punch-in on access

[lsbusch]

I am currently looking to set up a "punch-in" program whereby
employees would be able to swipe a bar code ID at their check-in time
and again at check-out and have these times register automatically. I
would also like to have their id #, and name associated with these
times.

I have limited knowledge of access (although I have taught myself a
great deal and have set up other programs in my office). I have
played around with the program for hours and am finding myself
stumped. Does anyone have any advice on how to go about setting up
something (just very basic)???

 

[Mr B]

Just a couple of questions for you.

Just where are you in your development process?

Have you been able to confirm that your scaning device is providing the data
read from the card?

Have you been able to have the data from the card reader into a text box?
If so from there you can begin to evaluate the data read from the card to see
if it matched records in a table in your database.

These are some basic questions, but with answers to these question perhaps
you can post back and get moving on your project.

--
HTH

Mr B
email if needed to:
draccess at askdoctoraccess dot com

 

[lsbusch]

Ok...scanner reads bar codes only (and inputs number into whatever
space cursor is in). I will create a database with all employee names
and id #'s but do not know how to link it to database containing punch-
in/out info.

I apologize for my very basic knowledge...does that answer your
question(s)?

leslie

 

[Mr B]

The behavior you describe is exactly what should be expected. I am assuming
that the control you describe is a textbox.

The job at hand is to now have the control to be able to know when the entry
has been completed. If the card is not sending an ending character then you
may have to find another way to have your control know when to do something
with the data from the card.

One possibility would be to provide an input mask for your control and set
the AutoTab property of the control to Yes. The input mask would need to
specify the length and character pattern that you know will be provided by
the card. Then by using the AutoTab property this will cause the cursor to
move from the control it is in to the next control in your form. You would
then be able to use the After Update event of your control that will receive
the input from the card and write VBA code that will use the input value to
look up the inforamtion from your table and take what ever other actions you
what done.

Your users would most likely see some kind of menu with a Login and Logout
buttons. When clicked (or if you were using a touch screen monitor the user
could simply tap on the button on the screen) and the cursor would be moved
to the appropriate control. You may want to have this control exist behind
something else so the user does not see what is happening as the data from
the card is entered into the control. You would probably need one control
for the Login and a different control for the Logout. You will probably not
be able to just have these controls to be hidden, but rather have them exist
behind some picture or other control. If they are hidden, you will not be
able to set the focus to the correct control based on the action desired by
the user.

--
HTH

Mr B
email if needed to:
draccess at askdoctoraccess dot com