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How to work bar code reader? 2
- Thread starter snadeem66
- Start date
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1
- #2
Olaf Doschke
Programmer
Most Barcode scanners emulate a keyboard. Therefore you simply put the focus into the textbox and scan.
Bye, Olaf.
Bye, Olaf.
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1
- #3
Most Barcode Readers come either a USB port connector or with a "Y" interface box.
The "Y" interface box allows both a keyboard and a Barcode Reader to be plugged into it and the input from both will appear to the computer as having come from a single 'keyboard' device.
A Barcode Reader with a USB port interface will have its input interpreted by the computer as an alternative keyboard input.
As a result, as Olaf has indicated above, your VFP application will not 'know' the difference between the 2 types of input. In that way you do not need to make any changes to the VFP application.
Additionally if the Barcode Reader should not work for a while, the barcode numbers can be manually entered into the application via keyboard.
As to the barcode data, it is nothing more than ASCII characters - just like from a keyboard. Your application will be the one to decide if data entered into a certain textbox on a form is to be used as 'barcode data' or not. Once your application has received the 'barcode data' it is up to it to determine what to do with it.
Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr
The "Y" interface box allows both a keyboard and a Barcode Reader to be plugged into it and the input from both will appear to the computer as having come from a single 'keyboard' device.
A Barcode Reader with a USB port interface will have its input interpreted by the computer as an alternative keyboard input.
As a result, as Olaf has indicated above, your VFP application will not 'know' the difference between the 2 types of input. In that way you do not need to make any changes to the VFP application.
Additionally if the Barcode Reader should not work for a while, the barcode numbers can be manually entered into the application via keyboard.
As to the barcode data, it is nothing more than ASCII characters - just like from a keyboard. Your application will be the one to decide if data entered into a certain textbox on a form is to be used as 'barcode data' or not. Once your application has received the 'barcode data' it is up to it to determine what to do with it.
Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr
- Thread starter
- #4
Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr
Thanks Olaf and JRB=Bldr for reply
JRB-Bldr You said
"As to the barcode data, it is nothing more than ASCII characters - just like from a keyboard"
Now a days, any book or item have their own bar code number, how we use that number in our application for that item?
Olaf Doschke
Programmer
It's up to you how to use the barcode. There are online databases, in which you can retrieve informations about a product. But I now of no general database. Barcodes can also encode data like a price.
It's really up to you what you want to do with a barcode. You may store it as a secondary key to some product in a warehouse management or other inventory software.
You could print labels with integer primary keys as barcode and reidentify anything you label with that, you don't have to apply any rules about the composition of barcodes.
Bye, Olaf.
It's really up to you what you want to do with a barcode. You may store it as a secondary key to some product in a warehouse management or other inventory software.
You could print labels with integer primary keys as barcode and reidentify anything you label with that, you don't have to apply any rules about the composition of barcodes.
Bye, Olaf.
"Now a days, any book or item have their own bar code number
Yes, but any barcode number is nothing more than a string of characters which are numerical characters.
Also Note - not all barcodes are numbers ONLY, some are also alpha characters also depending on the barcode symbology used.
how we use that number in our application for that item?"
As Olaf says above, how you use the number is up to you.
* Are you just using the barcode to track documents?
* Are you using the barcode to handle inventory control?
* Are you printing barcoded shipping labels for your product?
* Are you using the barcode labels in a tightly 'controlled' environment such as the medical industry?
* Are you using the barcode to tag new products that you make and intend to sell to others?
* Other uses of barcodes in your application?
If you are receiving barcoded products from a vendor, they are supposed to provide you with a 'catalog' of their products and their associated barcodes values. You can then use the data from that catalog to cross-reference your items as received as part of inventory control.
If you are generating barcodes yourself for in-house use, you can do things pretty much any way you want. You can choose your own barcode symbology ( see and you can choose what you want to print and how to use them.
If you are generating barcodes for use out-of-house such as selling products to another company then you need to follow the established barcode standards for the industry in both the barcode symbology you use and what you print in that symbology.
In some these later cases you might need to register with one of the national or international organizations to get a manufacturer's code which will be used as part of the printed barcode. And you will need to maintain your own barcode 'catalog' which you will have to distribute to your buyers.
I have worked with barcoding in a wide variety of applications for clients since the mid-80's. Once you have clearly defined your needs, then that will guide what you do and how you do it. Sometimes it is VERY simple and other times it can be significantly more complicated.
Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr
Yes, but any barcode number is nothing more than a string of characters which are numerical characters.
Also Note - not all barcodes are numbers ONLY, some are also alpha characters also depending on the barcode symbology used.
how we use that number in our application for that item?"
As Olaf says above, how you use the number is up to you.
* Are you just using the barcode to track documents?
* Are you using the barcode to handle inventory control?
* Are you printing barcoded shipping labels for your product?
* Are you using the barcode labels in a tightly 'controlled' environment such as the medical industry?
* Are you using the barcode to tag new products that you make and intend to sell to others?
* Other uses of barcodes in your application?
If you are receiving barcoded products from a vendor, they are supposed to provide you with a 'catalog' of their products and their associated barcodes values. You can then use the data from that catalog to cross-reference your items as received as part of inventory control.
If you are generating barcodes yourself for in-house use, you can do things pretty much any way you want. You can choose your own barcode symbology ( see and you can choose what you want to print and how to use them.
If you are generating barcodes for use out-of-house such as selling products to another company then you need to follow the established barcode standards for the industry in both the barcode symbology you use and what you print in that symbology.
In some these later cases you might need to register with one of the national or international organizations to get a manufacturer's code which will be used as part of the printed barcode. And you will need to maintain your own barcode 'catalog' which you will have to distribute to your buyers.
I have worked with barcoding in a wide variety of applications for clients since the mid-80's. Once you have clearly defined your needs, then that will guide what you do and how you do it. Sometimes it is VERY simple and other times it can be significantly more complicated.
Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr
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