Capture Scale Readings with One Tap on Android
Put an item on the scale. Tap the SerialMagic Keys Command Key on your Android keyboard. Its weight appears in Google Sheets.
SerialMagic Keys Professional for Android can send a command to a connected device and enter its response wherever you are typing. In this example, a BlueSnap M6A connects an OHAUS Ranger 3000 scale to Android. The SerialMagic Keys Command Key requests the current weight, then posts the reading to Google Sheets.
Record weights without retyping numbers from the scale display or building a custom spreadsheet integration. You choose when to request each reading, so the sheet receives the weights you intend to capture.
What you need
- SerialMagic Keys Professional on Android, selected as the active keyboard
- The ALLOW SPECIAL KEYS in-app purchase
- A BlueSnap M6A connected to an OHAUS Ranger 3000 scale
- A Google Sheet ready for the readings
The command below is the setting used in this Ranger 3000 example. Other scales may require different commands and serial settings.
SerialMagic Keys Professional Android Command Key | Step-by-Step
Confirm that special keys are available
On the SerialMagic Keys main screen, check that ALLOW SPECIAL KEYS shows Purchased. This option enables the Command Key used in the following steps.
Enable the Command Key
Tap Settings, scroll to Command key, and turn it on. The key will appear on the SerialMagic Keys keyboard when you enter data in an app.
Define the weight request
Command key data is set to HEX value 500d0a, and Command data as HEX is enabled. This is the Ohaus Ranger scale command to send current weight.
Set Post after special to ENTER, as shown in the example. In this Sheets workflow, it commits the received reading and moves the entry point to the next row in the sheet.
Connect the BlueSnap M6A
Connect the BlueSnap M6A to the Ranger 3000 and confirm that it is connected in Serial Device Manager. The connected device in this example is identified as DB9-B8CADE. The M6A carries the request from Android to the scale and returns the response.
Select the starting cell in Google Sheets
Open your sheet and select the first cell for the readings. Here, the starting cell is A1. Tap the Sheets entry field so the cursor is active and SerialMagic Keys Professional appears as the keyboard.
Weigh an item and tap the Command Key
Tap Sheets “Enter text or formula” field. Place an item on the Ranger 3000. With the Sheets entry field active, tap the Command Key on the SerialMagic Keys keyboard. The key requests the current weight/count/etc, and SerialMagic Keys Professional posts the scale response in Sheets.
Repeat for each item. With Post after special: ENTER configured as shown, the next reading can go into the next row. The completed example contains four weights: 26.2 g, 336.3 g, 199.3 g, and 1475.2 g in cells A1 through A4. Cell A5 is ready for another item.
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Why use SerialMagic Keys Professional Command Key?
The Command Key lets you request a weight directly from the Android device where you record it. You do not need to press the scale’s print or send-reading button, and you avoid copying the displayed number by hand.
The person recording the reading does not need physical access to the scale. For example, in a clean room or food-safe area, one person can place an item on the scale and tell a colleague at another location when it is ready. The colleague taps the Command Key to request the reading and enter it into the active field. The workflow keeps the scale operator and the person maintaining the record in their respective work areas.
For products, samples, or packages, each tap captures a reading at the point in your workflow where you need it. SerialMagic Keys can also enter device data into other apps that accept keyboard input, including web forms and business applications.
Ready to Post Scale Readings to Sheets?
Explore SerialMagic Keys for Android and BlueSnap M6A scale connections. For help matching a scale to your workflow, contact Serialio with your scale model and the app where you want readings entered.