using barcode scanner to perform functions

[alainalbert]

I am using a barcode scanner to scan off fall labels and I would like to be able to scan a code that opens up the EZ Off-Fall dialog box for the next input rather than have to go back to the keyboard. Is there a way to add shortcuts to functions within the program?

[Brad McIntosh]

Alain - Since most USB barcode scanners work as "keyboard wedges" - they basically read the barcode and stuffs the alphanumeric characters into the Windows keyboard "stream" or buffer.

You should check your barcode scanners documentation to see how you can format special barcodes with special character sequences such as [Enter], [F3], [Ctrl+_], etc. - basically what you would need to access a dialog or other feature.

>> You just need to remember that when you scan something, the scanner and Windows pass the character sequences along through the keyboard buffer without any context.

[Tommy Wieler]

There doesn't seem to be a keyboard shortcut currently for opening the EZ-Offal dialog. So, if you wanted to get fancy, you could download a program like Auto Clicker and program a keyboard shortcut to automatically move the mouse to a specific location on the screen and click. Then once you've done that, you would print a barcode showing that keyboard shortcut, and scan that barcode whenever you want to load the EZ-Offall dialog. I've never used Auto Clicker myself, so I couldn't tell you how to use the software, but it looks interesting.

[Clint Buechlein]

Tommy,

EZ Off Fall will automatically launch when an off fall label is scanned, however a dialog opens after it asking if that is the sheet you want, and if you want to rotate it. I believe Alain is trying to get past that dialog without having to go to the control to click accept. See attached picture as an example of that dialog.

I would probably look at programming the barcode scanner as Brad had suggested. The tricky part is making sure you are covered for other instances. For example, if you just add a pause followed by an ENTER click after each scan, what happens when you scan a recut? Or if the scanner is used to open CNC files also, what happens then?

-Clint-