Socket CompactFlash Scan Card Series 5 User manual

CompactFlash Scan Card™ Series 5
CompactFlash Scan Card Series 5 with
Integrated Bar Code CMOS or Laser Scanner for:
•Pocket PC 2000/2002/2003/2003SE
•HPC 2000s and Pen Tablets based on Windows Mobile
•Windows 98SE/Me/2000/XP Notebooks
User’s Guide

8/2005 Document # 6410-00166 J
Copyright Notice
Copyright © 2005 Socket Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
Socket, the Socket logo and Mobility Friendly are registered trademarks of
Socket Communications, Inc. CF Scan Card and SocketScan are trademarks
of Socket Communications, Inc. All other brand and product names are
trademarks of their respective holders.
Reproduction of the contents of this manual without the permission of
Socket Communications is expressly prohibited. Please be aware that the
products described in this manual may change without notice.
Feel free to contact SOCKET COMMUNICATIONS at:
Socket Communications, Inc.
37400 Central Court
Newark, CA 94560
Other than the above, Socket Communications can assume no responsibility
for anything resulting from the application of information contained in this
manual.
Please refrain from any applications of the Socket CF Scan Card that are
not described in this manual. Please refrain from disassembling the CF Scan
Card. Disassembly of this device will void the product warranty.
You can track new product releases, software updates and technical
bulletins by visiting Socket’s web page at: www.socketcom.com.
2

Table of Contents
COPYRIGHT NOTICE 2
1 | INTRODUCTION 5
About the Software 5
System Requirements 6
Package Contents 6
Product Registration 6
2 | SETUP FOR WINDOWS MOBILE 7
STEP 1: Uninstall Other Scanning Software 8
STEP 2: Install the Software 9
STEP 3: Insert the CFSC 11
STEP 4: Start SocketScan 11
STEP 5: Assign a Trigger Button 12
STEP 6: Scan Data into a Windows Program 14
OPTIONAL: Select Symbologies 15
OPTIONAL: Configure Prefix/Suffixes 16
OPTIONAL: Run Scan Demo 17
OPTIONAL: Configure Sounds 18
OPTIONAL: Use SocketScan Trigger 19
OPTIONAL: Configure Special Symbologies 20
3 | SETUP FOR WINDOWS 98SE/ME/2000/XP 21
STEP 1: Uninstall Other Scanning Software 22
STEP 2: Insert the Installation CD 22
STEP 3: Insert the CFSC 22
STEP 4: Configure for New Hardware 23
STEP 5: Install SocketScan Software 25
STEP 6: Assign a Trigger Button 27
STEP 7: Scan Data into a Windows Program 28
OPTIONAL: Configure Prefix/Suffixes 29
OPTIONAL: Configure Sounds 30
OPTIONAL: Configure Symbologies 31
APPENDICES
A | CFSC SPECIFICATIONS 32
B | BAR CODE LABEL SPECIFICATIONS 33
C | CLASS 1 VS. CLASS 2 LASER SCANNERS 34
D | ENABLING OR DISABLING SYMBOLOGIES 37
3

E | DECODE ZONE 39
F | TROUBLESHOOTING 41
G | TECHNICAL SUPPORT 42
LIMITED WARRANTY 43
REGULATORY COMPLIANCE 45
4

1 | Introduction
The Socket CompactFlash Scan Card (CFSC) Series 5
gives you the freedom of scanning bar codes anytime
anywhere with a variety of Windows-based mobile
computers. The card’s compact design lets you scan with
only one hand when used with a PDA.
The CFSC is sleekly designed with no cables or batteries
and is available in three configurations:
•CFSC 5E – Entry Level, CMOS
•CFSC 5M – Mid-Range, Class 1 Laser
•CFSC 5P – Performance, Class 2 Laser
See Appendix C for a detailed comparison of the two
laser classes.
The CFSC Series 5 works in the CompactFlash or PC Card slot of:
•Pocket PC 2000/2002/2003/2003SE
•HPC 2000 or pen tablet running Windows CE v3.0 or greater
•Notebook computer running Windows 98SE, Me, 2000 or XP.
About the Software
SocketScan™ enters scanned data directly into any open
Windows program, as if the data were manually typed. You
can configure Prefix/Suffixes and assign a .WAV file to
signify good data reads.
For Windows Mobile, SocketScan also includes a
Symbology Selector and Scan Demo. The Symbology
Selector makes it easy to choose the symbologies you want
to enable/disable in the scanner. Scan Demo helps you
identify the properties of an unfamiliar bar code.
For Windows 98SE/Me/2000/XP, SocketScan makes it easy
to assign a function key to trigger the scanner.
For Windows Mobile, also included is SocketScan Trigger,
which places a software trigger on your screen that you can
tap to trigger the laser. Installation is optional.
For software updates, visit: www.socketcom.com/support/support_bar.asp
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 5

System Requirements
Your mobile computer should meet these minimum requirements:
•Any of the following operating systems:
-Windows Mobile 2003SE, 2003
-Windows CE 3.0 or later
-Windows XP, 2000, Me, 98SE
•Available CompactFlash or PC Card slot
(Operation in a PC Card slot requires a PC Card adapter)
If your package does not include a PC Card adapter, you can purchase it
separately from Socket’s website, SKU# AC4001-979.
Package Contents
The CFSC Series 5 package includes:
•The CF Scan Card
•The SocketScan Installation CD
•Booklets with copyright, warranty, and regulatory compliance information
The CF Scan Card with PC Card Adapter package includes all of the above
plus a Type II CompactFlash-to-PC Card adapter.
Product Registration
Socket highly recommends that all customers register their products.
Registered users receiver priority for technical support, product updates,
and special offers. Register online at: www.socketcom.com/prodreg. Please
note that product registration is not required to ensure your warranty rights.
6

2 | Setup for Windows Mobile
This chapter shows how to install, configure, and use the CF
Scan Card (CFSC) on any of the following Windows Mobile-
based devices:
•Pocket PC 2000/2002/2003/2003SE
•HPC 2000 or pen tablet running Windows CE v3.0 or
greater
This chapter shows Pocket PC 2002 screens. Other Windows
Mobile-based devices will have functionally equivalent
screens except where otherwise noted.
Setup Summary
STEP 1: Uninstall other scanning software.
STEP 2: Install the software.
STEP 3: Insert the CFSC into Your Device.
STEP 4: Start SocketScan.
STEP 5: Assign a trigger button.
STEP 6: Scan data into a Windows program!
OPTIONAL:
•Select symbologies.
•Configure prefix/suffixes.
•Run Scan Demo application to scan unknown bar codes.
•Configure sounds.
•Manually configure symbologies or extensions.
CHAPTER 2: SETUP FOR WINDOWS MOBILE 7

STEP 1: Uninstall Other Scanning Software
Delete any bar code scanning software you may already have installed on
your mobile computer. You can either uninstall the software directly from
your mobile computer, or indirectly via ActiveSync.
OPTION 1: Uninstall Directly from the Mobile Computer
1. Make sure the bar code scanning software is closed, and remove the
CFSC from your mobile computer.
2. Tap Start | Settings. Tap on the System tab or Control Panel.
3. Tap on the Remove Programs icon.
4. Select the bar code scanning software, then tap Remove.
5. Tap Yes to confirm removal of the program.
OPTION 2: Uninstall via ActiveSync
1. Make sure the bar code scanning software is closed, and remove the
CFSC from your mobile computer.
2. Use ActiveSync and a serial/Ethernet/USB cable or cradle to make an
active connection between your mobile computer and a host PC.
3. On the host PC, open Microsoft ActiveSync.
4. Click Tools | Add/Remove Programs.
5. Select the bar code scanning software and click Remove.
6. In the confirmation screen, click OK.
7. The next dialog will ask if you want to remove the software from your
host PC as well.
•Click NO to keep a copy of the software on the host PC that can later
be re-installed onto a mobile computer.
•Click YES to remove the software from the host PC.
8

STEP 2: Install the Software
1. Use ActiveSync and a serial/Ethernet/USB cable or cradle to make an
active connection between the mobile computer and a host PC.
2. Insert the installation CD into your host PC.
3. Use My Computer or Windows Explorer to access your CD-ROM drive.
In the CD, click on SETUP.EXE.
4. Follow the instructions on your screen to install the software for
Windows CE (also compatible with Windows Mobile 2003).
•Read the information in the welcome screen and click next.
•In the Main Page, click Install Software.
•In the Installation screen, click Windows CE.
CHAPTER 2: SETUP FOR WINDOWS MOBILE 9

5. In the File Download screen, select the option that lets you run the file
from its current location.
IMPORTANT! YOU MUST RUN THE FILE! DO NOT SAVE!
6. If a security warning screen appears, click Run.
7. The installation wizard will begin. Follow the instructions that appear on
your screen until installation is complete.
8. When software installation is complete, disconnect the mobile computer from
the host PC. Soft reset the mobile computer by pressing the reset button.
IMPORTANT! BE SURE TO SOFT RESET YOUR MOBILE COMPUTER!
10

STEP 3: Insert the CFSC
Insert into an
adapter, then plug
the combined unit
into a PC Card slot.
Plug directly
into a
CompactFlash
slot.
OR
STEP 4: Start SocketScan
1. Pocket PC: Tap Start | Programs | SocketScan.
HPC: Tap on the SocketScan icon on your desktop.
2. Whenever SocketScan is running, either of two icons may appear in the
menu bar (visible from the Today screen for Pocket PCs).
Make sure the “CF Scan Card detected” icon appears.
Icon Meaning.
CF Scan Card detected.
SocketScan detects the scanner
and is ready to scan.
No scanner detected. The
scanner is either missing or
improperly inserted.
CHAPTER 2: SETUP FOR WINDOWS MOBILE 11

STEP 5: Assign a Trigger Button
Follow the appropriate directions for your device and refer to your device’s
user documentation to assign a trigger button for the CF Scan Card.
Note:
•If SocketScan is not running yet, then pressing the assigned trigger
button is a quick way to launch SocketScan. Pressing the trigger
button will fire the laser only when SocketScan is open.
•If it is inconvenient or impossible for you to assign a hardware button
on your device, you can install SocketScan Trigger from the installation
CD to place a software trigger button on your screen.
Pocket PC
These instructions are for a Pocket PC 2000/2002/2003/2003SE.
1. Go to Start | Settings | Personal | Buttons.
2. From the Button list, select a button to trigger the CF Scan Card.
In the Button assignment field, select SocketScan. When done, tap ok.
Note: For maximum ergonomic
placement, choose a button
located directly beneath your
thumb or forefinger when you
hold the Pocket PC. The Voice
Record button is a good choice
for many Pocket PCs.
12

HPC 2000 or Pen Tablet
These instructions were based on a HP Jornada 720 Handheld PC 2000.
The procedure for assigning a trigger key can vary from device to device.
Consult your device’s user documentation if necessary.
1. Tap Start |Settings | Control Panel | HP hot keys:
2. The HP hot keys Properties screen will appear. Under the Assign to:
field, tap on the Browse button.
3. In the screen that appears, select SocketScan. Tap OK.
4. After SocketScan appears in the Assign to: field, tap OK.
CHAPTER 2: SETUP FOR WINDOWS MOBILE 13

STEP 6: Scan Data into a Windows Program
1. Start the Windows application that you want to receive the data (e.g.,
Excel, Notepad, etc.). Make sure a document or spreadsheet is open.
Note: For information
about bar code scanning
applications, email
[email protected]
2. Press the assigned trigger button and scan the code. For example, try
this bar code:
Important! Do not look directly into the beam or point it at a person!
When data is read, a beep should sound, the laser should turn off,
indicating a good read. If the CFSC fails to read data within a few
seconds, the laser beam will turn off, and you must try again.
3. After a successful scan, data should appear in your document. For
example, after you scan the code above into a Pocket Excel spreadsheet,
data should appear in the first cell.
Note: If your mobile computer
enters sleep mode when
SocketScan is running, press
the ON button to restart
SocketScan and initialize the
scanner.
14

OPTIONAL: Select Symbologies
The applet makes it quick and convenient to modify which symbologies
you want the scanner to recognize. By default, the scanner is set to
recognize nine of the most common symbologies.
1. Tap on the SocketScan icon. In the pop-up menu, tap Symbology Selector...
2. In the screen that appears, check the symbologies you wish to enable.
Uncheck those you wish to disable. Tap ok.
Note:
1. Symbologies not
supported by the CFSC
will be grayed out.
2. Enabling all possible
symbologies will make
the decode process
slightly longer.
CHAPTER 2: SETUP FOR WINDOWS MOBILE 15

OPTIONAL: Configure Prefix/Suffixes
The SocketScan applet lets you specify prefix and/or suffix characters to be
added automatically to the data you scan. This helps to further eliminate
manual data entry.
1. Tap on the SocketScan icon. In the pop-up menu, tap Prefix/Suffix.
Note: You can configure prefix/suffixes whether or not the CFSC is
connected to your mobile computer.
2. In the pop-up menu, select Prefix/Suffix...
3. In the screen that appears, enter the characters you want to be appended
to each scan (128 character maximum). Tap ok.
Note: Only printable
ASCII characters can
be used as prefixes or
suffixes.
Note: The default suffix is a carriage return.
16

OPTIONAL: Run Scan Demo
Scan Demo makes it easy to determine the symbology, number of
characters, and decoded data (in either ASCII or Hex) of any bar code
supported by the scanner. This is especially useful if you encounter a bar
code that the scanner will not decode by default.
1. Tap on the SocketScan icon. In the pop-up menu, tap Scan Demo. This
will close SocketScan and open Scan Demo as a separate application.
2. The Scan Demo screen will appear. If desired, use the check boxes at
the bottom of the screen to modify the test.
•Enable all symbologies: By default, this option is checked.
Different symbologies can sometimes interpret the same bar code
differently, so you may want to uncheck this option.
•Display as hex data: Check this box to view scanned data in
hexadecimal format. Otherwise, data will appear as ASCII.
3. Scan the bar code.
4. Scan Demo will report properties of the bar code you scan.
CHAPTER 2: SETUP FOR WINDOWS MOBILE 17

OPTIONAL: Configure Sounds
The SocketScan Sounds applet lets you choose any WAV sound file to be
played to indicate a successful scan.
1. Tap on the CFSC icon in the menu bar to launch the applet (visible
in the Today screen for Pocket PCs).
2. In the pop-up menu, select Sounds...
3. In the screen that appears, select a sound for indicating successful scans.
Tap ok.
Browse box
To you want to play a .WAV file,after selecting Play .wav file, you can
search through files by tapping the browse box. In the Open screen, tap
on the file you want:
Note: For Pocket PCs,
you can only select a
WAV file from the My
Documents folder. If
needed, copy the file
you need to this folder.
18

OPTIONAL: Use SocketScan Trigger
If you find it inconvenient or impossible to assign or use a hardware button
to trigger the scanner, you can install this virtual trigger button that “floats”
on top of the active application.
1. Make sure to do all of the following before using SocketScan Trigger:
•Install SocketScan Trigger from the installation CD. The software
must be installed separately from SocketScan.
•Start SocketScan. Tap Start | Programs | SocketScan.
•Insert the CF Scan Card into your Pocket PC.
•Open the application that you want to scan data into.
2. Start SocketScan Trigger. Tap Start | Programs | SocketScan Trigger.
3. The floating trigger button will appear on your screen on top of the
active application.
Drag from the title bar to move the trigger button to a convenient place
on the screen.
Tap the trigger button to activate the scanner.
CHAPTER 2: SETUP FOR WINDOWS MOBILE 19

4. A SocketScan Trigger icon will also appear in the menu bar of the
Today screen. Tap this icon to open a pop-up menu with the following
options:
•Tap Scan Now to activate the scanner as if you had tapped the
trigger button.
•Tap Remove Floating Trigger to remove the trigger button from the
screen but keep the icon handy on the task bar. To restore the
trigger button, tap on the menu bar icon. In the pop-up menu, tap
Launch Floating Trigger.
•Tap About to view SocketScan Trigger version information.
•Tap Close SocketScan Trigger to close the application completely.
From this state, the SocketScan trigger can only be launched from
the Programs page.
OPTIONAL: Configure Special Symbologies
In addition to the eighteen symbologies supported by the Symbology
Selector, you can also manually configure the CFSC to accept or ignore
specialized bar code symbologies, extensions, and param