Re: screen scraping from scales -- MIDRANGE-L

Don't know whether this will help. About 10 years ago I wrote a VB application that ran on a PC (Windows 3.x, IIRC) attached to the scale through the RS-232 serial interface. It also attached to a scanner for the tracking barcode. I don't remember all the details - you need to check the docs for thw scale and scanner. I think you had to wait or else poll the scale to tell you the weight.

Now there are what are called keyboard wedges for scales and other devices. These act as keyboard input to the 400. The article at <http://www.csensors.com/kbdwedge.html> says "Physically, the keyboard plugs into the scanner and the scanner plugs into the computer console. When you type on the keyboard, the characters are sent to the computer as usual. When you scan a barcode, the barcoded characters are converted to keyboard "key codes", and sent to the computer. So, the computer thinks that the data in the barcode was typed on the keyboard." There are also "software" that convert RS-232 input to keuboard scan codes.

Do a google on "keyboard wedge". And talk to your scale and scanner vendors.

The key thing is, it'll fill in 400 application fields in an emulator as if typed.

HTH
Vern

At 08:30 PM 9/3/2004, you wrote:

We are in need of an application solution to "scrape" a weight from an
electronic scale (Toledo) that is connected to a PC that is operating an
interactive program on the 400 through Client Access.

The user will enter some carton information that is headed for an interface
file that will produce records within UPS's Automated Shipment System. The
carton needs to be weighed and the results need to be "materialized" into a
pre-defined row/column co-ordinate within the 400 application so our users
do not have to key the data.

UPS has their own PC system and their own solution but theirs is a
proprietary system on a window platform that we are replacing...we would
like an answer for our 400 application.

Any ideas?

Thanks much,

 Rick Rayburn
NYC

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