Way to read from USB port with Rev?

[palcibiades-first at yahoo.co.uk]

rgould8 at aol.com wrote:  Can anyone tell me if it's possible to write a Revolution app that pulls in data from the USB port? For instance, if I wanted to write an app that could read the barcode info from a USB-based barcode scanner, could I do that with Revolution? (like the "Intelliscanner" from http://www.intelliscanner.com/) I've written apps to read from the COM port before, but I've not tried a USB-port app.
 
The way to do this might be to use a bar code reader that looks to the computer like a keyboard.  It will not matter if it is USB.  Standard ones using the AT connector often go on a Y type connector, so that either the keyboard or the reader can enter data.

If you do this, it doesn't matter what the application is or even what the OS is.  You do not need any drivers (other than OS support for USB keyboards).   You just need the cursor in the correct field, and then any triggers of the reader will put the read code, followed by ENTER, into it, and you handle it as needed.

I have not tried this yet in Revolution, but have verified that a Y connected reader which emulates a keyboard will supply data to a spreadsheet in both Windows or Linux, and to any of several word processors, so am sure that if the cursor is in an editable Rev field, the data will arrive.