FlicWatch Developer Newsletter

August 17, 2006

Events

Microvision releases Scanner Wedge Software

Microvision SDK for BlackBerry Released to Beta - Participants Wanted

Flic Tip — Use Plus Mode for New Applications

Flic Fact — Microvision Software Enables Price Sensitive Data Collection

You Ask, We Answer —Integrate the Flic Scanner into .NET Applications

Flic Developer Resources

Partner Spotlight — Symbian Partnership

$$ Developer Survey – Answer 14 Simple Questions & You Could Land $100! $$

Events:

CTIA Wireless IT & Entertainment 2006 | SmartPhone Summit
September 12-14, 2006
Los Angeles Convention Center, CA

If you are going and would like to meet, please let us know.

http://www.wirelessit.com/info/smartphone_summit.cfm
http://www.smartphonesummit.com/

Symbian SmartPhone show
Oct 17-18, 2006
Excel Centre, London

If you are going and would like to meet, please let us know.

http://www.symbiansmartphoneshow.com/2006/

Mobile Business Expo
Oct 31-Nov 3, 2006
Hyatt Regency, Chicago, IL

If you are going and would like to meet, please let us know.

http://www.mobilebusinessexpo.com/

WebmasterWorld Publishers Conference aka PubCon
Nov 14-17, 2006
Las Vegas Convention Center
This is a great show to be immersed in Search Engine Marketing and Web Publishing

If you are going and would like to meet, please let us know.

http://www.pubcon.com/

Are there other events you think we should know about? Events you should know about?

What is Scanner Wedge?
Scanner Wedge software is a lightweight application that allows Flic Scanner users to push scanned bar code data into any active applicaton running on their computing device. Scanner Wedge for Windows and Scanner Wedge for Windows Mobile are available today. Scanner Wedge for BlackBerry is available to qualified users. For other operating systems, stay tuned to FlicWatch. For those of you familiar with Microvision’s Flicware software, Scanner Wedge is the replacement for that product.

What can I do with Scanner Wedge?
Scanner Wedge allows any program to become a bar code application in only minutes. No programming or development required. Simply install Scanner Wedge, connect your scanner, and start scanning data into your application.

Scanner Wedge provides these basic features:

Connect Flic Scanners using Serial, USB or Bluetooth
Works with any application that accepts keyboard input
Automatically launch application and activate on computer startup
Strip characters from the beginning of a bar code
Insert special characters to better control flow of scanned bar codes within the application
Check setup and configuration using trace feature

Download Scanner Wedge software

Microvision SDK for BlackBerry Released to Beta - Participants Wanted

Microvision SDK for BlackBerry allows developers tobar code enable any BlackBerry application by integrating the Flic Cordless Scanner. Gain control over your data capture. Know when bar coded data enters your program and take action. Differentiate your data collection application by taking advantage of unique features like batch mode, time stamps, and User ID.

Microvision SDKs provide programmers and developers the tools needed to integrate Microvision Scanner products into new or existing BlackBerry applications. An API is provided for easy integration along with sample programs and documentation. Demo projects include the SDK and full source code.

The SDK for Blackberry is the first of several Microvision SDKs that implements the Flic Scanner's latest Plus Mode features. For more details refer to the Flic Tip in this issue of the Developer’s Newsletter or the product bulletin found here.
SDK for BlackBerry Features

Supports Flic Cordless Scanners with the new version 2.36 firmware
Manages scanner connections (connect, auto-reconnect, etc).
Real-time data transfer or Advanced Bluetooth Batching
Host Scan Control - the application verifies each bar code before the user can scan again
Time Stamp setting and management
Scanner feature setting and management

If you’re interested, send us an email with your contact information. Once we’ve received your email, we will contact you with more details.

Don’t have the programming expertise yet still want to bar code enable your BlackBerry application? Try Scanner Wedge for BlackBerry software.

Microvision introduces firmware update x.36
Microvision is pleased to announce the release of a new firmware version for its Flic Scanner and Flic Cordless Scanner. Version 1.36 for serial scanners and 2.36 for cordless scanners (collectively known as version “x.36”) implements new commands, control codes, download protocols and batch options that give application developers greater control over advanced scanner capabilities.

Some new features are not backward-compatible with earlier firmware versions. Therefore, the new firmware is designed to operate exclusively in one of two Operating Modes:

Plus Mode is the new standard that implements greater functionality using binary formatted data packets rather than ASCII codes. Plus Mode is recommended for all application development that does not specifically require compatibility with previous firmware versions.
Legacy Mode preserves backward compatibility with ASCII codes but does not include the new functionality described in this bulletin.

Why you should use Plus Mode for new applications?
Plus Mode is strongly recommended for new applications for the following reasons:

Plus Mode provides greater control over the scanner and scanner data
Plus Mode supports all new features
Plus Mode will support future product enhancements

New Features Available in Plus Mode

Improved Data Integrity
Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) is now used for error detection in data transport and storage.

Bluetooth batch scanning
Bluetooth enabled scanners can now be configured to scan batches of bar codes, which will be downloaded as a group only when the user requests to do so by holding the Flic Scanner button down for five seconds. This enables the same kind of store-and-forward functionality on Bluetooth scanners that has always been available on tethered serial scanners.

Host scan control
Scanners can now be configured to prevent batch scanning by requiring that each scan is downloaded and acknowledged by the application before another scan can be performed. This is useful, for example, if your application needs to perform a verification process on each bar code before authorizing the next scan. The host application can also use blinks and beeps on the scanner to notify the user of errors or readiness to scan.

Secure download option
Scanners can now be commanded to download their bar codes but retain those codes in memory until specifically instructed by the host application to delete them. This is useful if you want to make absolutely certain the bar codes have arrived intact at their final destination before deleting them from scanner memory.

For more details on the x.36 firmware release read the Product Bulletin.

Microvision continues to invest in its managed software roadmap to offer the developer community the software tools necessary to add simple and affordable bar code scanning to applications that are used internally as well as applications that are intended for commercial resale.

Software tools that Microvision provides include Scanner Wedge for various platforms and well as Software Development Kits (SDK).

Microvision’s Scanner Wedge software offers basic connectivity to Windows, Windows Mobile, BlackBerry, and other platforms. Microvision SDKs are offered to the developer community where tighter integration and control over data and advanced scanner features is desired. Many Microvision partners provide additional wedge software and development tools to integrate the Flic Scanner into applications. A complete listing of these partners may be found in the Solutions Guide, but here is a short list:

Infinite Peripherals for BlackBerry

ScannerPal for iDen

Serialio.com for Palm, Mac, Linux, BlackBerry, Symbian

If you are a developer that offers development or connectivity software for the Flic Scanner or you have Flic Scanner solutions available for commercial resale, please make sure that you are listed in the Solutions Guide.

By Tony Cataldo

Question: How do I integrate the Flic Scanner into my .NET application?
Many developers that we encounter need to integrate the Flic Scanner into .NET applications. There are a number of flavors of .NET programming and the two most popular are VB.NET and C#.NET. These languages have a standard version for PC programming and a Compact version designed for the mobile devices. This article explains how to create a Flic Scanner interface for a .NET application.

Wrappers and DLLs
Microvision’s SDK Application Programming Interface (API) consists of C code compiled into a DLL. The .NET languages cannot call these C functions directly. In addition, .NET handles data differently than standard C. Standard C uses ASCII null-terminated strings and .NET uses Unicode string objects, .NET requires objects and C uses straight functions calls, etc. For these reasons, Microvision supplies a “wrapper” file that allows the .NET application to interface with the C functions in the DLL API. The wrapper defines a class and namespace that calls the C functions in the DLL. The namespace and class encapsulate objects that are not directly required by the .NET application.

Add the wrapper file into your project by copying the file to your project directory. For C#.NET applications copy FlicApi_Common.cs. For VB.NET applications copy FlicAPI.vb. This file contains the definition of the MicrovisionFlicApi namespace. Use the same wrapper file for both PC and Compact implementations. The code varies between PC and Compact programming but compiler directives cause the proper code to be compiled.

Namespace and Object
Add references to the Flic namespace to your main project file:

For C#.NET add: Using MicrovisionFlicApi;
For VB.NET add: Imports MicrovisionFlicApi

You now need to create an instance of the FlicApi class. Add a declaration in your main application class:

For C#.NET add: FlicApi mFlic = new FlicApi ();
For VB.NET add: Dim mFlic As FlicApi = New FlicApi

Using the .NET API
The wrapper creates a new API that is similar to the SDK C API. The .NET wrapper actually makes the integration easier because it encapsulates many of the objects in the DLL. For example, you never declare or use the Flic Handle that is required for nearly all DLL function calls. This handle is encapsulated in the FlicApi class. The names of the .NET API functions are derived from the function names in the DLL API.

DLL function	called using the .NET class members (where “mFlic” is the object instance.
FlicConnectionOpen	mFlic.ConnectionOpen
FlicConnectionConfigure	mFlic.ConnectionConfigure
FlicGetBarCodeCount	mFlic.GetBarCodeCount
FlicGetBarCode	mFlic.GetBarCode

Calling the functions with the .NET API is almost identical to using the function in the DLL API:

C++: FlicConnectionConfigure (
                    aFlic, "MyConnection", BATCH_TIMESTAMP, FLIC_BAUD_4800));
.NET: mFlic.ConnectionConfigure (
                    "MyConnection", FlicApi.MODE.BATCH_SECURE_TIMESTAMP,
                     FlicApi.BAUD.RATE_4800);

Notice that the .NET API requires the class name as well as the constant name (such as FlicApi.BAUD.RATE_4800). Also notice that the .NET functions never use the Flic Handle directly since the handle is encapsulated in the class. The function calls return the same status values as the DLL functions. In addition, the .NET API has a “Result” property that returns the last status value. That is, you can check the status immediately:

// Most functions return the same results as the DLL functions:
if (FlicApi.FLIC_SUCCESS == mFlic.ConnectionConfigure (…
and you can check that same status using the “Result” function:

// This function returns the status value:
if (FlicApi.FLIC_SUCCESS == mFlic.ConnectionConfigure (…

// The “Result” Property also returns the status code from the last API fn called:
if (mFlic.Result == FlicApi.FLIC_SUCCESS) …

Intellisense
The C# version of the wrapper includes Intellesense comments. These comments appear when you mouse-over a name used in the .NET API. These comments help keep you focused on coding rather than requiring that you switch between a technical manual and your code. Intellisense comments only work in C# since Microsoft has not provided this functionality in VB.NET (at least not as of this writing).

Conclusion
The .NET wrappers make it easy to create a Flic Scanner interface in your .NET projects. The wrapper handles the proper conversions, provides an object-oriented interface, and encapsulates as many objects as possible to provide a simple interface. Microvision offers demo projects for VB.NET (PC and Compact) and C#.NET (PC and Compact).

Developer FAQ

App Note

Case Studies

Take advantage of this Special Coupon to Evaluate the Flic Scanner for your Application.

Integrate the Flic Scanner into your application. Request the SDK.

Check out the Compatibility Matrix.

Report device compatibility issues or successes.

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