NEW: Cost-Saving Bluetooth Barcode-Scanner App

Wireless Barcode-Scanner

TEC-IT is proud to publish a new Android app named Wireless Barcode Scanner. It is used as simple and cost-saving alternative to handheld Bluetooth barcode scanners.

Scanned bar-codes are sent via Bluetooth to the connected PC

Wireless Barcode Scanner scans bar-codes with the built-in camera and transmits the data immediately via Bluetooth™ to your PC or Mac. Linear and 2-D codes are supported.

Additional software is not required. The scanned bar codes are available immediately via a virtual serial port (COM or RS232 port) on your computer using standard tools.

Features

• Wireless Barcode Scanner is extremely easy to setup and use. Just pair your computer with your Android and scan bar-codes remotely. That's it.
• The app detects and decodes common linear and 2D bar-codes fast and reliable.
• Wireless Barcode Scanner is able to scan bar-codes in single-shot or batch mode. In single-shot mode barcodes are scanned one by one, in batch-mode the app scans barcodes automatically until interrupted by the user.
• No data loss! The app logs all scanned barcodes locally on the device for later (re-)sending.
• The Bluetooth connection state or failed bar-code scans are signaled to the user immediately.
• Wireless Barcode Scanner works as Bluetooth Master (supporting SPP - Serial Port Profile). Once paired with the computer, the barcode data can be read with standard software tools from a so-called virtual serial port (RS232 or COM-port).
• The app is available for enterprise licensing (no Google Play account required). Contact TEC-IT for details.
• Last but not least, Wireless Barcode Scanner supports adjustable barcode prefixes, barcode suffixes and decoder character sets.

User Manual

In order to use your Android as Bluetooth barcode scanner you need to perform the steps listed below. This guide is valid for PC users, a short manual for Mac users is available in the Help menu of the app itself.

1. On your Android: Activate Bluetooth
2. Make your Android discoverable so it's visible to all nearby Bluetooth devices (see Android Settings)
3. Start Wireless Barcode Scanner
4. On your PC: Click Add a device (see Control Panel)
5. Wait a few seconds until your Android was discovered by the PC
6. Follow the instructions to pair the devices
7. To find out the assigned COM port number right click on the device in Devices and Printers, select Properties, switch to the Services tab and look for an entry named Serial port (SPP) BlueScanner
8. Use your preferred program to capture the serial data, TEC-IT recommends the keyboard wedge software TWedge for professional data collection tasks.

Please note: If Wireless Barcode Scanner was not started on your Android before pairing, the service Serial Port (SPP) BlueScanner remains unchecked and no COM port number will be assigned to the Bluetooth connection. In this case check the SPP-service and close the dialog with OK. Then retry step 7 above.

Download

QR-Code Scanning

Use Google Play to install the free demo or to purchase the full version. For those without access to Google Play, the application package (APK) can be downloaded from TEC-IT's website.

Feedback

TEC-IT appreciates product feedback and enhancement requests from users. Please contact us via email or comment this blog post.

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How to use Microvision ROV Bluetooth Barcode Scanner

Dealing with a Microvision ROV barcode scanner can be quite tricky. Of course, the device is scanning bar-codes immediately. But the data is sent in a special format and requires a confirmation by the receiver. That's the reason for this blog entry.

By default the ROV scanner (in our case a MS2200-BT) buffers all scanned bar codes internally. The receiver (e.g. your PC or smartphone) is required to confirm each received bar code to delete it from the ROV's memory. If such a confirmation is missing the ROV scanner sends the same bar code over and over.

The ROV scanner appends a 4 digit serialization number to each scanned bar-code. This serialization number is sent (along with the barcode data) to the receiver. The receiving device is required to acknowledge the bar-code by sending back the serialization number along with an appended ACK character (hex 06) to the ROV scanner.

Now let's demonstrate how to configure TEC-IT's software wedge TWedge to work with a Microvision ROV scanner.

Use a Microvision ROV Scanner With TWedge

TWedge is a software solution for reading data from RS232, USB (via virtual serial ports), TCP/IP and Bluetooth devices. The built-in scripting capabilities enable you to process the received data (e.g. send the data to any application by simulating keystrokes) or to implement the confirmation scenario outlined above.

Use this JavaScript snippet for the OnData section in the script editor of TWedge (you may also download the TWI).

TWedge OnData Script for Microvision ROV MS2200-BT

var myData;

var SerializationNumber;

myData = DATA.replace (/\x02/g, "");        // remove {STX}

myData = myData.replace (/\x0D\x0A/g, "");  // remove {CRLF}

// Microvision's documentation says the following:
//
// The serialization number are represented by the last four digits of the bar code.

// Send the serialization number with an ACK (hex 06) character to the

// scanner to acknowledge and delete the bar code. If the scanner has bar

// codes buffered then it sends the first stored bar code, deletes that

// bar code after it is acknowledged, and then sends the next stored bar

// code. This process continues until all bar codes have been sent.

SerializationNumber = Right (myData, 4);

WriteToDevice (SerializationNumber + "\x06", 500);  

// Prepare the read data to simulate keystrokes (remove Serialization Number)

myData = Left (myData, myData.length - 4);

SendKeyStrokes(myData.replace (/\x00/g, " "));

SendKeyStrokes("{ENTER}");

Give it a try!

Download and check out the software wedge TWedge for free. The finished configuration file (TWI file) for this blog post is available here.

Comments and suggestions regarding this article are welcome. Please feel free to contact us via MSN or email if you are facing any problems.

Update

The post How to use a Microvision ROV bar-code scanner with Android explains how to configure the scanner to work without serial numbers, buffering or special protocol requirements.

About TEC-IT

WWW.TEC-IT.COM

TEC-IT Datenverarbeitung GmbH provides high quality software in the areas of bar-coding, barcode extensions for ERP systems, label and form printing, reporting and automated data acquisition. TEC-IT products are available for all major platforms, thus customers benefit from complete and versatile software solutions for all possible requirements. The company is located in Austria / Europe and can be reached via www.tec-it.com.
All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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How to use Microvision ROV Barcode Scanners with Android - Update!

Bluetooth Data Acquisition on Android

Currently TEC-IT offers two Android apps for data acquisition with Bluetooth devices:

• GetBlue provides universal data acquisition and device communication with Bluetooth SPP, TCP and camera scanners. GetBlue communicates with serial Bluetooth devices (Serial Port Profile like SPP/RFCOMM barcode readers), TCP/IP devices and camera scanners. Captured data is displayed, saved (File, Google Docs), forwarded (HTTP, TCP) or injected as virtual keystrokes into Apps (GetBlue virtual keyboard).
• BluePiano extends all Apps with automated Bluetooth data acquisition. This new input method provides a Bluetooth-enabled soft-keyboard. This virtual keyboard captures data from Bluetooth SPP devices (serial port profile) and forwards the received data to input fields of arbitrary apps.

Microvision ROV Bluetooth Scanners

Problem:
Some users are experiencing the following issue: once a bar code is scanned with the Microvision ROV barcode scanner the bar code data is sent over and over again.
Cause:
This problem is because the scanner by default requires an acknowledgement of the receiving party (the Android device). The current versions of GetBlue and BluePiano do not acknowledge received data, thus you need to adapt the configuration of the Microvision device.
Solution:
The required acknowledgement can be switched off by configuring the scanner accordingly.
To do this please check out the Microvision ROV PDF user manual (page 74) for the configuration barcodes. You need to set the following values:

• ForceSerializationOverBT
  must be set to false to force compatibility mode and to disable serial numbers. Scan the Set FSOBT,0 = Force Serialization Over BlueTooth barcode.
• BCDataACK
  must be false so no ACK is required. Scan the Set Ack,0 = Bar Code Data Acknowledgement is False barcode.
• SeqNum
  must be false to disable serial numbers. Scan the Set Seq,0 = Sequence Number is False barcode.
• AutoDownload
  must be true to send scanned barcodes immediately to the Android device. Scan the Set ADl,1 = Auto Download is True barcode.

The Microvision ROV scanner user manual as compressed CHM file may also be of interest. Refer to this blogpost for displaying this file on Windows 7. Use the search function in the manual and search for Bar Coded Menu Cards.

Please note that the configuration information above was posted based on user feedback of TEC-IT's Android apps. If there are any problems let us know. Thanks!

Feedback

TEC-IT hopes this article is valuable for you. If there are any questions please feel free to contact us via email or MSN (support@tec-it.com).

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