I used RS232 interface of barcode scanner (Datalogic QD2100), for my project but a problem arises. The manual given with this barcode scanner has certain barcodes for mode setting (scan mode-flashing, scan mode-always ON etc), restoring default settings, select interface. The output of the barcode scanner is a female RS232 and so i used a male RS232-usb converter cable to connect it to my laptop. I installed the driver which came with RS232-usb converter cable and also installed the software which was sent to me regarding barcode scanner. I have set the com port to COM1 and opened word. My cursor was placed in the word and when i do scan any barcode it doesn't show up on word. I used RS232 interface selection (using the barcode provided in the manual) first time and as i did not get any data in my word i used usb interface selection and that too didn't work. I have used barcode scanner with an old pc which has RS232 male pin and it does work. So my question is how can i possibly get my barcode scanner to work with my laptop which does not have any RS232 port.
Barcode scanner with RS232 interface not working with USB adapter
rs232usb
Best Answer
The problem is not RS232. On the contrary: RS232 ís FUN. It always WORKS! And you never run into version problems of drivers and so on because every operating system has standard RS232 support. See all the industries today where it is still in use because of the reliability. The issue here is USB: your RS232 to USB converter converter only converts data to a serial port. If you look in your hardware list of Windows, you will see that your converter simulates a serial port. A serial port is NOT a keyboard! So the data will never appear in applications (like Word) that only listen to keyboard devices! However, for barcode scanners there exist SPECIAL converters that convert RS232 to USB and behave like a keyboard. They have a double function: emulate a USB keyboard AND translate character codes from RS232 to USB because USB does not use standard ANSI.