Barcode and operational data acquisition via FTP

Barcode scanners need to be installed at various locations on an large site. The internal material flow is to be documented and archived by an already existing quality management software package under UNIX. To avoid adding complex serial cabling with line drivers, it has been decided to use the Ethernet, which already exists at all the respective locations, as the transmission medium. In addition, the scanner data needs to be made available in file format to the QM system without additional programming effort.

The implementation of the project with Com-Servers meets all requirements. The Ethernet integration with TCP/IP offers unrestricted use of the entire infrastructure of the intranet. The "AUTO FTP client" standard mode is selected for the Com-Servers. All incoming barcodes are automatically transferred to an FTP server, where they are filed and made available for further processing by the QM system.

Not a single programming string must be written or changed in this procedure. All relevant parameters for the setup of the connection and the data transfer are saved as non-volatile data on the Com-Server so that the barcode scanners can be used without any firmware modification.

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