Barcode scan event not being detected

Ignition
1

I have a barcode scanner which can populate a text field when in focus however, instead of populating a text field, I would rather the scan trigger an event i.e., write to a tag. This scan event works as expected when using the perspective application on my mobile device but I need it to work with a USB scanner device. Does anyone know why it works on one device and not the other?

2

Because native barcode scanner functionality in the mobile app bypasses the keyboard, using mobile OS features. A USB scanner typically behaves just as a keyboard. (Some can be made to emulate a serial device instead, but Perspective has no way to handle that.)

1 Like
3

So there’s no way to detect an event when using a USB scanner?

4

Just keystrokes.

5

Okay Thanks. Instead of detecting a scan event, is there a way (in perspective) to set the focus of a TextField component? If it helps, this would be the only Inut/TextField in the view.

6

Yup:

https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/search?q=perspective%20textfield%20set%20focus

7

Thank you. Do you know if functionality for detecting scan events using a USB will be added in the future or will the scanning always have to be done using the mobile application?

8

I would expect supporting USB scanners in serial mode to be difficult but not impossible. Maybe only in Perspective Workstation, not Mobile. (Not at all in a browser.)

{ This is one of the things Vision Clients can do for which there’s no path to Perspective. }

9

Thanks again.

Instead of detecting a scan, I am now setting the focus of a TextField and then adding a text property change script on the TextField which will then write to a tag. Having an event trigger on a scan would simplify this process a lot.