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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Hi Chris</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Before you purchase a barcode reader, find out the
format your barcode belongs to, then make sure your scanner can read
it.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>As said by others scanners normally support either
Serial (RS232c - 9 pin D ), PS2 ( you will need to have a keyboard plugged in as
operation can be flacky without) and USB. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>The easiest way to see if will get any problems is
to connect it and open a text editor, then start scanning. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Some applications require a software wedge to
handle the serial input.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>The USB and PS2 based units we used at work just
emulate a keyboard.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Usefully you can add prefix and suffixs to the scan
i.e. the scanner can a "Enter" key to the end of each scan.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>We use Symbol (by Motorola) scanners at work and
find the scanner very robust. They also use a common cable, i.e. for a wired
scanner, you purchase the scanner + the cable type you require, so you could be
one scanner and all three type of cable and switch between them by simply
swapping cables.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Hope that helps</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Paul</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=cgwyllie@googlemail.com
href="mailto:cgwyllie@googlemail.com">christopher wyllie</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=dundee@lists.lug.org.uk
href="mailto:dundee@lists.lug.org.uk">Tayside Linux User Group</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, October 15, 2009 2:04
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [dundee] Bar code scanners</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>Hello,<BR><BR>Can anyone tell me something about bar code
scanners and how they work? From what I gather, some of them work as keyboards
and decode the barcode on the scanner then output a string representing the
number of the barcode. Is this accurate and how compatible is this with Linux?
Are there alternatives? I'm looking for something to integrate with a web app
so keyboard output sounds best unless there's a better
alternative.<BR><BR>Also, does anybody know where I could get my hands on one
suitable for use with Linux for less than around £30?<BR><BR>Many thanks, I
know it's a strange question =D<BR><BR> Chris<BR>
<P>
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