How can I read barcodes without having the user focus a text box first?

Question

I recently acquired a Metrologic Barcode scanner (USB port), as everyone already knows it works as a keyboard emulator out of the box.

How do I configure the scanner and

Answer 1

Although your barcode has a USB connector. It can be programmed as a Keyboard wedge or RS232. See this page http://www.instrumentsandequipmentco.com/support/faq-metrologic.htm Where it says

Q. What is the difference between USB Keyboard and USB Point-of-Sale? When the MX009 is set-up to communicate as a USB Keyboard, the scanned data will appear in the current application that is active on your PC. The data is entered just as if the keys were pressed on the keyboard. When the MX009 is set-up to communicate as a USB Point-of-Sale device, the data is transmitted to the USB port like RS232 data and the USB port must be configured like a COM port. The MX009 leaves the factory set for either USB Keyboard or USB Point-of-Sale.

When your program accepts RS232 you no longer need focus in a text field.

1. Reprogram your barcode as Point-of-Sale (RS232)
2. Reprogram to send a suffix usually - carriage-return/CR/$0D at the end of the barcode.

Look for the Carriage return to know when the complete barcode is available to your code.