Scanning

Point, scan, done. Let's turn those black and white lines into data.

Getting the Scanner Adapter

First, grab the scanner adapter from your connected device:

import com.averydennison.addevicemanager.adapters.ScannerAdapter;
import com.averydennison.addevicemanager.callbacks.ScanCallback;
import com.averydennison.addevicemanager.models.ScannedData;
import com.averydennison.addevicemanager.models.ScannerSymbology;
import org.slf4j.Logger;
import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;

private final Logger logger = LoggerFactory.getLogger(getClass());

// Get scanner adapter (throws exception if device doesn't support scanning)
ScannerAdapter scannerAdapter = deviceAdapter.getScannerAdapter();

Note: Not all devices have scanners. If getScannerAdapter() throws an exception, the connected device doesn't support scanning.

Receiving Scan Data

The scanner works on callbacks. Register once, receive every scan:

scannerAdapter.setScanCallback(new ScanCallback() {
    @Override
    public void onScanSuccess(ScannedData scannedData) {
        logger.info("Scanned: {} (type: {})", scannedData.data, scannedData.symbology);

        // Do something with the data
        processBarcode(scannedData.data);
    }

    @Override
    public void onScanFailure(String errorMessage) {
        logger.warn("Scan failed: {}", errorMessage);
        // Show a "try again" message
    }
});

The ScannedData object provides:

Property	Description
`data`	The actual barcode content (the string of numbers/letters)
`symbology`	What type of barcode it was (EAN-13, Code 128, QR, etc.)

Triggering a Scan

Two ways to initiate a scan:

Option 1: Physical Button

The user presses the scan button on the Pathfinder Edge device. Your callback fires automatically.

Option 2: Programmatically

Trigger a scan from your app:

scannerAdapter.triggerScan()
    .thenRun(() -> logger.debug("Scan triggered"))
    .exceptionally(error -> {
        logger.error("Couldn't trigger scan: {}", error.getMessage());
        return null;
    });

Stopping a Scan

If you're in continuous scan mode or need to cancel:

scannerAdapter.stopScan()
    .thenRun(() -> logger.debug("Scan stopped"))
    .exceptionally(error -> {
        logger.error("Couldn't stop scan: {}", error.getMessage());
        return null;
    });

Configuring Symbologies

Symbologies are barcode types. By default, the scanner recognizes common formats. You might want to:

Narrow it down: Only accept EAN-13 barcodes (faster, fewer false reads)
Expand it: Enable 2D codes like QR or DataMatrix

Supported Symbologies

Supported symbologies are defined in the enum Symbology.

Retrieving and Configuring Symbologies

Fetching and updating symbology configuration is done asynchronously. First, get the current settings, then modify and send them back:

// retrieve current symbology settings
scannerAdapter.getSymbologySettings()
        .thenApply(symbologySettings -> {
            // symbology settings retrieved successfully, we can now access individual symbology configs
            SymbologyConfig symbologyConfig = symbologySettings.getSymbology(Symbology.QR_CODE);
            QrCodeConfig qrConfig = (QrCodeConfig) symbologyConfig;
            // Symbology config fetched; now we can get or set its properties
            qrConfig.setEnabled(false); // disable QR Code symbology

            symbologyConfig = symbologySettings.getSymbology(Symbology.EAN_13);
            Ean13Config ean13Config = (Ean13Config) symbologyConfig;
            ean13Config.setEnabled(true); // enable EAN-13 symbology
            ean13Config.setTransmitCheckDigit(false); // update other properties as needed

            return symbologySettings;
        })
        .thenApply(updatedSettings -> {
            // send updated settings back to the scanner
            return scannerAdapter.setSymbologySettings(updatedSettings);
        })
        .exceptionally(throwable -> {
            // handle any errors that occurred during the process
            logger.error("Failed to update symbology settings", throwable);
            return null;
        });

Best Practices

1. Set Up Callbacks Early

private void setupScanner() {
    try {
        scannerAdapter = deviceAdapter.getScannerAdapter();
        scannerAdapter.setScanCallback(scanCallback);
        logger.info("Scanner ready");
    } catch (Exception e) {
        logger.warn("Device doesn't support scanning");
    }
}

2. Handle Both Success and Failure

Always implement onScanFailure. Scans fail (barcode damaged, moved too fast, wrong angle). Give users feedback.

@Override
public void onScanFailure(String errorMessage) {
    runOnUiThread(() -> {
        // Visual feedback
        showErrorAnimation();
        showToast("Couldn't read barcode. Try again.");
    });
    logger.warn("Scan failed: {}", errorMessage);
}

Troubleshooting

Problem	Solution
Scanner doesn't respond	Is the device connected? Check with ConnectionStateCallback. Does this device have a scanner?
Barcode not recognized	Is that symbology enabled? Check your configuration. Is the barcode damaged or poorly printed? Try different angles/distances.
Getting wrong barcode type	Some barcodes look similar (UPC-A and EAN-13 are related). If strict type matching is needed, check `scannedData.symbology`.
Scan triggers but no callback	Ensure `setScanCallback()` was called. Check that callback isn't being overwritten.
Slow scan response	Reduce enabled symbologies. Only enable what you need.

Next Steps

Guide	What You'll Learn
Printing	Print labels with scanned data
Callbacks	Monitor scan events
Logging	Debug scanning issues
Getting Started	Connection basics

Getting the Scanner Adapter​

Receiving Scan Data​

Triggering a Scan​

Option 1: Physical Button​

Option 2: Programmatically​

Stopping a Scan​

Configuring Symbologies​

Supported Symbologies​

Retrieving and Configuring Symbologies​

Best Practices​

1. Set Up Callbacks Early​

2. Handle Both Success and Failure​

Troubleshooting​

Next Steps​