Question: My barcodes include some characters that I want to skip when scanning them, like a letter Q at the beginning indicating that it is the Quantity. Can I program the scanner to skip characters?

Answer: Yes. The HC1 includes a configuration utility for the scanner that can program rulesets to determine how the barcode data is handled. To access the utility, click Start > Settings > System > Scanner.

To program a simple rule that will always drop the first character of all scanned barcodes, tap Data Editing, then Edit at the bottom, then Add > Add Formula: Output All ... This will add 2 lines below Data Editing: Formula 1 and << O-Str: pos 1, last-pos. Double tap on the O-Str line, and change Char Position to 2, and tap OK.

To have that rule apply only to certain barcodes, you can use qualifiers. For example, to have it apply only when the barcode begins with a Q, tap Formula 1, then tap Edit > Add > Add Qualifier: Match. Double tap ~ Match: Pos 0, "". Set Char Position to 1, and Object String to Q, then tap OK.

You can have multiple formulas set up with different qualifiers by repeating the steps above, but if you want the scanner to be able to send other barcodes unedited, you must add a final rule that is just set to Add Formula: Output All with no qualifier on it.

Once all of your rules are defined, click Apply! at the bottom. Then you can use the Test tab and scan your barcodes to verify that the rules are functioning as desired.