Capture Serial Data in Lotus Notes Database
I'm looking for a way that my lotus notes form can capture data from some serial scales directly into a field.
I have some weighing scales connected via a standard serial cable to the client PC. I need my lotus notes Database to capture this data.
So far I've only been able to get close by using third party software which reads the serial device and outputs the value as a keyboard input into my field.
This isn't a great setup as there's a lot of room for error and isn't stable enough for our production environment.
Does anybody know of some code in Notes that will directly interrogate a specific COM port for the data?
I have some weighing scales connected via a standard serial cable to the client PC. I need my lotus notes Database to capture this data.
So far I've only been able to get close by using third party software which reads the serial device and outputs the value as a keyboard input into my field.
This isn't a great setup as there's a lot of room for error and isn't stable enough for our production environment.
Does anybody know of some code in Notes that will directly interrogate a specific COM port for the data?
ASKER
If the weight is wrong they will have to remove some of the product and weigh again.
I don't want the user to have as little input as possible. Ideally it would automatically capture the data (and refresh every time the value change or alternatively they press a button each time they wish to capture.
We only use Windows PCs within the business (Company Policy).
If I just wished the capture all data the scales receives I think the mail-in database would work I think it would be a bit too slow sending the data via mail and then pulling it into the form. It needs to be instant for the production environment.
We are hoping to make this database web-based if it makes any difference.
I'm open to third party applications, but as all the ones I have seen so far convert the reading to Keyboard strokes, which can be a bit unreliable
- Correct field must be selected.
- User has to delete previously entered text to then capture data again
- Hotkey (F1 for example) has to be used to capture the data unless set to continuous or using a physical button on the scale.
I don't want the user to have as little input as possible. Ideally it would automatically capture the data (and refresh every time the value change or alternatively they press a button each time they wish to capture.
We only use Windows PCs within the business (Company Policy).
If I just wished the capture all data the scales receives I think the mail-in database would work I think it would be a bit too slow sending the data via mail and then pulling it into the form. It needs to be instant for the production environment.
We are hoping to make this database web-based if it makes any difference.
I'm open to third party applications, but as all the ones I have seen so far convert the reading to Keyboard strokes, which can be a bit unreliable
- Correct field must be selected.
- User has to delete previously entered text to then capture data again
- Hotkey (F1 for example) has to be used to capture the data unless set to continuous or using a physical button on the scale.
What amazes me is that the scales supplier doesn't have the appropriate DLL or other library. I'd expect a higher level interface, and not just COM... I'd also expect some comms protocol, to get data reliably over the line.
The Notes environment is far from ideal for this purpose. A web-based interface to the database seems better already, but... browsers are not allowed to do anything locally. Which means that access to COM-ports is not going to work... unless the scales supplier has an ActiveX module that can be integrated into the application, and you don't object to use only Internet Explorer as a browser (because the others don't support ActiveX modules). Or ask for an applet.
As for Company Policies, read my EE profiles (the monkey story).
The Notes environment is far from ideal for this purpose. A web-based interface to the database seems better already, but... browsers are not allowed to do anything locally. Which means that access to COM-ports is not going to work... unless the scales supplier has an ActiveX module that can be integrated into the application, and you don't object to use only Internet Explorer as a browser (because the others don't support ActiveX modules). Or ask for an applet.
As for Company Policies, read my EE profiles (the monkey story).
ASKER
I think the only way I'm going to achieve what I want is by using software like wwinwedge which will capture the serial data and input it into my web form as a keyboard entry
This though, presents another dilemma. The software has to be setup using a hot key. For example you hit F1 it then outputs the keyboard entry. As the PCs are in entirely sealed units because of the production environment conditions they can't use a keyboard or mouse (just a barcode scanner and weighing scales).
Is it possible to emulate hitting keyboard button by pressing a button in a notes web based form?
This though, presents another dilemma. The software has to be setup using a hot key. For example you hit F1 it then outputs the keyboard entry. As the PCs are in entirely sealed units because of the production environment conditions they can't use a keyboard or mouse (just a barcode scanner and weighing scales).
Is it possible to emulate hitting keyboard button by pressing a button in a notes web based form?
I suppose it can be done, using an ActiveX control that runs inside your web page in IE. I have no clue how to do that though, so maybe you have to ask a new EE-question.
If you want to send a trigger to another application, a solution might be to create your own URI Scheme, i.e. your own URL protocol, like in this URI:
More info here:
- http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ie/aa767914%28v=vs.85%29.aspx
- https://www.iana.org/assignments/uri-schemes/uri-schemes.xhtml
- http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.5.0/docs/api/java/net/URI.html
myapp://do_this/do_that
More info here:
- http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ie/aa767914%28v=vs.85%29.aspx
- https://www.iana.org/assignments/uri-schemes/uri-schemes.xhtml
- http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.5.0/docs/api/java/net/URI.html
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How did you solve your problem? Just my curiosity...
- is there no special protocol on the comms connection?
- why directly in Notes?
Suggestion(s):
- use Linux, for easier access to comms
- develop a simple, external application that receives the comms data and sends it to your database, using mail, i.e. make the database a mail-in database.