COM Ports Settings Guide for Scanner Users

[N9JIG]

When stuck at home for a while I start writing, often about obscure topics that interest me. Here is a guide I wrote yesterday about COM Port settings for scanner users that I hope you will find useful.

 

[mjmays]

Hi Rich, I am running Freescan on Windows 11 with Parallels on a Mac Mini. I am trying to program a BCT15X Freescan can not find comm 1 and will not connect. The device manager is no help, no port choice. I have downloaded all the latest drivers (which Windows will not install BTW). I do have an older BCT15X that I used Freescan with no problem, that was years ago on an older Mac. I have also installed virtual comm ports and no luck there. Sentinal runs fine on the virtual machine. Now I looking at a refurbished laptop for cheap to program one scanner. Any ideas?

Sorry for rambling on just frustrated.

Mike

 

[N9JIG]

In Parallels you need to assign the USB device (USB-1 cable) to the Windows guest OS. I think it is in the Devices menu but I am not sure as I have switched to Windows full time and let my Parallels subscription expire.

 

[BinaryMode]

Just to add to this is the the Nirsoft program USBDeview which can help. You can see USB devices and remove devices.

 

[teedee911]

When stuck at home for a while I start writing, often about obscure topics that interest me. Here is a guide I wrote yesterday about COM Port settings for scanner users that I hope you will find useful.

I cannot tell you how long I've been dealing with com port issues when trying to run some older scanners and software (BC796D most recently) on Windows 10 or 11. I spent H-O-U-R-S googling, reading and tinkering until I came across your post. I grabbed myself a cup of coffee and carefully read each line of the article and VOILA!! My BC796D is running just fine on my Windows 10 Dell XPS desktop. My issue was conflicting com ports (some already in use) and baud rates not equally lined up. What an education in com ports! Thank you!!!!!!

 

[N9JIG]

I am happy it helped you!

 

[buddrousa]

Rich as always this is a good article and should have a sticky or posted in the wiki if not both.
If newbies will take the time to read they will be helped very much.

 

[N9JIG]

Here is an updated version:

 

[richardbritt]

Hi, I read the document on ports and it is very good. However I am still having a problem with trying to run 2 copies of Pro96com and using 2 cables in 2 separate USB ports, plugged into 2 different pro2096 scanners. Device manager shows the 2 different ports (Com 3 and 4) and I have the baud rates for each set to 115k. Each instance of the software is in 2 different subdirectories named pro96com and pro96com1. Each copy of the software is looking for com 3 and when I do a rescan it doesn't see com 4, each only sees com 3. So I go to device manager after removing the devices and go to advanced and remove both ports using the view history, then reboot. Same thing happens again. I looked for a software ini file mentioned in the text file that comes with the software. Don't see it. I am stuck. I am running a Windows 11 pro elitebook with administrative privileges, standalone laptop.

Thanks for any help

Richard

 

[richardbritt]

I think I might have solved it. My documents folder has a pro96com. Ini file and it points to Com 3. I am going to play with the ini file and file location and adjust it for the 2nd installment of the software and try to make it com 4. I'll post what happens

 

[richardbritt]

Well, I sorta found out what I need to do, not sure how to make to it run.

I need to be able to run this
Pro96Com -c c:\pro96com1\pro96com1.ini

I made a new ini by copying the one in the mydocuments folder and changed the port to com 4. Then I put the new ini file inside the pro96com1 folder. I tried making a shortcut but I dont see a way to have the shortcut run the line above.

 

[buddrousa]

Could you not make an old school bat file and make that the short cut?

How do I execute cmd commands through a batch file?

I want to write a batch file that will do following things in given order: Open cmd Run cmd command cd c:\Program files\IIS Express Run cmd command iisexpress /path:"C:\FormsAdmin.Site" /port:8088 ...

stackoverflow.com

 

[richardbritt]

Good idea, but I don't know how to do that in Windows. I used to make them all the time in Dos 6 like 40 years ago. If I was using dos I would probably just be able to run it in a command line. I did try to run it in a cmd window inside windows and it didn't like it. I'll see what I can figure out. Thanks for the idea

 

[richardbritt]

I figured it out and it's working. I used notebook in windows to make a text file with:
Pro96Com -c c:\pro96com1\pro96com1.ini
and nothing else.

Then I saved it naming it runpro96com bat
Then I used windows to make a shortcut to the batch file.

It runs using com 4 properly. The other installation of pro96com is already using com 3. So both are working fine. Thanks for the idea about the batch file. I appreciate it

I have another cable for my 3rd pro2096 coming in the mail. I'll be running a 3rd copy later this week. I have a couple of ws1040 scanners also. I might throw them on a couple of other NC VIPER towers.

Regards Richard

 

[N9JIG]

Well, I forgot I wrote that guide when I wrote a more succinct one. Instead of trashing it I figure two is better than 1!

Enjoy a condensed version, half as long with all the info!

 

[merlin]

BCT15X has both DB9 and USB capable serial ports. Had no issues with either. Very hard to log the serial port because the scanner is constantly sending data.