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We have an application that's using a Socket Mobile scanner (a CHS 7Xi, in particular) to scan bar codes from a variety of sources. We're using the latest SDK. It appears that sometimes—not always—when the app resigns and then regains active status, the SDK is unable to reconnect to the device. We get a few error notifications through the delegate protocol (specifically, ESKT_UNABLEINITIALIZE), and then nothing. Fixing this usually involves quitting the app, restarting the scanner, and starting over.

Does anyone have any idea why that might be, or how we can prevent this?

EDIT: hrm. The problem described in this Socket Talk blog post sounds familiar. Though it claims that the issue was long-since fixed in the SDK we're using (10.0.9.10686).

Sixten Otto
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  • When you say latest, which version of the SDK are you referring to? – Enrico Sep 13 '13 at 20:48
  • That's a harder question to answer that you'd think. Whatever was in the archive I downloaded from their developer site on 5 September 2013. – Sixten Otto Sep 14 '13 at 16:20
  • That's true. You can find the rev number in `Java/doc/Readme.txt`. – Enrico Sep 15 '13 at 22:44
  • Java? ...There is a `Readme` at the root of the disk image. That file (dated 2 July 2013) says version 10.0.9.10686. – Sixten Otto Sep 16 '13 at 04:32
  • I was looking at the Android version, hence Java, but you found the version number. When your app regains focus, are you trying to re-initializing the ScanAPI? – Enrico Sep 17 '13 at 17:48
  • No. We do stop and restart the timer that cranks the handle on the helper, but we keep the same `ScanApiHelper` around for the life of the application (owned by a singleton of ours). – Sixten Otto Sep 17 '13 at 23:35
  • I have occasionally seen quirky behavior from my scanner when the battery is low (but not low enough that the led flashes red). Do you get errors when the scanner is fully charged? Alternatively, is the scanner being used (ie scanning) within the first few seconds of the app regaining focus? – Enrico Sep 18 '13 at 17:16
  • We definitely see this issue when the scanner is *not* being used when the app is resumed (e.g. paired with my iPad, sitting on my desk, while I use the app). The scanner is generally pretty close to fully charged, because testing this issue is most of what I use it for lately. – Sixten Otto Sep 18 '13 at 20:51
  • Can you tell me which rev 7Xi and firmware version you have? The hardware rev is indicated by the letter after the s/n and you can get the firmware version using the SDK – Enrico Sep 19 '13 at 21:49
  • or under scanner settings in the [SocketScan app](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.SocketMobile.SocketScan) – Enrico Sep 19 '13 at 21:55
  • Assuming that "Scanner Version" reported by [ScannerSettings](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/scannersettings/id456055932?mt=8) is the firmware version: 4.1.0 7518 11.07.2012. The revision appears to be G. – Sixten Otto Sep 21 '13 at 22:25
  • Hmm... 11.07.2012 isn't old, but it's not the latest either. Contact [Socket support](http://support.socketmobile.com) to get the latest firmware and if that doesn't fix it they'll do some more thorough troubleshooting for you. – Enrico Sep 24 '13 at 03:28
  • Do you have any affirmative knowledge that the firmware is related to this problem / had known bugs like this in the past? Mailing the devices in for upgrades is not something I want to try to coordinate with customers without some solid reason. – Sixten Otto Sep 25 '13 at 04:00
  • I believe there was a reconnect issue in the firmware in the past, but don't know about the specific firmware you are running now. Socket should be able to shed some light on that. You only need to send in your device to know if it's the firmware, right? – Enrico Sep 27 '13 at 15:13
  • Not a definitive one. But the blog post I mentioned in my edit and the release notes for the SDK both claim that they've done some work to address this problem. And in our more recent testing, I haven't been hearing about this trouble any more. – Sixten Otto Jan 31 '14 at 12:59

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