[sims] Capita OMR DRS CD230 and a usb-serial converter?

[pete]

Mods: while this is a hardware item, it's a very MIS-centric hardware device and the people who'll identify it (and suffer the flashbacks) are more likely to look in here.

 

For our sins we occasionally need to use the aforementioned Capita optical mark reader - has anyone got one of these working reliably with a usb-serial converter?

[Arthur]

While I can’t help with the OMR reader specifically, the best USB/Serial adapter I have found is the Keyspan USA-19HS (£21.27 from Expansys). I use one myself for connecting to all sorts of serial devices and it has worked faultlessly on absolutely everything I have thrown at it. It even comes with software that can be used to log all incoming and/or outgoing communication that happens via the adapter to a file on your computer. I’m not sure how useful that will be to you, but it's a nice feature to have.

 

From their website...

For use with all RS-232 serial devices including modems, GPS devices, cell phones, hand held scanners, networking equipment (console port), graphics tablets, point of sale devices, touch screens, UPS devices, medical and scientific instruments, industrial process control devices, building automation instrumentation and other serial devices.

 

If this doesn't work, nothing will.

[pete]

Just tried 3 different types today, with varying driver versions. 2 of them are known to work with the most insane devices in school (including our bank payment card readers), but have been defeated by the OMR so far.

 

I can't even get it to cough up anything up under Linux - I normally get something if I issue screen /dev/ttyUSB0, regardless of the adaptor.

[Arthur]

The three you tried weren't all based on the Prolific chipset were they? These always seem to be a bit rubbish.

[pete]

Yeah, they were. It's not the chipset that's rubbish - it's finding decent drivers. (Every "bad" usb-serial converter I've ever come across works fine under Linux).

 

Contacted the manufacturer to see if it's even feasible.

[Little-Miss]

Sorry to drag up an old post but did you get this sorted? I've installed the Keyspan on the computer but no handshake between it and Sims...

 

windows 7

[Little-Miss]

These OMR things dont have drivers do they? Key span adaptor flashing as if searching for device...

[pete]

I'm afraid I may have snaffled their OMR mark reader one dark night and made them fill the missing marks in electronically like they were supposed to.

 

OMR reader should just appear as a serial device - never had to install drivers. The SIMS default settings are ok (apart from page alignment) you may have to configure the keyspan adaptor to the right COM port settings.

 

My wiki notes the following:

 

Give modify permissions on %windir%\OMRConfig.ini to domain\SIMSUSERS so they can change the OMR sheet alignment if necessary.

 

The reader works fine - default settings in SIMS don’t need changing. However, the printer setting do need tweaking slightly. As follows:

 

Open Attendance

 

Go to Tools > Options > OMR Setup. On the first tab (OMR Printing), click Print Test Sheet and follow the instructions on it.

 

USB - Serial converter

 

All the ones I’ve tried so far don’t work. DRS (firm that makes the reader) suggested a Nikkei adaptor available from Maplin - black/white and orange box for about £19.99. Their (DRS) cable is £99.99.