Using a barscanner in combination with the Windows GUI

  • 23 October 2023
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Harm Horstman
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I'm looking for a simple way to process barcodes read with a wireless barcode scanner. 

I can configure the barcode scanner in such a way that it sends a TAB after every barcode that is read.

I have already tried to get it done with a table task and also with a detail form with auto save option. Both solutions do not work flawlessly.

A multi-line field could also be possible, but the GUI expects an ALT+TAB at the end of each line.

What is the best approach for an application running the Windows GUI?

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10 replies

Anne Buit
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Hi Harm,

This is one of the few scenarios where I’d suggest processing the input in the Default logic and sending the cursor back to the input field to accept the subsequent barcode scan.

Depending on the scenario, you can either store the scanned barcodes in a field as json or xml for processing on commit or store the values directly in the database.

Harm Horstman
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Hi Anne,

Thanks and clear, I will try this.

 

 

 

Harm Horstman
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@Anne Buit,

Using the default procedure as you suggested does not quite yield the desired result.

One of the scenarios that should work includes starting a process flow immediately upon scanning a barcode. This does not work now because auto save only works with a CTRL+ENTER and that cannot be configured in the barcode scanner.

Do you have any other suggestions?

Anne Buit
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If you cannot get the barcode scanner to commit the task, it will be difficult to start a process flow.

Can you provide some more information about the challenges you are facing with the Default-logic based approach and how a process flow would resolve this?

M
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Hello Harm

We have implemented a system in our WMS whereby we start a process flow after scanning a barcode.

For this purpose, we have set the scanners we use to add a certain key combination before the scanned barcode (text string) (so a prefix) after scanning.
We have linked this particular key to a task as a shortcut. This automatically starts that task when scanning, after which the barcode is parsed into a default and the process flow is handled.

On other screens where we scan and process barcodes, the key combination is not used and therefore this prefix does not cause any problems.

Does this solve your problem?

Harm Horstman
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Marc, 

Thanks for your suggestion, this could lead to a workable solution I think. 

Coming days we will investigate further to come to the most efficient solution.

Jeroen van den Belt
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Hi @Harm,

Did you manage to find a workable solution?

Harm Horstman
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Hello Jeroen,

Yes, I found a way to read barcodes, update a field, run a dummy task with a shortcut key combination (Ctrl+F8) and start a process flow. It looks quite impressive, but we are not yet there.

It works, but the system is not very reliable and also not dummy proof.

The customer prefers a solution with a intelligent, WiFi enabled, barcode scanner that can read a barcodes and send a ‘POST’ requests to the application (Indicium). Without the need of connecting the barcode scanner to a PC or Tablet, so that users can freely walk an scan in the warehouse with just a barcode scanner.

I think this is not very difficult to achieve with the Indicium as API. 

Maybe someone in the community has experience and can recommend a proper type of barcode scanner (brand name + type) for this application?

M
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Hello Harm

We use different hardware configurations in our warehouses.
One of the devices we use is the Zebra ET21, with a pistol grip.
The advantage of this device is that the user has everything in 1 compact and light device. This works fine for scanning at short distances (up to approximately 1.5 meters).
This Android device is linked to our network via WiFi.

 

 

Harm Horstman
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Thanks Marc, this looks good, I think this is what we need, I will further investigate on this.

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