Thread: C++ and Hardware UPC Reader

  1. #1
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    C++ and Hardware UPC Reader

    Hey!

    I was wondering that if I got one of those UPC reader things that are always at stores' checkout counters, and I hooked it up to my computer, how could I write a program with C++ that reads the barcodes and returns with a message, depending on what the barcode reads? How would I tell the computer to read from the hardware?

    Thanks!

    Matt

  2. #2
    int x = *((int *) NULL); Cactus_Hugger's Avatar
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    Depends.

    The code written will vary, depending on what OS you're using, and what type of UPC reader you get. (ie, USB, serial port, etc?) Hopefully it comes with a manual describing what data to send to it, etc, or perhaps there is one at it's website.
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  3. #3
    Hardware Engineer
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    Yeah.... You'll have to get that information from the hardware manufacturer. What's the interface?

    There are two common situations with hardware:

    1- The manufacturer supplies the hardware, driver, and software together as a package. They don't disclose how to interface with it.

    2- The manufacturer supplies a driver and software library that can be used with your C/C++ compiler. They don't disclose the low-level interface information... you have to communicate through the driver.

    In the case of common peripherals like printers, the driver and firmware are proprietary, but they don't need to supply a software library because the operating system has a standard way of communicating with the driver. As long as you have a library for the particular O.S. (i.e. the WIN32 API) you can communicate with any printer driver.

    In rare cases, the manufacturer might supply the information on how to communicate with the actual hardware and it's internal firmware. In the "old days", printer manufactures would publish this information. But, now you need the driver... i.e. you generally can't write your own printer driver.
    Last edited by DougDbug; 07-12-2006 at 01:52 PM.

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