I work at a library using a barcode scanner, specifically the Honeywell Eclipse, which works perfectly without any programming. However, I decided to buy a wireless barcode scanner (the Equip model 351023), and I'm struggling to get it set up properly. I'm trying to remove unwanted characters from the scanned barcodes. Right now, I have it programmed to delete the first character if it's an 'A' and the last character if it's a 'B' after creating a custom barcode for that purpose. But now I'm receiving feedback from users stating that when they scan barcode type X, it adds a 'B' in front of the barcode. I worry that if I remove the 'B', something else will go wrong later. What I want to know is why the Honeywell scanner works seamlessly out of the box, while the Equip scanner seems complicated to set up. Also, I noticed that when I scan barcodes using my Android camera, it also shows unwanted characters, which suggests that the default setting includes them, while the Honeywell does not, which is the preferred behavior. Hopefully, this all makes sense!
3 Answers
Hey! Do you know what format those barcodes are? That might help narrow down the issue!
Have you checked the instruction manual for your Equip scanner? There should be a barcode to scan for enabling or disabling certain character options. That might do the trick for you!
Based on the images you shared, it looks like you're dealing with Codabar barcodes, which use 'A', 'B', 'C', 'D' as start and stop characters. In your Equip manual, there's a section (pg 26, section 2.13) that details how to toggle these characters on or off. It sounds like the Honeywell might be pre-configured to handle these characters in a way that suits your needs perfectly, whereas the Equip needs a little tweaking.
Just to add to that, since these are Codabar barcodes, the 'A' and 'B' are actually part of the code itself. They’re not just something the scanner is adding. Your phone scans them too because they count in the barcode itself. If you’re thinking about alternatives, moving to something like Code 128 could save you a lot of hassle, as it simplifies the character management.
I don't know for sure, but I'll upload some barcode examples soon.