PocketPC Application Design

Cape Cod Community College April 5, 2007

Objectives

 Overview of barcode/mobile applications  Discussion of one such application    Requirements What would you do?

Our solution

Barcode

 A machine-readable representation of information in a visual format on a surface.

 Store data in the width and spacing of parallel lines; patterns of dots; concentric circles; and hidden within images.

 Improve speed and accuracy of data entry From Wikipedia

Types of Barcodes

 1-D  2-D  RFID

Radio-frequency identification

(

RFID

) is an automatic identification method, relying on storing and remotely retrieving data using devices called RFID tags or transponders.

Types of Barcode Scanners



USB/Keyboard Wedge (Non-batch)

  

Directly connected to a PC with an interface cable, transmits the decoded scan data, one scan at a time, directly into the keyboard buffer or USB port.

Some USB or Keyboard Wedge scanners have proprietary programming languages.

Examples: Symbol LS4208 or Symbol P304IMG Imager

Types of Barcode Scanners



Portable Memory Data Terminal (Batch)



The operator carries the scanner with them, but unlike other scanners, data can be batch uploaded. These devices vary greatly in price, memory capacity and optional features.



Examples: Symbol MC series, PPT 8800; Metrologic SP5500 Optimus S

Types of Barcode Scanners



Wireless, Cordless and Bluetooth

 

The operator carries the scanner with them and transmits the data wirelessly, one scan at a time. These scanners communicate with their own base station or with other Bluetooth-equipped devices.

Examples: Metrologic MS9535 Voyager, Symbol LS3478

Data Transfer and Storage

 Serial inputs from COM/TCP ports (wedge)  Wireless  ActiveSync: Windows application using TCP ports for data transfer  XML  Database

Customer overview



The customer is a leading adult stem cell therapeutic company.



They develop and market products to treat medical conditions in the inflammatory, orthopedic, and cardiovascular areas.

Project overview

 The customer wanted a Chain of Custody application to keep track of product units from manufacturing release through shipping.  The customer purchased a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) to do the recordkeeping.

 The customer wanted to automate data input to the LIMS as an alternative to using lab notebooks and manual data entry.

Functional requirements

       Through LIMS, register product and assign customer code Print and attach barcode labels to units and locations User and reviewers scan their Id’s Move product from manufacturing to Work in Progress location, scan unit and location Id’s Move product through several post-production phases, scan product label at each location Update LIMS Generate packing list in LIMS

Environment Considerations

      Customer could not implement wireless Customer did not want to implement a web service for data transport No clean room scans 24x7, no onsite IT support for second and third shifts Customer wanted a scanner that was double impact tested and offered persistent storage Customer required some data validation at time of scan

Challenges

 Minimize need for tech support  No wireless -> wired, batch upload required  LIMS vendor prohibited direct database update  Required some validation of scans (location, number of scans/record, duplicate scans for one product)  Unit record consisted of multiple scans, but scans could be in any order, plus associated data

Unit Record

 Scanned data   User Id Unit Id    Location (location) Id (verified against database) (Optional) comments (“unit moved in error”) (Optional) verifier Id  Non-scanned data   Date and time of scan Date and time of verification

Decisions To Be Made

    Select mobile device   Optical Scanner Pocket PC Select development environment for custom application    Operating System Framework Language Select data storage mechanism  XML and/or database Select data transport mechanism    Wireless Web service Synchronization

Discussion

What decisions would you have made about  Hardware?

 Data storage?

 Data transfer?

Additional considerations to complete system design?

We Decided

 Pocket PC with its own local database  Scans have unique formats to identify them  Upload via ActiveSync  Use XML as upload format

Project Tasks

       Design and print custom barcodes Develop Pocket PC application to capture user ids, product unit Id’s and locations through barcode scans Design local database for Pocket PC Design XML file for data upload to the desktop via ActiveSync Design desktop application to update the LIMS database via proprietary API’s Design final post processing “handshake” between desktop and Pocket PC Write documentation

Implementation Details

       User scans their ID only once per session Verifier (optional) also scans their ID only once per session Scans have unique patterns to differentiate them Consecutive product id scans are compared; a warning message is shown if not the same Last scan “of a type” is accepted Location scans are verified against a database on the PocketPC Final check for required scans/unit record

Pocket PC User Interface

     Ability to clear unit and location scans in case of error Each unit record is written to the database on Save, with current date and time On Exit, an XML file is created of all unit records that have not yet been uploaded Status bars to display State and error messages Display no. of units scanned

Physical Elements of Our Solution

   Barcode printing software  Examples: BarTender, ID Automation/Crystal Reports Barcode printer  Example: Zebra Scanner/data collectors

Software Elements of Our Solution

         Windows Mobile 5.0 Operating System Microsoft Compact Framework SQL Mobile database XML file for unit records XML configuration files Error logs ActiveSync/RAPI Custom desktop application in C# Custom Pocket PC applications in C#

Process

•Read user and verifier ids •Read and process scans •Write scans to local db •Create XML scans file •Dock, upload to PC •User Login •ActiveSync Pocket PC •Update LIMS •Send confirmation

Pocket PC Application Tasks

         Differentiate between different scans (user, verifier, unit, location) In-memory storage of User and Verifier Ids Display error messages Verify location against local database, reject invalid entry Check that data for each scan is complete Provide dropdown with optional comments Write unit records to local database Display number of units scanned Create XML data transfer file

Elements of the Desktop Application

 Authenticate users through LIMS API  Read data file from Pocket PC via ActiveSync  Update LIMS database through LIMS API  Notify Pocket PC that data has been uploaded and database has been updated

Pocket PC Application Process Flow

        Open Windows Form Handle Scan Data    Determine scan type Store Unit data Hold UserId and VerifierId in memory Assign State Display UI messages Display error messages Check final data Write to local database Create XML unit records file, close form

Desktop Process Flow

 On completion of scans, user docks the PocketPC and logs in to the main LIMS system for authorization and authentication  On verification of user id, application checks through ActiveSync to see if PocketPC is docked  Application uploads XML scans file from PocketPC  Application updates LIMS database  Application calls second executable on PocketPC which updates local database records and deletes XML scans file

Files and Documentation

 Both the PocketPC and desktop have their own log files  Both the PocketPC and desktop have their own XML configuration files  Both the PocketPC and desktop have their own databases  End user document  System test documents

State Machine

private enum AppState { INIT, SCANUSER, SCANUNIT, SCANLOCATION, SCANVERIFIER, READYTOSAVE, CLEAR, ERROR, SAVINGDATA, SAVED, NOTSAVED, NOSTATE } private void AppState_Set(AppState appState) { //Set the private global variable to the passed in value this._currentAppState = appState; } //Execute the state machine AppState_Set();

State Machine (cont’d)

private void AppState_Set() { { switch (_currentAppState) case AppState.INIT: statusBar1.Text = "Scan your user id"; lblVersion.Text = Utilities.GetVersionInformation(); break; case AppState.SCANUNIT: lblUserId.Text = "User Id: " + userId; statusBar1.Text = "Scan unit"; break; case AppState.SCANLOCATION: lblUnit.Text = "Unit: "+sampleCode; statusBar1.Text = "Scan freezer/shelf"; …..

break; } RefreshLabels(); } AppState_Set(AppState.SCANLOCATION);

File Transfer via RAPI

                   public DataSet GetDataSetFromHandheld() { { DataSet ds = new DataSet(); RAPI myrapi = new RAPI(); if (myrapi.DevicePresent) while (!myrapi.Connected) myrapi.Connect(true, 3); } if(myrapi.DeviceFileExists(ConfigurationManager.AppSettings.Get("RemoteSamplesXMLFile"))) //(@"\Application\ScannedSamples.xml")) { string localXMLFile=ConfigurationManager.AppSettings.Get("LocalSamplesXMLFile"); if(System.IO.File.Exists(localXMLFile)) System.IO.File.Delete(localXMLFile); myrapi.CopyFileFromDevice(localXMLFile, ConfigurationManager.AppSettings.Get("RemoteSamplesXMLFile"));//@"C:\Testing\Scan_Unit_Date.txt", @"\Application\ScannedSamples.xml"); ds.ReadXml(ConfigurationManager.AppSettings.Get("LocalSamplesXMLFile")); } return ds; }

                                                 using System; using System.Collections.Generic; using System.Configuration; using System.Text; using System.Xml; { namespace PostProcessing { public class ReadXML } { public bool UpdateRecordsInXMLFile() string samplecode = ""; string sampledate = ""; string sampletime = ""; string localXMLFile = Utilities.GetAppSetting("filePath"); XmlReaderSettings settings = new XmlReaderSettings(); settings.ConformanceLevel = ConformanceLevel.Auto; settings.IgnoreWhitespace = true; settings.IgnoreComments = true; { XmlReader reader = XmlReader.Create(localXMLFile,settings); try string readerName = ""; while (reader.Read()) { if (reader.Name != "") readerName = reader.Name; if (reader.NodeType == XmlNodeType.Text && readerName == "samplecode") samplecode = reader.Value; else if (reader.NodeType == XmlNodeType.Text && readerName == "sampledate") sampledate = reader.Value; { else if (reader.NodeType == XmlNodeType.Text && readerName == "sampletime") sampletime = reader.Value; Utilities.SetUploadedToTrue(samplecode, sampledate, sampletime); Utilities.LogError("Successful update: " + samplecode + " " + sampledate + " " + sampletime); } } } reader.Close(); return true; } { catch(Exception exc) reader.Close(); Utilities.LogError("ScanCleanup failed: " + exc.Message); throw new SystemException("ScanCleanup failed");

XML Configuration File

         

Excerpt from the User Doc

               

Using the Handheld

The handheld is turned on by holding down the power button on the upper right corner.

Scanning is accomplished by pushing one of the three yellow buttons on the front and side of the handheld.

The stylus may be used to tap or select objects on the screen.

Before uploading the scans, the user must ensure that the handheld is firmly docked. The middle top orange light will be on when the unit is properly docked.

A Microsoft program called ActiveSync manages the connection between the PC and the handheld. If ActiveSync is working correctly, there will be a bright green icon in the PC’s taskbar (lower right corner of the monitor display).

It may take several seconds after docking for the PC and the handheld to “synch up”. This is normal.

The handheld has persistent storage of data; as long as the user has properly saved and exited from the program, their data will be saved. So, if the handheld loses power, saved data is protected.

The handheld should be docked when it is not in use.

Troubleshooting the Handheld

If necessary, the handheld can be warm booted by holding down the power button in the upper right hand corner until the warm boot screen is displayed. The handheld can be cold booted by simultaneously holding down the 1 and 9 keys and the power button.

If necessary, the application can be closed by clicking on the “x” in the upper right hand corner. In that case, any scans that have not been saved will be lost.

The application keeps an error log in File Explorer->Application/ErrorLog In the event assistance is needed with the application, Tech Support may ask for a copy of this error log file.

The application includes a SQL Server Mobile database, also located in FileExplorer->Application. Only IT personnel are permitted to view or change this database, and only at the direction of the vendor.

The application uses a file called

Configuration.xml

. This file must not be changed unless directed by the vendor.

Please refer to the manufacturer’s documentation for information on maintenance and handling of the Pocket PC.

Excerpt from the Testing Docs

              

Test Identification

Title : Test Reference No.

Description of Sub Tests Clear scans Accurately decode scanned data Correctly decode verifier id scan Correctly decode location id scan Correctly decode performer id scan : The following sub tests will be performed.

Normal startup Correctly decode unit id scan Flag dissimilar consecutive unit id scans PR001/001

Objective of Test

This test will ensure that data is decoded accurately 

Preparation for test

Start the application from the drop down link on the handheld.

Development Setup

         VS 2005 Windows Mobile 5.0 Operating System .NET Compact Framework 2.0

SQL Server 2005 Mobile Edition ActiveSync 4.2 (deprecated by VISTA) Windows Mobile 5.0 SDK for PocketPC (6.0 March 2007) Windows Mobile 5.0 Developer Resource Kit http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=3ba a5b7d-04c1-4ec2-83dc-61b21ec5fe57&DisplayLang=en Windows Mobile 6.0 SDK: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=061 11a3a-a651-4745-88ef-3d48091a390b&DisplayLang=en

System Requirements



Supported Operating Systems:

Windows XP Windows Mobile 2002 software for Pocket PCs; Windows Mobile 2003 software for Pocket PCs;  1.5 GHz computer with 512 MB of RAM, supporting at least 1024 x 768 resolution and 32-bit color  Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack or later, or Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 or later  Microsoft Internet Explorer version 5.0 or later  Visual Studio 2005 Standard Edition or higher

Deployment/Installation

 VS2005  You may need to specify additional component libraries