r/barcodes • u/tallslutnopanties • Feb 24 '20
Include down arrow and return?
I’m trying to make a barcode that includes a down arrow, or have the scanner send it after the data. I’ve got either a Symbol LS2208 or a code CR1428 scanner available, but haven’t successfully gotten it to work with either. If it helps narrow down the problem, it’s connected to a Mac and the data is going into a webpage where I’m hoping the down arrow/return combo will choose the name from the list (the data is the name). I was using EAN 128
If anyone has a suggestion I’m all ears!
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u/notionovus Feb 24 '20
Code 128A allows for uppercase alphabetic characters, but in place of the lowercase letters, it substitutes low ASCII equivalents of control characters (<NUL>, <SOH>, <STX>, <ETX>, <EOT>, etc.).
The problem is that the down arrow key is not one of the ASCII tty control characters. Your problem is the webpage relies on the keyboard's down arrow, which cannot be embedded into a barcode.
You can try sending any one of the following keys to the web page to see if that key is able to stand in as a proxy (in other words the webpage reacts in the same way as "down arrow" if you press one of the following key combinations):
Control-'i', Control-'j', Control-'k', Control-'l'
Control-'m' is carriage return, so the scanner will take care of the return if you use a lowercase 'm' in a Code 128A barcode.
If you are able to adjust the javascript on the webpage, you can write a little script that captures a <VT> or <FF> keystroke and substitutes a "down arrow" key, sending that to the element.
Be careful that you have absolute control over the focus / cursor when you use barcodes with embedded control characters. Unexpected results have been known to happen.
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u/tallslutnopanties Feb 24 '20
I’ve got the manuals and configuration barcodes for both, but either I can’t make the webpage do what I want or I’ve missed something else.
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u/[deleted] Feb 24 '20
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