Hello everybody.
I want to know, Is it possible to connect a barcode scanner to Base, and in that way create a point of sale (POS)?
Thanks.
Let’s step a little into general. Narrowed down, a barcode scanner is an input device that can machine read alphanumeric text in form of barcodes. A barcode is mostly always encoded with start-, stop-, shift-flags and extended with checksum digit(s) and using other sophisticated stuff to make it machine readable.
With a barcode scanner you can read valid barcode content into any target field, file or what ever. It is used like a keyboard as an input device. So when you can put something in with a keyboard, you could also do with a barcode scanner. It will decode the barcode and insert the payload into your target field (stripping of all the sophisticated things).
So yes, you can ‘connect a barcode scanner to Base’ - nothing special so far.
The problem is generating valid barcodes to print them out for later scan activity. On a price tag for example. It’s not done by only picking a barcode font type. Here you would have to add all the fancy stuff to the payload first to build the barcode string. But this is really not LO related anymore. You’ll find a lot of documentation on this in the WEB.
Your second request: it is indeed a real huge step from ‘connecting a barcode scanner to Base’ to even think being on the way to create a Point of Sale. IMHO. Something simple like a barcode scanner will be your least worry. But … why not.
There are products available for printing bar codes, such as the more advanced Dymo label printers, hand held. A lot of products sold from a shelf have bar codes on the packaging already from the factory. These codes can be used in the POS system to save time on applying new tags.
I do not see why not. My understanding is that a bar code scanner simply scans a bar code and gives to the attached computer the equivalent of keyboard input, numbers and or letters in this case. The input will, as I understand it end up in the currently selected input field, be it a table, a form control or any area of any document where input can be entered.
The input will, as I understand it end up in the currently selected input field, be it a table, a form control or any area of any document where input can be entered.
And how exactly does it work? Please describe exactly, the OP and I can understand it.
The operation would be: The user aims the scanner the bar code, possibly pressing a trigger, if required. The scanner would then translate the code to text. The text would then be sent as keyboard inputs to the computer/PC. The text will end up in whatever window or field that you currently have in focus that accepts input. If you can fill something in with keystrokes from a keyboard then you can fill it in with a bar code scanner.