A few questions about a Barcode Scanner program

[Gener]

Hello, I hope you guys can help me. I have a program that will take keyboard input and add/subtract a "quantity" field of a datasheet. The barcode scanner will input keyboard input.


However, here's the problem. Once someone scans the item, I don't want them to press OK on the computer after they scan an item. Is there anyway I can make the program recognize there is an ID after scanning and automatically update without pressing OK? Basically, it recognizes there is text and will automatically press OK.

I also had another question as well. Once the field is updated after scanning, they will have to press the run button AGAIN to run the program to scan another item. This is extremely inefficient and I was wondering if there was anyway to infinitely loop the program until one presses cancel. Maybe somehow do it recursively or use a form/macro? Thanks.

 

[pbaldy]

The scanners I've had could be configured to send a tab or return after the scan (actually most did that out of the box). I just use the before/after update events of the textbox to handle the input.

You should be able to do your process and then return focus to the textbox so the user can simply keep scanning. It requires no other input from the user (like a quantity)?

 

[Gener]

As for the barcode scanner, I figured out you can program the barcode scanner to enter the number and press enter in one button, as you said.

However, what do you mean I should be able to return focus to the textbox? My program closes after entering a number and pressing enter. To run it again, I have to press the little run button so the textbox pops back up.

Is there anyway to maybe call the function recursively? I'm really not sure of the syntax, I only know Java.

 

[mdlueck]

The barcode scanner I have latest worked with connects to the computer via USB and Windows XP comes with the driver to make it work. It was a Symbol brand scanner.

In an Access form field control, Access ends up receiving a series of keystrokes when a barcode is scanned. That makes it very difficult to trigger a "move to the next field" as like I said the field receives a series of individual characters.

I suppose the way to accomplish it is to............. monitor the .Text attribute of the field control from that control's Change event and watch for it to finally be the expected length of an entire barcode When it is in the .Text value, it is not actually in the control yet, however at that point you could set a flag that "yes, full barcode received". Then in another method (not sure which one) be monitoring that flag variable and when you see it go true, set it back to false and also move to the correct next field.

The thing with the Change event is, like I said, the value of the control has not been updated yet, so you can not just toss that event and jump to another field... as it fires because an additional character is suppose to end up in said field.

 

[pbaldy]

If your program closes, it's because it's been programmed to. What's the code behind the button?