[dundee] Bar code scanners

[paul lancaster]

Hi Chris

Before you purchase a barcode reader, find out the format your barcode belongs to, then make sure your scanner can read it.

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. 

The easiest way to see if will get any problems is to connect it and open a text editor, then start scanning. 
Some applications require a software wedge to handle the serial input.

The USB and PS2 based units we used at work just emulate a keyboard.
Usefully you can add prefix and suffixs to the scan i.e. the scanner can a "Enter" key to the end of each scan.
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.

Hope that helps

Paul
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: christopher wyllie 
  To: Tayside Linux User Group 
  Sent: Thursday, October 15, 2009 2:04 AM
  Subject: [dundee] Bar code scanners


  Hello,

  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.

  Also, does anybody know where I could get my hands on one suitable for use with Linux for less than around £30?

  Many thanks, I know it's a strange question =D

    Chris



------------------------------------------------------------------------------


  _______________________________________________
  dundee GNU/Linux Users Group mailing list
  dundee at lists.lug.org.uk  http://dundeelug.org.uk
  https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/dundee
  Chat on IRC, #tlug on irc.lug.org.uk


------------------------------------------------------------------------------



  No virus found in this incoming message.
  Checked by AVG - www.avg.com 
  Version: 8.5.423 / Virus Database: 270.14.31/2458 - Release Date: 10/25/09 08:10:00
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.lug.org.uk/pipermail/dundee/attachments/20091025/4deb26a9/attachment.htm