bar code scanners

[mleiser]

Here's what I'm looking for if it exists. I have a school of students, each student gets a number of books when school starts. In the past I had a FM database that had a record for each student and we would connect the scanner to the keyboard/computer and scan in all the books for each student (I had made labels with bar codes for each book - a separate FM DB). Anyway, what I would like to have is a way to go to the pile of books, have a handhelp scanner not connected to a computer, scan in a student name (label??) and then scan in all the books for that student, know when it's the start for a student set of books and know when it's the end and then start the next student. Then I would like to take all this information and download it to my student database somehow. And of course, as school's go, we can't spend too much on this. Any ideas out there?

Mike

[Batfastad]

Scanning the student name sounds problematic to me.

What I would do is re-do the bar codes with the value based on a student id and the book id.

Then have it in the following format studentid--bookid then a script can manipulate the text before and after the separator (--)

That would solve the problem of trying to scan the student name. It then means also that each scan, can act as it's own record. Otherwide you are correct, things will get difficult in telling the system when one student's books finish, and the next student's starts.

The second problem is the scanner...

I've only just started looking into barcode scanning and I have seen there are wireless devices out there.

Though they seem to be expensive - but you might be able to get them to work on the database 'live' - using the machine that the receiver is connected to. But I'm not sure about platforms and range.

I would suggest looking for a scanner that can operate off batteries, and stores the scanned data in some sort of csv or tab delimited format on internal memory. Then download the data from the scanner, and it's a simple case of importing those new records into a database. If you get the calculations and relationships set up correctly in the db, the student names and book names should automatically populate from the IDs that the scanner scanned.

Would be pretty cool to watch it all work when you import!!

I'm not that much help on the barcode side of things I'm afraid.

[mleiser]

Thanks for the response. However, I cannot incorporate the student name with the book code on one bar code. That would defeat the purpose of what it is I'm doing. I have thousands of books. I arbitrarily choose a set of books (as an example, say it's the 9th graders books). When I scan in those books with those bar codes the system than "knows" these books are for this student. That way it doesn't matter which copy of the book I choose for a student. Your way would force me to originally set up a set of books for this student and then put in a bar code label. NG.

Secondly, that's exactly what I need. Not wireless. A inexpensive reader that can be taken over to the books, do all the scaning, and then download into ny FM DB.

Thanks for trying to help. I appreciate it. Any one else have any ideas?

Mike

[rogermax]

I don't know about having a scanner to load the data, then download into FMP. I expect it could be done. But if you had a laptop or had the barcoder next to the computer etc. it seems rather simple to create a script to (I am guessing pre FM7 here)

1.scan the studentID

2.GTRR student record

3.go to global field and scan each book with a carriage return

4.parse the global into separate related records related by the studentID

5.clear the gobal

6.next student

This is only one way to do it.

[mleiser]

Thanks for the comeback, but I already have an application for use when the scanner is connected to the PC. I want to have a solution where I don't need the PC until I download. I don't want to carry the PC around with me. I want a portable scanner to read in the student's books and then I want to download it to the PC. Anyone?

Mike

[stanley]

Mike:

You might want to look into the Symbol SPT 1700/1800 series of hand-held scanners. They're based on the Pilot (Palm) platform. If you've been to the Garden or Yankees Stadium, you've seen them in use. As far as connecting to the PC, there are loads of options (even wireless), and there are usually used ones to be found on eBay for a decent price.

-Stanley

[mleiser]

Thanks for the idea. Who would have the knowledge on how to use it in order to accept the type of data (student/books) that I need? The machine manufacturer?

ml

[mleiser]

Also, is there anyone in the FM world that is using this reader?

[stanley]

Mike:

There are a number of apps for pulling data into a db on the Symbol machines I mentioned. Do a search of this forum for "Symbol" and you should come up with a ton of leads.

-Stanley

[LiveOak]

Sorry, I haven't looked at the forum lately and must have missed this thread looking at current topics. Barcode handhelds tend to be a little pricey.

Exactly how you implement the input, depends upon the handheld chosen. They kind of fall into two classes. 1) Those that use some proprietary programing approach/compilier and 2) those that use a standard OS, either Palm or Windows CE/PocketPC. In the later case, the exact how depends upon the application you choose to use (FileMaker Mobile, ThinkDB, etc.) There are a number of Palm database progams, with different capabilities and methods of downloading to FM (or not).

Differentiating between scanning a Student Barcode and a Book Barcode can be automatic or manual. If manual, you might press a key on the handheld to start a new student and every scan after that is a new book. If you want total automation triggered by the scan only, the labels must be different enough that the handheld program can tell the difference between a book and a student. If all labels are just "license plates" (numbers with no identifying characteristics, you can't tell the model of car from the plate number), you would need to load the database of student #'s and book#'s into the handheld and do a lookup. If all student labels are "STxxxx" and all book labels are "BKxxxx", the problem is much easier.

This is running long, but if you want to give me a call, I'll help you where I can. I do have an old Symbol Palm (built in scanner) I'd be willing to part with cheap, that could be probably be setup to do the job.

-bd

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