[Sussex] cash drawer programming

[Jim Nicholson]

Dominic, 
 
It looks easy enough.
 
If you can get the RS232 one, all you need to do is take a Cat5 cable, hack
one end off and solder the correct wires to a DB9 or DB25 female connector
as appropriate for your PC.  Configure the serial port as it says in the
manual. In your application you just open /dev/ttyS0 or whatever port you're
using, write something to it and then close it.
 
The pulse operated one is slightly more complicated (but not much). You
could use one of the outgoing handshake lines on a serial port to drive a
relay or similar to switch 12V from your PSU to the appropriate pin and wire
the sense pins to drive an incoming handshake lines on the serial port. You
open the /dev/ttyS0 (or ttyS1 as appropriate) port and then do an ioctl()
call to set the handshake lines, there is also an ioctl() to read the
handshake lines.
 
I did something like this a few years ago at work on a Solaris box, I dare
say I can have a dig around in the man pages for the exact ioctl calls to
make if you need it.
 
Jim
 


  _____  

From: sussex-bounces at mailman.lug.org.uk
[mailto:sussex-bounces at mailman.lug.org.uk] On Behalf Of Dominic Clay
Sent: 12 August 2004 16:30
To: sussex at mailman.lug.org.uk
Subject: [Sussex] cash drawer programming


Hi all,
 
I am thinking about writing myself an epos system for my wonderful book
shop.
 
I would, of course, like to produce some oss.
 

I am thinking that it would need:
 
1. gui app for the till interface (QT?)
2. database (postgreSQL?)
3. middle tier module for controling the cash drawer (???)
4. report producing module for end of day totals etc (???)
 
I would like to leave the system open enough to be able to write modular
'plugin' components for such things as 'customer orders' etc.
 
My first requirement will be to be able to control (open and shut) a cash
register type drawer.  I have seen pictures of these things which are like
cash registers without the cash register :).  In effect they are just the
drawer with the money in it.
 
I want to be able to open and shut a cash drawer from my app. I have no
experience of anything like this.  I assume it would probably communicate
via a serial port?  
 
Is there any one with experience of programming for this kind of equipment
on the list???
Even better, does anyone know of one of these cash drawer thingies for
sale???
 
I have seen _one_ of these for sale.  Here is a link to the manual for the
one I have seen.  Does this seem usable?  Should someone of my beginner
status with serial port programming attempt such things?
 
Cheers,
Dominic
 

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