This utility is developed as replacement to the original Pretec's "Keyboard Emulator" (available HERE). AEBKbd makes Barcode Scanner much more flexible and useful.

The main features of this utility are:

• It works in Terminal Services session
• You can scan barcode by pressing button on Scanner (the same to original) or any application button on your PDA (not available in Pretec's software). The button may be choosen via Setup utility
• Napless or damaged barcodes may be entered manually with large digital screen keypad
• You may add specific prefixes and suffixes for escaping barcodes. For example you may send something like "Alt+Enter,B" keystrokes to trigger context menu and select "Barcode Search" item and "Ctrl+Enter" keystroke to start item search after barcode was entered.
• Two different modes:
  • Prefix, Barcode, Suffix
    OR
  • Prefix, Barcode, Suffix, Amount, Enter
    where Amount is decimal number enterd manually with digital screen keypad.
• No additional windows or scanner module loss after device was turned off. Utility detects hardware each time PDA turned on

Compatibility

• Windows Mobile 2003 PocketPC and PocketPC Phone Edition
• Windows Mobile 2003SE PocketPC and PocketPC Phone Edition
• Windows Mobile 5.0 PocketPC and PocketPC Phone Edition

To connect Pretec Barcode Scanner your PDA should have CF (CompactFlash) or SDIO (SecureDigital Input/Output) slot.

Known Issues

• This utility use alternative keyboard emulation method by sending keypress events instead of characters. This allows you to use it in Terminal Services, but also have some drawbacks. For example characters you will receive on terminal server's side are depends on current state of user keyboard in terminal session (e.g. capslock state, active layout etc). This will not usually be problem for digits but may have side-effects for other characters.
• It was tested with CompactFlash Pretec Barcode Scanner only. I have no reports concerning SD/IO interface yet...