PDA RFID Scanner

A comprehensive Flutter plugin for industrial PDA devices supporting both barcode scanning and RFID tag reading. The plugin is optimized for Blovedream PDA devices but may work with other similar hardware.

Pub Version

Features

  • Barcode scanning using the physical scan button on the device
  • Low-frequency RFID card scanning
  • Real-time scan result streaming
  • Configurable auto-restart for continuous scanning
  • Simple API with Flutter-friendly interfaces
  • Comprehensive error handling
  • Support for both modern API and legacy methods

Installation

Add this to your package's pubspec.yaml file:

dependencies:
  pda_rfid_scanner: ^0.0.4

Then run:

flutter pub get

Basic Usage

Initialize

Import the package:

import 'package:pda_rfid_scanner/pda_rfid_scanner.dart';

Barcode Scanning

// Start barcode scanner
await PdaRfidScanner.startBarcodeScan();

// Enable auto-restart (for continuous scanning)
await PdaRfidScanner.setAutoRestartScan(true);

// Stop barcode scanner when done
await PdaRfidScanner.stopBarcodeScan();

RFID Scanning

// Enable RFID module
await PdaRfidScanner.enableRfid();

// Disable RFID module when done
await PdaRfidScanner.disableRfid();

Receiving Scan Results

StreamSubscription? _scanSubscription;

@override
void initState() {
  super.initState();
  
  // Listen for scan results
  _scanSubscription = PdaRfidScanner.scanStream.listen(
    (ScanResult result) {
      print('Scan type: ${result.type}');
      print('Scanned data: ${result.data}');
      print('Timestamp: ${result.timestamp}');
      
      // Handle the scan result
      if (result.type == ScanType.barcode) {
        // Process barcode
      } else if (result.type == ScanType.rfid) {
        // Process RFID tag
      }
    },
    onError: (error) {
      print('Error receiving scan: $error');
    }
  );
}

@override
void dispose() {
  // Don't forget to cancel subscription when done
  _scanSubscription?.cancel();
  
  // And turn off scanners to save battery
  PdaRfidScanner.stopBarcodeScan();
  PdaRfidScanner.disableRfid();
  
  super.dispose();
}

Advanced Usage

Check Device Status

// Check if barcode scanner is active
bool isScannerActive = await PdaRfidScanner.isScannerActive();

// Check if RFID module is active
bool isRfidActive = await PdaRfidScanner.isRfidActive();

// Get current scanning mode
ScanType currentMode = await PdaRfidScanner.getCurrentMode();

Legacy API Support

For compatibility with older code:

// Start barcode scanner (legacy method)
await PdaRfidScanner.scanStart();

// Enable RFID (legacy method)
await PdaRfidScanner.powerOn();

// Disable RFID (legacy method)
await PdaRfidScanner.powerOff();

Legacy Stream Access

If you need direct access to the stream:

PdaRfidScanner.channel.receiveBroadcastStream().listen(
  (dynamic event) {
    print('Received event: $event');
    // Process raw event data
  },
  onError: (dynamic error) {
    print('Received error: ${error.message}');
  }
);

Complete Example

import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
import 'package:pda_rfid_scanner/pda_rfid_scanner.dart';
import 'dart:async';

void main() {
  runApp(const MyApp());
}

class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {
  const MyApp({Key? key}) : super(key: key);

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return MaterialApp(
      home: ScannerPage(),
    );
  }
}

class ScannerPage extends StatefulWidget {
  @override
  _ScannerPageState createState() => _ScannerPageState();
}

class _ScannerPageState extends State<ScannerPage> {
  String _lastScan = 'No scan yet';
  ScanType _lastScanType = ScanType.unknown;
  StreamSubscription? _scanSubscription;
  
  @override
  void initState() {
    super.initState();
    
    // Start barcode scanner on startup
    PdaRfidScanner.startBarcodeScan();
    PdaRfidScanner.setAutoRestartScan(true);
    
    // Listen for scan results
    _scanSubscription = PdaRfidScanner.scanStream.listen(
      (ScanResult result) {
        setState(() {
          _lastScan = result.data;
          _lastScanType = result.type;
        });
      },
    );
  }
  
  @override
  void dispose() {
    _scanSubscription?.cancel();
    PdaRfidScanner.stopBarcodeScan();
    PdaRfidScanner.disableRfid();
    super.dispose();
  }
  
  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return Scaffold(
      appBar: AppBar(title: Text('Scanner Demo')),
      body: Center(
        child: Column(
          mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.center,
          children: [
            Text('Last scan: $_lastScan'),
            Text('Type: ${_lastScanType.toString().split('.').last}'),
            SizedBox(height: 20),
            Row(
              mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.spaceEvenly,
              children: [
                ElevatedButton(
                  onPressed: () => PdaRfidScanner.startBarcodeScan(),
                  child: Text('Start Barcode'),
                ),
                ElevatedButton(
                  onPressed: () => PdaRfidScanner.enableRfid(),
                  child: Text('Start RFID'),
                ),
              ],
            ),
          ],
        ),
      ),
    );
  }
}

Notes & Best Practices

  1. Mode Switching: Barcode scanning and RFID reading cannot be active simultaneously. Enabling one will automatically disable the other.

  2. Button Activation: You must call startBarcodeScan() to activate the physical scan button on the device.

  3. Auto-Restart: Enable auto-restart with setAutoRestartScan(true) if you need to scan multiple items consecutively. Otherwise, the scanner will stop after each scan.

  4. Resource Management: Always:

    • Cancel stream subscriptions in dispose()
    • Disable scanners/RFID when not in use to save battery

  5. Error Handling: The plugin includes built-in error handling, but it's recommended to implement your own error processing in the onError callback of the stream subscription.

Troubleshooting

  • Scan button not working: Ensure you've called startBarcodeScan() before using the physical button.

  • Scanner stops after one scan: Make sure auto-restart is enabled with setAutoRestartScan(true).

  • RFID not detecting cards: Verify that you're using the correct type of RFID cards (low-frequency) and that the RFID module is enabled with enableRfid().

  • App crashes when exiting: Ensure you're properly disposing resources in the dispose() method.

Platform Support

  • Android: ✅ Supported
  • iOS: ❌ Not supported (PDA devices typically run Android)

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

Libraries

pda_rfid_scanner