A bar code scanner can interface with your PC through a “keyboard-wedge”. This means the scanner is plugged-in to your keyboard cable. Data coming from the scanner is received by the PC as keyboard codes.

For example, if you scan a bar code that symbolizes “1234”, this will look to your PC as if someone typed “1234” on the keyboard. The PC doesn’t know if the data came from the scanner or the keyboard, it is just data.

It is also possible to program the scanner to send extra characters before and after the scanned data. In this way, I could send commands to instruct Windows to “Run” before the data, and to “Enter” after the data.

In BPWin, you can create JobMaster files with an extension of “.bp”. If you run one of these .bp files before loading BPWin, Windows automatically loads the BPWin program, and BPWin loads the JobMaster file. So, if I were to double-click on a .bp file in Windows Explorer, the job would be loaded and I would be ready to begin programming.

If I have set my start-up mode to “Operator”, the operator will be unable to change any of the settings in the JobMaster file, unless they know the correct password.

It is also possible to load JobMaster files once the BPWin program has been started. To do so, your bar code scanner will need to support “prefix” and “suffix” commands.

The prefix to access the job loading window is CTRL + (L)oad. The file name comes next. The suffix is <CR> (carriage return).

By programming the scanner to send the commands to run the .bp file, I can load a JobMaster file simply by scanning the correct filename (and path) before the BPWin program is loaded.

First, the Start button needs to be pressed, then a prefix of “R” will bring up the Run window. The correct path and filename are scanned into the “Open:” field. The suffix is <CR> (carriage return).


There are several different keyboard-wedge style scanners on the market. You can choose any style that works with your PC.

For questions please contact BP Microsystems Customer Service.