Scan Barcode > Post Order Update

[ShopVille]

Hi All,
I'm looking for the following solution, was wondering if this is even possible if yes did anyone work on anything similar in the past ?

I have a barcode with the order# printed on each shipping label, by scanning the barcode with a reader it should post an update to that order that it shipped.

[balihr]

I'm assuming you're gonna be doing that from some new admin page created for that purpose... You will need to create a new input field, scan the barcode into that field and submit the form. Form processing should trigger the status update and send an email to the customer - you can find that code in admin/orders.php and modify it to suit your needs.
Don't get intimidated, it's not as complex as it may seem at first.

[RodG]

Hi All,
I'm looking for the following solution, was wondering if this is even possible if yes did anyone work on anything similar in the past ?

I have a barcode with the order# printed on each shipping label, by scanning the barcode with a reader it should post an update to that order that it shipped.

Sorry to tell you this, but it isn't quite as easy as balihr is suggesting *unless* the barcode itself *is* the order number.
You haven't quite made that clear.

The way *I'm* reading this is that your shipping label contains a barcode for shipping purposes, and the order number is printed on the label as plain text (along with the customers name and address).

Please clarify.

Cheers
RodG

[ShopVille]

Sorry to tell you this, but it isn't quite as easy as balihr is suggesting *unless* the barcode itself *is* the order number.
You haven't quite made that clear.

The way *I'm* reading this is that your shipping label contains a barcode for shipping purposes, and the order number is printed on the label as plain text (along with the customers name and address).

Please clarify.

Cheers
RodG

Yes the barcode itself *is* the order number
I implemented this by loading a free barcode font to my server and adding this line to super_shipping_label.php

<td class="labelorderid"><?php echo $oID; ?></td>

And this to the css

.labelorderid {
	color:#003D00; /*727272*/
	font-size:40px;
	font-family: 'Code39AzaleaFont';

[RodG]

Yes the barcode itself *is* the order number

In that case, the solution hinted at by balihr would be quite feasible, and as stated, probably not as complex as it may first appear.

Alas, it will require custom coding, so the actual difficulty level would very much depend on your own skill level.
As far as I'm aware no one has done anything like this before.

I implemented this by loading a free barcode font to my server and adding this line to super_shipping_label.php

<td class="labelorderid"><?php echo $oID; ?></td>

And this to the css

.labelorderid {
    color:#003D00; /*727272*/
    font-size:40px;
    font-family: 'Code39AzaleaFont';

Very clever. I thought this would have been a lot more difficult/complex.

Anyway, as for what you are now trying to achieve, the first step would be to create an admin page that has a simple text input box whereby you can enter an order number (via keyboard) and echo it back to the screen. You can probably use something like the 'whos online' module as the basis of this (unless balihr provides a better 'starting point' (which I know he has done before).

Next step would be to replace/update the input field with the scanner input, then from there it should be an 'easy' matter of creating the database queries to extract the customers email address, and even eaiser to create the code needed to send the email with the information you wish to send.

In short, there are basically only 4 steps needed - With the most difficult (in my opinion) the initial creation of the admin page to perform the functions.

I wish you well with this project. It looks as though it could be quite useful and not a lot of work - in fact to me it looks like an ideal 'beginners' project. (beginner being a relative term that assumes some prior experience with PHP and SQL).

Cheers
RodG

[balihr]

ShopVille, I hope you're still following this thread...

I have just built this as a plugin and will be releasing it in a few days, but got stuck when I tried to implement YOUR approach. Maybe it's just my barcode scanner and the fact it's probably one of the very first USB models , but I can't seem to scan that font after printing it out, it just doesn't recognize it... Did you try scanning it, does your scanner recognize it? I've tried a few other 3of9 fonts (Code 39), but can't scan any...

[ShopVille]

ShopVille, I hope you're still following this thread...

I have just built this as a plugin and will be releasing it in a few days, but got stuck when I tried to implement YOUR approach. Maybe it's just my barcode scanner and the fact it's probably one of the very first USB models , but I can't seem to scan that font after printing it out, it just doesn't recognize it... Did you try scanning it, does your scanner recognize it? I've tried a few other 3of9 fonts (Code 39), but can't scan any...

Glad to hear that, looking forward!
Actually i had the same difficulty when I tried to scan, it most be the font, I guess we have to find an authentic barcode font.

[balihr]

Yeah, that's actually not as simple as one might expect... I've already bought a new scanner on ebay (15 bucks and it says it supports Code39), but it's gonna take at least a month for it to arrive...

I'll see if I can work out an alternative solution in the meantime.

[ShopVille]

Yeah, that's actually not as simple as one might expect... I've already bought a new scanner on ebay (15 bucks and it says it supports Code39), but it's gonna take at least a month for it to arrive...

I'll see if I can work out an alternative solution in the meantime.

The app mentioned above also officially supports code39 I would guess these fonts are not authentic code39?

[balihr]

The app isn't mentioned here... I'm just installing it from Play Store, but am still not sure how the scanned code gets sent into the web form... Just downloading it and will give it a try.