Barcode Scanners

Crimestar is ready to utilize a barcode scanner to help you speed up many of the day to day operations associated with document record keeping. Crimestar can use a barcode scanner to:

· Retrieve Module documents

· Track the movement of Evidence

· Track Inmate Commissary Activity

· Input *AAMVA Drivers License Data onto Module Forms (Requires 2D Barcode Reader)

Many different types of barcode scanners can be used with Crimestar. During development of these features we used a Symbol Technologies LS-1004 "Spark’ handheld scanner, a Symbol Technologies LS1900 "Cobra" handheld scanner and a Symbol Technologies DS6608 2D handheld scanner. All were (at the time of this writing) portable, accurate and inexpensive.

Any barcode wand or scanner used must be capable of prefixing and suffixing data input. Crimestar uses a prefix character of a CTRL+[ and a suffix character of a CTRL+]. Since most barcode scanners place data directly into the computer’s keyboard buffer, these prefix and suffix characters are used to distinguish barcode input from standard keyboard input. See the configuration manual for your barcode scanner, to get more information on how to set this configuration.

Prior releases of Crimestar used an STX (CTRL-B) prefix character and an ETX (CTRL-C) suffix character however, these characters were in conflict with some standard Windows keyboard commands such as Copy etc. so we discontinued the use of those prefix/suffix values.

Throughout the Crimestar program Barcodes are rendered using a free "3 of 9 Barcode" True Type font. This font is distributed as a file named "3of9_new.ttf" and is installed into your Windows fonts directory/folder.

* AAMVA =American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators; which publish a standard for the encoding of drivers license data in 2D (PDF-417) format.

For Symbol brand scanners a CTRL-[ is represented as an ASCII 1027 and a CTRL-] is represented as an ASCII 1029.

For MetroLogic brand scanners you must enter two characters from a prefix and two for a suffix. The configuration needs the scanner to be programmed with a prefix "Ctrl + one character" decimal value = 175 and Character "[" decimal value = 91 and a suffix of "Ctrl + one character" decimal value = 175 and a Character "]" decimal value = 93.