Database for IB ITGS (1 Viewer)

msmith20

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Hey, I just joined this site, but I am a new user of Access with pretty much no experience. I have been tasked with designing a database for my school's senior lunch- we sign in and out then- and I can't make any progress whatsoever. Any help at all would be hugely appreciated.
I basically have ~115 students who sign out on a paper sheet for senior lunch who all carry ID cards with barcodes that are linked to an ID number. My idea was to put into place a barcode scanner that would, when reading their ID, take them to a form that would allow them to press a button to sign in or out. These buttons would be linked to a table which recorded their times in and out, and link those with a date. I honestly have no idea what I'm doing. I don't even know if this is possible to design in access, and, if it is, I don't know where to start. Any help anyone could provide would be incredible. Thank y'all!
 

Pat Hartman

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Yes. What you want to do is possible with Access and would not be difficult for anyone with even a little experience. I have not used a barcode scanner in more than 10 years so I am not aware of the current models and features.If you can place a PC or Surface Pro where you want people to sign in, the scanner can be directly plugged into the PC via usb. Using a laptop with a touch screen or the Surface Pro eliminates the need for a keyboard. Most scanners can "poke" a scan value into a field on an Access form, The form can then have an in button and an out button and your code in the click event of the button can do whatever you want it to do.

Start by looking for a scanner that fits into your budget. Some can be very expensive but you should be able to find something for less than $100. You want a scanner that either sits on a stand, similar to the hand scanners used at checkout registers in stores or you might find one that works more like a credit card reader .

I'm sure someone who is familiar with current scanners will chime in with more details. But this plan will work for you.
 

msmith20

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Thank you! Would it be possible for the database to register the scanning as also pressing the button, so that the student would not have to click a button at all?
 

Micron

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This is just an opinion, but if you're really new to Access, then you have been given the keys to the car without ever having observed anyone driving before, let alone had driving lessons - and there's plenty of 'not so good' advice to be found. Access has a substantial learning curve and I'd recommend some research before starting your engine. If that doesn't describe your experience level, then I missed the boat again.

Regarding your db, if there's no worry about students loaning cards, and the cards id the student, then why not just have the db log their coming and going (via scanning) without any other interaction from them?
 

msmith20

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Regarding your db, if there's no worry about students loaning cards, and the cards id the student, then why not just have the db log their coming and going (via scanning) without any other interaction from them?
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That would definitely be better. To your earlier point, I've spent a while watching youtube and such to try and learn the basics, and I have a teacher supervising who is pretty proficient in this, but I am supposed to figure most of it out on my own. I'm going to try to figure out some basic VBA or macro stuff and see if I can make it do what I want. Thank you!
 

Pat Hartman

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If you are only experiencing one or two errors, all the more reason to not combine the error message. Once the user closes the messagebox, he has to "remember" what field was in error and then move the insertion point to that control before his phone rings or something else distracts him. My method puts focus in the field that needs to be changed. You can enhance it to highlight the error also. When I do this, i either set the background color (in case the field is empty) or I highlight the control name. Whichever the user prefers.
 

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