Inventory & Barcode usage, how to auto search and open up entry data after scanning the code

21 Dec 2008 7:09 AM

Min

Hello,

I have a complex (to me) situation here, and I really need urgent help
because I would like to have it done as soon as possible. I have read
a book on the basic Access last 2 days, but it is not helping to
accomplish what I am trying to do. So here is what I would like to
do...

I need to create a database for inventory management (tracking
computer equipments in a building). I already have the database (with
about 3000 items) in Excel form. So.. the database already have all
the existing barcodes for all the equipments. Whenever I scan a
barcode (the probably will probably exist in the database already), I
would like it to open up the data entry with that barcode in and allow
me to update the new room location.

So.. it is basically.. as soon as barcode scanner scans a number in
that Barcode field, it will auto search the database and bring up the
entry form to allow me to update the new room location (if it is
changed), if there is no such a barcode, it will let me add a new
entry to the database.

What & How do I make Access to do this function?
What area of Access should I be looking into?

Any suggestion or guideline will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

21 Dec 2008 10:51 AM

Wayne-I-M

Hi

If it was me I may write a small DLL file (add it to your references) and
use this to absord the bar code info - it's a very simple after update.

Not sure if you will find a DLL like this on google - doubt it, but it's
very simple but not part of access so you'll to code it yourself.

Best bget would be to contact the bar code scanner company you got it from
as they will almost certainly have the code already - it will change with
each scanner

good luck

--
Wayne
Trentino, Italia.

Show quoteHide quote

"Min" wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I have a complex (to me) situation here, and I really need urgent help
> because I would like to have it done as soon as possible. I have read
> a book on the basic Access last 2 days, but it is not helping to
> accomplish what I am trying to do. So here is what I would like to
> do...
>
> I need to create a database for inventory management (tracking
> computer equipments in a building). I already have the database (with
> about 3000 items) in Excel form. So.. the database already have all
> the existing barcodes for all the equipments. Whenever I scan a
> barcode (the probably will probably exist in the database already), I
> would like it to open up the data entry with that barcode in and allow
> me to update the new room location.
>
> So.. it is basically.. as soon as barcode scanner scans a number in
> that Barcode field, it will auto search the database and bring up the
> entry form to allow me to update the new room location (if it is
> changed), if there is no such a barcode, it will let me add a new
> entry to the database.
>
> What & How do I make Access to do this function?
> What area of Access should I be looking into?
>
> Any suggestion or guideline will be greatly appreciated.
> Thanks in advance.
>
>
>

21 Dec 2008 11:48 AM

Philip Herlihy

Min wrote:
Show quoteHide quote

> Hello,
>
> I have a complex (to me) situation here, and I really need urgent help
> because I would like to have it done as soon as possible. I have read
> a book on the basic Access last 2 days, but it is not helping to
> accomplish what I am trying to do. So here is what I would like to
> do...
>
> I need to create a database for inventory management (tracking
> computer equipments in a building). I already have the database (with
> about 3000 items) in Excel form. So.. the database already have all
> the existing barcodes for all the equipments. Whenever I scan a
> barcode (the probably will probably exist in the database already), I
> would like it to open up the data entry with that barcode in and allow
> me to update the new room location.
>
> So.. it is basically.. as soon as barcode scanner scans a number in
> that Barcode field, it will auto search the database and bring up the
> entry form to allow me to update the new room location (if it is
> changed), if there is no such a barcode, it will let me add a new
> entry to the database.
>
> What & How do I make Access to do this function?
> What area of Access should I be looking into?
>
> Any suggestion or guideline will be greatly appreciated.
> Thanks in advance.
>
>

That sounds like a natural application for Access (but an even more
natural application for a database on a PocketPC). I can't tell you how
to interface the barcode reader, but it must (I guess!) boil down to the
equivalent of typing a number somewhere. If you were typing a number
into a control (e.g "text box") on a form, you could pick up on one of
the many "events" (e.g. "After Update") and have the corresponding
"event procedure" (usually written in VBA, but you can use macros) run a
suitable data-entry form.

The key determinant here is what your barcode-reading software looks
like. If, as seems likely, it can trigger a function call, then there
will be a way of getting it to interface with Access VBA. How difficult
a job that is will depend on what barcode software you have, and maybe
your wider programming skills.

Phil, London

21 Dec 2008 1:37 PM

Rick Brandt

On Sat, 20 Dec 2008 23:09:15 -0800, Min wrote:

> I need to create a database for inventory management (tracking computer
> equipments in a building). I already have the database (with about 3000
> items) in Excel form. So.. the database already have all the existing
> barcodes for all the equipments. Whenever I scan a barcode (the probably
> will probably exist in the database already), I would like it to open up
> the data entry with that barcode in and allow me to update the new room
> location.
>
> So.. it is basically.. as soon as barcode scanner scans a number in that
> Barcode field, it will auto search the database and bring up the entry
> form to allow me to update the new room location (if it is changed), if
> there is no such a barcode, it will let me add a new entry to the
> database.

Most bar-code scanners can be setup so that a "scan" is interpreted by
the PC the same as if the characters had been typed from the keyboard.
They also can be set up to automatically include a <tab> after each scan.

Given that, all you need to do is use the AfterUpdate event of a TextBox
on a form. When that control has focus you scan your bar-code and your
code does whatever you need it to do.

The code would be to apply a filter to either the existing form or to a
new one that is opened. Both of these are basic actions. If you have
never used Access they might seem "complex", but it's actually pretty
simple stuff.

--
Rick Brandt, Microsoft Access MVP
Email (as appropriate) to...
RBrandt at Hunter dot com

21 Dec 2008 9:59 PM

David W. Fenton

Rick Brandt <rickbran***@hotmail.com> wrote in

news:fEr3l.9348$as4.8765@nlpi069.nbdc.sbc.com:

> Most bar-code scanners can be setup so that a "scan" is
> interpreted by the PC the same as if the characters had been typed
> from the keyboard. They also can be set up to automatically
> include a <tab> after each scan.

Minor quibble: I think it's most common for them to automatically
send <ENTER> after the field scanning. This has the same effect of
departing the field and triggering the AfterUpdate event, but if you
wanted to trap for it somehow, you'd want to be sure you're trapping
for the right one for your particular scanning hardware.

--
David W. Fenton http://www.dfenton.com/
usenet at dfenton dot com http://www.dfenton.com/DFA/