In this article, you will learn how to set up and use a scanner in ELAM Solutions.
In order to use a scanner with the ELAM Solutions software, you always need a Smart Work Assistant 5 WiFi or a Mini Smart Work Assistant 5 WiFi device.
Note: *You can alternatively use a keyboard emulating scanner. In this case, you do not need a Smart Work Assistant as a gateway. Please note that the ELAM Assistant must always be in focus when using a keyboard emulating scanner, otherwise the app cannot process a scan.
ELAM Solutions is designed for high scalability and reliability, which is ideal for industrial applications. A Smart Work Assistant, or SWA for short, is an industrial computer and serves as a gateway to the cloud-based ELAM Solutions software. It provides the necessary computing power and stability to meet these requirements and ensure uninterrupted operation. As soon as a scanner is connected to an SWA, the scanner is automatically recognized and set up as a tool in your ELAM Solutions system. This allows you to use the full range of scan functions in a plug-and-play manner.
In general, the following USB scanners are supported and tested in ELAM Solutions:
When purchasing a new scanner, the scanner must be initially configured for ELAM Solutions so that all captured scan codes can be fully processed.
Scan the following Data Matrix codes in sequence from step 1 to 3:
Step 1: Start Configuration Mode
Step 2: Apply Configuration Settings
Step 3: End Configuration Mode
If you want to reset the scanner to the factory settings, scan the following Data Matrix code:
As soon as a scanner is connected to an SWA, the necessary software ensures that the device is automatically set up in your ELAM system. In order to use the scanner, it must be assigned to a station so that it can be used at this station.
Regular expressions, also known as RegEx, are a powerful tool for pattern matching in text data. In ELAM Solutions, we use regular expressions to specify scan codes. In this article, we will delve deeper into what regular expressions are, how they work, and how we use them to interpret scan codes.
Regular expressions are a language for creating patterns to find, replace, or manipulate strings in texts. They consist of a combination of metacharacters and literals. Metacharacters are special characters that have a specific function, such as '*' (for zero or more instances of a character), '.' (for any single character), and '[a-z]' (for any letter between a and z). Literals are normal characters.
A regular expression is evaluated from left to right and attempts to find a match in the string being searched. A simple example would be the regular expression 'a.b', which finds any three-character string starting with 'a' and ending with 'b', such as 'acb', 'a5b', 'a b', etc.
Scancodes are typically numerical or alphanumeric strings that contain information such as product codes, manufacturing dates, or other specific data. In ELAM Solutions, we use regular expressions to efficiently extract and process this information.
For example, we could use a regular expression like '^123' to find all scancodes that start with '123'. Or we could use '[0-9]{4}' to find four consecutive digits within a scancode, which could represent a production year, for example.
Creating patterns: First, identify the pattern of the data within the scancodes that you want to search for. For example, if all your product codes start with a specific sequence of numbers, that could be your pattern.
Creating a regular expression: Use the syntax of regular expressions to create a pattern that matches your requirements.
Applying the pattern: Apply the created pattern to the scancodes to extract the desired information.
Validating results: Verify if the results meet your requirements. If not, adjust the pattern and repeat the steps. We recommend using the website https://regex101.com/ to test regex filters.
Quick explenation of the RegularExpression "^5[0-9]{3}abc[d-h]{2}[1||2]$":
Translation:
^ - This is a start anchor and means that the string we are searching for must start at the beginning of the string being searched.
5 - This means that the string being searched must begin with a 5.
[0-9]{3} - This means that after the 5, there must be three digits ranging from 0 to 9.
abc - This means that after the three digits, the string "abc" must directly follow.
[d-h]{2} - This means that after the "abc" string, there must be two letters ranging somewhere between "d" and "h" (inclusive of "d" and "h").
[1||2] - This means that either a "1" or a "2" must follow the two letters. However, the double pipe symbol (||) in this context is not correct.
$ - This is an end anchor and means that the string we are searching for must end at the end of the string being searched.
Overall, this regular expression searches for a string that looks exactly like this: It starts with a "5", followed by three arbitrary digits, then the exact string "abc", then two letters between "d" and "h" (inclusive), and ends with a "1" or a "2".
Here are some examples of strings that would match this regular expression:
5123abcde1
5432abcfg2
5769abcde2
5210abcgh1
In this example, we will show you how to set up a scan step in the flowchart and apply the filter "^5[0-9]{3}abc[d-h]{2}[1||2]$".
To test, we have generated a QR code with the string "5678abcde1" in our example, which we capture using a scanner in the assistant. The status is evaluated as "OK" in this case.
Using regular expressions to specify scancodes in our software is an efficient method for extracting and processing information. While they do require some learning and understanding to effectively utilize, once familiarized, they become a powerful tool.
