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Serial scanners

Many people have access to a serial scanner instead of a keyboard wedge or USB type. This procedure will enable such a scanner to be used. The procedure shown below is for Windows XP.

1.   Go to Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> Accessibility

2.   Select the General tab, tick Support Serial Devices

3.   Click Settings, select Com Port (normally Com1, but try others if necessary)

4.   Select 9600 baud

5.   Accept these changes

6.   With XP only, in Classic view, Go to Start -> Settings -> Control Panel ->User Accounts and then

7.   Disable Fast User Switching

8.   In XP we have found it necessary to have log-in enabled, even if there is only one user.

Windows vista and windows 7 do not have this feature any more so use the free utility ACC KEYS which can be downloaded from http://www.aacinstitute.org/Resources/ProductsandServices/aackeys.html
1)Download a file and save it somewhere where it will not be deleted as it doesn't have an installer.
2)Double click on file, set com port to which scanner is connected and set baud rate to whatever your barcode is set to (usually 9600 is ok)
3) Tick an option to run on startup
4) if all is well scanner should work now, if not make sure that you selected correct port and baud rate for your scanner

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