A reader is configured by scanning the programming barcodes printed in its manual. Set the terminator first, Enter or Tab, then the prefix and suffix if the software requires them. Always test in a text editor before testing in the till software.
Procedure
Get the manual for the exact model
Programming barcodes differ from one manufacturer to another, and sometimes between two models from the same manufacturer. Work only from the manual for the model in your hand.
Start from the default settings
Scan the reset barcode before anything else. A second-hand or previously handled reader may carry a forgotten prefix that will make every later check fail with no visible trace.
Program the terminator
Most till software expects a carriage return after the data; some web forms expect a tab. Scan the matching barcode, once.
Add prefix and suffix only if asked for
Some software tells input sources apart by a leading character. Never add one on your own initiative: an unexpected prefix ends up in the product field and breaks the lookup on every scan.
Validate in an editor, then in the software
A text editor shows exactly what the reader sends, invisible characters included. Test each setting there before moving to the till software: a test run directly in the software cannot tell you whether the problem comes from the reader or the software.
Check these before calling support
- A scanned code produces exactly the expected characters, with no stray space or leading character.
- The cursor moves to the next field, or the line commits, after every scan.
Useful terms
- Prefix, suffix and terminator
Prefix and suffix are characters a reader adds before and after the scanned data.
- Keyboard wedge (HID)
Keyboard wedge (HID) is the mode in which a reader presents itself as a keyboard: scanned characters are typed into the active field with no driver, but the application cannot tell where the input came from..
Hardware involved
- SC310 (Barcode and card readers)