OT What kind of handheld device is best to inteface with access??

[Michael]

Not really sure where to start looking for this kind of information. I have
a client who would like to enter information in a factory like weights and
info about who delivered a product into a handheld device at the dock. I
have made a form that is mostly dropdown list and very little user keystroke
entry besides the weight and a few other things. Has any one had experience
with this type of thing? I am afraid they will drop the thing and break it..
is it better to put a terminal there or are there heavy duty models you can
get that will last in a warehouse environment? Also is it very hard to
implement a barcode system? I have never even looked at the possibility?
thanks for any insight.
Michael

 

[Tony Toews]

Not really sure where to start looking for this kind of information. I have
a client who would like to enter information in a factory like weights and
info about who delivered a product into a handheld device at the dock. I
have made a form that is mostly dropdown list and very little user keystroke
entry besides the weight and a few other things. Has any one had experience
with this type of thing? I am afraid they will drop the thing and break it..
is it better to put a terminal there or are there heavy duty models you can
get that will last in a warehouse environment?

You can get ruggedized devices. Much more expensive but a
requirement.

The devices can be based on Palm, Pocket PC or even Tablet PCs.

Tablet PCs would be able to run Access thus not required you to learn
a new environment, although ink isn't supported that well. I would
suggest though that you use Terminal Server as wireless networking
doesn't do a good job with Microsoft Office.

Palms and Pocket PCs would typically download a subset of the data,
the user would then update things and fire the data back to the Access
app when synchronized.

Both methods have their good points and drawbacks depending on what
you want to do.

I'd suggest contacting several companies which sell bar code devices
in your area to get a feel for what's available.

Also is it very hard to
implement a barcode system? I have never even looked at the possibility?

No, but it may require rethinking of your app to handle the different
ways of working with data in the field versus someone sitting at a
desk entering paperwork which has been marked up by workers out in the
field.

Barcodes mean

1) a means of reading them. These devices usually fit between your
keyboard and your computer and mimic someone keying in the code
directly. All you need to do in your app is a little forms design to
ensure someone can continuously feed bar codes into your app and
change the quantity occasionally.

2) A means of printing them. Choose the proper barcode and locate an
appropriate font. Place the font file on all the systems which will
be printing bar codes. On the report(s) change the font on a field to
use the bar code font. Some bar codes like having *s before and after
while others like check digits.

For more info and links see the Using bar codes within an application
page at my website at http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/barcode.htm

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm

 

[Arvin Meyer]

In addition to Tony's comments:

I second the notion that you do not want a live wireless connection unless
you do it through a Terminal Server with a TabletPC

I use a PocketPC with HanDBase to sync to an Access database. It works fine
but it is very primitive. PenDragon Forms is another system that I've just
started to use in the hopes that I can get more sophisticated. So far it
looks pretty good.

Our local computer society uses a USB barcode reader connected to a laptop
to read our membership attendance at meetings. The membership cards are
created in an Access database report using a barcode font. Only a small
about of fiddling was necessary to get it to read the barcode. I designed
the system so you can scan the barcode if the member has his card with him,
or (s)he can be looked up manually if they forgot their card.
It all works fine.
--
Arvin Meyer, MCP, MVP
Microsoft Access
Free Access Downloads
http://www.datastrat.com
http://www.mvps.org/access

 

[Michael]

Thank you both for taking the time to provide me with this valuable
information. I think you have given me an excellent starting point.
thank you
Michael