OPOS & Scale Support
Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 9:05 pm
Hello all.
I am looking at helping someone set up a basic scanning system for their business, and DHPOS is ideal, except it does not support integrated scales.
The easiest way to achieve this in Windows is to use OPOS drivers, but obviously this is not possible in DOS.
I am willing to write a simple Windows program (as time allows) to control OPOS printers, cash drawers, pole displays, scanners, and scales.
Printers, pole displays, and cash drawer control can be achieved using the existing DHPOS file drop system. Scanners are easy, I can make it emulate key presses (like a keyboard wedge scanner). Scales are the only one that will require DHPOS to be modified.
If you look at a scanning system in a supermarket, when you weigh your fruit and vegetables, the system automatically reads the weight from the scale when the checkout operator enters the PLU for the item, and subtracts a tare weight (to compensate for the weight of a plastic/paper bag, or wrap) automatically.
What I need to make this work is a signal from DHPOS to get the weight from the scale (most likely via file drop) and then return the weight to it, and DHPOS to use the weight as a quantity.
The tidiest way to do this (I think) would be to have the scale item flagged, and the tare weight stored, in the DHPOS stock table. But I know that this would require altering the file format of the stock table, which is likely to be an unpleasant exercise. Maybe cheat and use a second file to store this extra info? I don't know.
Dale, what are your thoughts on this? Is it something you might add to your "think about" pile?
All the best.
I am looking at helping someone set up a basic scanning system for their business, and DHPOS is ideal, except it does not support integrated scales.
The easiest way to achieve this in Windows is to use OPOS drivers, but obviously this is not possible in DOS.
I am willing to write a simple Windows program (as time allows) to control OPOS printers, cash drawers, pole displays, scanners, and scales.
Printers, pole displays, and cash drawer control can be achieved using the existing DHPOS file drop system. Scanners are easy, I can make it emulate key presses (like a keyboard wedge scanner). Scales are the only one that will require DHPOS to be modified.
If you look at a scanning system in a supermarket, when you weigh your fruit and vegetables, the system automatically reads the weight from the scale when the checkout operator enters the PLU for the item, and subtracts a tare weight (to compensate for the weight of a plastic/paper bag, or wrap) automatically.
What I need to make this work is a signal from DHPOS to get the weight from the scale (most likely via file drop) and then return the weight to it, and DHPOS to use the weight as a quantity.
The tidiest way to do this (I think) would be to have the scale item flagged, and the tare weight stored, in the DHPOS stock table. But I know that this would require altering the file format of the stock table, which is likely to be an unpleasant exercise. Maybe cheat and use a second file to store this extra info? I don't know.
Dale, what are your thoughts on this? Is it something you might add to your "think about" pile?
All the best.
