barcode the user will have, so I need to be able
                >to accept input from any industry standard barcode reader.
                >>
                >I need to check the barcodes scanned to see if they are in a database of
                >acceptable barcodes and simply show ACCEPT or REJECT on the screen. I can
                >handle the database stuff just fine, but I am wondering if there is any
                >barcode reader code or components that I may need to make this thing work -
                >or does the barcode reader simply send in the read data in a standard
                >numerical format.
                >>
                >If it sends in the data in a standard numerical format, what might that be
                >or would it depend on the scanner?
                >>
                >Also, is it just as simple to build the barcode reader app as a webpage that
                >automaticall y displays a result for every barcode scanned? (I really don;t
                >want them to have to "press enter" for each scan. It would really slow
                >things down.)
                >>
                >Thanks so much for your help. I'll be building and populating the database,
                >but I'll check here periodically throughout the day.
                >>
                >Thanks so much for your help in this crunch!
                >>
                >jim
                >
                >The data allowed within the barcode will depend on the barcode type;
                >e.g. EAN barcodes will only allow numeric values, other barcodes allow
                >alpha characters. Terminating characters depend on the barcode scanner
                >and how it is configured; typically they allow you to specify whether
                >CR or CR/LF and I think the Enter key is represented by an extended
                >ASCII code (don't quote me on that last one!) - I'd suggest you allow
                >in code for different terminating characters and provide an easy way
                >of changing from one to another.
                >
                >The physical connection will also depend on the barcode type. Typical
                >is a Wedge cable that allows the barcode data to be merged with the
                >keyboard input; this makes it easy in developing the application
                >because you just treat the incoming data as if it was input from the
                >keyboard. However, other interfaces are also available, for example
                >RS232, USB and Bluetooth and these would require a lot more effort to
                >handle.
                >
                >HTH!
                I have used a USB scanner whose output appeared as keyboard input with
                no special handling in the app.

                Comment

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