Using Bar Code Scanner with Forms

[Justin Schlueter]

I am trying to create a form where our LMC can scan barcodes to input information instead of typing out the information to make the process faster. However, when I scan a barcode it submits the form. Anyone know how to stop that from subimtting till we hit the submit button at the bottom? Thanks

[Joel Lowsky]

Hi Justin,

A few things to know about bar code scanners:

1. They are treated by a computer as a keyboard.  Just a keyboard.

2. When they scan a barcode, they send the code they've read from the bar code, along with a carriage return/enter key

Getting the default behavior of the scanner to change (ie: not send the carriage return) is a pain in the butt and may require anything from keyboard remapping to some totally awesome VBA programming.

One way to solve your problem might be to add another field to the form, perhaps a required field.  So even if the form tries to submit, the required field will be empty.  You could make the required field something like "your initials" or "What's 1+1" ... tell people it's a captcha intended to prevent spam submissions.

Joel

On Mon, Nov 10, 2014 at 10:08 AM, Justin Schlueter <jschl...@kimberly.k12.wi.us> wrote:

I am trying to create a form where our LMC can scan barcodes to input information instead of typing out the information to make the process faster. However, when I scan a barcode it submits the form. Anyone know how to stop that from subimtting till we hit the submit button at the bottom? Thanks

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[Justin Schlueter]

Fred Delventhal responded by email with the following suggestion. You can either arrange the fields so that scanned field is last or make any of the fields after what you are scanning a required field. I was able to require a field in my last field to make this work for me

[Tom Donovan]

There is often another, easier way, to change the scan "suffix" character.  It depends on the scanner, but every one I have ever used comes with a programming manual which includes a list of barcodes that you scan to change various settings.  Generally, you scan a code that puts the scanner into a config mode, followed by another code that sets a particular setting, followed by a code that ends config mode.  

In the past, I've created a sheet with just the codes necessary for toggling a specific setting--like setting the suffix character from "return" to "tab" and back again.

-Tom

—
Tom Donovan

Chief Technology Officer

Aptakisic-Tripp CCSD 102

Buffalo Grove, IL

[Devon Jacobs]

If your using a barcode scanner you got from your library services vendor or similar provider, your scanner has probably been programmed to add the trailing carriage return so that it works with automated circulation. Most barcode scanners can be reprogrammed to eliminate the trailing carriage return or use an alternative end character like TAB. If you look up the user guide for the barcode scanner you are trying to use, they usually supply programming sheets that you can print and scan. it's usually similar to the following process:

scan special barcode to enter programming mode

scan programming option 1

scan programming option 2

... etc

scan barcode to exit programming mode.

on my Symbol 6707 (which is probably way overkill for what you're doing) the default is to simply send the data with no trailing characters. The programming for this advanced scanner is in many cases even more simple than what I've outlined above.

I could change that scanner to work with automated circulation by programming a data suffix (carriage return), and then telling the scanner to transmit the suffix with the data. the barcodes to do so are right in the manual (see below) on page 64 and 65... 

If I wanted to tell the scanner to no longer send the carriage return, so I could use it with google forms, I could just scan the single programming barcode on page 65 to tell the scanner to start sending only the data, instead of the data and prefix.

It's actually easier than it sounds on most scanners... if you send me the make and model, I can probably put together a couple of programming sheets that you could scan to turn the carriage return on or off if it's actually an option on that particular scanner

 6707 manual:

www.motorolasolutions.com/web/Business/Products/Bar Code Scanning/Bar Code Scanners/General Purpose Scanners/DS6707-HD/_Document/_StaticFiles/DS6707-HD Product Reference Guide.pdf