I have winforms application (C#), for which it is possible to use a barcode scanner as an imput for. I'm not doing any fancy POS functionality here with the scanner - just using it as a keyboard wedge kind of input.
The way it works is:
- I tell my users to program their scanners so every scan is prefixed with a tilde (~) character, and ends with a tab.
- The forms which use the barcode scanner as an input are set up to listen to the KeyDown event. As soon as they register the tilde character (e.KeyCode == Keys.Oemtilde), it changes focus to the barcode field on the form (while suppressing the output of
the tilde character)
- Normal functionality reads the barcode, and does what it needs to do.
For the most part, this works fine.
I have to users (different sites), who both have the exact same model barcode scanner (Motorola LS 2208). One (user 1) has set up his scanner as I suggested, and is working fine. User 1 (with the working scanner) has exported his settings, and given them to the other user (User 2), who imported it (Not sure how - through some software that comes with the scanner?).
It seems like it should work for user 2. When he scans into notepad, the tilde character is first, and it sends a tab at the end.
But when he uses in my application, it does not work right. The tilde character is not suppressed, and the user is not taken to the barcode field.
After adding some debugging code to the app (It is a remote site - I cant get my hands on the scanner), I have found that the barcode scanner is not firing the KeyDown event.
Now I'm wondering what would cause this. Why would the KeyDown event not be firing correctly, from a barcode scanner? Is there some setting on it or something that can change this?
Any suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks.