[help]barcode scanner api

Radio shack may still have some lying around, I created a POS for a client, and for early testing I picked up the "Cat" from radio shack, if you gave them your email it was free, can probably get one from ebay or something if not.

Best bet is to use existing Opensource vb6 or .net projects to learn how the code is transfered to information.

If i remember correctly there is a open source vb6 project specifically used with the CAT (a home barcode scanner) it takes the barcode image and translates it to keystrokes

PC based barcode scanners do the same thing.

You don't need a API, if there was a API it would be device specific.

The only real way to do this right is to use a barcode scanner, and some research.

Essentially what happens is , Barcode is scanned, converted to keystrokes (something like h56get7dhtuusytr6sggry) which is then converted to the UPC Code (8115497) with a small algorithm (again there are some Open source projects out there) , so to create a system with a barcode scanner is simple in vb.

Essentially it is .

Scan ----> Barcode Translated to keystroke , then UPC , add to database with price and descption (and whatever else you need, inventory etc) thats for admin, then on sales

Scan ----> Barcode Translated to keystroke , then UPC , Display Price (with cash register options) then remove item from inventory or whatever.

You may also want to look into a Kick drawer, it uses the modem to send a print code (print this code to printer) to the drawer which then opens the drawer, so all you have to do is call the print API and have it Print the specific code.

Easy in the grand scheme of things.