Is it possible to make the FalconX3 scanner to recognize special barcode labels as keyboard functions of such keys as F1-F12? Do such barcodes for this scanner exist?
Hello @Jan_Nowak,
Unfortunately there is no built-in method for reading a barcode and sending a F1-F12 key on a Windows CE device.
The possible solution should include the development of an application based on the Datalogic Windows CE SDK that replaces the system KeyboardWedge, that analyzes the content of the read codes and sends to the system the right events to simulate corresponding to the read barcode label or the pressure of the desired function key.
To do this, unfortunately, the official Microsoft .NET Compact Framework for Window CE does not offer any class to send keypress events to the system, so you have to resort to Win32 programming in C/C++, and simulate keypresses from the function Keybd_event (winuser.h) to synthesize keystrokes to generate a WM_KEYUP or WM_KEYDOWN message.
// Simulate a key press
keybd_event( VK_F1, 0, 0, 0 );
// Simulate a key release
keybd_event( VK_F1, 0, KEYEVENTF_KEYUP, 0 );
Many articles on the net discuss this topic; for example see: Keyboard Events Simulation using keybd_event() function - CodeProject
Otherwise, you could search for some public library to integrate the .NET Compact Framework missing functions.
Years ago, there was a smart free library named OpenNetCF Smart Device Framework. The SendKeys class from the OpenNETCF.Windows.Forms namespace exposes SendKeys.Send() method, that with a simple syntax allows to send keystrokes to the system.
using OpenNETCF.Windows.Forms;
SendKeys.Send("ABCDE"); //sends "ABDCE"
SendKeys.Send("{F1}"); //sends "F1"
SendKeys.Send("+{F6}"); //sends "shift+F6"
Unfortunately, the original project is discontinued and the website is down, but you could still find some copy of the library with his original source code on some mirror site, or in github.
The latest version I remember was OpenNetCF SDF (Smart Device Framework) 2.3.12004.
If you need more information, please issue a request to our technical support on the company’s tech support portal available here .
Simone Callegari
Datalogic Mobile Products Specialist - L3 SW Engineer