Data from a Magnetic Stripe reader?

[Guest]

Is it possible to import data into access using a magnetic card reader? I am
trying to strip name and license number off of drivers licenses and associate
them with other data in access.
If it is possible how do I control what data is put where?
Thanks for any help,

 

[JoeO]

If you are using keyboard wedge magnetic card reader and you swipe a
magnetic card, the encoded data is read into which ever text box that has
the focus. Usually, the encoded data, in the case of drivers licenses,
contains information like name, Date of Birth, address, gender, license #
etc... Usually the various information is separated by delimiter. for
Example
*E455R111*John-Smith*12/10/1911*1234-Doe-Street-Apt345*
Here the encoded data is bunched up yet separated by the delimiter *, you
you will to separate the information to its various parts (DOB,
Name,license#) and then use the relevant part(s) you need. Please know that
all states/provinces licences do not have uniform encoding format so you
have to address that if you want your app to read licenses from every
state/province.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the help Joe. Another question though: Is it possible to have
varoius parts of the data comming from the license sent to various fields.
For example *E455R111* sent to field X and *John-Smith* send to field Y or
will it all go to the field that has the focus and need to be sorted from
there?
Thanks again for your help.

 

[JoeO]

Sure... that's easy to do...

Something like
DataFromScan = *EXV123456*John+Doe*Male*Jan/1/1911*40-Joe
Smith-Street*Hawaii*
Dim sP
SP = Split(EXV123456*John+Doe*Male*Jan/1/1911*40-Joe
Smith-Street*Hawaii)
LicenseNumField =SP(0)
FirstNameField = Replace(SP(1), "+", " ")
GenderField = SP(2)
DOBField = SP(3)

And so on

HTH
Joe