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Good Barcode Scanning APIs for Visual Basic

What are the most popular, and well supported, libraries of drivers for bar
code scanners that include a Visual Basic and C/C++ API? My requirements
are:

- Must allow an application to be written to a single interface, but support
many different manufacturers' barcode scanning devices. I do not want to
be tied to one manufacturers' software interfaces.

- Must support use of the scanner from Visual Basic, and ideally from C/C++
and Java as well.

- Must provide a callback interface for Visual Basic, so that an application
can listen on a certain event and take appropriate action. We want to
support the ability to have many inventory items operated on at once by
scanning items rapidly in succession.

- Would prefer to deal with libraries that are well supported and which come
from larger companies. If only one-person companies make these kinds of
products, we'll consider it (because we have no choice ).

- Cheap is usually better than expensive.

I would appreciate anyone with recommendations discussing them and posting
links to the manufacturers' web sites.

--
Will

NOTE: To reply, CHANGE the username to westes AT earthbroadcast.com

Jul 17 '05 #1
21 12149
CHANGE username to westes wrote:

What are the most popular, and well supported, libraries of drivers for bar
code scanners that include a Visual Basic and C/C++ API? My requirements
are:


Look around for 'keyboard wedge' barcode scanners;
they connect between the keyboard and the PC.

No special API or libraries needed.

Scanned codes are sent to the PC as normal keystrokes
you can read in a KeyPress() event. The one I use
prefaces the barcode string with an Asc(144) character
to denote barcode input.

I think quite a few scanners of this type are produced.
Some mfrs. create keyboards with detachable barcode
scanners, but these are a bit pricey.

If you want really, REALLY cheap, see if eBay still has
any 'Cue Cat' scanners for sale! :)

Hope this helps.
Jul 17 '05 #2
Keyboard wedge doesn't meet the requirements of our application. Let me
give a typical use case:

- Inventory Manager needs to give a contractor 60 items for testing.

- Inventory Manager opens up an application to assign contractor custody of
cards.

- Inventory Manager quickly swipes 60 cards and then after visually
confirming that all cards are entered, hits OK.

Using keyboard wedge, the Inventory Manager must:

1) Select an Edit Text for the next item

2) Scan and confirm entry for individual item

Then repeat the above 60 times. It's very cumbersome.

P.S. We tried Cue-Cat. :) It doesn't work on our particular products' bar
codes.

--
Will

NOTE: To reply, CHANGE the username to westes AT earthbroadcast.com

"Randy Day" <ru****@sasktel.nex> wrote in message
news:3F***************@sasktel.nex...
CHANGE username to westes wrote:

What are the most popular, and well supported, libraries of drivers for bar code scanners that include a Visual Basic and C/C++ API? My requirements are:


Look around for 'keyboard wedge' barcode scanners;
they connect between the keyboard and the PC.

No special API or libraries needed.

Scanned codes are sent to the PC as normal keystrokes
you can read in a KeyPress() event. The one I use
prefaces the barcode string with an Asc(144) character
to denote barcode input.

I think quite a few scanners of this type are produced.
Some mfrs. create keyboards with detachable barcode
scanners, but these are a bit pricey.

If you want really, REALLY cheap, see if eBay still has
any 'Cue Cat' scanners for sale! :)

Hope this helps.

Jul 17 '05 #3
On Thu, 23 Oct 2003 21:47:22 -0700, "CHANGE username to westes"
<DE***********@earthbroadcast.com> wrote:

<snip>

Using keyboard wedge, the Inventory Manager must:

1) Select an Edit Text for the next item

2) Scan and confirm entry for individual item

Then repeat the above 60 times. It's very cumbersome.


What ?

That sounds a load of nonsense

Why use a Textbox anyway ?
- the simplest method is to set the Form.KeyPreview to true and simply
read in the strings

Personally I would use a more elegant solution built from a
UserControl - but using the same principle

Jul 17 '05 #4
"CHANGE username to westes" <DE***********@earthbroadcast.com> wrote in message news:<pN********************@giganews.com>...
Keyboard wedge doesn't meet the requirements of our application. Let me
give a typical use case:

- Inventory Manager needs to give a contractor 60 items for testing.

- Inventory Manager opens up an application to assign contractor custody of
cards.

- Inventory Manager quickly swipes 60 cards and then after visually
confirming that all cards are entered, hits OK.

Using keyboard wedge, the Inventory Manager must:

1) Select an Edit Text for the next item

2) Scan and confirm entry for individual item

Then repeat the above 60 times. It's very cumbersome.

P.S. We tried Cue-Cat. :) It doesn't work on our particular products' bar
codes.

--
Will

NOTE: To reply, CHANGE the username to westes AT earthbroadcast.com

"Randy Day" <ru****@sasktel.nex> wrote in message
news:3F***************@sasktel.nex...
CHANGE username to westes wrote:

What are the most popular, and well supported, libraries of drivers for bar code scanners that include a Visual Basic and C/C++ API? My requirements are:


Look around for 'keyboard wedge' barcode scanners;
they connect between the keyboard and the PC.

No special API or libraries needed.

Scanned codes are sent to the PC as normal keystrokes
you can read in a KeyPress() event. The one I use
prefaces the barcode string with an Asc(144) character
to denote barcode input.

I think quite a few scanners of this type are produced.
Some mfrs. create keyboards with detachable barcode
scanners, but these are a bit pricey.

If you want really, REALLY cheap, see if eBay still has
any 'Cue Cat' scanners for sale! :)

Hope this helps.


We use this type of scanner to scan the bar codes on the products we sell
and some of the operations we undertake with them are similar to what
you are requiring.

Essentially all you need to do is process the key strokes supplied by the
scanner and when you get to the terminating one construct the final barcode,
do whatever you want with the code and then recieve the next one.

Below is some example code which goes in a form. A label is required.
When run you can just scan multiple bar codes, without havign to confirm
anything and when you click on the label it will list the barcode scanned

'Collection to store scanned barcodes
Dim s_Collection As Collection
'String to contain current bar codes
Dim ssCurrentString As String

Private Sub Label1_Click()
'Function to show list of codes scanned
Dim ssString As Variant
If s_Collection Is Nothing Then Exit Sub
For Each ssString In s_Collection
Print ssString
Next

End Sub

Private Sub Form_KeyPress(KeyAscii As Integer)
'Ascii 13 is the end of barcode character supplied by the scanner
If KeyAscii <> 13 Then

'This adds the recieved character to the string
ssCurrentString = ssCurrentString & Chr$(KeyAscii)

Else

'This shows the scanend code in a label
Label1 = ssCurrentString

If s_Collection Is Nothing Then Set s_Collection = New Collection

'Add recieved barcode to collection
s_Collection.Add ssCurrentString

'Clear string to recieve new barcode
ssCurrentString = ""

End If

End Sub
Jul 17 '05 #5
We use hand held programmable scanners from a company called Datalogic. We
use these to perform Asset Management inspections. The process we follow
is: -

o Install our application onto the scanners. This was written using their
proprietory SDK. Simple and easy to develop.
o Users access the menu driven application on the device itself, scanning
items and entering inspection results via barcode sheets.
o These are stored on the scanner until it is returned to its cradle,
whereupon the data is dumped to a file.
o This file is imported into our database.

No APIs no keyboard interface. The software supplied with the scanners does
most of the work. We just import the data. The cradles are attached via
Serial or USB interfaces.

Hope this helps
Antony Booth

"CHANGE username to westes" <DE***********@earthbroadcast.com> wrote in
message news:eJ********************@giganews.com...
What are the most popular, and well supported, libraries of drivers for bar code scanners that include a Visual Basic and C/C++ API? My requirements
are:

- Must allow an application to be written to a single interface, but support many different manufacturers' barcode scanning devices. I do not want to
be tied to one manufacturers' software interfaces.

- Must support use of the scanner from Visual Basic, and ideally from C/C++ and Java as well.

- Must provide a callback interface for Visual Basic, so that an application can listen on a certain event and take appropriate action. We want to
support the ability to have many inventory items operated on at once by
scanning items rapidly in succession.

- Would prefer to deal with libraries that are well supported and which come from larger companies. If only one-person companies make these kinds of
products, we'll consider it (because we have no choice ).

- Cheap is usually better than expensive.

I would appreciate anyone with recommendations discussing them and posting
links to the manufacturers' web sites.

--
Will

NOTE: To reply, CHANGE the username to westes AT earthbroadcast.com

Jul 17 '05 #6
How do you programmatically determine when you have reached the end of a
single barcode? What you are describing reads in characters. If I scan
two barcodes in succession, how would your program know the difference
between two barcodes: A0912 and A23423

and the single barcode: A0912A23423

Is the scanner giving you a carriage return at the end of each scanned line?

--
Will
westes AT earthbroadcast.com
"J French" <er*****@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:3f***************@news.btclick.com...
On Thu, 23 Oct 2003 21:47:22 -0700, "CHANGE username to westes"
<DE***********@earthbroadcast.com> wrote:

<snip>

Using keyboard wedge, the Inventory Manager must:

1) Select an Edit Text for the next item

2) Scan and confirm entry for individual item

Then repeat the above 60 times. It's very cumbersome.


What ?

That sounds a load of nonsense

Why use a Textbox anyway ?
- the simplest method is to set the Form.KeyPreview to true and simply
read in the strings

Personally I would use a more elegant solution built from a
UserControl - but using the same principle

Jul 17 '05 #7
Do you know if Datalogic (or anyone else) has a wireless model that would
feed strings and end of barcode characters to a PC as if it was keyboard
input?

--
Will
westes AT earthbroadcast.com

"Antony Booth" <an****@terian.co.uk> wrote in message
news:bn*******************@news.demon.co.uk...
We use hand held programmable scanners from a company called Datalogic. We
use these to perform Asset Management inspections. The process we follow
is: -

o Install our application onto the scanners. This was written using their
proprietory SDK. Simple and easy to develop.
o Users access the menu driven application on the device itself, scanning
items and entering inspection results via barcode sheets.
o These are stored on the scanner until it is returned to its cradle,
whereupon the data is dumped to a file.
o This file is imported into our database.

No APIs no keyboard interface. The software supplied with the scanners does most of the work. We just import the data. The cradles are attached via
Serial or USB interfaces.

Hope this helps
Antony Booth

"CHANGE username to westes" <DE***********@earthbroadcast.com> wrote in
message news:eJ********************@giganews.com...
What are the most popular, and well supported, libraries of drivers for

bar
code scanners that include a Visual Basic and C/C++ API? My requirements are:

- Must allow an application to be written to a single interface, but

support
many different manufacturers' barcode scanning devices. I do not want to be tied to one manufacturers' software interfaces.

- Must support use of the scanner from Visual Basic, and ideally from

C/C++
and Java as well.

- Must provide a callback interface for Visual Basic, so that an

application
can listen on a certain event and take appropriate action. We want to
support the ability to have many inventory items operated on at once by
scanning items rapidly in succession.

- Would prefer to deal with libraries that are well supported and which

come
from larger companies. If only one-person companies make these kinds of products, we'll consider it (because we have no choice ).

- Cheap is usually better than expensive.

I would appreciate anyone with recommendations discussing them and posting links to the manufacturers' web sites.

--
Will

NOTE: To reply, CHANGE the username to westes AT earthbroadcast.com


Jul 17 '05 #8
Sorry, I did not know that scanners feed an end of barcode character at the
end of the barcode string. Sure, that would allow a much less modal
interface.

--
Will
westes AT earthbroadcast.com

"J French" <er*****@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:3f***************@news.btclick.com...
On Thu, 23 Oct 2003 21:47:22 -0700, "CHANGE username to westes"
<DE***********@earthbroadcast.com> wrote:

<snip>

Using keyboard wedge, the Inventory Manager must:

1) Select an Edit Text for the next item

2) Scan and confirm entry for individual item

Then repeat the above 60 times. It's very cumbersome.


What ?

That sounds a load of nonsense

Why use a Textbox anyway ?
- the simplest method is to set the Form.KeyPreview to true and simply
read in the strings

Personally I would use a more elegant solution built from a
UserControl - but using the same principle

Jul 17 '05 #9
It should, or at least it should have the ability to do so.

--
Stéphane Richard

"CHANGE USERNAME TO westes" <DE***********@earthbroadcast.com> wrote in
message news:9J********************@giganews.com...
How do you programmatically determine when you have reached the end of a
single barcode? What you are describing reads in characters. If I scan two barcodes in succession, how would your program know the difference
between two barcodes: A0912 and A23423

and the single barcode: A0912A23423

Is the scanner giving you a carriage return at the end of each scanned line?
--
Will
westes AT earthbroadcast.com
"J French" <er*****@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:3f***************@news.btclick.com...
On Thu, 23 Oct 2003 21:47:22 -0700, "CHANGE username to westes"
<DE***********@earthbroadcast.com> wrote:

<snip>

Using keyboard wedge, the Inventory Manager must:

1) Select an Edit Text for the next item

2) Scan and confirm entry for individual item

Then repeat the above 60 times. It's very cumbersome.


What ?

That sounds a load of nonsense

Why use a Textbox anyway ?
- the simplest method is to set the Form.KeyPreview to true and simply
read in the strings

Personally I would use a more elegant solution built from a
UserControl - but using the same principle


Jul 17 '05 #10
"CHANGE USERNAME TO westes" <DE***********@earthbroadcast.com> wrote:
Do you know if Datalogic (or anyone else) has a wireless model that would
feed strings and end of barcode characters to a PC as if it was keyboard
input?


There are several. Just remember that you pay (maybe a lot) extra for wireless.
They start around $500 - $600 and can go much higher, depending on the feature
set.

There are also multiple versions of wireless. Bluetooth up to about 50 feet;
other (usually more expensive) technologies for greater distances.

Very abbreviated list of wireless scanner devices. Some of these may require
specific interface hardware and/or programming at the PC. If you want an
application specific search and information on additional hardware/software
needed, send detailed email (distance required; types of bar codes; existing
software, if any) and I'll send a quote for search service.

http://www.barcodebasics.com/hardware/hardware.htm

http://www.barcodesinc.com/hhp/dolphin-7200.htm

http://www.idautomation.com/scanners/#Wireless

http://www.makebarcode.com/scanners/scanners.html

http://www.barcodediscount.com/catal...-terminals.htm

More about me: http://www.jecarter.com/
VB3/VB6/NSBasic Palm/C/PowerBasic source code: http://www.jecarter.com/programs.html
Drivers for Pablo graphics tablet and JamCam cameras: http://home.earthlink.net/~mwbt/
johnecarter at@at mindspring dot.dot com. Fix the obvious to reply by email.
Jul 17 '05 #11

"CHANGE USERNAME TO westes" <DE***********@earthbroadcast.com> wrote in
message news:FN********************@giganews.com...
Do you know if Datalogic (or anyone else) has a wireless model that would
feed strings and end of barcode characters to a PC as if it was keyboard
input?


I would stick with very solid company such as Symbol Technology. Their name
is synonymous to "bar code" They have RF models, wand models, wireless data
collectors, etc. etc. reading all kind of barcodes from UPC to Code 3 of 9.
Jul 17 '05 #12
On Fri, 24 Oct 2003 11:30:05 -0700, "CHANGE USERNAME TO westes"
<DE***********@earthbroadcast.com> wrote:
Sorry, I did not know that scanners feed an end of barcode character at the
end of the barcode string. Sure, that would allow a much less modal
interface.


That is pretty much the definition of a Keyboard Wedge

- it simulates a typist
Jul 17 '05 #13
On Fri, 24 Oct 2003 11:29:05 -0700, "CHANGE USERNAME TO westes"
<DE***********@earthbroadcast.com> wrote:
Do you know if Datalogic (or anyone else) has a wireless model that would
feed strings and end of barcode characters to a PC as if it was keyboard
input?


I would be a bit wary about wireless
- to get that you'll land up with a scanner that is really a PC
Jul 17 '05 #14
CHANGE USERNAME TO westes wrote:

Sorry, I did not know that scanners feed an end of barcode character at the
end of the barcode string. Sure, that would allow a much less modal
interface.
If a particular scanner does not have an EOI character,
the other option is to enable a timer on the first
scan char; in the ~100ms before the timer fires, any
input is assumed to be from the scanner.

This works nicely in my app., and you can set the
interval based on the length of your scan codes.

From memory:

private sub form_keypress(...)
select case keyascii
case 144: 'my scanner's prefix code
BarCodeInput=true
ScanTimer.enabled=true
case else:
if BarCodeInput then
'keyascii is from scanner
else
'keyascii is normal
end if
end select
end sub

private sub ScanTimer_Click()
BarCodeInput=false
ScanTimer.enabled=false
end sub

--
Will
westes AT earthbroadcast.com

"J French" <er*****@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:3f***************@news.btclick.com...
On Thu, 23 Oct 2003 21:47:22 -0700, "CHANGE username to westes"
<DE***********@earthbroadcast.com> wrote:

<snip>

Using keyboard wedge, the Inventory Manager must:

1) Select an Edit Text for the next item

2) Scan and confirm entry for individual item

Then repeat the above 60 times. It's very cumbersome.


What ?

That sounds a load of nonsense

Why use a Textbox anyway ?
- the simplest method is to set the Form.KeyPreview to true and simply
read in the strings

Personally I would use a more elegant solution built from a
UserControl - but using the same principle

Jul 17 '05 #15
I've seen two distinct types of wireless scanners:

1) Those that use some kind of RF frequency to connect the scanner to a base
station, and the base station then cables to the PC by keyboard wedge, USB,
or serial.

2) Those scanners that are stand-alone computers (usually PalmOS or Windows
CE). I don't like that model, because it requires you to write a wholly
separate application for a dedicated OS, and then to do either a file
transfer to the PC or a client-server communication via the network.

What I have not seen, and would really like, is some stand-alone Windows CE
device that has an optional *mode* where it can act as a passive device that
simply forwards strings to the base station, using the model in 1). That
would give you the ability to write stand-alone programs (or buy them) for
the scanner/hand-held computer, but still integrate to your desktop
applications without a lot of programming.

Does Symbol make such a scanner?

--
Will
westes AT earthbroadcast.com

"J French" <er*****@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:3f***************@news.btclick.com...
On Fri, 24 Oct 2003 11:29:05 -0700, "CHANGE USERNAME TO westes"
<DE***********@earthbroadcast.com> wrote:
Do you know if Datalogic (or anyone else) has a wireless model that would
feed strings and end of barcode characters to a PC as if it was keyboard
input?


I would be a bit wary about wireless
- to get that you'll land up with a scanner that is really a PC

Jul 17 '05 #16
On Sat, 25 Oct 2003 13:30:45 -0700, "CHANGE USERNAME TO westes"
<DE***********@earthbroadcast.com> wrote:
I've seen two distinct types of wireless scanners:

1) Those that use some kind of RF frequency to connect the scanner to a base
station, and the base station then cables to the PC by keyboard wedge, USB,
or serial.

2) Those scanners that are stand-alone computers (usually PalmOS or Windows
CE). I don't like that model, because it requires you to write a wholly
separate application for a dedicated OS, and then to do either a file
transfer to the PC or a client-server communication via the network.

What I have not seen, and would really like, is some stand-alone Windows CE
device that has an optional *mode* where it can act as a passive device that
simply forwards strings to the base station, using the model in 1). That
would give you the ability to write stand-alone programs (or buy them) for
the scanner/hand-held computer, but still integrate to your desktop
applications without a lot of programming.

Does Symbol make such a scanner?


Probably - check their web site

Personally I think that this is an expensive solution
Jul 17 '05 #17
You want OPOS. That's what it was designed for.
--
#include <standard.disclaimer>
_
Kevin D Quitt USA 91387-4454 96.37% of all statistics are made up
Per the FCA, this address may not be added to any commercial mail list
Jul 17 '05 #18
IEE makes such a device, but it isn't just a barcode scanner - it's a
price verifier. We will shortly be releasing a low-cost version, about
$400, that's IEEE power-over-ethernet. Most places find it's cheaper to
string CAT-5 than AC.

Our device sends the output from the scanner on a TCP/IP socket in the
form <barcode><CR><LF><NUL>.
--
#include <standard.disclaimer>
_
Kevin D Quitt USA 91387-4454 96.37% of all statistics are made up
Per the FCA, this address may not be added to any commercial mail list
Jul 17 '05 #19
Most bar code readers are available with one of two output options.
The first option is called "Keyboard Wedge" output where you unplug
your keyboard, plug the bar code reader into the keyboard port on your
PC and then plug your keyboard into the bar code reader. This
arrangement makes the bar code reader appear as it it were simply a
second keyboard. Your original keyboard continues to work as normal
however when you read a bar code, the data encoded in the bar code
appears to any application running on your PC as if it were typed in.
The keyboard wedge interface is extremely simple however it has a few
drawbacks. If you swipe a bar code, the cursor has to be in the
correct input field in the correct application otherwise you end up
reading bar code data into whatever application has the focus. This
can cause all sorts of potential problems as you can imagine. The
keyboard output also is limited in that you cannot modify the data in
any way before sending it into the program that is to receive the
data. For example, if you needed to parse a bar code message up into
pieces or remove some of a bar code message or add in a date or time
stamp you would not be able to with a normal keyboard wedge reader.

The other possible output option is to get a bar code reader with an
RS232 or "Serial" interface. With these types of bar code readers, you
connect the reader to an available serial port on the back of your PC.
You would then need either need to write code to read the bar code
data directly from the serial port or use a program called a "Software
Wedge" to take the data from the bar code reader and feed it to the
application where you want the data to go. The disadvantage to this
approach is that it is a little more complex however you gain much
more control over how and where your data ends up when you read a bar
code. With a Software Wedge, you can control exactly where the data
goes in the target application and you can also perform all sorts of
modifications on the data before it is sent to the application.

TAL Tehchnologies sells a product called WinWedge which is a Software
Wedge for Windows. Visit: http://www.taltech.com for more information.

This web site is also an extremely good place to obtain information
about bar coding in general.
On Thu, 23 Oct 2003 19:45:40 -0700, "CHANGE username to westes"
<DE***********@earthbroadcast.com> wrote:
What are the most popular, and well supported, libraries of drivers for bar
code scanners that include a Visual Basic and C/C++ API? My requirements
are:

- Must allow an application to be written to a single interface, but support
many different manufacturers' barcode scanning devices. I do not want to
be tied to one manufacturers' software interfaces.

- Must support use of the scanner from Visual Basic, and ideally from C/C++
and Java as well.

- Must provide a callback interface for Visual Basic, so that an application
can listen on a certain event and take appropriate action. We want to
support the ability to have many inventory items operated on at once by
scanning items rapidly in succession.

- Would prefer to deal with libraries that are well supported and which come
from larger companies. If only one-person companies make these kinds of
products, we'll consider it (because we have no choice ).

- Cheap is usually better than expensive.

I would appreciate anyone with recommendations discussing them and posting
links to the manufacturers' web sites.


Jul 17 '05 #20
Sorry about not replying sooner.

The scanners scan the barcode and return <code><enter>

I don't know whether they have wireless scanners. I suspect they do, but
their functionality would be limited as you would need to be near a screen
and keyboard for any procedure other than scanning code after code. We use
ours to scan an assets serial number, then input inspection results, which
are all stored temporarily on the device. This means there are multiple
reasons for scanning a code and input validation is required.
Because our scanners have a keypad, the codes may be entered manually too,
which is useful when the barcode itself is damaged.
They are wireless devices, but only communicate with the PC when replaced in
the docking cradle. This transfers the data whilst recharging the device.
There is no radio communications whatsoever. This is unnecessary for us as
our scanners are not used at a static location. They are used for equipment
inspections at various offices. When the inspectors return to their office,
they simply place the scanner in the cradle which updates our Asset
Management database.
Antony Booth
"CHANGE USERNAME TO westes" <DE***********@earthbroadcast.com> wrote in
message news:9J********************@giganews.com...
How do you programmatically determine when you have reached the end of a
single barcode? What you are describing reads in characters. If I scan two barcodes in succession, how would your program know the difference
between two barcodes: A0912 and A23423

and the single barcode: A0912A23423

Is the scanner giving you a carriage return at the end of each scanned line?
--
Will
westes AT earthbroadcast.com
"J French" <er*****@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:3f***************@news.btclick.com...
On Thu, 23 Oct 2003 21:47:22 -0700, "CHANGE username to westes"
<DE***********@earthbroadcast.com> wrote:

<snip>

Using keyboard wedge, the Inventory Manager must:

1) Select an Edit Text for the next item

2) Scan and confirm entry for individual item

Then repeat the above 60 times. It's very cumbersome.


What ?

That sounds a load of nonsense

Why use a Textbox anyway ?
- the simplest method is to set the Form.KeyPreview to true and simply
read in the strings

Personally I would use a more elegant solution built from a
UserControl - but using the same principle


Jul 17 '05 #21
"Antony Booth" <an****@terian.co.uk> wrote in
news:bo*******************@news.demon.co.uk:
Sorry about not replying sooner.


I wish that I had seen the original post.

I write apps that are driven by bar codes. We also sell barcode reading
(and printing) hardware. I have scanners that:

- Hook up to the serial port on your PC and you read it like any other
serial device.

- Get mounted to a fixed location and watch the barcodes go by. The data
gets stuck into TCP/IP packets and transmitted where ever you want. You
write a TCP/IP server app that listens for the data and do what you want.

- A cool wedge device that has a cradle that hooks into your keyboard
but the scanner is wireless back to the cradle.

- Pocket PC devices that have a built in scanner and a 802.11 wireless
card as well as a belt worn printer hooked up by a serial cable. The
Pocket PC app runs the scanner and the printer and uploads the collected
data via TCP/IP.

Geeting the right hardware and software to do the job can be a challenge.
It is just as easy to buy to much as too little. One or two operators at
desks or counter tops you could get by with wedge scanners. Shop floor,
warehouse floor, loading docks, etc. - seek professional help.

http://www.datacaptech.com I am a developer not a sales dude. Call us
anyway and we can help you get the right stuff.

--
ATB

Charles Kincaid
Jul 17 '05 #22

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