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We are considering using Zebra Android based bar code scanners with the DataWedge software in our apps. (Flutter app). I see in documentation that the DataWedge software can auto scan bar code value to the selected text input field, which is great. However, I'm not finding any info regarding physical hardware keys and DataWedge access. If we had a scanner like the TC20 (with keypad) or maybe an MC3300, which have physical keys, do they capture using DataWedge as well? Do the keyboards work with Android directly as a physical keyboard, allowing the user to type into a selected text field?

We may also be using web app SPA's (EmberJS). In either case we would not use any Zebra SDK's, only DataWedge profiles. DataWedge seems to do what we need, but I'm not sure how the physical keyboard/keypads work with Android and non-SDK apps.

Thank for your help.

gregthegeek
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1 Answers1

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DataWedge is separate from the physical keyboard. If you press keys on the physical keyboard they will be indistinguishable in your app from keys pressed on the software keyboard. The hardware keyboard is natively supported in Android - it's just seldom used in consumer hardware anymore.

DataWedge will capture barcodes (or other input such as RFID or Serial) and, if configured with keystroke output, will send those keys to your application so they appear in input fields but it does not rely on the keyboard to achieve this.

The latest images for the MC3300 also support DataWedge keypress events which enable more SPA use cases, see https://developer.zebra.com/blog/listening-keypress-events-datawedge for more information.

Darryn Campbell
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  • Excellent! That's great. Thanks for the clarifications. I wanted access to the physical keyboard input without requiring any special code and was hoping it was just that, a usable keyboard natively supported by Android. – gregthegeek Jan 25 '20 at 00:56