My first post. First of all, thanks for all the great info this site offers. I am an optometrist and have a totally electronic record keeping system , all home made using access and now a 4 machine network. I have some computer experience in programming, but the slow transition from a flat database on one machine to what exists today could not have occured without the info I gleaned from various boards on this site.
Here is my issue. I have a machine which performs an eye test and currently prints the results to paper tape, which we currently then scan into a document scanner. The machine
has two ports labeled data in and data out, and the plugs are 9 pin round . I assume they are serial data ports.
I have no documentation for this machine and I have searched the web to no avail, as newer machines are constantly being designed and marketed. I would like to eliminate this paper tape step by having this machine feed it's data directly to the computer sitting right next to it, in which we input patient history etc.
How do I go about this. Do I just use a serial cable with proper adapters , is there a device needed to interface , and will I do damage to my Pentium 4 by just hotwiring this? Also, how will the data migrate to my access ap, will it act like a keyboard press, do I need drivers?
The machine runs windows XP and Access 2000.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Mike Katz
Here is my issue. I have a machine which performs an eye test and currently prints the results to paper tape, which we currently then scan into a document scanner. The machine
has two ports labeled data in and data out, and the plugs are 9 pin round . I assume they are serial data ports.
I have no documentation for this machine and I have searched the web to no avail, as newer machines are constantly being designed and marketed. I would like to eliminate this paper tape step by having this machine feed it's data directly to the computer sitting right next to it, in which we input patient history etc.
How do I go about this. Do I just use a serial cable with proper adapters , is there a device needed to interface , and will I do damage to my Pentium 4 by just hotwiring this? Also, how will the data migrate to my access ap, will it act like a keyboard press, do I need drivers?
The machine runs windows XP and Access 2000.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Mike Katz