Aim of Read-a-Card

Read‑a‑Card is a software utility that runs on a Windows PC and reads information from many types of contactless cards and tags. Card numbers and unique IDs can be read and logged to file, or automatically sent to other software applications. This includes typing the card ID, known as a keyboard wedge.

Read‑a‑Card is compatible with a wide range of readers from different manufacturers, and can also be used to identify cards, test reader functionality and manage the use of multiple readers on a single PC.

Read‑a‑Card is designed to be configured by an integrator or administrator using its tab‑based user interface, or by software changing the configuration files and settings directly. Read‑a‑Card is then typically run in the background by an end‑user, with limited user privileges, to avoid changes to Read‑a‑Card configuration parameters in normal use. As an alternative, it can be configured by directly writing the file Read‑a‑Card.ini with the required settings.

Read‑a‑Card has various features aimed at software developers, which hide the complexities of the contactless card and reader communication layers so that unique RFID card IDs and other data can be read easily, without prior knowledge of the technologies involved.

• A web site or application in the browser can receive the information that Read‑a‑Card has read from a contactless card or tag, using the local web server functionality that runs on the client.

• Read‑a‑Card includes a Windows messaging based API (application programming interface), allowing other software applications to be developed that make use of Read‑a‑Card’s functionality. Applications that register to receive Read‑a‑Card’s notification messages will receive the card ID, card type, reader ID (where available) and timestamp, whenever a new card is presented.