jonathonberg
asked on
Barcode Scanner string conversion
We are developing an application that needs a barcode reader (any make and model) to read SUPPLIERS barcodes, and then look up a corresponding COMPANY STOCK CODE in a lookup table and input this into the running application as a string - i.e. as if the barcode read was the looked-up string.
THis will involve
1. intercepting the barcode read
2. processing it,
3. injecting the result into the keyboard buffer.
2 and 3 are easy, but 1 isn't. Is there anything out there to do this?
I can't believe this is the first question on this, but I cannot find any previous posts: but it is difficult to search for....
THis will involve
1. intercepting the barcode read
2. processing it,
3. injecting the result into the keyboard buffer.
2 and 3 are easy, but 1 isn't. Is there anything out there to do this?
I can't believe this is the first question on this, but I cannot find any previous posts: but it is difficult to search for....
This should be very simple.
When you scan with the barcode reader it will input the barcode as if it were text to the pc.
for example if you had notepad open it would display the code.
For the processing aspect would be dependant on how you want to program this in whatever language.
you could do a simple vb app. where you focus on text box scan with barcodereader which would push the value into the textbox and have corresponding event for when a value is entered to look up company ccode in DB or flat file table.
When you scan with the barcode reader it will input the barcode as if it were text to the pc.
for example if you had notepad open it would display the code.
For the processing aspect would be dependant on how you want to program this in whatever language.
you could do a simple vb app. where you focus on text box scan with barcodereader which would push the value into the textbox and have corresponding event for when a value is entered to look up company ccode in DB or flat file table.
ASKER
Ok - I need to provide more detail: The application we are scanning into is Sage 50 accounts. We are scanning in barcodes on items to make up an invoice on trade counters. This program is "closed" and will not allow modification.
We need to read the supplier barcode, use a utility to convert this code into a valid stock code using a lookup table and enter that stock code as if it had been keyed. So if the barcode was "123" we might want to trasnlate this to "XYZ" input into the Sage 50 application.
We are happy and competant to write a memory-resident .Net utuility to perofrm the lookup and to push the final result into the keyboard buffer - my question is how do we intercept the barcode read and stop it going into the keyboard buffer?
P.S. The customer wants a USB or keyboard wedge scanner gun plugge dinto a PC, not a terminal or ODA (we know we could do it that way)
Thank you.
We need to read the supplier barcode, use a utility to convert this code into a valid stock code using a lookup table and enter that stock code as if it had been keyed. So if the barcode was "123" we might want to trasnlate this to "XYZ" input into the Sage 50 application.
We are happy and competant to write a memory-resident .Net utuility to perofrm the lookup and to push the final result into the keyboard buffer - my question is how do we intercept the barcode read and stop it going into the keyboard buffer?
P.S. The customer wants a USB or keyboard wedge scanner gun plugge dinto a PC, not a terminal or ODA (we know we could do it that way)
Thank you.
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I am not totally sure I understand what you mean, so can you please explain and give a bit more details on step 1 ?