Implementing a Barcode ID System for employee access control

Hello again,

As usual I've come here for good ideas once again. Today here's the thing:

Where I work I've been told to figure out a way to implement an access control system relying on a Bar Code reader and ID cards. This is going to be temporary since we are moving into a new building and by then the real experts will be implementing a bio-metric access control system.

So, thus far we are in need of implementing a quick, economical but efficient system relying on Bar Codes -we already have the bar code scanner/reader- So, as you might have already guessed, I was thinking of a protocol involving ID cards for internal use made by us. These cards would have bar codes printed on them, the security guard will then scan said bar code and then have some basic info of the ID card holder displayed on a screen (By simply scanning, no clicking no nothing) for further check, then the guards lets the card holder continue towards the buildings. Seems like a pretty basic protocol, problem is I'm in dippers when it comes to these.

I've researched online and through error I consolidated certain facts. For instances I downloaded several trial software that turned out to be simply label printers and bar code generators, other turned out to be ID makers which happened to allow you to paste a bar code on your design... but they didn't really have a module for scanning (which is, I think, what I'm looking for) and displaying the info. They had a bunch of modules that allowed you to create hierarchy and create all kinds of different IDs and batches, but I could not find an actual module for the fricking security guard, who knows nothing about computers, to scan the ID and immediately have a Basic Info Sheet displayed on a screen. Like in the supermarket. Point is, I think I've understood that bar codes can't hold much information, just a series of alphanumeric symbols. So the whole thing consists in associating that "number" to a previously made format. The bar code will be just the number that will call in the format, the bar code won't hold the format. Right?

So, I know that for some of you this is probably the easiest task, I know I know. But now that I've described the problem, what solutions could I implement? Do you know of any software that can do what I need? Is it affordable? Is there a homemade way to do this? Who knows, perhaps there's a way to do it on Office. I don't know lol

Thank you very much for all your help,

Rodolfo

You say you have a bar code reader. I assume it will support a number of industry standard bar code formats. It would be reasonable to use one of it.

... and bar code readers usually produce serial ASCII output so all you need to do is display the characters. It would be up to you to look-up the character string in a table and display data accordingly. The type of code is normally worked out by the scanner itself and can be requested from it if necessary.

Brian.