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I'm looking for recommendations for an iOS barcode scanner app. Specifically for iPad which will support a custom URL callback to enable the app to be launched from a web browser.

Additionally, it needs to support and a custom search URL which will send the user back to the website once the barcode has been decoded into a URN (SKU).

I have discovered ZBar which is an excellent app, unfortunately it doesn't support custom URL callback and it's designed for the iPhone.

Another app pic2shop PRO seems to tick these boxes, but it's relatively expensive at £10.49 and the setup will require somewhere in the region of 200 installs.

Burkhard
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Richard
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3 Answers3

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I did a similar project using the free version of pic2shop . The thing is that the free version can read only these types of barcodes : UPC-A, UPC-E, EAN-13, EAN-8 , according to the documentation of the app.

Pic2shop is a free barcode scanner app available for iOS® and Android®. It reads UPC-A, UPC-E, EAN-13, EAN-8 and QR codes. The app also display comparison shopping results for UPC and EAN.

From my personal experience, I can say that it scans and decodes the barcode very fast and very accurate.

In my project the app is launched from a webpage, it works for both android and ios. In order to get it working you have to invoke the pic2shop app from a url and then set your callback address. You will find the decoded barcode data as a value to a parameter in the callback url. To help you more, you can get those values using this javascript function found here.

For example:

<input type=button OnClick="scan();" value="Scan Barcode">
<script>
function scan(){
     window.location="pic2shop://scan?callback=http://yourwebsiteurl.com/index.html?barcode=ean"
}
</script>

As soon as the item is successfully scanned it will redirect you to the callback url with the actual barcode number as a value to a parameter. For example http://yourwebsiteurl.com/index.html?barcode=5123548745123. I already told you how to get the value of a url parameter with javascript.

techguy18985
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-1

PDF417.mobi Pro barcode scanner app supports that use case.

Note: I'm a developer on that project.

Basically, the app can be launched from any other app, including a web application, when url in the form: pdf417://scan?type=PDF417,UPCA&callback=myscheme://myaction is launched.

The app then scans the barcode, in multiple formats, (PDF417 and UPCA in this example), until the result is obtained.

Then, the app opens the URL myscheme://myaction. In your case, this can be your web service, http://www.somemyscanner.com/service.

Specifically, it will open the URL using format: http://www.somemyscanner.com/service?data=[data]&type=[type].

You can then use those parameters to implement your desired functionalities.

ssasa
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-1

I tried the PDF417 app and it is EXTREMELY expensive (for an app - $28) and does not work. I bought it anyway because I am trying to solve the same issue and I can tell you it is not the solution for general barcode scanning.

It might work with pdf417 barcodes, but those are few and far between and I haven't been able to get it to work. I definately does not support any standard barcode formats. It also has no settings panel (in settings) and the tap target in the app that should be settings just take you to the company web site.

I am still testing other apps but haven't found any app that does what you ask, Red Laser used to but it no longer has that functionality.

TechPotato
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