Barcode Scanner (HID) with Line-of-Business App

Overview

This test case simulates a common workflow in retail, logistics, or healthcare where users must quickly scan items directly into a line-of-business (LOB) application. Examples include point-of-sale terminals, inventory management systems, or patient check-in kiosks.

The test validates that a standard USB barcode scanner, operating in keyboard-emulation (HID) mode, is automatically and seamlessly redirected into the VDI session. The key success criteria are speed, accuracy, and reliability, ensuring that the scanner behaves exactly like a physical keyboard without lag or focus issues.

zTC/zMAN Configuration

No specific configuration is required for this use case.

• zMAN Director Configuration: No special peripheral policies are needed. The zTC device simply needs a standard VDI connection profile (Citrix, VMware, or Microsoft) applied to it.
• Local zTC Configuration: No local configuration is necessary. SnapOS is designed to redirect any USB device configured in HID mode automatically. ¹

3rd Party Setup (VDI Environment)

1. Install Line-of-Business Application: On the virtual desktop master image, install the target application that will receive the scanned input. For testing purposes, a simple application like Notepad or Microsoft Excel is sufficient if a real LOB application is not available.
2. Ensure No Blocking Policies: Verify that no VDI-level policies (e.g., Citrix or Group Policies) are configured to block generic USB HID devices. This is not a default setting, but it’s good practice to check in high-security environments.

Execution

1. Connect Hardware: Connect a standard USB barcode scanner to an available USB port on the zTC device. Ensure the scanner is configured for HID/keyboard-emulation mode, which is the default for most models.
2. Launch VDI Session: Power on the zTC and log in to your virtual desktop session.
3. Open Application: Inside the VDI, launch the LOB application or Notepad.
4. Test Single Scan:
   • Click your mouse to place the cursor inside the text entry field of the application.
   • Scan a single barcode.
5. Test Rapid Scans:
   • With the cursor still in the entry field, quickly scan five to ten different barcodes in succession.
6. Test Focus Handling:
   • After scanning, immediately begin typing text with the physical keyboard to ensure it also registers in the same field.
   • Click on a different window or the desktop background to remove focus from the entry field, then scan a barcode again.

Verification

• Device Redirection (Pass/Fail):
  • PASS: The barcode scanner works immediately within the VDI session after being plugged into the zTC, with no manual configuration needed. It behaves as a secondary keyboard.
  • FAIL: The scanner is not detected by the VDI session or requires a complex manual redirection policy (e.g., specifying its VID:PID) to function.
• Input Accuracy (Pass/Fail):
  • PASS: The alphanumeric data appearing in the application field is a perfect match for the data encoded in the barcode. If the scanner is configured to send an “Enter” keystroke after each scan, the cursor correctly moves to the next line.
  • FAIL: The scanned data is incomplete, contains incorrect or garbled characters, or misses the trailing “Enter” keystroke.
• Performance and Latency (Pass/Fail):
  • PASS: Scanned input appears in the application field instantaneously. All entries from the rapid-scan test are captured correctly and in the proper sequence.
  • FAIL: There is a noticeable delay between the physical scan and the data appearing on screen. The system misses scans or records them out of order during the rapid-scan test.
• Focus Handling (Pass/Fail):
  • PASS: The scanned input is always sent to the active window and field that has the system’s keyboard focus. Using the scanner does not interfere with the normal operation of the physical keyboard. When no field is in focus, the scanned input is either discarded or beeped as an error by the scanner, as expected.
  • FAIL: The scanner input is sent to the wrong application or is lost even when the target field is in focus.