Re: fingerprints

> > > Has there been any work on getting fingerprint readers working on FreeBSD?
> > > I *really* disilked the fact that (apparently) the only fingerprint
> > > reader is supplied via Microsoft, but beyond that, it's a USB device,
> > > which ought to mean, a simple implementation.  I guess I have to read how
> > Ahem, sorry.. USB != simple.

> Can't (and won't), it's Micrsoft, I won't stoop that low.  There's only so
> many possibilities here, I'll just how to see how I can download whatever
> the mindless little thing has, and begin comparing with what it could be.
> The only problem is figuring out how to open it up in general, so I can
> get that listing.  I'll figure it out, the usb site is on the web, it's
> got docs, I just hope they're not too huge.

I suggest you consult the friendly folx hanging out on the USB list
(usb_at_ or freebsd-usb_at_), where I'm sending followups to this as well
as a copy of this.

Bernd Walter (ticso) has a ports skeleton for the NetBSD USB utilities
that can tell you details about the endpoints and protocols of your
device.

I thought I had another program that gave even more info, but I'll
have to look around to try and find it.  I'm not aware of any user
utilities that can do useful things like extract strings from the
device, but it's so trivial to do that such a thing certainly
exists, which can tell you a bit more about the device.  Perhaps
something in libusb is what I'm thinking of.

That may be enough to get you started without reinventing the
wheel.


barry bouwsma