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The Alpha Software Forum Participation Guidelines

The Alpha Software Forum is a free forum created for Alpha Software Developer Community to ask for help, exchange ideas, and share solutions. Alpha Software strives to create an environment where all members of the community can feel safe to participate. In order to ensure the Alpha Software Forum is a place where all feel welcome, forum participants are expected to behave as follows:
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Be sure all comments and threads you post are respectful. Posts that contain any of the following content will be considered a violation of your agreement as a member of the Alpha Software Forum Community and will be moderated:
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Community members are encouraged to click the "Report Post" icon in the lower left of a given post if they feel the post is in violation of the rules. This will alert the Moderators to take a look.

Alpha Software Corporation may amend the guidelines from time to time and may also vary the procedures it sets out where appropriate in a particular case. Your agreement to comply with the guidelines will be deemed agreement to any changes to it.



Bonus TIPS for Successful Posting

Try a Search First
It is highly recommended that a Search be done on your topic before posting, as many questions have been answered in prior posts. As with any search engine, the shorter the search term, the more "hits" will be returned, but the more specific the search term is, the greater the relevance of those "hits". Searching for "table" might well return every message on the board while "tablesum" would greatly restrict the number of messages returned.

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Similarly, if you are uploading a zipped archive, you should simply create a .ZIP file and not a self-extracting .EXE as many users will not run your EXE file.
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Barcode Scanning Question

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    Barcode Scanning Question

    I just got a Symbol barcode scanner and have run into an interesting dilema. I have two database running on the PC connected to the scanner.

    1. To validate membership entry as people walk into a fitness centre
    2. To create memberships, billing etc.

    I need the barcode scanner to work only with the membership validation database. If the memberships creation database is open I don't want the scan to show up there.

    Is this possible?

    #2
    Re: Barcode Scanning Question

    David,

    To the computer the scanner appears like an "assistant" to the keyboard. The computer can't discern whether the input is from the keyboard or from the scanner. Alpha certainly can't tell either.

    If the membership creation database is open, why would anyone be using the scanner?
    There can be only one.

    Comment


      #3
      Re: Barcode Scanning Question

      Hi Stan & David,

      Originally posted by Stan Mathews View Post
      The computer can't discern whether the input is from the keyboard or from the scanner. Alpha certainly can't tell either
      That's not correct. Scanners typically have a settable prefix and/or suffix keys to the scanned values. With onkey events, you can filter what and when you need the data.

      I have recently announced the availability of barcoding functions as a product. See this Barcoding and Scanning Functions for Alpha Five thread and my website here. The product is currently be readied for licensing and purchase, but might take a short while to finalize.
      Regards,

      Ira J. Perlow
      Computer Systems Design


      CSDA A5 Products
      New - Free CSDA DiagInfo - v1.39, 30 Apr 2013
      CSDA Barcode Functions

      CSDA Code Utility
      CSDA Screen Capture


      Comment


        #4
        Re: Barcode Scanning Question

        The barcode scaning database is an "always on" database. This membership database is always up and ready to allow members to scan their membership cards and gain access to the centre.

        The wrinkle is that I'd like this same PC to be used to other things as well.

        Comment


          #5
          Re: Barcode Scanning Question

          That's not correct. Scanners typically have a settable prefix and/or suffix keys to the scanned values.
          And if you typed in the same prefix and/or suffix keys, the computer/program can discern the source as the keyboard vs the scanner?
          There can be only one.

          Comment


            #6
            Re: Barcode Scanning Question

            Hi Stan,

            Originally posted by Stan Mathews View Post
            And if you typed in the same prefix and/or suffix keys, the computer/program can discern the source as the keyboard vs the scanner?
            Some scanners are better than others, in terms of the prefix/suffix key settings. Some can do things like higher function keys like F20, many can do things like Alt-F4, Ctrl-F6 etc. Some can do things like Ctrl-Alt-F7, or even (right Ctrl)-(left-Alt)-F8 etc. If you select the prefix keys carefully, there should be no impact or any other program. If you set the prefix keys to two unrelated keys (e.g. F6 F4), you can process them as a signal to start the scan process.
            Regards,

            Ira J. Perlow
            Computer Systems Design


            CSDA A5 Products
            New - Free CSDA DiagInfo - v1.39, 30 Apr 2013
            CSDA Barcode Functions

            CSDA Code Utility
            CSDA Screen Capture


            Comment

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