I can generate barcodes from a database, using code and some barcode printing software...that was the easy bit.

There are two parts to this..
1.
I need to be able to scan barcodes (numeric), back in and locate the record they came from. The numbers have been generated by "auto-number"
I have decided that to help with error trapping during the scan,
(because basic barcode scanning can be unreliable)they need a fixed length field, in this case 8 digits. Since barcodes will be scanned in as text they will have leading zeros.

 I have scanned them in as text, into a text field of a "data_input_check" table and an unbound text box, I then hit problems. Of finding the record, in my main data.

In order to form a query to find the record I have tried transfering the value of these into a numeric field in the "data_input_check" table, by storing it as a variable and then transfering into the field. This works when the code is in a separate button, but I cannot do it automatically from the "properties after-update".

In an attempt to do without the button pressing for every item, I have also tried creating a query by reading from the "data_input" form, both from the unbound text box, and from the "data_input_check_table" (which is not yet linked to the main data) and have been unable to save the work (used Expression builder) though no error messages were generated.

2. When scanning into a box, I don't want to have to hit return every time, I would like to scan in whole trays of items and check them off in an unbroken sequence.

Any ideas, or pointers to were I am going wrong would be greatly appreciated. I have spent a depressing number of hours on this, but have to admit that without finding a course or help, I am beaten.

Thanks

Mark Horton


markh