Re: creating an import for Access 2000 from a PA 600 mobile device


There are quite a few different types of barcode scanners out there.
A RF Type (where the scan is sent via radio) is frequently used in
manufacturing and warehouse situations. It sends it's signals to a
custom program directly into your enterprise system. These devices
work pretty much like a "conventional" "keyboard wedge" type system
which "fools" the host computer into thinking someone is sitting at a
keyboard somewhere typing data in.

Another type (gaining rapidly in popularity) is the mobile device like
the one you mention. These can also function like a RF or Keyboard
wedge system, however they differ in that the host is the mobile unit
itself. Usually, all you do is to load the data entry software on the
mobile unit and run it from there. (The mobile unit then functions as
a keyboard wedge, and once again "fools" the data entry software into
thinking someone is at a keyboard typing things in.)

Another (gaining even more rapidly popularity) use for the mobile
device is to use the device to enter data into a web page which then
enters (or uploads) the information into the enterprise system. This
method only requires a "mobile" (aka "1/4 page") web page to be
developed and then every device that uses it accesses that web page.
It's a "Zero install" solution.

Any developer worth their pay can make such a web page, and from they
can either update or upload the data to the enterprise system, or
create some form of document for further processing (such as an excel
file, word document, CSV or Tab-Seperated values file).

Personally, I'd go with the web (aka "browser based") solution, as
that would be the quickest and most versatile solution. I did a quick
Goggle search for the PA 600 you mentioned as I'm not familiar with
it, but the site I visited said it was a Windows CE based unit which
means that it comes with Internet Explorer on it, as well as WAN/LAN
Wifi built-in. So, no software would have to be installed on it, nor
on any other unit the company purchases in the future. (Nor any data
to lose should the unit(s) ever fail.)

As for the "Enter" after the scan, that's a feature (usually
programmable) into the barcode scan. Consult your owner's manual or
the manufacturer to find out how to change the suffix.


On Mon, 16 Jun 2008 13:15:29 -0700 (PDT), brosenblum@xxxxxxxxx wrote:

Hi,
So I'm created an MS Access Database for a manufacturer. One of the
things that it does is tracks information about massive metal coils
(including part number, weight, order number etc.). The user wants
the ability to use a scanner to capture all of this information
remotely while they are moving around from coil to coil. A lot of the
information is attached to the coil and includes barcodes (not just
for the partnumber, but also for weight and everything else). The
coils are huge and all over the place and not close to any computer so
getting a mobile device which could run programs and scan barcodes
seemed like a good choice. We got a PA 600. We were going to scan
all the information into a spread***, or some form other database
and then hook up the scanner to a computer and do an import into the
Access database. To my knowledge there is no way of putting MS Access
on a mobile device. Can anyone name a good mobile program, that's
easy to learn that will serve my purposes. Second, I do have Excel on
the device currently. Unfortunately after you press Enter (which
happens automatically after each scan) the cursor goes down and I need
it to go right. I know in standard MS Excel, you can adjust the
program so that it will right, down, nowhere or wherever. I can't
find a way to adjust it on mobile excel. Any thoughts? Thanks for
your help.

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