Barcode Scanner Keyboard for Android

Type Or Scan Barcode Keyboard

Barcode Keyboard - +TEC-IT's new soft-keyboard for Android offers integrated camera scanner support. Using this keyboard you are able to scan barcodes directly into any app, application switching or copy/paste is no longer required.

After the application was installed, this Barcode Keyboard  can be activated in Android Settings -- Language / keyboard.
Once activated you are still able to key-in text manually using the hardware or software-keyboard of your Droid. But whenever you need to enter the data of a barcode (e.g. an EAN or UPC product code, a QR-Code, ...) just press the barcode key or long press the num/alpha modifier. A camera scanner app (choose between the built-in or an external scanner) is opened, the barcode is decoded and the Barcode Keyboard enters the barcode data automatically into the current input field. No manual typing is required.

User Manual

NEW: A complete and updated user manual in German and English is available on TEC-IT's web site!

Enable Barcode Keyboard

After installing Barcode Keyboard from Android Market (Market link: market://search?q=pname:com.tecit.android.barcodekbd.demo) you need to enable the keyboard on your Droid (the keyboard must be activated too, see below!):

1. Navigate to Android Settings -- Language / keyboard
2. Check Barcode Keyboard and confirm the security warning

Barcode Keyboard Settings

• Data Prefix
  Using the placeholders ${ENTER}, ${TAB}, ${BACKSPACE}, ${DOWN}, ${UP}, ${LEFT} and ${RIGHT} you can control the cursor or input focus before the barcode data is inserted into the input field of the current app.
• Data Suffix
  Use the same placeholders as above to control the cursor or input focus after the barcode data is inserted into the input field of the current app.
• Camera Scanner
  If you prefer to select the camera scanner to be used each time, select Always ask. If a specific app is selected, the software always uses exactly this camera scanner app without asking.
• Search Key Function
  This entry specifies the action when the hardware search key is pressed (this key is usually marked with a magnifier symbol, it is also available on the hardware keyboard of a Motorola Droid/Milestone or Google G1): Scan Barcode Now immediately opens the camera scanner when this key is pressed (you do not need to activate the soft-keyboard beforehand). In this case the search key acts as hotkey for barcode scanning.
  Choose Do Nothing if you do not want to change the default behaviour of the standard search key.

Activate the Barcode Keyboard

1. Open some app which uses a text input field (e.g. Gmail, then Compose a new email).
2. Long-tap in some input field like To
3. A menu opens, select Input method
4. Choose Camera Keyboard

90 Seconds Video Demonstration

Update Available (V1.4 - October 2012)

In addition to numerous other improvements the updated version of the bar code keyboard supports the following keyboard layouts (The layout of the barcode keyboard is automatically adjusted to the system settings):

• English
• German
• French
• Russian
• Spanish - new
• Swedish

In addition the placeholders ${ENTER}, ${TAB}, ${BACKSPACE}, ${DOWN}, ${UP}, ${LEFT} and ${RIGHT} can now be abbreviated with ${E}, ${T}, ${B}, ${D}, ${U}, ${L} and ${R}. You can specify a multiplier immediately after the placeholder (e.g. ${E5}). This instructs the barcode keyboard to simulate the specified key n times (5 times Enter key in the example above).

Your Feedback Please!

Feedback and feature requests are highly welcome. Just contact TEC-IT.

P.S.: +TEC-IT  offers also another Android App named GetBlue. This app provides automated data collection and data entry for all apps. Connects to TCP RFID and Bluetooth SPP barcode scanners!

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Android Bluetooth Reader, Keyboard Wedge

In the past few months TEC-IT developed an Android App for data acquisition with Bluetooth and TCP. The good feedback of the Android community motivated us to further enhance this app. The result: an universal data acquisition app including keyboard wedge functionality.

The app is named GetBlue. The final version is available as slightly restricted freeware as well as commercial application. Here are the highlights:

• Android Keyboard Wedge / Virtual Keyboard:
  Captured device data can be entered into any application.
• Supported Input Devices: 
• Bluetooth SPP/RFCOMM, TCP (e.g. RFID controllers), HTTP applications and camera scanners apps like the ZXing Barcode Scanner.
• Supported Data-Sinks:
  Bluetooth SPP/RFCOMM, plain TCP, HTPP via Get and Post, Google Docs Spreadsheets, File.
• Data Acquisition Proxy / Data Switchboard:
  Acquired data can be forwarded to any supported data-sink.

Universal Data Acquisition App

Use GetBlue like an universal data switchboard: capture data from a data-source and forward it to an arbitrary data-sink. As an example you can adjust GetBlue to collect data from a Bluetooth barcode scanner and forward this data immediately to a Google Docs spreadsheet (refer to the drawing).

What is a Virtual Keyboard?

A virtual keyboard replaces the standard soft-keyboard of Android. Captured data is always made available to this virtual keyboard. Thus, data acquired from a Bluetooth barcode scanner or an RFID tag can be entered into any application which is accepting user input. This works completely independent from the selected datasource and the target app.

Call for Requests!

The internals of GetBlue are very simply to extend (e.g. new protocols, new devices, ...). Just let us know your requirements. Whenever possible we will provide you with a solution. Leave us a comment or send an email to office@tec-it.com.

Free Trial!

Install GetBlue using Android Market on your handset. Search for GetBlue manually or use this link: market://search?q=pname:com.tecit.datareader.android.getblue.demo.

We are looking forward to hearing from you!

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Mobile Data Acquisition Software Update: TWedgeCE V2.1.0

As from today an service update of our Mobile Data Acquisition Software (Mobile Software Wedge) TWedge V2.1.0 is available for download.

New in TWedgeCE V2.1.0

• Hot key support
  TWedgeCE now supports hot keys.
• Automatic screen orientation
  Depending on the screen orientation (portrait or landscape) TWedgeCE will automatically switch to the correct dialog layout.

Download TWedgeCE V2.1.0 Update

Juniper Systems adds TWedgeCE to its reference list of wedge software.

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Software Wedge - Data Acquisition Software

Beside barcode, labeling and reporting software TEC-IT offers software tools for data acquisition. One of these tools is named TWedge - a software wedge.

The main purpose of such a software wedge (also named keyboard wedge) is to transform data read from an external device (connected via RS232, RS485, serial, COM, USB, Bluetooth or TCP/IP) into keyboard strokes. These keyboard strokes are then be forwarded to arbitrary applications. Using such middleware it is possible to automate data acquisition tasks - even with software applications which are not able to communicate with devices directly (e.g. like using a serial barcode scanner with Microsoft Excel).

The existing version of TWedge fulfills its main purpose perfectly. Serial data is captured and forwarded to applications. But customers often require powerful possibilities for adjusting and modifying data prior it is forwarded to a target application.

The solution to this problem? Scripting!

The new version of TWedge supports JavaScript(tm). Thus customers are able to do more or less everything with TWedge. Received data can be transformed, modified, checked and adjusted. But the most interesting point is, that TEC-IT extended JavaScript with direct database and file access. In other words: the upcoming version of TWedge enables users to store data directly into ODBC databases and files. It is also possible to implement complex application logic in JavaScript.

If interested just contact TEC-IT. A release candidate is available for testing!

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