Quick Start Guide

This guide outlines the steps necessary to collect data from a device. For a standard ASCII output device, such as a scale, bar code scanner or gage, this should take between 5 and 15 minutes. For more complex data it may take longer.

Step 1: Select the Mode

This determines if WinWedge sends your data where your cursor is (as keystrokes) or if it sends a DDE command to another Windows application.

Step 2: Configure the Port Settings

The port settings need to be set to the correct communications parameters for your device. These should be outlined in your device's manual or from the manufacturer.

Step 3: Define the Data's Structure

Each device outputs data of different lengths, delimiters, and formats. The Input Record Definition Editor allows you to configure WinWedge to handle your device's data. If you're not sure of the structure, take a look at your data in the Port > Analyze window.

Step 4: Define Output Strings (Optional)

Some devices require you to send it a command to prompt it for data. WinWedge allows you to send the command out at press of a button, hotkey, or on a timed interval.

Step 5: Activate!

Activate WinWedge and go to your application (Excel, Access, or ANY other Windows program). Data should appear according to how you configured WinWedge!

Step 1

Select how WinWedge will transfer incoming serial data to your other Windows programs by choosing one of the options in the Mode menu. WinWedge can transfer incoming serial data to other applications by either converting the data to "keystroke messages" and "typing" the data into another application's window or it can pass the data using Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) (Note: WinWedge Pro can also record data directly to a disk file). Sending data as keystrokes is generally much simpler than using DDE. For this example we will use the Send Keystrokes Method.

After "Send Keystrokes To..." has been selected, a screen for selecting the target application will appear. The default program is Notepad. However, most users will want to change this. To specify an application, enter either the title bar text or the command line used to launch the program. If you enter only the title bar, the application must already be open. If you enter only the command line path and arguments, the application will automatically launch. Tip: Both fields can be left blank! If nothing is entered into either field, WinWedge will send incoming data to whichever application has the focus.

Step 2

Step 3

Select "Input Data Record Structure..." from the Define menu. This will present you with a series of simple dialog boxes that allow you to first describe the structure of your incoming serial data and finally describe how you want to parse, filter and format the data as well as add additional data, keystrokes, or DDE commands to the data before passing it on to the target application program. For help in recognizing the data record structure, please read Understanding The Data From Your Serial Device

First Window: Start of Record and End of Record Events. This Dialog box allows you to select the starting character and the ending character or event.

Second Window: Input Record Structure. Select the structure that best fits your data. Choose from a single field, mulitple fields separated by a specific character, or a fixed length data record.

Optional Window: Delimited Record. This window appears if you selected that your record structure contained multiple fields delimited by a specific character. Chose the delimiting character and the maximum number of data fields.

Third Window: Input Record Definition Editor. This final window allows the data to be filtered, manipulated, and formatted.

Step 4

If the device that you are using requires data or commands to be sent to it from your PC, please read the sections: Defining Serial Output Strings and Defining Hot Keys and Hot Key Actions

Step 5

The final step is to Activate the Wedge. You may want to save your configuration first by selecting "Save" from the File menu. To activate the Wedge simply select "Test Mode" from the Activate menu. Both Test Mode and Normal Mode are the same, except Test Mode allows you to quickly go back to the setup screen to make any changes.