Which barcode scanner to get for FM7 ?

[PhilWong]

Hello:

I need a barcode scanner for FM7 so I can scan ISBNs of 2500 books at home. Can anyone recommend a good scanner that they have used which worked well with FM7?

I don't have a cash register or any POS system at home, so the scanner has to go straight to the Mac.

Thanks for looking,

PhilPhil

[raymanj]

Majority of bar code scanners have built in keyboard emulators in them. This means that they enter data into any program just like your keyboard. There are USB, PS2, and serial ones. So when you are using the scanner in Filemaker just tab or click into the field you want to enter data and scan away. Esentialy a bar code scanner is a very fast keyboard entry device.

We have been using bar code scannes with filemaker for several years. We have some old Symbol scanners, Hotshot LS2106 and the LS9100. They are the USB versions which is an extra cable adapter.

A few scanner companies:

www.symbol.com

www.waspbarcode.com

or just do a google search for barcode scanners, many web stores sell them.

[Fenton]

I had a good experience with Worth Data, http://www.barcodehq.com/index.html.

Actually it was a only a good experience after we tracked down a slight programming glitch for using it with Mac OS X. But they were very helpful, and sent me a new one programmed correctly right away.

I needed to program it to do an Enter key afterwards, in order to work within a FileMaker loop. Works good now.

[jasonwood]

My favourite is the HHP 3800i, mainly cause it looks great next to a Mac, but basically you just want to look for any USB bar code scanner.

If it's USB, it will definately have HID keyboard emulation.

Most, if not all, will support the Command-1 required to run a script (from the scripts menu) after you do a scan, but some are easier to program than others. The HHP is quite simple. Symbol scanners are a little more of a pain.

[PhilWong]

Hello:

Many thanks for the replies I got. I will try to hunt for a Symbol, Worth Data, or a HHP from ebay, and see how lucky I get.

Thank you again.

[stanley]

Phil:

I'd also recommend the HHP 3800 - extremely solid & reliable. Last week I saw two on eBay which went unsold at $35 each - that's about 90% off.

-Stanley