Barcode Scanner Configurations

[PDF of 200 Code-128 barcodes for testing.]

Within a single camera view, the app will read up to 200 barcodes in several seconds. Thus, you don’t need to tap to scan and submit each barcode. Instead, with Batch Mode, you tap to open the camera and (optionally) tap to submit a record of up to 100 barcodes. You can limit how many barcodes to read in each attempt and auto-submit when it reaches the limit. Also, you can decode every barcode in view and de-select those you don’t want to record.

Batch Mode is applicable to primary scans, i.e. scans made from the Tap to Scan screen, and to scans made as answers to question prompts.

The frame limits what is decoded to only the barcode within the frame – and only when the whole barcode is in the frame. Admins can pre-determine the optimum frame size without needing to give instructions to their app-users. For example, a specific frame size might best suit the Kiosk Mode when using the front camera. Thus, you can give a clear target area for scanning and make scanning faster.

Also, you can allow your app-users to freely adjust the size depending on what’s best for each scanning situation. Moreover, you can apply Smart Scan rules. Then, the app-user can capture targeted barcodes in a single camera view faster and with greater accuracy even when compared to the Framing and Targeting Modes alone.

With Targeting Mode, it only decodes a barcode a ‘crosshair’ touches the target barcode. This mode is helpful when multiple, tightly spaces barcodes are in the camera view at once. Adminis can pre-define the cross hair’s size and shape. Also, it can be a series of elements forming a small box shape or a series of elements in a line.

With the Selecting Mode, all the barcodes in the camera view are decoded and presented to the app-use in the list form. Then, they can select one or more barcodes to capture. This is useful when there are many barcodes in the camera view but you can’t apply the Smart Scan in advance.

The Fusion Mode is important because you can enable Smart Scan technology (see details below) for Batch, Framing, and Targeting Modes, with or without Trigger Scan.

With the Default Mode, it will only capture one barcode in the camera view. This is the fastest scanning mode if your app-users will not have multiple barcodes in the camera view. Smart Scan rules can apply in this mode, making it very effective if periodically, the app-user needs to target one or more barcodes in the camera view.

This field is for developers to enter custom JavaScript directly. Below is an example of JavaScript with two special options. The “batch_count” is set to 200 barcodes in a single view. Also,  “show_non_printable_chars” is added to show non-printable characters that generally are removed from a scan record.

Note: We suggest you use the web UI to configure scanning first. You can then use the copy icon on the bottom of the UI to see JavaScript for that configuration. 

{
"scanner_mode": "BATCH",
"batch_glue": ",\n",
"batch_count": 200,
"batch_less_than_allowed": true,
"batch_confirm_required": true,
"sound": false,
"show_non_printable_chars": true
}

You can choose only one Mode for each profile but you can create and assign multiple profiles.

CodeREADr App

With the CodeREADr app, you can use the Batch Mode for the primary scan (i.e. the scan that starts a scan record) and/or for one or more secondary scans. To do that, you need to prompt the app-user to scan again after the primary scan. First, you can set the primary scan to one mode. Then, configure each secondary scan for its own mode. The same holds true for Smart Scan configurations. Then, you can better control how your authorized app-users scan and capture data, leading to faster and more accurate results.

CodeREADr KEY App

With the CodeREADr KEY app, you can enable your app-users to toggle to the CodeREADr KEY app and change the Mode as needed. It’s not automatic like the CodeREADr app since it requires the app-user to make a setting change but it nonetheless can be quite useful.

This option mimics the hardware button on mobile computers or barcode scanning accessories that initiates a scan on demand. It is used where the app-user may wish to line up the camera more directly with a specific barcode, or just have more control over when a scan will successfully occur.

Hold – An on-screen button will appear when the camera is open. When the button is held, the scanner will look for input. The camera will not trigger a scan unless the button is held by the app-user.

Toggle – The on-screen button can be tapped to turn it on and off. If the button is on, it will be looking for codes to scan. If the button is toggled off, it will not scan.

Choose one or more barcode types (aka “barcode symbology”) to target when using this profile.

This is for the Batch Mode. Enter a number here if you want the app to stop reading after it reads a specific number of barcodes. By default, the record will auto-submit when it reads the specified number of barcodes.

‘Allow submitting of fewer barcodes than specified’ means the app will submit when it meets the number of specified barcodes. Also, it will allow the app-user to submit when it read fewer barcodes.

‘Must select the expected number of barcodes to confirm batch’ means it can read more or fewer barcodes than the specified number. However, the app-user can only submit when it meets the specified number. Thus, this allows you to edit which scans to submit.

‘Require app user tap to confirm batch’ will stop auto-submit. The app-user must manually submit.

Here you can use the common separators such as a comma,  bat, semicolon, or carriage return. A commonly used setup is a comma and carriage return. Note that to add a carriage return, you must be using a multi-line, short-form question.  Simply place the cursor in the configuration field, type in a comma, and then click “Enter” on your computer or use “\n” (a return line).

CodeREADr App

It will submit all scans into the ‘barcode’ field of a scan record if you use the Batch Mode for the primary scan. Likewise, it will submit all scans into the ‘answer’ field if you use it for an app-user prompt.

CodeREADr KEY App

All scans will be submitted into the one target field where the cursor was blinking.

This will make the device’s front camera the scanner.

This is only for the Framing and Targeting Modes (see above). With this setting, the account administrator can define the frame size in advance and allow or not allow the app-user to change it. Note: For the targeting mode, you can have the frame be a cluster of pixels or a line of pixels.

In the example below, the X (width) and Y (height) percentages are blank which, centers the frame in the camera view. The Width (80) and Height(20) percentages are specified, resulting in the frame shown below.

Smart Scan is a very powerful but also somewhat complex tool to configure. As such it is part of our advanced settings and designed for use in more specific scenarios with specific parameters. Learn more about Smart Scan here.