Hi all,

I am about to embark on my first journey into the world of using barcode scanners in VFP. Here's the scenario. The client has an existing VFP5 application which is essentially a government document tracker. Kind of a central record storage type facility.

They would like to move to a barcode numbering system for the files, instead of their current numbering system. Currently, and time a file is sent out or returned, the file number gets manually typed into the application. The number is rather long, and mistakes to occur from time to time.

They come to me with a "Symbol" hand held laser barcode scanner (no software drivers that I know about), and a piece of software called "TabQuik" which can generate both file labels and barcodes.

Since this is my first time with this kind of thing, I am looking for some advice. Should I try to get the existing scanner (approach the vendor for drivers...?) and software intergrated? I assume I will require drivers to get VFP to read the data stream coming in off of the serial port...? I am not sure how the whole scanner set up works, particularly getting VFP to read data from the scanner unit through whatever port it gets installed on.

Can anyone shed some light on a typical barcode scanner set up with VFP, and what components are required?

Thanks,