I need to use barcode scanner as camera to take images and save them using c# application (WinForms). I am using Zebra scanner SNAPI. And I have few questions.
Can I use barcode scanner as web camera connected by USB and how can I do it?
Is there general API for barcode scanners? I was trying to use Interop.CoreScanner.dll but, I had a problem with taking images and saving them.
PS.
I need to write general application where I can use different barcode scanners.
The typical barcode scanner emulates a keyboard and simply delivers the recognised characters. Since it is also specialised for edge detection I doubt, that necessary hardware modifications will be feasible.
I am currently writing a program where I wish to use a barcode scanner to scan a bar code into a system, then use this information to make certain decisions.
How can I get C# to react when I use the bar code scanner? Do I need certain DLLs or APIs to use a bar code reader? I can create bar codes but need a way for C# to read them externally and import them into the program.
Richard,
It is important to know that typically barcode scanners support multiple interfaces that fall into two categories. Many have an option that makes the barcode scanner appear as a keyboard and whenever you scan data the text is entered into your application at the insertion point. The manufacturer of the scanner may refer to this as Keyboard, Keyboard Wedge, HID Keyboard or simply HID mode, however the last one in this list is technically not accurate as there are other HID interfaces besides keyboard.
The second category is often referred to as application mode. There are several different interfaces that support application mode, such as IBM Scanner, HID POS Scanner, etc. Each of these interfaces represent follow a specific hardware specification. You must make sure that the mode that your scanner is in matches the SDK that you are using to interact with the scanner.
If you are using .NET Framework, you may find POS for .NET useful as it abstracts the barcodes scanner away from the software in a way that allows you to use scanners from multiple manufacturers without changes in your application. In this case, you will need to acquire an OPOS Service Object from the scanner manufacturer to use with POS for .NET. See POS for .NET 1.14.1 Download page for more information: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=55758
Terry Warwick
Microsoft
As far as it is connected to your device correctly , it will automatically pass data to your Focused itembox in your program.so if you run your program.exe which has a textbox, when you scan a barcode , it will be parsed into that textbox (it has to be focused).
Use the class SerialPort. It can listen your ports and then when you will use your scan the program will read it.
while (spPort.BytesToRead > 0)
{
carac = (char)spPort.ReadByte();
if (carac != 08)
m_mystring += carac;
}
Here is an example of how you can read it. And this is the link to the class : https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.io.ports.serialport(v=vs.110).aspx
It also depends on what form your application takes. If you have the option of uploading a picture or accessing the camera, you can pull an image into your code and then use one of many SDK's to read the barcode out of the image.
I have just implemented this using a web application, and I used the ZXing SDK, which is a free port to .Net and is available via NuGet.
https://github.com/micjahn/ZXing.Net
If you're just starting out, samples within SDKs are the best place to get started.
UWP apps to handle barcode are best explained in the universal samples at --> https://github.com/microsoft/Windows-universal-samples/tree/master/Samples/BarcodeScanner
A Win32 C# .net sample can be found in the Pos For .Net 1.14 SDK mentioned earlier.
Most barcode scanners are "HID" devices, which means that they write the data of the barcode (the small numbers) like you would do manually with your keyboard, they're also recognized as a keyboard by most operating systems.
So the easiest way is just having a textbox. Make sure the focus is automatically on the textbox before the scan, and if you want it to automatically do something, make sure to have an event listening for an enter keydown. (Most HID scanners press an enter right after the scan is complete.)
Barcode scanner has are sending keys when they detects Barcode same goes with QR Scanners.
All you need is just put the focus in a textbox and use some events like text change or keypress/keydown since most of the scanners has an option for you to add/remove newline at the end of each set of keys it returns.
Using a physical barcode scanner is one option, but you're limited to scanning one barcode at a time.
An alternative option would be passing multiple documents, either as images or PDFs, to your application to process in bulk.
IronBarcode is a c# barcode scanner that also allows you to read barcodes quickly and accurately in this way.
// The BarcodeResult.ReadBarcodesMultiThreaded method allows for faster barcode scanning of multiple images or PDFs.
// All threads are automatically managed by IronBarCode.
var ListOfDocuments = new[] { "Image1.PNG", "image2.JPG", "image3.PDF" };
PagedBarcodeResult[] BatchResults =
BarcodeReader.ReadBarcodesMultiThreaded(ListOfDocuments);
Disclaimer: I work for Iron Software.
I've been thinking whats the best way to handle a barcode scanner via code. The thing is, I have 3 different pattern of barcodes in one window/dialog. before I put these barcodes in the right field i should be able to handle the barcode scanner programmatically. similar to how we handle others devices via serial port. But my barcode scanner is detected as HID instead of COM. what should i do? I've tried the Point of Service for .Net but it doesn't recognized the scanner. Point of Service always returns "Simulator devices" and not the actual devices installed on the PC.
I understand that my barcode scanner detects as a keyboard. but the thing is that I want to control it programmatically to place the right barcodes in the right fields.
I have Motorola MC55 with Windows Mobile 6.5 on-board. This nice palm contains also an embedded bar-code scanner. My question is - Will I need anything special in .NET CF in order to use the bar-code scanner? I would expect that the bar-code are read as normal strings and delivered as keyboard events? Is any special .NET CF library necessary?
Thanks for help
Dominik
That entirely depends on what you want to achieve.
Handheld barcode scanners based on Windows Mobile usually come with a piece of software that translates barcode module output to keystrokes -- you can put it in the autorun folder and then handle text input in your textbox.
Alternatively, there's usually an SDK that contains libraries with which you can hook the scanner directly and have all the additional information (type of the barcode, binary data etc).
We use MC9090 here, and we went the SDK way. Works like a charm. The SDK can be dowloaded here. If the link doesn't work (I had to crop it), go to the seach form and search for "SDK".
Usually, for Motorola (earlier Symbol) scanners there's a set of libraries for the Comapact Framework including samples.
We use mobile devices a lot with our customers (not only Motorola) and I strongly advise against using keyboard emulation if possible, as you will run into trouble when there are multiple input fields (or no input fields at all). Also, you will not be able to detect special characters within barcodes when you get them through keyboard emulation.
Link to SDK is provided by GSerg in his answer. I strongly recommend using the SDK as it provides access to other device functionality as well.
There's a utility for these devices called DataWedge that lets you treat the built-in scanner as a keyboard device.
Can anyone point to libraries that can be used for Printing from Compact .Net Framework 1.0?
Criteria:
I need to be able to print Text and Bar codes.
The library should preferably be upgradable to .Net 2.0 or above with minimal disruption.
Can be either Open Source [that can be distributed as part of Commercial application] or that can be purchased.
Edit
More information:
We are an ISV and this application is sold to our customers.
This application is usually installed on Symbol, Opticon devices. But occasionally this is installed on a generic Windows Mobile PDA or Phone devices.
I want the library to work with Printers from multiple vendors. [I now have printers from O'Neil and Citizen-Systems for testing].
We want the printers to be connected using bluetooth. I guess the library should in general work with any serial port connections.
PrinterCE.NetCF from FieldSoftware appears to fit the bill. Thanks ctacke. I am looking for something similar.
Thanks,
Kishore
You've not given us much detail, like the device you're using or the printer type you want to print to (local, lan, serial, network, etc), however I'll see if I can at least point you in the right direction.
The de-facto standard for CF printing is PrinterCE from Field Software. PrintBoy from Bachmann Software also works well. I'm not certain if eitehr has the ability to print barcodes though.
Now if you're printing barcodes, that suggests that you're using a device like a Symbol (now Motorola) or Intermec handheld. If that is the case then those manufacturers have their own SDKs that allow printing.
If you are printing to something like a Zebra barcode printer, they typically have some serial PCL commands for printing barcodes as well, so you don't actually need to "print" the barcode. Instead you send the PCL command to tell the printer that the data should be output a barcode instead of text. The printer manufacturer can provide a PCL reference, as the PCL for these types of things isn't standardized.