User Guide

Reader Manager Guide Page 49 of 62 40-10-006-DOC 15/09/2006
7 Reader Configurations
This section describes ReaderManager’s script building tool. It is provided for users to create custom
scripts and commands which are accessed from the main ReaderManager menu.
A reader configuration is a collection of a combination of the following items:
• A script which is run immediately. This is a number of any valid API commands and Python syntax.
• A number of tag commands, which may be applied to interrogation, specific or immediate actions.
• A number of action scripts, which may be applied to interrogation, specific or immediate actions.
A given configuration may consist of just a single instance of one of these 3 things, or it may be a
complex application involving multiple scripts and commands.
This menu is used to create, edit and run reader configurations. It is intended to act as an aid for
programmers who are building applications, by making the development process much easier. Building
up complex scripts, in particular, can be a tricky process.
It can also be used by anyone working with a reader to build up a set of custom commands and scripts
which can be sent to the reader to put it into a particular operating mode.
As reader configurations are defined, they are added to this menu, in a similar fashion to the way the
Connection menu works.
7.1 Edit Configurations Dialog
The first item in the Reader Configuration menu is Edit Configurations..., which opens up a dialog
window where reader configurations can be created and edited.
It shows a list of titles of reader configurations that have currently been defined. Pressing the right
mouse button makes a local menu appear. Some of the items in this menu are specific to the
configuration that was clicked on, while others apply generally.
• New Configuration creates a new reader configuration. You will be prompted which tag type this
configuration applies to. You will then be taken to an empty Reader Configuration window.
• New Folder creates a new subdirectory into which configurations may be created. This allows them to
be grouped into sub categories that make management easier if there are a lot of scripts.
• Edit opens the Reader Configuration window for the currently selected item.
• Cut, Copy & Paste allows you to make copies of existing configurations under a new name. This is
very useful is there are a number of configurations that are very similar.
• Rename opens up a small dialog that allows you to rename the currently selected configuration.
• Delete deletes the currently selected configuration.
7.2 Reader Configuration Dialog
The Reader Configuration dialog has 4 tabs that can be selected along the top. Reader Configuration is
the overview, Scripts and Tag Commands defines the pieces that go to make up the configuration, and
Assembly ties the pieces together into the order desired.
The Reader Configuration tab shows the title, tag and reader types for this configuration. Note that the
tag type cannot be changed because this affects other parts of the configuration in ways that are difficult
to automate.
The Preview button opens a window showing the complete configuration as it would be sent to the
reader. Lines wraparound so long commands don't get hard to read.