Offline scanning is a mechanism whereby Android devices can be used for a range of scanning functions even when not connected to a network of any kind. While there are of course some limitations on what is available in terms of validation when scanning in an off line mode, there is a lot of flexibility and it is possible to download information to a device while it is connected in order for off line scanning to allow for a degree of validation.

 

The first thing is to define a function as an off line function as described here.

You then need to define any devices that will be running this function as devices running in off line mode

Once that has been done, device permissions can be allocated as normal. At this point, off line data can be manually sent to the device for validation purposes.

 

The user can then log onto the device while in connected mode and all the required information is downloaded to the device. Users can then go off line and scan as required. Once they are in range, they can upload data to the TransLution server. At that point, the data is processed in order to be read into the TransLution database as if it were scanned on line.

 

Some important points to note:

The initial logon onto a device has to be done while the device is connected on the network. This logon is the one that will allow any new or changed functions to be downloaded to the device and also to allow any data required for validation to be downloaded to the device as well. An initial logon is defined as the first logon after data has been uploaded from the device to the server. This upload clears all scanned data and validation data off the device. If the user does not do the first logon while connected they will not be able to log on again and do any further scanning. The first logon while connected is critical.

 

Offline scanning using SQL Lite which has some of its own limitations - Custom Stored Procedures are not support with SQL Lite. ISNULL in views is not supported.