Input carriage return and tab from Barcode input

[itsunclebill]

I have been through several methods of inputting either carriage return or tab instructions from a bar code or QR code and I'm not getting anywhere. I seems like since the scanner is a keyboard wedge that inserting the ASCII values for the functions would get the job done. I'm not doing anything more complicated than scanning a bar code that needs to have the output spread over several columns and rows. Since the information varies greatly in size and content having the functions imbedded in the bar code makes the most sense, but my efforts have so far only succeeded in printing out one long output to the first active cell.

Looking for ideas, hopefully something somewhat standard.

[Pauleyb]

I like your idea of embedding the tabs and CRs within the barcode, assuming you are able to generate them on your own. In theory, it seems like it should work, as my experience matches your assumption - Excel essentially knows the reader as a keyboard input. I am curious, what happens when you create a barcode of just tabs or just CRs? Does the reader output nothing? spaces?

The only possible partial solution I can provide is that my barcode reader had an option to append a tab or a CR after each input. It was in the device setup screen. The tab or CR was not in the barcode; the device just added it after the scan.

This site implies you could do a tab with code 39 bar codes (which I didn't think was possible), and says you may need to set up your scanner properly:
http://www.taltech.com/support/entry...ng_keystrokes2

Here's a page with just a tab barcode. Can you get it to work?
http://support.idautomation.com/Othe...-as-a-Tab/_506

[mikeTRON]

You would have to post a sample workbook for us to be of any use to you.

[itsunclebill]

I'm not sure how posting a workbook helps here.

Maybe to better describe the problem, I use a barcode generating program (one of several I have) to generate a barcode, or in this case a QR code. The easiest and simplest way to accomplish making a QR code with tabs and CRs is to open notepad, input the text and numbers as format requires, copy the text, and paste it into the barcode generator.

After printing the barcode I can scan it back into notepad and get the exact formatting I inputted, telling me the CR must be present. With Excel the tabs show up but the line feeds don't. Since the scanner outputs like it's a keyboard there's something going on in Excel that obviously prevents the CR from showing up but I'm as a loss as to what.

The reason for the need is that I do estimating and wind up inputting identical bid items on different bids and want to scan a QR code that will put costs, labor hours, material, etc., in the right columns and rows.

Looking for ideas on what I need to do to get the CR to work in Excel

[Pauleyb]

I am trying to think of some way in determining exactly what codes are being sent through the scanner. I found this website with some ideas (note, I have not used the software mentioned).
http://superuser.com/questions/33794...n-the-keyboard
So, I'd create a QR code with some text, a few CRs, and then some more text and then use the keylogger app to see what is actually being sent. Then compare that to what it detects when an actual keyboard is used. What are the differences?