@Peter - so true - have an application running for 2+ yrs with barcode support (label and scanners)
scanners: like Peter described, emulating keypress label: using Flying Saucers xhtmlrenderer java project to render PDF's with barcodes cheers, Walther Den 14/02/2012 kl. 15.36 skrev Peter De Berdt: > > On 14 Feb 2012, at 15:13, Scott Ribe wrote: > >> On Feb 14, 2012, at 5:42 AM, Peter Hickman wrote: >> >>> It might have some bearing on the solution being offered you would think. >> >> Up to and including "you can't do it that way". It's shocking how many >> so-called web developers from the Windows side don't realize that in >> browsers on those other platforms you can't necessarily have arbitrary >> access to the file system and attached devices--and that this is considered >> a feature. > > I won't do the work the original poster is asking us to do, but there is > actually a way to use barcode scanners without having access to attached > devices or the filesystem (and it will work on any browser for that matter). > > Most barcode scanners support emulating keyboard presses (and send them as if > someone would actually type out the number the barcode represents). Some of > them even allow you to set a leading character (just some control code) and > to end the barcode with some keypress (like ENTER or Return or even a custom > random keystroke). You'll have to do your own research to find which ones you > can buy where you live and which ones support this feature. On a side node, > most local barcode scanner suppliers will be happy to send you a test device > if you ask them nicely. > > Given that the barcode scanner allows for a leading and a trailing keypress, > all that would be required is that the browser window that allows scanning > the barcode is the frontmost and active window at all times. Then it's just a > matter of writing some javascript code that listens for the keyup event, if > the leading control code is sent you start capturing whatever comes next into > a javascript variable until it hits the trailing control code, then send that > off to the server for processing. > If the barcode scanner doesn't allow a leading character, you can just make > sure that webpage is just accepting barcode input. > > This is as far as I can and will take you. You basically have all the pieces > of the puzzle, now it's up to you to find the right device, write the > necessary code to capture the device output and make it work with your app. > That's part of being a developer: solve problems and come up with a good > solution and then actually write the code for it. > > > Best regards > > Peter De Berdt > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Ruby on Rails: Talk" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/rubyonrails-talk?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Ruby on Rails: Talk" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rubyonrails-talk?hl=en.
