Capture Barcode Text

[ashly]

Hi,

I would like to ask something about barcode.

I have a USB barcode scanner, scanned text will show at my VB app text box.

Beside showing on the text box, any other way to capture the scanned text?


Thanks.

[CDRIVE]

Hi,

I would like to ask something about barcode.

I have a USB barcode scanner, scanned text will show at my VB app text box.

Beside showing on the text box, any other way to capture the scanned text?


Thanks.

Any Text that you can import into your VB app can be saved to a txt file, Excel Book, Data Base etc....

[ashly]

Any Text that you can import into your VB app can be saved to a txt file, Excel Book, Data Base etc....

hmm... currently my text box always need to got focus then only I can get the scanned data.

beside doing this, is there any other way to get the scanned data if the text box is lost focus?

[CDRIVE]

hmm... currently my text box always need to got focus then only I can get the scanned data.

beside doing this, is there any other way to get the scanned data if the text box is lost focus?

Ah, so the USB readers follow the same rules as the PS2 Keyboard readers. They also just send the text to any open text editor that has the focus. Does this mean that you've not written any code for it?

[CDRIVE]

I wrote this over the last year for someone using a keyboard input barcode scanner. It should work for your USB model though.

' http://news.devx.com/showthread.php?p=500739#post500739
' The BarCode Reader code only accepts input to Text3 while Check1 is checked.
' While Check1 is checked Text1 & Text2 are disabled and focus is put back on
' Text3. This code can be tested with the keyboard.

Option Explicit

Private Sub Form_Load()
   Show
   Text3.SetFocus
   Timer1.Enabled = False
   Check1.Caption = "Input Barcode"
End Sub

Private Sub Check1_Click()
     Timer1.Enabled = True
     Timer1.Interval = 2500
   If Check1.Value = 1 Then
     Text1.Enabled = False       'Disable Text1&2 while
     Text2.Enabled = False       'Barcode reader is reading.
     Text3.Text = "Bar code input restricted to this window"
     Print "Press any key to simulate Barcode input."
   Else
     Text1.Enabled = True
     Text2.Enabled = True
     Cls
   End If
End Sub

Private Sub Text3_Change()
   If Check1.Value = 0 Then Text3.Text = ""             'Don't accept any input.
End Sub

Private Sub Timer1_Timer()
   If Check1.Value = 1 Then Text3.SetFocus
   Text3.Text = ""
   Timer1.Enabled = False
End Sub

[ashly]

I wrote this over the last year for someone using a keyboard input barcode scanner. It should work for your USB model though.

' http://news.devx.com/showthread.php?p=500739#post500739
' The BarCode Reader code only accepts input to Text3 while Check1 is checked.
' While Check1 is checked Text1 & Text2 are disabled and focus is put back on
' Text3. This code can be tested with the keyboard.

Option Explicit

Private Sub Form_Load()
   Show
   Text3.SetFocus
   Timer1.Enabled = False
   Check1.Caption = "Input Barcode"
End Sub

Private Sub Check1_Click()
     Timer1.Enabled = True
     Timer1.Interval = 2500
   If Check1.Value = 1 Then
     Text1.Enabled = False       'Disable Text1&2 while
     Text2.Enabled = False       'Barcode reader is reading.
     Text3.Text = "Bar code input restricted to this window"
     Print "Press any key to simulate Barcode input."
   Else
     Text1.Enabled = True
     Text2.Enabled = True
     Cls
   End If
End Sub

Private Sub Text3_Change()
   If Check1.Value = 0 Then Text3.Text = ""             'Don't accept any input.
End Sub

Private Sub Timer1_Timer()
   If Check1.Value = 1 Then Text3.SetFocus
   Text3.Text = ""
   Timer1.Enabled = False
End Sub

does this means that if the vb program gets input from barcode scanner, then the program form must always on top & got focus?

[CDRIVE]

does this means that if the vb program gets input from barcode scanner, then the program form must always on top & got focus?

To the best of my knowledge... yes! That's a standard Windows convention. However, you may be able to build an app that activates (gets the focus) when it sees certain data on the port. You'll need a USB savvy programmer to help you with that though.

[CDRIVE]

Here's a thought... When you plug the scanner into the port does it show up as an attached device in the Device Manager? If it does then there's probably an API that may capture that event which could be used to put your app on top with the focus.

[jdc2000]

Unless you prevent your App from losing focus when the bar code scanner is attached, which would require the user to disconnect it to use the PC for anything else, another program could still be given the focus.

An alternative that might work, if the bar code scanner you are using has the capability, is to assign a prefix code that the scanner sends before each data scan. Most recent scanners have this capability - check the manual for yours. You could program your App to watch for this prefix code, and make sure it has the focus and moves the cursor to the appropriate field. Your App would probably have to make sure to capture all input to look for the prefix code, and pass on data not intended for it.