barcode scan only

[Oldbill62]

Good morning everyone,
As with several other posts on here I am a relative novice on codes and such like so please keep n replies really really simple! I wish to set a particular cell on spreadsheet (Windows 7) to accept only scanned from barcode data. Is it possible to protect cell to ensure keyboard input cannot be used please?
Thanks
Oldbill

 

[ChrisBM]

Where does the barcode data come from?

 

[Oldbill62]

Its scanned in from various worksheets. The aim of the project is to remove the necessity to print off documents, sign them and then pay for them to be archived for next 5 years. We are currently printing a rainforest every day and if I could use the barcode scanners to input a employee id this would be acceptable for traceability

 

[Kyle123]

I'm not sure that it is without having a barcode reader to hand to test it. I *think* that barcode readers work like keyboards so I'm not entirely sure that Excel would be able to tell the difference

 

[brucef2112]

As long as the barcodes are more that a 3 or 4 digits long. This can be done with a small chunk of code with a timer event
No need for a barcode scanner to test to make this work. It is based on the fact that a barcode scanner can 'key' faster than a human.
An 11 digit barcode is scanned in less than 1 second (I think 'blink of an eye' is the technical term).
The same 11 digits by a human would be about 2-3 seconds if an Olympic sport.
so the sudo code for an on key event.
wait for a key entry.
start a timer.
wait for Enter key then stop timer.
look at elapsed time from first key to Enter key.
(barcode scanners can be set to send an Enter key after reading barcode)
If less than 1 second it must have come from a barcode scanner. otherwise assume it was keyed by a human.

Of course as soon as you said only scanner entry and no manual entry.
The spreadsheet Gods and Code Gods are poised to strike you down by breaking you scanner.
Then you'll have very unhappy people trying to get in and can't.
Another couple of lines of code would give the option to do a manual entry. Say by hitting F8. Or first keying in a Password.
Make it so each manual entry needs a password (thereby annoying the person holding the broken scanner).
Or maybe allow so much time to elapse before manual entries are stopped. Or only allow x number of scans per password.

It late but if I get time I'll try and chunk out a piece of code. but don't hld your breath 'cause i don't get back here often. sorry
Check the net for On Key Events Timer events in VBA VB or even.....QBasic!
good luck.
bruce

 

[brucef2112]

OK, I found something promising. Check out my post here. It has a link to a great sample framework for doing this and includes a sample spreadsheet. You can go from there.
http://www.mrexcel.com/forum/excel-...tilities-excel-advice-sought.html#post4040593

 

[rpaulson]

If you are printing the bar codes then you can put a hidden character at then beginning; and only allow input if the character is present.