Authenticating user logon with barcode

[teddysnips]

My clients want their employees to log in by scanning a barcode on
their passes. I've set up a web page with a text box to capture the
scanned barcode.

Two questions.

1. Can anyone think of a neat way to authenticate the scanned barcode
without any further user action? The barcodes I'm using to play with
the system are the ones on my CDs which have an embedded CR, which
nicely press the default ASP button, but I may not be able to rely on
that. So, any thoughts? I might be able to rely on the length of the
string, or possibly a closing character (I don't know if the client has
made up his mind about the format of the barcodes, or even whether he
cares ;¬

2. I want to mask from the user the actual value in the barcode.
Well, I don't - I couldn't really care less - it's the picky client who
wants to do this. So I tried putting the TextMode on TextBox into
"Password", but then it didn't accept the scanning.

Anyway, thanks for your help in advance.

Edward

 

[Guest]

huh? Lost me.
You say you can read the barcode, fill it in to a text box but you lost me
where the problem is?

 

[Guest]

1)My experience is that the CR is on the scanners, not on each barcode. You
will be able to program the scanner settings to add a CR or TAB upon
scanning. One of it is the default setting depends of manufacture. So this
feature must be quite reliable, unless the scanners at client site are very
very old.

2) Have not tried scanning to password filed.Some thing to explore may be
that if a javascript keydown/keypress/keyup events are fired when you scan to
a text box. If any of it being fired, you could save the value to a hidden
field and replace the textbox value with *** ... Just some vague thoughts..
not very sure.

 

[teddysnips]

huh? Lost me.
You say you can read the barcode, fill it in to a text box but you lost me
where the problem is?

At the point when the reading of the barcode has been completed I would
like the following to happen:

1. Run a query against a SQL database, using the barcode as a
Parameter, to return the Employee's details.

2. If found, the screen to display the details for a number of
seconds, so that they get some visual feedback that their login has
succeeded.

3. At the termination of this screen display, the system to clear the
screen ready for the next employee to scan the barcode.

I want this to happen, if possible, without any user action EXCEPT for
them presenting their pass to the barcode scanner.

Thanks

Edward

 

[KMA]

Edward,

Of course, your requirements are your requirements so I don't want to
ctiticise them. But isn't this app better suited to a desktop model? The
clients anyway will require a scanner. Isn't forcing it into a web app just
doing it for the sake of it? If the user just need to present their badge
and be done with it why have it running in a browser? Apart form easier
distribution of app updates.

My clients want their employees to log in by scanning a barcode on
their passes. I've set up a web page with a text box to capture the
scanned barcode.

Two questions.

1. Can anyone think of a neat way to authenticate the scanned barcode
without any further user action? The barcodes I'm using to play with
the system are the ones on my CDs which have an embedded CR, which
nicely press the default ASP button, but I may not be able to rely on
that. So, any thoughts? I might be able to rely on the length of the
string, or possibly a closing character (I don't know if the client has
made up his mind about the format of the barcodes, or even whether he
cares ;¬

2. I want to mask from the user the actual value in the barcode.
Well, I don't - I couldn't really care less - it's the picky client who
wants to do this. So I tried putting the TextMode on TextBox into
"Password", but then it didn't accept the scanning.

Anyway, thanks for your help in advance.

Edward