Focus while intercepting output from an usb barcode scanner

[Ramius]

I have a little touchscreen kiosk with an usb barcode scanner, and have problems intercepting what is coming from the barcode scanner.

My problem is that i need to keep focus on the edit box to intercept what is coming from the scanner, while it also is necessary to be able to click on the main form (not on the same time)

I'm using a main form (IE Embedded) and a little form with an edit box where the barcode scanner can put in what it is scanning (10 digits and then run a function.)

expandcollapse popup

#include <GUIConstants.au3>
#include <GUIConstantsEx.au3>
#include <StaticConstants.au3>
#include <WindowsConstants.au3>
#include <IE.au3>

HotKeySet("!q", "MyExit")

;Create hidden control for barcode scanner
$hidden_hwnd = GUICreate("Barcode_Scanner_input", 50, 50,850,10)
$hInputControl = GUICtrlCreateInput("CPR", 10, 10, 40)
GUISetState(@SW_SHOW)

;Create main form
Global $Form = GUICreate("Main", 800, 600, 0, 0, BitOR($WS_EX_TOPMOST ,$WS_BORDER, $WS_POPUP))
_IEErrorHandlerRegister()
Global $oIE = _IECreateEmbedded()
Global $GUIActiveX = GUICtrlCreateObj($oIE, 0, 0, 800, 600)
_IENavigate ($oIE, "http://www.autoitscript.com/forum/index.php?")
GUISetState(@SW_SHOW,$Form)
WinSetOnTop($Form, '', 1)       ; Makes sure that GUI is always OnTop

;_WinAPI_ShowCursor($CursorHidden)      ; Hide cursor in GUI

While 1
    ControlFocus( "Barcode_Scanner_input", "", "[CLASS:Edit; INSTANCE:1]")
    Sleep(1000)
    CheckCPR()
WEnd

; Functions which reads the barcodescanner input
Func CheckCPR()
    $input_control_read = GUICtrlRead($hInputControl)
    If StringLen($input_control_read) = 10 And StringIsDigit($input_control_read) Then
        ConsoleWrite($input_control_read)
        ;XMLWrite("2", $input_control_read)
        ;HuskNummer()
        GUICtrlSetData($hInputControl, "")
    EndIf
EndFunc

; For ending program
Func MyExit()
    Exit
EndFunc

[Ramius]

Problem solved.

Switched the scanner to use emulated serial mode, and wrote a little program which uses commg.dll

[guinness]

I thought I had seen your Profile picture before >>

[jchd]

@Ramius

I also use barcode readers to input data. Instead of relying on emulated serial mode, which may not be available with every BC reader around, there is a possibility to intercept a reader's data even in emulated keyboard mode, which is what most USB readers provide. The bonus is that using this approach you can differentiate between what the user types on the keyboard and what the reader sends in keyboard mode. If you can afford choosing your barcode format, you can have full control over where the incomming data will show up by changing focus on the fly. I don't remember all the gory details right now, but it works reliably as far as I can tell.

Drop me a PM if you're interested in a short sample of the code I have to do this. I've been able to use a more direct way in my applications so I don't use this code any more, but it should be easy enough to change it to suit your needs.