Unitech MS100 User Manual

MS100 Bar Code

Pen Reader

AdventureJan

Improper handling, storage, environmental influences and /or
product modification can lead to problems during use.
This is particularly true if repairs and maintenance work are
not performed by trained personnel.
We reserve the right to make technical modifications in accor­dance with technological advancements as they occur.

General Advisory

FCC Information

This device has been tested and found to comply with the
limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the
FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable
protection against harmful interference when the device is
operated in a commercial environment. This device gener­ates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not
installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual,
may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to
cause harmful interference, in which case the user will be
required to correct the interference at his or her own expense.

MS100 Manual

TABLE OF CONTENTS

RS232 31. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Scanner Port 33. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Bar Code Symbologies 35. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Data Editing 40. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Function Codes 45. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

ASCII Chart 46. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SPECIFICATIONS 48. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

TROUBLESHOOTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

WARRANTY 53. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

BAR CODE TEST CHART 54. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Keyboard Wedge 30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SCANNER CONFIGURATION MANAGER 3. . . . . . . .

Device 6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Beeps and Delays 6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Keyboard Wedge 7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Scanner Port 11. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

RS232 9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Bar Code Symbologies 14. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Data Editing 22. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

PROGRAMMING VIA SCANNER INPUT 25. . . . . . . . .

Quick Setup Bar Codes 26. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Beeps and Delays 29. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Device Selection and Default 28. . . . . . . . . . . .

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

MS100 Manual

MS100 Manual 1

INTRODUCTION

The MS100 is a family of pen style bar code readers specifically designed
to be a simple, unobtrusive method of scanning bar codes. The operation
is intuitive - simply swipe the MS100 across the bar code you want to read.
The MS100 comes in four interfaces: PS/2, RS232, USB, and TTL Wand,
described below.
Please note that pen bar code scanners might not recognize a given bar
code on the first swipe. All scanners may take several scans to recognize
a particular bar code, but whereas gun type bar code scanners can make
30 scans per second, making even repeated scans seem instantaneous,
pen scanners can only make one scan per swipe.

MS100

MS100A

The Undecoded (or TTL, or Wand) MS100A requires an external decoder
in order to communicate with your computer. Decoders are built into
Wedge devices and many POS (Point of Sale) keyboards, such as the
Unitech KP3700.
The MS100A cannot be configured via Scanner Configuration Manager.
Any modification of the output data must be done in the external decoder.

Normal Operation

MS100-2

The RS232 (Com Port) interface should only be used when your software
is designed to accept com port input. The MS100-2 has a built-in decoder
and outputs the scanned data in ASCII Code. MS100-2 input requires
special software such as HyperTerminal (Bits per second: 9600, Data bits: 8,
Parity: None, Stop bits: 1, Flow control: None) in order to view the output.
The MS100-2 will require an optional power supply unless your computer’s
com port supplies power (unlikely).

MS100 Manual2

MS100-3

The MS100-3 AT keyboard wedge interface has a “Y” interface cable with
an AT male plug on one end and an AT female plug on the other. The
cable end with the male plug is inserted into your computer’s keyboard
port and your keyboard is plugged into the female plug.
The MS100-3 operation should be “plug and play”. The MS100-3 has a
built-in decoder that outputs the scanned data in Scancode keyboard
format. Your computer will treat your MS100-3’s input as it would normal
keyboard input.
Note: If you are using a laptop computer or a USB keyboard (ie. you are
not using an AT keyboard), then your MS100-3 will need to be configured
as a “Keyboardless Wedge” (see “Device” in the “Scanner Configuration
Manager” section.

MS100-3PS2

The PS/2 Keyboard Wedge interface is the most popular and straightfor­ward. The MS100-3PS2 has a “Y” interface cable with a PS/2 male plug
on one end and a PS/2 female plug on the other. The cable end with the
male plug is inserted into your computer’s keyboard port (not the mouse
port!) and your keyboard is plugged into the female plug.
The MS100-3PS2 operation should be “plug and play”. The MS100-3PS2
has a built-in decoder that outputs the scanned data in Scancode key­board format. Your computer will treat your MS100-3PS2’s input as it
would normal keyboard input.
Note: If you are using a laptop computer or a USB keyboard (ie. you are
not using a PS/2 keyboard), then your MS100-3PS2 will need to be
configured as a “Keyboardless Wedge” (see “Device” in the “Scanner
Configuration Manager” section.

MS100-4

The USB interface is becoming popular and relatively foolproof. Your
MS100-4 uses the standard USB driver that has been included in the
Windows Operating System since Windows 98 SE.
The MS100-4 operation should be “plug and play”. The MS100-4 has a
built-in decoder that outputs the scanned data in HID keyboard format.
Your computer will treat your MS100-4’s input as it would normal keyboard
input.
Note: Mac OS10 users might need to update their USB driver.

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MS100 Manual

The above icons, from left to right, represent download settings
(from computer to scanner), and upload settings (from scanner to
computer). The third icon opens a Test Pad where you can view the
actual scanner output.

Scanner Configuration Manager software is the simplest and most
foolproof way to configure your scanner settings.

SCANNER CONFIGURATION MANAGER

Above, from left to right, are the standard Windows icons for “New
Document”, Open File”, and “Save File”.
Scanner Configuration Manager saves scanner settings in .cfg files,
so you can have access to a variety of different scanner configura­tions that you’ve set up.
To reset the scanner back to factory default, click on the “New
Document” icon and download the unmanipulated setting to the
scanner (see below).

After loading and starting SCMSetup.exe the icon to the left
will appear on your desktop:

Start it Up

Click on the SCM icon
and the following screen
will appear:

As you can see, you are
presented with a blank
work area and a row of
icons across the top.
Following is an explana­tion of each of the icons:

MS100 Manual4

The above four icons are used in the “Data Editing” feature of SCM.
From left to right they are the “Add a Formula” icon, the “Remove a
Formula” icon, and the right-hand two are the “Move Formula” icons
that move selected formulas up or down in relation to each other.
For information on data editing, see page 22.

Click this icon to print a series of bar codes that you can scan in
order to configure your scanner to the current SCM settings.
This option is especially useful if downloading to the scanner is not
an option, like when using an interface adaptor or if Windows NT is
your operating system.
If you can produce PDF files via Acrobat, your SCM configuration
can be sent via e-mail to remote locations where they can be
scanned from a printed PDF file (without having to run SCM).

Help is just a click away.

Download to your Scanner

Once you have SCM configured just the way
you want it, click the Download icon (see page

3). The pop-up box to the right should appear:
Select your appropriate interface: USB, RS232,
or PS/2, and then click “OK”.
The green LED on your scanner should blink and you should see the
message “Download completed successfully”. Now your scanner is
ready to use with its new configuration.
If you should get the message “Download to scanner failed”, don’t
dispair. You can still click the “Print” icon (see above) and scan in
the resulting bar codes to configure your scanner.

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MS100 Manual

The screen to the left
appears. Click on any of
the selections under
“Current Settings” to view
its “Attributes”.

Click the upload icon (see page 3) and the following pop-up screen
will appear: (alternatively, you can click on the “New Document”
icon, page 3, in which case the second screen will appear)

First Look

Enter the scanner product
number (MS100, for
example).
Make sure the proper
Interface radio button
is selected, and click "OK".

After selecting your config­uration settings, click on
the Download icon (see
page 3). The LED on the
top of the scanner will
flash during the download
process. Afterwards, you
will be prompted to do an optional “Quick Test”.

Double-click on any of
the “Attributes” to edit
that attribute. This is
done via a drop-down
menu.

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MS100 Manual

Beep Tone

Select a value from “None” to “High” to set the loudness of the tone,
or select “Low to High” or “High to Low” to set the characteristic of
the tone.
Default is “Medium”.

Intercharacter Delay

Intercharacter Delay is the time duration between data characters
sent from the scanner to the computer. Intercharacter delay is
usually inserted when the data flow must be slowed down for the
benefit of a slower computer.
Default is “1 ms”.

Interblock Delay

Interblock delay is the time duration that can be inserted between
one block of data and another. This function is analogous to the
time duration required between dialing a phone number’s country
code and the phone number itself. The interblock delay can be
inserted via SCM’s Data Editing function (see page 22).
Default is “10 ms”.

Following is a detailed discussion of each of the settings, their
attributes, and the effects each of these will have on data output
from your Unitech scanner.

Settings

The only attribute for the “Device” setting is “Device ID”, which
defines the device to which the scanner is connected (usually a
computer or terminal). Select the setting that most closely de­scribes your device.
The default selection is “01 - IBM PC/AT, PS/2 MOD 40, 60, 80,
USB”, which is appropriate for most PCs.

Device

The three attributes for “Beeps and Delays” are: “Beep Tone”,
“Intercharacter Delay”, and “Interblock Delay”.

Beeps and Delays

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MS100 Manual

Keyboard Wedge

Your Unitech keyboard contains a built in data decoder or “wedge”
that translates raw bar code input into Keyboard Scan Code, with
the result that bar code data exits the scanner as if you had typed
the text.
Seven keyboard wedge parameters are listed below:

Function Code

Function Code determines how function code characters from the
scanner is output.

If Yes is selected, then scanned function codes will output the
same as if their corresponding function keys were pressed.
Scanning an F1 label will pop-up a “Help” box, F3 a “Find” pop-up
box, etc.

•

•

If No is selected, the scanned function codes will output special
character strings defined by Unitech for non-print character
output.
Default is “Yes”.

Caps-Lock

The Caps Lock function determines how the Caps Lock key controls
the case of alphabetical characters. The three options below are
available:

•

Auto Trace automatically determines the Caps Lock key status
and informs the decoder accordingly.
Lower Case manually coordinates the physical state of the Caps
Lock key with the Caps Lock state of the decoder. For example,
if the Caps Lock light is not on, then “Lower Case” should be
selected.

•

Upper Case is the same as Lower Case (above) except that it
applies to the upper case state. If the Caps Lock is on, then
Upper Case should be selected.
Default is “Auto Trace”.

•

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MS100 Manual

Keyboard Wedge, continued

Use Numeric Keypad

The ASCII code for numeric input from the keypad part of the
keyboard is different from that of the upper row of the keyboard
proper. Some accounting programs require keypad input, and for
that reason, the keyboard decoder can output scanned or read
numbers as either keypad or keyboard (upper row) output.
Default is “No”.

Level Duration of Minimal Width

This adjustment refers to the amount of time the wand scanner
requires to recognize an individual bar in a bar code. The choices
are 200 µs (microseconds) or 600 µs.
Default is “200 µs”.

Polarity of Idle Condition

The polarity of the idle condition (while it has no input) of the wand
scanner can be either high or low.
Default is “Low”.

Language

Your Unitech scanner can output characters using eleven different
language sets, including:

Default is “U.S.”

Danish
U.S. English
U.K. English

Norwegian
Swedish
Spanish

Swiss
Alt Key Mode

French
German
Italian

Wand Emulation Output

Wand emulation refers to raw, undecoded bar code data - 0s and
1s. The choice here is whether to assign a 1 (high) to the dark bar
and a 0 (low) to the white space - or vice-versa.

Bar with High / Space with Low
Bar with Low / Space with High

Default is “Bar with High / Space with Low”.

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MS100 Manual

Baud Rate

Baud Rate (bits per second) refers to the speed of the data through
the RS232 port. If the data error rate is unacceptably high, setting
the baud rate lower should help.
Default is “9600 Baud”.

RS232

ACK/NAK

Data characters that are sent from the receiver to the sender in
order to “acknowlege” or “not acknowlege” the receipt of the data
without error. Rarely used these days.
Default is “No”.

Handshaking

Handshaking is the mechanism that controls the speed of data flow
so that a slower receiver of data is not overwhelmed by a faster
sender of data. Selections are: “Ignore”, “RTS (request to send)
Enabled at Power Up”, and “RTS Enabled in Communication”.
Default is “Ignore”

Data Bit

Number of bits per byte that are dedicated to data (minus start/stop
bits).
Default (and the current universal standard) is “8 Data Bits”.

Parity

A technique used to detect data transmission errors by adding an
extra bit to each character. This scheme has been supplanted in
modern communication devices by “error correction”.
Default (and the current universal standard) is “No Parity”.

BCC Character

Block Check Character. An error checking character added for data
integrity.
Default is “No”.

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MS100 Manual

Data Direction

Three options are available for data direction: “Send to Host”,
“Send to Host & Terminal”, and “Send to Terminal”.
Default is “Send to Host”.

Time Out

The ACK/NAK function (see page 9) can be given a limited (ranging
from 1 second to 10 seconds) or unlimited amount of time to operate.
Default is “1 Second”.

RS232, continued

Receive Terminator

A user-definable Receive Terminator can be inserted at the end of
bar code data. Pre-defined receive terminators include:

The above special characters must be bracketed by < > symbols as
shown.
Function codes (F keys, cursor up, Enter, etc.) can also be inserted
via hexadecimal code (accessable in a linked menu) and must
include surrounding brackets (<>).
Letters and numbers should be entered directly by keyboard input
without surrounding brackets (<>).
Default is “None”.

<t>: Tab

•

<r>: Carriage Return

•

<n>: Line Feed

•

<d>: Any Digit

•

<a>: Any Letter

•

<*>: Interblock Delay

•

<“>: “ (quotation marks)

•

<dd>: character in hexadecimal notation

•

<<>: <

•

<>>: >

•

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MS100 Manual

Terminator

The Terminator is a command that follows the input of bar code
data. Four different terminators can be selected here: “Enter”,
“Return (on numeric keypad)”, “Field Exit or Right Control”, or
“None”. Alternative terminators (such as Tab) can be be configured
via the Postamble function (see page 13).
Default is “Enter”

Double Verification

Double Verification enables the scanner to verify the accuracy of the
output by outputting only after a specified number (from 0 to 7) of
identical results. For instance, if 3 is selected, the scanner will not
output the bar code data until it’s obtained 4 identical scan results.
Because the scanner normally scans at a rate of 33 scans per
second (unless it’s a wand), this process should take less than a
fraction of a second, even for higher values.
Default is “0-Off”

Scanner Port

Terminator, Use Code ID, Double Verification, Scanning Mode,
Label Type, Aim Function for Long-Range Engine, Aim Time for
Long-Range Engine, Preamble, and Postamble are the parameters
for Scanner Port configuration.

Use Code ID

The Code ID function can be used to
identify the type of bar code that is
being scanned by inserting an identify­ing letter (refer to chart at right) at the
beginning of the bar code output.
For example, if the Code ID function is
on, and a bar code string of “54321”
was output as “M54321”, the bar code
would thus be identified as type Code

39.
Default is “No”.

Code 11 / Telpen J

DDelta Code

UPC-A

A

UPC-E E

EAN-13 F

FFEAN-8

I 2 of 5 I

S 2 of 5

H

Code 39 M

Codabar N

Code 93 L

Code 128 K

UCC/EAN128 ]C1

MSI O

Code 32 T

Plessey Code P

Label Code IV, V B

C

Toshiba Code

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MS100 Manual

Aim Function for Long Range Engine

The Aim Function causes a laser scanner to output a “pin-point”
aiming aid for a specified period of time (see below) to enable the
user to more easily scan distant bar code labels. This function can
be toggled on or off.
Default is “No”.

Scanner Port, continued

Label Type

Toggle between reading only Positive and both Positive and Nega­tive bar codes. Reading both positive and negative bar codes can
be useful in the graphics industry when negative images must be
proofed.
Default is “Positive”.

Default is “Trigger”

Scanning Mode

Actual bar code scanning can occur in six different ways:

•

Continuous causes the scanner light to remain on and scan bar
codes as they are presented. Bar codes can be “double
scanned” only after a short interval.

•

Old Laser Flash causes the scanner to flash continuously after
the trigger is pressed and will scan each bar code only once per
presentation. A second trigger press stops the scanning.

•

Test is similar to the Flash setting except that the scanner out­puts bar code data in a rapid-fire manner as long as a bar code is
presented to the scanner.

•

One Press One Scan causes the scanner light to remain on
after the trigger is briefly depressed until a bar code is detected
and output.

•

Multiscan allows multiple scans while holding down the trigger.

•

Flashing causes the scanner to flash continuously after the
trigger is pressed until it detects a bar code and outputs the data.
The scanner light will remain on in anticipation of another bar
code for approximately 12 seconds, after which it will begin
flashing again. A second trigger press stops the scanning.

•

Trigger scan causes the scanner light to remain on as long as
the trigger is depressed, whether the bar code is recognized or
not.

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MS100 Manual

Aiming Time for Long Range Engine

The Aiming Time function specifies the duration of the Aim Function
(see previous page). Length of duration can be specified from
500ms to 2 seconds, in half-second increments.
Default is “1 second”.

Postamble

Identical to Preamble (above), but characters are inserted after
scanned data. A common postamble would be to insert a “Tab” in
lieu of an “Enter” terminator (see page 11).
Default is “None”

Scanner Port, continued

The above special characters must be bracketed by < > symbols as
shown.
Function codes (F keys, cursor up, Enter, etc.) can also be inserted
via hexadecimal code (accessable in a linked menu) and must
include surrounding brackets (<>).
Letters and numbers should be entered directly by keyboard input
without surrounding brackets (<>).
Default is “None”

Preamble

Insert a string of characters prior to the actual scanned data.
Pre-defined characters include:

•

<>>: >

<<>: <

•

•

<dd>: character in hexadecimal notation

•

<“>: “ (quotation marks)

•

<*>: Interblock Delay

•

<a>: Any Letter

•

<d>: Any Digit

•

<n>: Line Feed

•

<r>: Carriage Return

•

<t>: Tab

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MS100 Manual

Bar Code Symbologies

Modify the output characteristics of 16 of the most popular bar code
symbologies in current use. Following are the bar code symbolo­gies and their modifiable parameters.

Code 39

Maximum Length defines the maximum length the user will
accept for a valid bar code. Default is “48”.

•

Minimum Length defines the minimum length the user will
accept for a valid bar code. Default is “0”.

•

Send Start/Stop toggles sending or not sending start/stop
sentinels (* in the case of Code 39). Default is “No Send”.

•

Check Digit defines whether or not a check digit (to insure data
accuracy) is calculated, and if so, whether it should be sent or
not. Default is “Not Calculate”.

•

Type toggles Code 39 between Standard and Full ASCII.
Default is “Full ASCII”.

•

Code ID (Full ASCII) is the same as Code ID (Standard), above,
except that the symbology is Full ASCII Code 39.
Default letter is also the letter “M”.

•

Code ID (Standard) is a user-definable identification letter for
Standard Code 39, which is referred to in the “Use Code ID”
function (see page 11). Default is letter “M”.

•

Enabled toggles the ability for the keyboard/scanner to read
Code 39 on or off. Default is “Yes”.

•