Virtual Barcode Scanner & HID Keyboard Wedge Emulator | OpenRFID
Cross-platform virtual keyboard wedge scanner and hardware emulator for 1D/2D barcodes (GS1-128 FNC1), UHF RAIN RFID EPC Gen2, NFC NDEF, and industrial scales into Excel, SAP, and web apps.
Watch Video Walkthrough Before Using
OpenRFID & Barcode Simulator: Virtual HID Keyboard Wedge Master Walkthrough
View Dedicated Video Page & Notes →Master guide explaining virtual barcode scanning, RFID keystroke injection, Win32 focus-safe mini-HUD, and zero-RAM 50M+ row streaming.
Project Overview & Architecture
High-performance open-source hardware protocol emulator and virtual HID keyboard wedge built in C# 13, .NET 8, and Avalonia UI. Emulates 1D/2D optical barcode scanners (Code 128, QR Code, Data Matrix, GS1-128 with FNC1 separators), HF RFID (13.56 MHz Mifare & ISO 15693), NFC NDEF records, UHF RAIN RFID (EPC Gen2 4-bank memory), ICAO Doc 9303 MRZ Passports, Industrial Digital Scales (Mettler-Toledo/CAS), and BLE Beacons (iBeacon/Eddystone). Injects synthetic tag streams and barcode keystrokes directly into any web browser, ERP (SAP, Tally, Zoho), WMS, POS, or desktop application via sub-millisecond Win32 SendInput bursts or human-jitter typing simulation with zero RAM footprint (<30 MB) across 50M+ rows.
4-Tier Edge Pipeline Architecture
Data Formulation
Synthesizes 1D/2D barcodes, GS1-128 FNC1 strings, EPC Gen2 hex banks, MRZ passport strings, and weight metrics.
MMF & Span Buffers
Streams continuous synthetic sequences or 50M+ row CSV files via Memory-Mapped Files with <30 MB RAM overhead.
Win32 Overlay
Renders floating controls with WS_EX_NOACTIVATE style so user clicks never steal active input focus from ERPs.
SendInput & Jitter
Injects hardware keystrokes at <8ms/scan or simulates realistic human typing speeds with typo-correction models.
Feature Benchmark: OpenRFID Solution vs. Proprietary Alternatives
| Feature Capability | OpenRFID Solution (MIT) | Commercial Paid Solutions | Hardware Rig / Manual |
|---|---|---|---|
| License & Cost | 100% Free & Open Source (MIT) | $79 - $199 / License | $250 - $1,500 / Device |
| Focus-Safe Mini-HUD | ✓ Win32 WS_EX_NOACTIVATE (Zero Focus Theft) | ✗ Steals focus on button click | ✓ Hardware laser triggers input |
| 50M+ Row Zero-RAM Engine | ✓ <30 MB RAM (Memory-Mapped Files) | ✗ High RAM crash on >1M rows | N/A (Hardware only) |
| GS1-128 FNC1 (]C1) | ✓ Full AIM prefix & 0x1D group separator | Partial (Plain text only) | ✓ Configurable via barcode manual |
| Headless CI/CD CLI | ✓ openscansim-cli.exe for Playwright/Selenium | ✗ GUI only / No CLI flags | ✗ Requires physical test rig |
CLI Arguments & Configuration Reference
| Parameter / Flag | Type | Default | Description & Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| --barcode <string> | string | "PRD-001" | Barcode string payload to inject as simulated optical scan. |
| --symbology <type> | string | code128 | Symbology standard: code128, gs1-128, datamatrix, qr, epc-gen2, mrz. |
| --keystroke-delay <ms> | integer | 0ms | Inter-character typing delay (0ms for instant burst, 60-150ms for human mode). |
| --suffix <string> | string | "{ENTER}" | Keystroke suffix: {ENTER}, {TAB}, or empty string. |
| --count <n> | integer | 1 | Number of sequential or masked scans to fire. |
| --stream-file <path> | filepath | none | Path to 50M+ row CSV/TXT file to stream via Memory-Mapped Files. |
Universal Virtual HID Keyboard Wedge & Hardware Emulator
Eliminate the need for expensive physical testing rigs. OpenRFID Simulator intercepts and emulates optical barcode scanners, UHF RAIN RFID readers, NFC tags, and industrial weight scales—injecting clean hardware keystrokes directly into your active ERP, WMS, or spreadsheet field.
1D & 2D Optical Barcode Scanner Wedge
Zebra DS2208, Honeywell Xenon 1900G, Datalogic Gryphon
Emulates Code 128, Code 39, QR Code, DataMatrix, and GS1-128 symbologies. Includes standard 3-character AIM prefixes (]C1, ]Q1) and automatic ASCII 0x1D (GS) FNC1 group separators for enterprise logistics.
UHF RAIN RFID Reader Wedge (860-960 MHz)
Impinj Speedway R420/R700, Zebra FX9600, Chainway C72
Synthesizes EPCglobal Class 1 Gen 2 (ISO 18000-6C) tag sweeps. Injects 96-bit SGTIN, 128-bit EPCs, serialized hex bursts, TID authentication banks, and User memory payloads at speeds up to 250 tags per second.
HF RFID & NFC Tag Reader Wedge (13.56 MHz)
ACR122U, Identiv uTrust 3700F, Sony FeliCa Desktop
Emulates ISO 14443A/B and ISO 15693 standards. Simulates Mifare Classic 1K/4K 4-byte/7-byte UIDs, NTAG213/215/216 chips, and decodes NFC Forum Type 2/4 NDEF URL and Text payloads directly into web forms.
Industrial Digital Bench & Floor Scales
Mettler-Toledo Toledo Standard, CAS CI-2001A, Avery Weigh-Tronix
Simulates continuous or polled industrial weight streams. Translates gross and tare weight metrics into sanitized numeric keystrokes for automated shipping checkouts, POS retail, and parcel sorting systems.
The core flaw of traditional test tools is that clicking a "Send Scan" button immediately activates that application window, stealing cursor focus from your ERP or browser. OpenRFID Simulator solves this with a floating Mini-HUD engineered with the WS_EX_NOACTIVATE | WS_EX_TOPMOST Win32 window styles. You can click HUD buttons, switch tags, or pause streams while your active target window retains 100% uninterrupted typing focus.
- ✓ SAP S/4HANA: Field auto-advance
- ✓ Tally Prime: Stock journal voucher scan
- ✓ Microsoft Excel: Auto-row stepping
- ✓ Web POS & WMS: Pure DOM key events
User Interface & Studio Showcase
Explore the high-fidelity Avalonia UI Windows 11 Fluent dark interface, floating HUD widget, and protocol studios:
1. Main Control Dashboard
Full reader protocol selector, live hex memory bank preview & keystroke streaming controls with sub-millisecond precision.
Full reader protocol selector, live hex memory bank preview & keystroke streaming controls with sub-millisecond precision.
Always-on-top 350x220px floating HUD with Win32 WS_EX_NOACTIVATE style. Click controls without losing cursor focus in SAP or web forms.
Generate dynamic synthetic masks, sequential serial numbers, cryptographic hex sequences, and stream 50M+ rows via memory-mapped files.
Comprehensive 1D/2D symbologies (Code 128, QR Code, Data Matrix, GS1-128) with automatic AIM IDs (]C1, ]Q1) and ASCII 0x1D (GS) FNC1 separators.
Live transmission latency metrics, peak TPS tracking, chronographical scan audit logs, dropped packet emulation, and CRC error injection.
Code & Integration Blueprint
Copyable starter templates, CLI flags, and CI/CD pipelines:
Technical Specifications & Runtime Environment
| Target Architecture | C# 13 / .NET 8 LTS / Avalonia UI • MIT Open Source License |
| Supported Protocols | 1D/2D Barcodes, HF RFID (13.56 MHz), NFC NDEF, UHF EPC Gen2, MRZ Passports, Digital Scales |
| Keystroke Engine | Win32 SendInput batch burst (<8ms/tag) & Gaussian Human Typing |
| Focus Architecture | Win32 WS_EX_NOACTIVATE Floating HUD (Zero cursor focus theft) |
| Memory Footprint | Zero-RAM Stream Engine (<30 MB RAM across 50,000,000+ rows) |
| Symbologies & Formats | Code 128, GS1-128 (FNC1 ]C1), DataMatrix, QR Code, MRZ TD3, CAS/Mettler Scales |
Key Features & Capabilities
- ✓ Universal 4-in-1 Protocol Emulation (1D/2D Barcodes, UHF RFID EPC Gen2, NFC NDEF, and Digital Scales)
- ✓ Win32 WS_EX_NOACTIVATE Focus-Safe Floating Mini-HUD for zero cursor theft during ERP & web testing
- ✓ GS1-128 & 2D Barcode Engine with AIM Symbology IDs (]C1, ]Q1) and ASCII 0x1D FNC1 Group Separators
- ✓ Direct ERP & Spreadsheet Keystroke Injection into SAP S/4HANA, Tally Prime, Zoho Books, and Microsoft Excel
- ✓ Dual Timing Modes: Sub-8ms Device HID Keystroke Bursts vs. Gaussian Human Jitter & Typo Correction
- ✓ Headless CLI Automation Tool (openscansim-cli.exe) for CI/CD Playwright, Selenium, & Cypress Pipelines
- ✓ Zero-RAM Streaming Engine (<30 MB RAM) for Continuous Lazy Generation & 50,000,000+ Row File Streams
- ✓ Hardware Chaos & Fault Injector for Simulating NOREADs, Truncated Barcode Strings, and Inverted Check Digits
Related Hardware & Commercial Solutions
Explore compatible RFID readers, pre-built warehouse inventory software, and asset management systems developed by RFID Softwares:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a keyboard wedge scanner and how does this software emulator replace physical hardware? ↓
A keyboard wedge intercepts data from an input device (such as a barcode scanner or RFID reader) and translates it directly into hardware keystrokes sent to whichever application has active cursor focus. This software emulator acts as a virtual USB HID keyboard wedge, generating realistic scanner bursts directly into web forms, ERPs, or spreadsheets without requiring physical scanning hardware.
Can I simulate UHF RAIN RFID tag reads and NFC records without a physical reader? ↓
Yes! In addition to 1D/2D optical barcodes, the simulator emulates UHF RAIN RFID (EPC Gen2 96/128-bit hex tags, TID banks, and User memory) as well as HF 13.56 MHz / NFC NDEF text and URI records, injecting simulated tag reads directly as keystrokes in under 8 milliseconds.
How do I simulate barcode scanning and RFID input into Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets? ↓
Simply launch the floating Mini-HUD, click into any cell in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets, and trigger a scan via the HUD button or global hotkey (F8/F10). The simulator injects the synthetic barcode or EPC tag followed by an automatic {ENTER} or {TAB} keystroke suffix, auto-stepping down or across cells seamlessly for bulk macro testing.
How does OpenRFID & Barcode Simulator inject keystrokes into web forms and ERPs? ↓
It utilizes native Win32 SendInput hardware batching on Windows (and OS-native input hooks on Linux/macOS) to emulate physical USB HID keyboard wedge scanners. Keystrokes are injected directly into whichever web browser, desktop ERP (SAP, Tally, Zoho), POS, or inventory app has active cursor focus in under 8 milliseconds per tag.
Does the floating Mini-HUD steal cursor focus from test applications? ↓
No! The floating mini-HUD widget is engineered with the Win32 WS_EX_NOACTIVATE extended window style. You can click start, pause, or switch simulation tabs on the mini-HUD while your web browser or ERP retains 100% uninterrupted keyboard focus.
Can it simulate GS1-128 barcodes with FNC1 group separators and AIM Symbology IDs? ↓
Yes. It fully supports GS1-128, QR Code, and Data Matrix symbologies with automatic ASCII 0x1D (GS) FNC1 group separators and standard 3-character AIM prefixes (such as ]C1 and ]Q1), ensuring strict compliance with enterprise barcode parsing standards.
How can QA engineers use OpenScanSim CLI in CI/CD automated test pipelines? ↓
The headless CLI executable (openscansim-cli.exe) can be invoked with arguments like `--symbology code128 --count 500 --keystroke-delay 15ms` in GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, or Jenkins. It integrates seamlessly with Playwright, Selenium, and Cypress automated browser test suites.
How does the Zero-RAM streaming engine handle 50,000,000+ tag files without crashing? ↓
Instead of loading full dataset arrays into RAM, OpenScanSim uses C# IAsyncEnumerable lazy generators and Memory-Mapped Files (MMF) with Span<char> zero-allocation buffers, keeping runtime RAM consumption strictly under 30 MB even across 50M+ rows.
Is OpenRFID & Barcode Simulator free and open-source under the MIT license? ↓
Yes, OpenRFID & Barcode Simulator is 100% free and open-source under the permissive MIT license for both commercial enterprise testing and open-source community development.