Adding a STX as a prefix

[Papoulos]

Hi all,

I've problem configuring a LS 2208 scanner.


I wanted to add a STX as prefix, but it seems it didn't take the good characters.

I use Scan Option / Prefix+Data then Scan Prefix+1002 (for stx).

But when I scan a test code on notepad++ it didn't send any stx char.
But if i press Shift while i'm scanning the barecode it gives me the STX.

So after several research I found out that the "1002" prefix code send "CTRL+b" and not "CTRL+B" or "CTRL+SHIFT+b".
Thanks to outlook keyboard shortcuts...

Is there a way for me to send the CTRL+SHIFT+B or "CTRL+B" as a prefix ?

 

[JRB-Bldr]

First question - what barcode symbology are you trying to use?

Not all barcode symbologies support these 'extra' characters.

Second question (ONLY if you are attempting to use Code 3 of 9) - are you set up to utilize/print the Extended ASCII set?

Third question (ONLY if using Extended ASCII set) - how are you attempting to get these characters onto your printed form (off-the-shelf application, custom programming, etc.) ?

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr

 

[Papoulos]

Hi and thanks.


My barcodes are EAN13 codes (books).

But i'm not sure the problem comes from the barcode symbologies, because it's the prefix définition that i try to configure, and the prefix didn't depend on the barcode type that i will scan after that ?

 

[JRB-Bldr]

EAN13 is one of the UPC barcode symbologies (maybe its the other way around).

The UPC barcode symbologies will ONLY support Numeric characters (0 through 9), not Alpha characters nor the 'Other ASCII' characters.
One Reference:

http://www.barcodeisland.com/ean13.phtml

The STX 'character' (ASCII 002 NOT 1002 - 'Start of Text') is NOT supported in the EAN13 character set.

So it cannot be printed as part of the EAN13/UPC barcode itself.
And therefore cannot be 'read' by ANY scanner as part of the EAN13 barcode itself.

If you do not already have a copy, you might want to download the LS 2208 Manual (

http://www.modul-bio.com/media/Symbol_LS2208_Manual.pdf)

Page 13-2 of that same LS 2208 Manual says the following:
Parameters, such as Prefix Value, require that you scan several bar codes in the proper
sequence. Refer to each individual parameter for descriptions of this procedure.

As to your CTRL+B, you will find that is, from an ASCII perspective, EXACTLY the same as STX ( see:

http://www.bbdsoft.com/ascii.html

or

http://www.unix-manuals.com/refs/misc/ascii-table.html

or

http://www.physics.udel.edu/~watson/scen103/ascii.html

)

I cannot even find reference to the existence of a Ctrl+b (lower case 'b').

So if you are getting a Ctrl+B preceeding your EAN13 data, then you appear to have no problem with the scanner and/or the printed symbols.

If you are finding a lowercase 'b' in your Received text, then that sounds like an issue of the software, etc. that Received the barcode data, not an issue of the scanner or of the printed barcode data.

If you are still having problems, come back with more details and I'll see if I can assist you more.

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr

 

[Papoulos]

This is what i've done so far (LS2208 manual)

In fact i have an old Gryphon scanner that is configured with just a STX prefix and when i use it on the same computer it gives me the "good" STX (CTRL+B upper case).
I see also the difference in Outlook because in dos command ctrl+b and ctrl+B gave the same result...
So i don't think it's the PC that have a problem.

So i think that there is some configuration code that can set all the data to upper case, but with no luck by now, it's just for the barcodes.

My second hypothesis is the keyboard definition that didn't send the good characters, but i didn't find a way to reconfigure the keyboard as the IBM AT one for an usb.


Thanks for your time and patience... ^^

 

[JRB-Bldr]

On page 5-12 of your LS 2208 manual it talks about Caps Lock Override.
On page 7-13 it talks about Simulated Caps Lock
And on page 7-14 is talks about Convert Case

Perhaps the answer you need might be found on one of those pages.

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr

 

[Papoulos]

Hi, i've tried theses codes but they ahve effects on the barcode you scan after, not the data you send in the prefix...

 

[JRB-Bldr]

The way that I read the manual is that the commands affect the Scanner and how it decodes - regardless of what it is scanning.

And since the Prefix scan and the EAN13 scan are each scanning separate barcodes of differing barcode symbologies (Prefix - Code 3of9 Data - UPC/EAN13) - the decoding of each separate scan should work basically the same.

So, unless that particular scanner itself is just not working, I am back to my suspicion of how and with what the software decoded barcode data is Received.

Just to isolate if it is a specific Hardware device issue or not - Have you tried another scanner of the same type?

Also since this problem seems to be a new one (not a many months old persistent one), I'd have to ask if you have contacted the vendor or manufacturer for warranty support?

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr

 

[Papoulos]

I have two of these scanners and the two of them gave the same result.

And the upper case didn't work, because it will upper case if you scan a "a" in a bar code, but here, i send a 02 hexa character.
It can't be "upper-cased".

I'll now try to contact my vendor if he have any experience of this problem or mis configuration.


Thank you a lot for your time.
^^

 

[JRB-Bldr]

i send a 02 Hex character. It can't be "upper-cased".
Oops, I guess that I should have thought of that myself.

So again, it sounds like the problem is in the software Receiving the decoded ASCII data from the scanner.

I hope you get good support from your vendor.

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr

 

[Papoulos]

The solution was found.

We use the "Emulate Keypad" fonction so that the "02" ascii code was send to the PC with "ALT+02" that send the "STX"

The only problem with this method is that the codebar is very slow to print.
But it works...


Thanks

 

[Papoulos]

I'm back, because this solution didn't work...

In fact the problem is that the Symbol configuration send CTRL+0x62 for STX wich is the ascii code of the lower case b, where i want ctrl+0x42 for upper case B.

So i start again...

 

[JRB-Bldr]

The CONTROL (CTRL) character is not, by itself, an ASCII character it 'works' on an associated character in a manner similar to SHIFT.

Therefore it cannot be sent separately.

On a Keyboard you can manually generate a STX by combining the CTRL + 'B' (Cap 'B') which will send a single ASCII 00000010 (0x02) to the computer.
I can't even find any mention of what a CTRL+'b' might be in any ASCII table - or if it even exists as any type of valid combination.

After decoding the barcode image, barcode scanners send ASCII to the recipient device - similar to a Keyboard.

So you cannot be getting CRTL+0x62 (2 ASCII characters) for STX

Either you are receiving the correct single ASCII character for the STX (ASCII 00000010 (0x02) ) or not.

Once again I come back to suspecting that the problem is in the Receiving application - especially since I cannot even find the existence of a CTRL+'b'.

The approach I myself, as a SW developer, would take in order to investigate what is actually being Received by the computer would be to create a small routine to display the 'raw' ASCII characters (as numeric values) as they are received.

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr

 

[JRB-Bldr]

Here is a discussion of a software tool that might help you investigate the problem:
Free Barcode Scanner ASCII String Decoder

http://support.idautomation.com/Bar...ree-Barcode-Scanner-ASCII-String-Decoder/_699

The tool itself:

http://www.idautomation.com/free-barcode-products/scanner-ascii-decoder/

I guess that I wouldn't have to create a 'tool' myself and thereby re-invent the wheel.

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr

 

[Papoulos]

Thank you i'll check this.


I've found that with the "xev" command line in linux that gave me the code that are send with inputs.

I've also try with the "good" scanner and it send me the Shift+Ctrl+"capB" (in fact i think it's lower b and the shift)

I think you'r right when you say it depend on the interpreter but my main goal is to send the same codes that the good one, because the application behind wil interprete these codes to make it work.

So now i need to make my scanner send ctrl+shift+b or ctrl+0x42

 

[Papoulos]

The problem is the same, there are different way to make an STX
Ctrl+b, ctrl+B, alt+002

 

[JRB-Bldr]

there are different way to make an STX Ctrl+b, ctrl+B, alt+002

OK, but regardless of that, what is the ASCII that is being sent from the scanner and received 'raw' into the system? Use that program referenced above to confirm this.

If it is an ASCII 0x02, regardless of how it is 'interpreted' by the receiving system, then the scanner is working as expected.

Only if the ASCII that you are receiving is different would that indicate a scanner issue - and that would need to be resolved by the vendor/manufacturer.

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr

 

[Papoulos]

The ascii key received by the program is 0x02.

But the thing is i don't know of the application is waiting for 0x02 but it work when i send it ctrl+capsB.

 

[DansDadUK]

>> ... The ascii key received by the program is 0x02 ...

Then (as jrbbldr has explained), the scanner is interpreting and delivering the correct code (hexadecimal 02) corresponding to the <ETX> control-code character.

So any problem must be with your application, or with the mechanism that takes the scanner input and directs it to your application.

The Ctrl + B method is merely a (fairly standard) means of inputting control-codes (which are non-graphic) into compliant applications; Alt + 0002 on the numeric keypad is another method.

 

[DansDadUK]

Typo: I meant to write that <STX> (not <ETX>) corresponds to 0x02.