USB Barcode scanners in VB6?

[birthjay]

It is fairly easy to use a comm port scanner, but what about USB? Has anyone had any experience with this?

Thanks!

[Static]

I tried one a while back...
plugged it in.. opened notepad.. scanned something and the numbers appeared in notepad.

what happens when you try this?

[birthjay]

Did you try in VB6? Did you get it working?

I do not have a USB scanner at present. I am "researching" to see if (and how) it can (is) done. I was told by another programmer that you would have to write USB drivers for each scanner that you used. I simply do not know....so I am asking.

Thanks!

[szlamany]

Every barcode scanner I have ever seen was a "keyboard" scanner - in that I mean it plugged into the keyboard jack on the PC and the keyboard plugged into that.

So in essence they all just simply loaded "keystrokes" into the keyboard buffer as if typed on the keyboard.

I cannot imagine that a USB scanner is any different then that. Many keyboards today are USB cabled - so it makes sense to have USB cabled barcode scanners.

Please give a link for a USB scanner you are considering...

[RobDog888]

I dont not believe that any barcode scanner would come without its supporting drivers as the manufacturer wants you to be able to use it and like it. If they make it hard to use or not even sscannable then who would want to buy it.

Its just like already posted, a substitute for keyboard entry. formatting the barcode is usually all that is necessary. Are you going to be using a barcode font?

[birthjay]

All barcode scanners are not "wedge" (keyboard) scanners. Comm port scanners plug into the serial port and in VB6 you would look for an event on the comm port to see the scan. So SZLAMANY.... there are other scanners than keyboard scanners.

RobDog888... While the scanner itself may have it's on drivers....how the scan is interpreted in VB6 is what I am curious about. In VB6 you can add a MScomm control for the comm port. What do you do for USB? Now it may be that you do not have to do anything and VB6 will see the scan. That's why I am here.

Thanks!

[szlamany]

I've not seen a comm-port scanner since 1990

Could you post a link to the actual scanner - please...

[RobDog888]

Yes, then it will depend on the scanner you get. I would recommend checking if the scanner your interested in comes with any guides or examples and if it comes with drivers and if its simulating a hardware level keyboard keypress etc.

Most motherboards now only come with one COM port so you will need to make sure its not already being used by another device at your customers site or whereever?

[birthjay]

I've not seen a comm-port scanner since 1990

Could you post a link to the actual scanner - please...

I have two brand new ones on my desk.

SYMBOL DS
P/N: DS3408-SF20005

http://www.symbol.com/product.php?pr...b=Data%20Sheet

Interfaces Supported RS232, Keyboard Wedge, Wand Emulation, Scanner Emulation, IBM 468X/469X, USB and Synapse

[birthjay]

I think how they are getting around this is that the software for the scanner installs a "virtual" comm port. I guess I will have to get one to actually find out the details. I do know that I can use a USB to serial adaptor and make a virtual comm port. I have done that. So...maybe it works the same way.

The key point here is "processes and events". Think about a scanner that works in the background. No textboxes or fields. The scanner just scans and that event is picked up by the software (comm control) and is then processed.

Thanks!

[Al42]

The key point here is "processes and events". Think about a scanner that works in the background. No textboxes or fields. The scanner just scans and that event is picked up by the software (comm control) and is then processed.

A serial port scanner works that way. A keyboard scanner works that way. I can't think of a way to make a barcode scanner that wouldn't work that way. The textbox or field isn't created by the scanner, it's created by the program that's reading the scanner. If you don't have a textbox in your program there won't be one, regardless of the source of data.

(And most USB barcode scanners just use the default USB chip manufacturer's virtual serial port driver, so you read the scanner as a serial device.)

[birthjay]

A serial port scanner works that way. A keyboard scanner works that way. I can't think of a way to make a barcode scanner that wouldn't work that way. The textbox or field isn't created by the scanner, it's created by the program that's reading the scanner. If you don't have a textbox in your program there won't be one, regardless of the source of data.

(And most USB barcode scanners just use the default USB chip manufacturer's virtual serial port driver, so you read the scanner as a serial device.)

So...who said the scanner created the textbox????? I think your last paragraph makes the most sense. From what I have read so far that is likely the case; however, this other fellow I have been talking to has some experience with this and says it is not as easy as it appears.

On to testing I suppose.

Thanks!