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Level 1

3 points

Want to use both on screen keyboard and HID keyboard at same time

Has anyone come up with a way to be able to switch back and forth between the on screen keyboard and a paired HID Bluetooth keyboard? In my case, my HID BT Keyboard is a barcode scanner which works great! It is the Serialio scanfob. We would like to use the iPad to create sales orders and some of the fields need to be text and some need to be the barcode info input from the scanner. I have already asked support, and no solutions there other then the eject option on the apple keyboard or turning off bluetooth in the settings. Any ideas will be much appreciated!

iPad, Other OS

Posted on Apr 15, 2010 5:28 AM

41 replies

Aug 12, 2010 10:15 AM in response to jingg

Not ideal, but what happens when you turn off the scanner? Are you able to use the keyboard again immediately?

jingg

Level 1

0 points

Aug 12, 2010 10:15 AM in response to The Cyclone

Yes, that's how it works now. But most likely the real business process will have have some scanning and some manual inputting, turn the scanner on and off the whole time is not a real solution, but that's just my opinion.

Aug 12, 2010 10:17 AM in response to jingg

I agree 100%. Hopefully they get some new firmware out there soon. A whole new model for that issue seems ridiculous.

Aug 12, 2010 10:28 AM in response to The Cyclone

This goes back fifteen years to a project where I wrote an app for wireless handheld scanners used in a warehouse environment.

It's not perfect and it depends on exactly what you need to enter, but, if the entries are predictable, one option is to print out a sheet of barcodes containing the text that you need to input... for example quantities, then scan the sheet. With the ipad, you can put a significant amount of barcodes on the back.

tip... barcode scanners have the ability to toggle the <cr> at the end of each scanned bar... this can be useful with the above, especially with a barcode containing just a <cr> stuck to the margin of the ipad.

Hope that this information is of value.
Beverly Howard

Aug 12, 2010 10:39 AM in response to bevhoward

That's pretty clever!

jingg

Level 1

0 points

Aug 12, 2010 11:26 AM in response to bevhoward

Sounds like a cool idea, but it won't solve our problem, we need manual input for fields like observation, which we can't really pre-define the values. For those feilds that we can pre-define, we already put them in the drop down lists that users can just touch and select.

The dream solution would be iPad comes with a built-in laser scanner, or at least an attachment. Like the one they use for checking out in their store, EasyPay?

Aug 12, 2010 12:23 PM in response to jingg

but it won't solve our problem <<</div>

It's frustrating and sad that apple goes so far to protect us from ourselves ;-/

fwiw, (and apologies for the blasphemy) the windows mobile platform supports multiple inputs and companies such as Socket Mobile ( http://socketmobile.com) offer SD slot barcode scanners for the platform.

Couple those with a thumb keyboard plus camera, would seem to be a good foundation for the need that you describe.

Beverly Howard

Message was edited by: bevhoward

Aug 14, 2010 12:14 PM in response to BruceH5200

F12 does not do the trick, just Apple's eject key (keycode 161). Still seems doable to make a barcode that sends the correct keycode, but it may take some help from the manufacturer.

Aug 15, 2010 9:31 AM in response to Jonathan Gales

F12 does not do the trick, just Apple's eject key (keycode 161). <<</div>

since this is custom software, wonder if it might be possible to put a screen button up that would call the onscreen keyboard similar to the hide keyboard button at the bottom right of the onscreen keyboard.

custom scans <<</div>

This varies with readers, but when I was working with a large number of different readers, I found that "good" readers offered extensive customization options. Since readers are "output only" devices with, these options came in the form of special barcodes in the manual that allowed programming the reader's firmware settings.

Beverly Howard

Aug 15, 2010 9:36 AM in response to bevhoward

since this is custom software, wonder if it might be possible to put a screen button up that would call the onscreen keyboard similar to the hide keyboard button at the bottom right of the onscreen keyboard.

I don't want to use the barcode scanner in custom software, I want to use it in Mobile Safari. You're right that you can bring up the soft keyboard in custom apps, but good luck getting App Store approval.

This varies with readers, but when I was working with a large number of different readers, I found that "good" readers offered extensive customization options. Since readers are "output only" devices with, these options came in the form of special barcodes in the manual that allowed programming the reader's firmware settings.

Yes, but the trick is for it to send non-ASCII characters which so far I haven't seen support for (though I haven't tried an extensive range of Bluetooth HID scanners). It's technically possible, but may need some firmware love from the manufacturers. Apple should really just add an icon to pop-up the soft keyboard.

Aug 15, 2010 9:53 AM in response to Jonathan Gales

I want to use it in Mobile Safari <<</div>

Just thinking out loud here... and assuming that you do have control over the web app...

...perhaps an "on page link" that would present it's own javascript keyboard which, in turn, would input to the textbox output selected when the keyboard link was tapped?

Beverly Howard

Aug 15, 2010 9:59 AM in response to bevhoward

Just thinking out loud here... and assuming that you do have control over the web app...

...perhaps an "on page link" that would present it's own javascript keyboard which, in turn, would input to the textbox output selected when the keyboard link was tapped?

We have very similar thought processes. I thought about going down that path, but then realized that there would be no way for a JS keyboard to function for things like the address bar or Google search. Or in other apps (what if they got an email and wanted to reply?). In theory it could function well-enough inside the web app, but they would have to turn off Bluetooth before navigating anywhere outside of it. Pretty klutzy in my opinion.

Save for support from Apple I think the only workable solution would be a barcode that makes the scanner send the same keycode as the eject key on Apple's keyboards. I could even show it on screen and have the user scan it there so they don't need a piece of paper along with the iPad.

Well I guess there's one more, but it's hacky as well. Write an app like KeysPlease (which requires a jail broken device) and self-sign distribute it to up to 100 users. Still fairly unintuitive, but workable.

Aug 15, 2010 10:42 AM in response to Jonathan Gales

to function for things like the address bar or Google search. <<</div>

I agree with you on the "other apps" slthough the above could be handled within yours.

but they would have to turn off Bluetooth <<</div>

Related question... can you (or anyone) confirm that there is no apparent way to automatically reconnect a keyboard... my experience to date is that I have to "re-pair" every time a keyboard is disconnected.

I had to smile this morning when "On the Media" made a very pointed comment on how "locked down" apple mobile devices are and the barriers that doing so raises 😉

Thanks in advance,
Beverly Howard

Dave-W

Level 1

0 points

Sep 21, 2010 8:41 PM in response to bevhoward

We are looking for this option as well for a web based application. We are still in the design phases and what would really be nice would be an option in settings that put a keyboard icon in the middle of the top bar on the ipad when connected to a bluetooth device. This would allow you to open the virtual keyboard from anywhere with a bluetooth device connected and still retain the functionality that disabling the virtual keyboard provides.

We are planning to buy some iPad's here shortly and a few scanners, I looked at the chs 7p, does anyone know if you can program a <cr> like you can with the symbol products.

etch

Level 1

0 points

Oct 8, 2010 10:57 AM in response to Dave-W

Dave-W wrote:
We are planning to buy some iPad's here shortly and a few scanners, I looked at the chs 7p, does anyone know if you can program a <cr> like you can with the symbol products.

You can. The 7P supports adding a <cr> suffix. I've tested this myself on an iPad 3G. You will need to contact Socket's tech support for instructions on how to do it though.

Want to use both on screen keyboard and HID keyboard at same time