FWIW, may barcode scanners are simply glorified keyboards. Many of them auto-decipher the barcode they read, as they read it, which gives standard text input. These models often simply plug in via USB or through a PS/2 'wedge.' HTH Eric On Sep 25, 2008, at 5:32 PM, Andrew Zbikowski wrote: > I'm currently dealing with a number of Linux Web Kiosks who's sole > function is data input into our company's ERP system. They simply > run Mozilla full screen. These stations have served us well for > nearly 5 years now, but new processes are starting to appear in the > plant. One is barcode tracking of inventory as it moves through the > plant. Of course, cost comes into play so IT is challenged with > figuring out how to go about getting a barcode reader working with > the existing kiosks for the new tracking stuff. > > As our barcode tracking is already done via a web application, and > scanning the barcode just has to bring up information about the > barcode being scanned. > > My thought is a simple perl/php/whatever script that monitors the > serial port could be started when the kiosk's X11 session starts. > When the trigger on the RS232 device is pulled, the monitor would > take the barcode ASCII, do any processing/modification that was > needed (shouldn't be any I think..?), and open a new browser window > using mozilla-xremote-client: > > mozilla-xremote-client -a any openURL(http://server/app/kiosk.aspx?barcode= > <insertbarcodestring>, new-window) > or > mozilla-xremote-client -a any openURL(http://server/app/kiosk.aspx?barcode= > <insertbarcodestring>, new-tab) > > It would be trivial to get all kiosks running the application when > the X11 starts, and the user just needs read access to the serial > prot in order to launch the monitor app. > > The question I have is, before I go to all the trouble of creating a > monitor of some sorts, is there a program or other pre-existing > script that can do this? I haven't had any luck with searching so > far, but it seems like something that should already exisit. > > -- > Andrew S. Zbikowski | http://andy.zibnet.us > IT Outhouse Blog Thing | http://www.itouthouse.com > _______________________________________________ > TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota > tclug-list at mn-linux.org > http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list --- Eric Crist