This article is copyrighted (c) 1997 by Bill Cheek. Permission to reprint for FREE access and FREE use by others is automatically granted so long as this entire article, including signature box at the end are retained intact and unaltered. A TUTORIAL ON THE CE-232 SCANNER/COMPUTER INTERFACE'S REMOTE KEYBOARD CONTROL FUNCTION INTRODUCTION ============ The CE-232 Scanner/Computer Interface is a 2.5" x 3" electronic board that goes between an IBM-PC/compatible computer and a scanner for a host of very powerful capabilities. The CE-232 is a -smart- RS-232 Interface controller and data acquisition system for some scanners and at least a drudgery-free automatic programmer and remote controller for all supported scanners. The CE-232 eliminates a lot of the drudgery and labor in scanning by its ability to "AutoProgram" up to 999 memory channels from a plain ASCII text file in a short time, error-free and exactly the way you want the scanner configured. The CE-232 also allows REMOTE control of the scanner from the computer keyboard; a strong +plus+ for handheld scanners and those with hard-to- operate keyboards like the PRO-43, PRO-2035 and PRO-2042! The CE-232 is a one-way controller and AutoProgrammer like described above for MANY scanners, including the PRO-2042, PRO-2035, PRO-2022, PRO-43, PRO-39, PRO-37, PRO-34, PRO-26, etc. The CE-232 is a TWO-WAY controller, AutoProgrammer and data acquisition system for the time-honored PRO-2004, PRO-2005, and PRO-2006 scanners which have unique circuitry that allows the CE-232 to do MUCH more than just AutoProgram and Remote Control, including AutoLog data on "hits", REJECT undesired signals, LOOKUP data about a certain frequency, and much more. REMOTE KEYBOARD CONTROL OVERVIEW ================================ ** Operate the scanner from the Computer's Keyboard! ** REMOTE CONTROL FROM COMPUTER'S KEYBOARD: Virtually all functions of supported scanners can be operated from the PC keyboard. If you have club fingers like I do, this is almost a vital necessity. I just love my PRO-43 but I loathe operating its keyboard. The CE-232 displays a replica of the scanner's front panel on your monitor along with a keypad emulator to show the keys to be pressed as if you were operating the scanner in a normal manner. The Figure just below is a reasonable facsimile of the main operating screen of the CE-232: =============================================================================== | -SCANNER INTERFACE PROGRAM- | |______________________________________________________________________ _________| | ________ Search ^ Monitor 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ________ | | OUTPUT | X | INPUT | | STATUS | 3 138.0750 Mhz | STATUS | | 0100 | nfm 5 khz | 100110 | |______________________________________________________________________ _________| | | | +---------------------------------------------------------------------- ------+| | Ś Manual Ś pri Ś limIt Ś 1 Ś 2 Ś 3 Ś| | +----------------+---------------+---------------+----------+------+--- ------Ś| | Ś Scan Ś speEd Ś srch up <-> Ś 4 Ś 5 Ś 6 Ś| | +----------------+---------------+---------------+----------+------+--- ------Ś| | Ś Delay Ś mOde Ś srch dn <+> Ś 7 Ś 8 Ś 9 Ś| | +----------------+---------------+---------------+----------+------+--- ------Ś| | Ś Lock-out Ś sTep Ś direct <*> Ś 0 Ś . ŚclrŚ| | +----------------+---------------+---------------+----------+---------- ------Ś| | Ślockout reView Ś Reset Ś monitorŚ Program Ś Ś| | +---------------------------------------------------------------------- ------+| | | |__F1_____F2______F3______F4_______F5_______F6_______F7______F8_____F9_ ____F10__| | HELP MISC LOOKUP APRGM SCRIPT CONFIG REJECT TOOL ALOG PAGE | =============================================================================== This Figure doesn't really do justice because of the difficulties of showing screen graphics in an ASCII text message like this newsgroup article. But you get the idea? Well, just in case you don't, in the above example, to operate the scanner from the PC, you'd press for MANUAL; to change SPEED; to change MODE; and to change the STEP increment, etc. For Remote Keyboard Control, the above screen is mostly just a guide to indicate which PC keys control which scanner functions. That's really all there is to Remote Keyboard Control of a scanner using the CE-232 Scanner/Computer Interface. If you can operate the scanner from its own keyboard, then you can be more efficient and relaxed operating it from the PC's keyboard. NOTE: The CE-232 does not slow down the scanner nor alter its performance in any manner! Not only can you operate the scanner from the computer's keyboard, you can also operate normally from the scanner as well. You can even "mix" operations alternatingly between the scanner's keyboard and the PC's. NOTE FOR PRO-2004/5/6 ONLY: As the scanner operates, the computer monitor displays EVERYTHING that the scanner shows in its LCD display. For all other scanners, that part of the monitor display is just blank. Remote Control is as described, however. +---------------------------------------------------------------+ | Bill Cheek ~ COMMtronics Engineering ~ World Scanner Report | | PO Box 262478 ~ San Diego, CA 92196-2478 | | Busn-Voice: (619) 578-9247 (1:30pm-5:30pm, PDT) FAX: anytime | | E-mail: bcheek@san.rr.com | | WWWeb Site: [11]http://204.210.9.236 | | Backup: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/bcheek | | FTP Site: ftp://204.210.9.236 or ftp.204.210.9.236 | | or 204.210.9.236 (depends on your FTP program) | +---------------------------------------------------------------+ Copyright (c) 1997 by Bill Cheek, September 17, 1997 =====================[End of Article]===============================