scanner input VS keyboard input

[Former Member]

Dear all,

We have a webdynpro application that receives it's input from a usb barcode scanner. The screens are working fine, but now there's an extra requirement, that for some input fields, it's mandatory that the input is coming from the scanner, and not from manual input with the keyboard.

Is it possible?

The barcode scanner behaves as an input device, without triggering events or so, so at this moment, we don't really know if the input is coming from a scanned barcode or from manual input with the keyboard.

Kind regards,

J.

PS: the scenario is where the web dynpro application runs on a desktop or laptop, so the alternative for handheld with barcodereader UIElement is not an option to solve this.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hello Joren,

As for your question if its possible? I don't think so.

It kind of defeats the purpose of implementing a portal. I believe on an architectural perspective, there is a degree of separation of a browser-based application and the client's OS.

In that regard, I'm not aware of the barcode reader hardware you're using if it has an API that you can somehow create a local file temporarily that you can upload to your WebDynpro Java application and utilizing an external java library to decode/recognize the read from your hardware. I guess that's the level of integration with the Portal you can achieve in this scenario.

Goodluck!

Regards,

Jan

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thx all for the help on this.

The scenario is a webdynpro application that gets input from a barcode scanner (plugged in via USB, behaving as "an" input.

If we try the solution path with javascript, what are the options there.... What actually want to know in the webdynpro, is wether or not the input is coming from the scanner device or manual input with the keyboard. Manual input with the keyboard shouldnt be possible, because we want to be sure they scanned in a barcode.

So there are two options:

1. We can check where the input is coming from, and give an error to the user that manual input is not allowed in the fields where input from scanner device is expected. (custim event trigerred via JSP or so when the data is read with the barcode scanner)

2. We disable the keyboard in some way... The down-side on this option is that it should be possible to enter manual input in some fields (not barcode related)

Kind regards,

J.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Joren,

If I was administrator at your customer I would not want any browser to be able option number 2. E.g. Your customer shouldn't want this either.

I doubt there is any standard way for the browser to tell you where the input is coming from. He probably doesn't know himself. Somekind of browser plugin could be an option; but that seems a bit complex.

My advice would be to tell your project manager that these things are not an option when using a browser as a client.

J

[Former Member]

Closed.

[yadu_krishna]

How did you resolve this ?I have the same requirement

[former_member185086]

Hi

Please explain this point again : the scenario is where the web dynpro application runs on a desktop or laptop, so the alternative for handheld with barcodereader UIElement is not an option to solve this.

With external hardware device(Thumb print reader , Signature pad ) it has set of API which we can incorporate inside our application , challenging part is whether

such sort of solution is there in webdynpro or not , alternatively we can use JSP with java script to handle this with using IFRAME UI (which is deprecated) or webwidgetUI element (might available in 7.2 ).

further with your point

The barcode scanner behaves as an input device : Yes by default is get its place to write , we have to highlight that input field with current cursor position.

Hope you get some help?

Best Regards

Satish Kumar

[Former Member]

I have little experience in the matter, but as far as I know a barcode scanner works on a software level as a keyboard, so to every application (in this case the browser) it is a keyboard, giving characters in fields. I doubt it is thus possible to recognize this input device in the browser and it will most likely not in anyway be sent to the the J2EE server on which the WebDynpro's are running

J

[Former Member]

Thx for you reply.

And is it possible through some custom scripting in some way maybe? (very custom in this case...)

Hope that someone has a clue.

Kind regards,

J.