Welcome to Legacy FAQs.Here you will find information for the Flic Scanner and Flic Scanner related products.
If you are looking for ROV Scanner or ROV Scanner related FAQs, click here.
General Questions
I’m having trouble scanning bar codes I've printed. What should I do?
Check your software for the Symbology type you are printing. Make sure it is a type the Flic Scanner supports.
Check for the length of the bar code, if the bar code is greater than 3.5”, the Flic Scanner may not read it very well.
Check the X-dimension or density of the bar code. The X-dimension defines the smallest bar or space width. Make sure it meets the specifications of the Flic Scanner.
Can the Flic Scanner read ISBN bar codes on books?
The ISBN number is never directly added as a bar code on a book. The
bar code is actually a Bookland bar code that uses the EAN-13 symbology
to encode the ISBN number. The Flic Scanner reads this bar code. On
some paperback books you may find two bar codes. A standard UPC bar
code on the back and a Bookland bar code on the inside front cover. For
more information see http://www.barcode-us.com/info_center/bookinfo.htm.
Can I scan bar codes of various colors?
In some applications colored labels or colored bar codes can be very
useful. However, you have to be careful when choosing printing and
background colors. The advent of colored ribbons allows an increasing
number of bar code printers to print colored labels. This can cause
problems due to the required contrast ratio of bar code scanners. Bar
codes printed in black, blue, green, and dark brown on white, yellow,
or red backgrounds normally work well. Other combinations may result in
poor contrast ratio and unreadable bar codes. One bad combination is a
black bar code on a green background. The green background will appear
black to the red laser scanner.
Can I scan a bar code through glass, plastic or other surfaces?
The Flic Scanner can scan through some reflective surfaces. CD jewel
cases, plastic shrink wrap, or plastic bags are examples of materials
that can be scanned through. Windshields and other glass surfaces are
difficult to scan through.
I have a Mac running OS X and I need better data control. What do I do?
For OS X, the USB PnP Cable will only work for simple keyboard input.
For advanced OS X integration, a premiere Microvision partner,
Serialio, offers the most complete Mac OS X scanner support. To
integrate you will need a 'virtual com' cable compatible with OS X.
These cables are available from Serialio.com both separately and
bundled with a Microvision scanner.
> Click here for more information on SerialMagic for OS X 10.2+
> Click Here to purchase scanners and software from Serialio
Flic Scanner
What if there is no scan line visible when I depress the scanner button?
Make sure to depress the button firmly. If the scan line still doesn’t
appear, check the three ‘AAA’ batteries for correct installation.
Replace the batteries if necessary. If you are in bright sunlight, you
may not see the scan line, but the scanner may operate properly.
What happens if I don’t hear a beep when trying to perform a scan?
The beep indicates that your Flic scanner has captured a good scan. If
you don’t hear the beep after performing the proper scanning procedure,
the beeper could be disabled. Scan the “Enable Beep” bar code in the
Flic scanner Operator’s Guide and then scan the “Sample Bar Code” in
the Operator’s Guide. Both the LED and the beeper should activate.
What should I do if the LED on the scanner does not blink when scanning?
The LED should blink once to indicate a good scan. If you don’t see a
blink, scan the “Factory Defaults” bar code in the Flic Scanner
Operator’s Guide and then scan the “Sample Bar Code”. Both the LED and
the beeper should activate.
What does it mean when I hear three beeps while trying to scan a bar code?
Three beeps during a scan attempt indicate that the scanner memory is
full and the scanner cannot store any more bar codes. Connect your Flic
scanner to the computer with the supplied serial cable or optional
Docking Station and upload the stored bar codes. If you are using a
Flic Cordless Scanner, reconnect to the host computer to start the
auto-upload process.
What is the scanning rate for a Flic scanner in scans per second?
The scanning rate of the Flic scanner is approximately 40 scans per second.
What is the maximum bar code length that can be scanned?
The Flic scanner can scan bar codes up to approximately 3.5 inches in length.
How many characters can you have in a bar code?
The Flic Scanner can decode up to 29 characters in a bar code.
What is the expected battery life for the Flic and Flic Cordless Scanners?
The Flic scanner, with 3 fresh AAA alkaline batteries, delivers 24,000+
scans when used for about 100 scans/ day over 12 months.
The Flic Cordless scanner, with 3 fresh AAA alkaline batteries, delivers 16,000+ scans when used for about 100 scans/ day over 8 months.
My Flic Scanner works in Batch Mode but not when I plug in the cable. What should I do?
Microvision has seen some rare cases where the Flic Scanner will not
work on a computer in connected mode. This is caused by noisy power
supplies that affect the scanner -- either from the wall or from the
computer (typically with laptops).
Recommendations:
Check to make sure the computer is grounded properly.
If running on a laptop system try unplugging the power supply (this usually cures the problem).
If all else fails you may have use the Flic Scanner in batch mode.
Flic Cordless Scanner
What is the maximum range of the Cordless scanner?
Roughly 10 meters (33 ft.). Most designs also usually exceed
specifications making the distance typically well in excess of these
figures. For more information see www.bluetooth.org.
What happens when I walk out of that range?
When you walk out of the radio range the scanner goes into batch mode
and stores the barcodes in memory until you come back into range. This
provides a virtual unlimited range for the Flic Cordless Scanner.
What kind of interference can I expect from the Bluetooth scanner?
According to the Bluetooth Special Interest Group:
Any time devices are operated in the same frequency band; there is the
potential for interference. The severity of this interference is a
function of the system designs and the distance between devices. Since
the strength of a radio signal varies approximately with the "inverse
square" of the distance, a small increase in separation can reduce the
level of interference significantly. Studies by a number of companies
indicate that if the separation is more than 2 meters, in most cases
there is no perceptible degradation transmitting data in either device.
From two meters to about a half-meter, there is a graceful degradation.
As the devices are brought in very close proximity and collocated, the
degradation can be quite noticeable. Fortunately, this scenario only
happens when the two systems are in the same device, and in those
cases, Bluetooth hardware and Wi-Fi hardware can collaborate to
dramatically improve performance.
For more information see www.bluetooth.org.
Can I use multiple Bluetooth devices on one computer or PDA?
Yes, Bluetooth can handle up to seven devices paired to one master
device. You may encounter limitations with software or software
compatibility. For example, Microvision’s wedge software only supports
one scanner at a time.
When connecting to a Flic Cordless Scanner I get the same bar code over and over. How do I handle this?
It is possible you are using the wrong version of Flicware software. Be
sure to download the Flicware Cordless software designed to work with
the Cordless scanner. If you have our standard Flicware Software, it
only works with the Batch / Tethered scanner.
Flic Software
What is “wedge” software?
There are several ways to implement a bar code scanner into an end-user
application. The simplest method is to use a “wedge” interface. A
“wedge” interface makes the data from the Flic Scanner appear as if it
were typed on a keyboard. The wedge program handles all the
communications with the scanner and sends the received data to the host
as keyboard data.
Advantages
A wedge interface is very simple to install and use. Existing
applications require no modifications in order to accept scanned data.
For many applications, particularly where bar code scanning is simply
replacing typing in of data, wedge solutions are ideal.
Disadvantages
The user must be sure the cursor is in the proper place before scanning
data or it may be entered into the wrong location. Wedge applications
do not allow the application as much control over the scanned data as a
custom application.
I
want Flicware Cordless Software to automatically start up on my PC and
I get an error message. Why does this occur and how do I fix it?
When rebooting your PC the Bluetooth drivers take some time to start
up. If placed in the Startup folder, the Flicware Cordless software
loads and starts up before the Bluetooth drivers are ready resulting in
an error. We have a file that you can download to make the Flicware
Cordless Software start up a few seconds longer to prevent that error. Download Sleep Function
Flicware cannot find my Flic Scanner when I click the Test button. What should I do?
Check the batteries in your scanner.
Check that your Flic scanner is connected to the cable and the cable is connected to the serial port on your computer.
If using a USB adapter cable or USB coiled cable, review the installation instructions to ensure the driver is installed properly.
When trying to start up Flicware I get a port setup error. What should I do?
Check the Windows taskbar to ensure that only one copy of Flicware
Software in running. Ensure that a data synchronization program (for
handheld devices for example) is not using the same port, as these
programs can lock up communication even when not running.
Using
Flicware Software, my Flic Scanner is connected to the computer and I
hear a beep when I scan, but nothing happens. What should I do?
In tethered mode, scanned bar codes are uploaded to the computer as
they are scanned. Verify that the Flicware Software is active by
checking the Tools-> Active menu. You should have a check mark next
to the word Active. Also, make sure the desired application is the
active application on your desktop. If you are still not getting data,
try scanning the defaults bar code in the Flic Operator’s Guide and
then another bar code. Lastly, try the “Test” function to see if the
Flicware Software can find your scanner.
Does the Flicware Software work when I scan bar codes while the cable is disconnected (batch mode)?
The scans held in memory are uploaded to the computer when the Flic
scanner is connected to the cable. Setup the Flicware Software with the
cable connected and when this is working just unplug the cable, scan
bar codes and reinsert the cable. Your bar codes should appear just as
if you scanned them while the cable was plugged in.
When trying to use Flicware Software, I get the error message “Reset scanner to default language”
Flic Scanners must be set to Default settings to work with Flicware
Software. Scan the “Factory Defaults” bar code in the Flic Operator’s
Guide to reset your Flic Scanner to the default settings.
How do I keep all of my scan data from going into the same cell or on the same line of my application?
Select Flicware, Tools, Format and add the appropriate control
character(s) in the Characters to Append box. You can test various
character combinations to get the desired results.
The scanned data I receive through Flicware Software appears to be incorrect. How do I fix this?
Scan the “Factory Defaults” bar code in the Flic Operator’s Guide to
reset your Flic scanner to the default settings. Select Flicware ,
Tools , Format and add the appropriate control character(s) in the
Characters to Append box.
When trying to connect to my Flic Cordless Scanner I get Bluetooth Device Not Found. What should I do?
Verify that your Bluetooth device is properly connected and turned on.
For Windows XP SP2 users, this is often caused by conflicting Bluetooth
drivers in the PC. Uninstall the existing Bluetooth drivers. Reboot the
PC and while the PC is shut down remove the Bluetooth dongle.
After the PC finishes rebooting plug in the Bluetooth dongle. The PC should then use the Bluetooth drivers included with Windows XP. The “B” symbol in the Bluetooth tray icon should change from red (not working) to white (working).
Can I use my own USB Bluetooth dongle with my Flic Cordless Scanner?
Yes. Look for Bluetooth dongles that are supported by Microsoft Windows
XP SP2 or that come with Widcomm Bluetooth stacks. Microvision cannot
guarantee that these will work, but many of them do. If unsure, the
best solution is to purchase a dongle from Microvision as it has been
tested and certified by our Quality Assurance team.
Flic USB Cable
Why is bar code data not appearing or appearing incorrectly in my application?
The settings within your scanner have not been properly set. Located within your USB Cable Quick Start Guide, scan the "Return to Factory Defaults" bar code and then follow steps A.2 (for Keyboard Mode) or B.2 (for VCOM Mode).
When scanning a batch of bar codes, why are only a few showing up in my application?
First, make sure to scan the “Delay – 500ms” bar code on step A.2 / B.2 in your USB Cable Quick Start Guide. Your computer’s keyboard buffer may not able to accept data as fast as the scanner is able to send it. This setting inserts a ½ second delay between bar codes to allow your computer to process the data.
Second, always plug the USB Cable into your computer before plugging your USB Cable into your scanner.