Adding New OLE Controls to Filmaker

[Himself]

I have a DB in Filemaker 8.5 for inventory. We use barcode scanners and upload the collected data into Filemaker. With the scanners we previously used I was able to develope a program on the scanner and use the Troi serial plug-in to get the scanner and Filemaker to talk. Well those scanners are no longer in production and all but the last one are broken. We now have new scanners that are manufactured by the company that aquired the comapany that made the previous scanners. Long story short the proprietary software from the scanners has OLE controls and it came with examples of how you can use it directly in Excel and Access. Well Filemaker says it can do OLE. I have created the container try inserting the object but am only given a short list of objects that I can add my Scanners are not on the list. How do I add to this list or does Filemaker only provide OLE for this short list?

In case you are wondering as of right now I don't beleive the Troi Plug in will help in bypassing the need for the OLE controls.

Thanks

I should add that these examples provided are all written in VB code. I am sure I can execute a VBScript with Filemaker which would get my scanner data and then plug it back into Filemaker field but I wan't to know if Filemaker can just do it solo.

Edited September 16, 2009 by Guest
A little addition.

[RodM]

I am lurking here.. incorporating a barcode scanner/ and I have trio also but doing other things..

Instead of the serial directions.. I understand the USB scanners you won't need to use Trio they simulate the Keyboard So if FM app is focused on the Enter Text field its just there including a Tab or if using a enter

I have troi 3.02 and if you look at the examples.. you could test any scanner..

I think SCANNNERS are just hardware... so any brand... Look or search 'IDTech' They seem to have all the solutions for hardware.

[fishtech]

What brand of barcode scanners are you using? There are plenty that will work with Macs via USB with no software required. I assume it's the same for PC. They simply emulate keyboard strokes for the code they scan.

You may need software if you scan using bluetooth.

These work great for us on Macs using Serial Magic drivers via USB and bluetooth:

http://serialio.com/products/scanner/LaserChampBT.php

ft.

[Himself]

The scanners are DataLogic Formula scanners. They are not used as keyboard wedges. They are stand alone scanners used for data collection in the field and then later synced up to the DB. The problem is that there is no Send File command in the scanner, the proprietary software provided with the scanner for the computer sends a command to the scanner telling it to send the files. This is something that I can not replicate. The alternative is OLE Controls.