[Info-vax] Hand scanners and VMS.

[Jan-Erik Söderholm]

Hi.

We/I currently struggle with somewhat of an issue.

Our VMS system has for 30+ years received inout from traditional
hand scanners. From the very begining it was those pen-like
barcode scannes where you needed to "draw a line" over the barcode
to read it. HP made some popular models at the time. Today it is
of course modern "camera based" scanners that read anything from
usual 1D barcodes to 2D codes like QR.

Now, these have always been connected to terminal servers and
our VMS system connect to the IP adress and IP port that matches
the RS232 port on the terminal server. Long ago this was LAT and
we connected a LTA device pointing to the node and service
of he RS232 port, but LAT or TCP is totalt transparent to the
applications. From the very start (11/730 time frame) it was
actually physical TXAnnn serial interfaces, but our application
design has stayed the same using the same QIOW calls. But that
was before my time...

After switching to network based equipment a long time ago, it
has been boxes from DECserver 200, DECserver 90 and different
kind of Lantronix equipment.

Now, the current hardware, "Lantronix WiBox", a two port terminal
server with Wifi and everythig, has gone out of market. I have
the replacement box "Lantronix SGX 5150" and test scanner
"Honeywell Xenon 1950" on my desk. The scanner is currently
connected to the USB-C port of the SGX 5150.

One additonal issue is that hand scanners using RS232 are getting
harder to get with longer delivery times, USB scanners are not so.

They have also moved RS232 from two DB9 connectors to two RJ45 jacks
so one usually need an additional adapter cable...

Now, I have some issues to set this up, but I have a case open with
Lantronix support so let's not get into those details.

Lat me just ask, isn't there anyone else having a need to scan
products in an assembly line for reporting purposes?

We just need a scanner hanging on the wall that the user can
grip, scan and hang it back. This needs sub-second response
time, no logins and "always" beeing available for use.

It seems as the market thinks that, if you have a hand scanner,
you also absolutely have an PC to connect it to.

Now, I'm sure that it will work by having the RS232 optional
cable from Honeywell, but that is not as easy to find as the
standard USB cable.

So, how are others having reporting needs using hand scanners
from production lines solving that need?

Regards, Jan-Erik.