Hi guys.

Bit of a conundrum here...

I've got a VF page that has an inputText field that users use to scan in barcodes using a handheld barcode scanner.

The barcode scanner merely act like a keyboard: it translates the scan to keys, then types those keys and hits enter.

What I'd like to do, is have users scan a barcode, then conduct an apex query. If the results are good, it updates a record, if the results are bad - it throws a pageMessage.

I got some JS that checks when the enter key is hit, and then I envoke the apex. However, there seems to be an issue with the sequence of reRendering and apex, and JS.

When I do the scan into the input field - the page does a refresh - but the apex:PageMessage that should display does not...

Here's what I have so far:

<apex:page standardController="terminalPrepOrder__c" extensions="terminalPrepOrderController" >
    <apex:variable var="prp" value="{!terminalPrepOrder__c}"/>

        function checkEnter(e){ <!-- e is event object passed from function invocation -->
            var characterCode <!--literal character code will be stored in this variable -->

            if(e && e.which){ <!--if which property of event object is supported (NN4) -->
                e = e
                characterCode = e.which <!-- character code is contained in NN4's which property -->
            }
            else{
                e = event
                characterCode = e.keyCode <!-- character code is contained in IE's keyCode property -->
            }

            if(characterCode == 13){ <!-- if generated character code is equal to ascii 13 (if enter key) -->
                alert("clicked enter");
                otherFindTerminal(); <!--  submit the form -->
                return false;
            }
            else{
            return true
            }
        }
    </script>

    <apex:pageMessages id="msgs"/>
    <apex:form id="theForm">
        <apex:actionFunction name="findTerminal" action="{!otherFindTerminal}" reRender="msgs"/>
        <apex:outputText value="Scan Terminal Barcode "/>
        <apex:inputText value="{!searchBarcode}" onkeypress="checkEnter(event)"/>
        <apex:commandButton value="Find" action="{!otherFindTerminal}" id="hitMe" reRender="msgs"/>
    </apex:form>

 Controller:

	public PageReference otherFindTerminal() {  
        try {
            if (searchBarcode != '') {
              terminal__c enteredTrm = [select Id from Terminal__c T where T.barcodeNumber__c = :searchBarcode limit 1];        
           
             terminalPrepOrder__c trmPrp = (terminalPrepOrder__c) controller.getRecord();
           
             trmPrp.Terminal__c = enteredTrm.Id;
             update trmPrp;
            }
            else if (searchBarcode == '' ) {
                ApexPages.Message invalidSearch = new ApexPages.Message(ApexPages.Severity.ERROR, 'Invalid barcode.');
                ApexPages.addMessage(invalidSearch);
            }
        }
        catch (exception e) {
        
            ApexPages.Message noTrm = new ApexPages.Message(ApexPages.Severity.ERROR, searchBarcode + ' not found. Please enter the Terminal barcode.');
            ApexPages.addMessage(noTrm);
        }
        return null;
    }

So when I click the commandButton - it functions perfectly - It does the query, and rerenders the messages...

When I use the input field and hit enter... it refreshes the page but does nothing...

Please help!

Thanks