Dear Firend,

I come from BBA China Airlaid company of Tianjin China.

We plan implemente Bar Code system By DDC function.

So could you please give me some idea to how to do this solution?

My email:sbai@bba-china-airlaid.com

Regards,

Bai song

We are looking at doing this at our site also, but we plan on using a third party. I am not sure if these are feasible for you but I thought I would post a link to some sites:

http://www.rmcis.com/

http://www.epicdata.com/

I believe both provide solutions like you are looking for.


Good Luck!

Mark

Thanks Mark - the check is in the mail :)

My company does indeed sell middleware for the DDC, as do others. The basic pieces are:

1. Hardware: usually handheld barcode readers, but can go to a PC or Palm handheld etc.
2. Middleware: Usually 3rd Party, like ours, or written yourself to conform to the DDC Guildlines as posted by Baan.
3. Baan DDC Functions: Code written in Baan to perform the actions needed. There is specific coding rules for DDC Programming, also described in a publication by Baan. There are several standard (mostly) working release Function Servers from Baan. Others can be developed in house or outsourced. The DDC Middleware providers usually have a library of DDC Functions for sale as well.
4. Baan DDC Module: This needs to be set up to get all the pieces talking to each other.

Lots more to it, but that should give you an idea of the pieces. Post back if you have additional questions.

Does any body has flow chart about BaaN Intergrateed with Intermac Bar Code system.

PLease provide to me if possible!

Regards,

Bai

Unfortunately I don't have a flowchart, however if you're on a tight budget like we are you can use our solution. Use your intermec hand helds in VT emulation mode. Customize your baan screens to be 40*25 characters (often this is not possible - like maintain receipts!) in these cases we created simple type 4 screens that used afs to post the transactions. Obviously you need a few ascii licences (which you should have anyway). Once your sessions have been created you telnet IP, login, ba6.1 to your reduced menu.

Phew, it's simple:D cheap:D and effective:D

(If you like I can try and take some photo's of myself performing the transactions and publish them here - no I'm not vain!)

Regards

Rupert -
That's darn handy. Actually, I just got a call from a friend asking about that method, and we had a little discussion about it. It was working for them as well. You have to modify a lot of forms, etc, but at least you can do that yourself.

With both methods, the hardware should be the main expense.

I would only stress the licensing deal and the dollars. If your company has licenses to spare for those ascii sessions, this solution should fit. However, the DDC uses only 1 license and if you are going to be using it extensively with many users, this is an expense consideration. (Actually, to be technical, our
middleware allows the number of licenses/baan users to be configured for performance sake). So, if you have 50 users doing intermec bar coding, the DDC would take only 1-3 licenses, where the direct method would require 50. If you are a smaller shop and have only 3-4 intermec's out there, you will most likely have the extra licenses.

At some where there would be a break even with the cost of licenses on one side vs. the cost of middleware and function servers on the other. Using the DDC method, you could write much of your own functionallity, so the function servers code is an
optional purchase.

Just more food for thought.

Bai,

I have attached a document that gives a detailed overview of interaction and how to setup the DDC from the Baan side. IE: what you will need to get barcoding working (with the exception of installing the middleware software or RF equipment)...

The main expense is hardward (for full RF, there are a number of different pieces of equipment, such as network access points, scanners, etc). We have delt with intermec equipment (2425 handheld as well as forklift mounts) with RMC as our middleware sofware and works very reliably.

A couple of options have been given in the previous posts, but beware of the option of creating small versions of the baan sessions for three reasons;
a. It will NOT work in offline mode (ie: Baan must be operational at all times). The advantage with the middleware software, is that there is a host component (that allows communication through the DDC driver with Baan and the middleware software) and a local component (that allows communiation between the middleware software and the devices). This means, that these two parts can be independent of each other. IE: you can have the host software running without the local software (means transactions can be passed between Baan and the middleware layer) or you can have the local software running without the host (means devices can connect and poll transactions, to be processed as offline transactions). If both are working, then it is seemless communication.
b. BA is not available in Baan V (so affects upgradability) and is not accessable if your Baan host is Windows NT. The cut down screens mean that the device is running as a telnet client to your Baan UNIX system and then runs the ba client from the UNIX host.
c. Every device that connects, must use a Baan licence. With the middleware layer, only one user activates the host software, with multiple devices connect to the local software. The transactions are then passed through the host software, so that many devices connect, but only one Baan licence is used.
Plus, it is not much cheaper, as the only real cost you are removing from this option, is the middleware layer.

Baan provides examples of the DDC driver, but since this not the area of highest cost, it is probably better to go with a third party middleware system (such as RMC). The majority of the cost, will be the hardware (depending on the size of your site).

As already stated, there are some function servers that come with standard Baan, however there is also a session that allows you to generate a function server from a standard session (this needs a bit of re-work, as it puts all the fields of the session, as DDC fields on the device, which in a lot of cases is just impractical).

Hope this document helps you....

Ruskin.

Our company sells a framework to implement barcode solutions for BaanIV using Baan DDC technology. The framework is completely hardware independent and implement at about 15 customers in Europe.