Problem with software barcode reader (webcam)

[Modulator]

Hi!

I'm trying bcWebcam 1.1.0.3 Webcam barcode reader, which works amazingly well.. My problem is weird.. when im trying to "feed" barcodes from this software to dhpos code-area, it just exits purchase screen to the main menu (or stock table to main config menu).. This program just injects barcodes to forms in websites or notepad (or anything that wants input with keyboard).. what's the problem? Program works with inputting data to cmd.exe.. If this is fixed somehow, this is a cheap way to read EAN8/13 codes...

Thanks!

[Andrew]

It sounds like it's sending extra characters. If you scan a barcode into Notepad, does it return the barcode number, and then move down to the line below (i.e. indicating that it's sent a character return/enter)?

[daleadmin]

Modulator,

To add to Andrew's comments...

Try this, start up your word processing software and then scan the same barcode 4 times.

Do the barcode digits display in your word processing software like this...

5261478539541526147853954152614785395415261478539541

or this....

5261478539541
5261478539541
5261478539541
5261478539541

or not at all?

If it is "not at all" then there is a huge problem. If it is the second example then it should be working in the POS software when you scan a barcode.

If it is the top example then your scanner is sending the wrong "termination" character at the end of the scan. The computer does not know how many characters the scanner will be sending to it. Therefore the scanner must send a special character to the computer to tell the computer, "That's it, I'm done with is barcode". That special character is called the "termination" character for obvious reasons.

The termination character that DHPOS is looking for is [ENTER]. Scanners can be configured to send one of several different possible termination characters. From your description of the problem it sounds like your scanner is set to send [ESC] as the termination character, you must reset it to [ENTER]

In regular POS scanner manuals there are printed special barcodes that if scanned will reprogram the scanner's termination character. If you have the same deal in your scanner's manual find the one for [ENTER] and scan it. NOTE: in your scanner's manual the [ENTER] barcode could also be identified as ASCII-13, CR, or CR/LF

Dale

[Modulator]

Actually, you can define, how the barcode is "writed" to the "form".. You can choose between no extra characters, <ENTER> or <TAB>... I think that the problem is with the speed that this program writes to the for example POS purchase screens product code form. When i scan the barcode, it just hops back to the main menu without any prompts or anything.. Would the problem be some kind of overflow of characters that the DOS just cant process quickly enough? Would be cool to be able to use this as this is a cheap way of reading codes..

EDIT: Oh and yes, it reads barcodes to notepad or any word processor without problems.

[ChrisKraus]

I think the problem is similar to using non-keyboard wedge style barcode readers.
It just doesn't interface well with a DOS program.
I believe I tried a Serial Port Barcode Reader with DHPOS a long time ago, and I think it barely worked.
This was the kind that you had to install desktop software to make it work.
I think this setup is pretty much the same situation.
- Chris

[daleadmin]

Modulator,

Details are important. You said that the wordpad test works but you did not say if the barcodes print all on one line (the top example) or stacked on multiple lines (the second example.)

It does not matter how fast the characters are sent because they will just go into the DOS keyboard buffer which is instantanious for all practical purposes. The characters are then fed into the DOS application as fast as it will take them.

But try this. Instead of scanning in a barcode just try pressing [ESC] instead. I bet you get the same result as if you scanned the barcode.

Dale

[Modulator]

Modulator,

Details are important. You said that the wordpad test works but you did not say if the barcodes print all on one line (the top example) or stacked on multiple lines (the second example.)

It does not matter how fast the characters are sent because they will just go into the DOS keyboard buffer which is instantanious for all practical purposes. The characters are then fed into the DOS application as fast as it will take them.

But try this. Instead of scanning in a barcode just try pressing [ESC] instead. I bet you get the same result as if you scanned the barcode.

Dale

Yes, and i also noted that you can define whether it "stacks" those barcodes or print them to one line. Tried pressing ESC, goes to main menu as you expected. Also, if this helps, the DOS editing program EDIT doesn't show any activity when trying to scan codes (nothing is "writed").
This is a nasty bitchy problem i would say

[daleadmin]

Modulator,

Good thinking on using the DOS EDIT program to test your scanner. So I dug out my USB CueCat scanner and scanned some barcodes into EDIT. It worked fine and even stacked the barcodes.

Sometimes DOS will not interface with USB devices like printers but has no problems with system devices like keyboards, or mice because Windows controls access to those devices without separate drivers. Otherwise, for example, you could not use DOS at all with a USB keyboard attached to your computer. My XP computer thinks my USB scanner is a keyboard and send the input directly to DOS without a problem. (OK everyone, I know that Windows XP does not actually have DOS so now you can skip that irate flaming email that you were about to send to me. )

So how does that help you? Apparently your computer does not think that your scanner is a keyboard even though it is attached to your computer's PS/2 keyboard port. (It is, isn't it?)

However something is getting through because DHPOS changes screens when you scan a barcode.

A mystery to me,
Dale