Get scanner data

[18experience]

Device: Motorola MC9090
OS: Windows Mobile 5 Pocket PC
Development: .NET Compact Edition

I hope that is enough info for what I'm trying to do. I apologize as I'm not sure to ask for what I need. I'm very new to this development platform. I'll do my best.

I have a form with a textbox. When I scan a barcode, it automatically puts the scanned data into the textbox. Is there any way I can get to the scanned data before it is put into the textbox?

Alternately(or more simply), if I had a form with no textboxes and scanned a barcode, is there a way to get to the scanned data?

Thanks

[petevick]

Symbol have an SDK which should help.

Why do you need the data before it hits the textbox?

[18experience]

A co-worker of mine is trying to work with barcodes to scan a part.
For instance:
#10 Flat Screw
12" Heater Bar
etc.

The longest part name we have, currently, is 97 characters. This produces a barcode which is much too long for our scanners to read. So, we were thinking we could just print the ID from the database(no more than 7 characters) as a barcode. However, we'd also like to allow the user to manually type in the part name.

Currently, he scans the part name, which puts the part name in the text box, and then runs queries based on that. You can also type and then press Enter to achieve the same result. However, we can't determine if the text that is in the textbox was typed manually or scanned.

This is all done in the KeyUp event of the textbox. If there were a system variable of something to denote that the text is coming from the scanner or a way to just get to the scanned data, we could handle that and still allow them to type manually.

[petevick]

Hi,
I do something similar. Have a boolean called 'bKeyDown' then...

Private Sub txtStockItem_KeyDown(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventArgs) Handles txtStockItem.KeyDown
        bkeyDown = True
    End Sub

 Private Sub txtStockItem_KeyUp(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventArgs) Handles txtStockItem.KeyUp
        If bkeyDown Then
            If e.KeyCode = Keys.Tab Or e.KeyCode = Keys.Return Or e.KeyCode = Keys.Enter Or e.KeyCode = Keys.F23 Then
                bkeyDown = False
                If Not Search_For_Stock_Item() Then
                    txtStockItem.ContextMenu = Nothing
                    Highlight_Field(txtStockItem)
                    e.Handled = True
                    Exit Sub
                End If
            End If
        Else
            bkeyDown = False
        End If
    End Sub

That should allow keying or scanning. i THINK the F23 is triggered by the scanner.

Give that a try in a test form

[18experience]

My co-worker tried this and it didn't help. He actually had it print out every KeyCode for every KeyUp and KeyDown. When he scanned his password("ASDF"), all he saw in KeyUp and KeyDown were Shifts, those letters, and an Enter. We never saw an F23.

Any other ideas?
Thanks

[petevick]

You looked at the Symbol SDK?

The code I posted is working on an MC9090 without a problem taking scanner input or keyboard input.

There are routines in the formload to turn on the scanner, and start reading, but these are all taken from the sample code in the SDK

[18experience]

Sorry, this topic has gotten a little cold as I was working on other things, but they asked me to look into it again today. The guy who downloaded the SDK isn't here today, so I can't speak with him. However, I just wanted to explain as simply as possible what we are trying to do in the hopes that we could get some help before he gets back tomorrow.

If we have "ABCD" in a textbox and receive an Enter, can we determine if it was EITHER scanned OR typed manually by the user?

We can currently scan and type data just fine, we'd just like to differentiate between scanning and typing.

Thanks